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Camera Advice, Please?

Paul HeymontPaul HeymontGumbo Guru

My current carry-everywhere camera is a Nikon S9400 that is always on my belt; I've also always been happy with the Panasonic Lumix TS/TZ series. The Nikon is 18.1 megapixels with 18x zoom.

 

BUT, I find myself lacking a few items that I'd like to have as I travel. The size factor of the Nikon (about 6x3x1) is great for always-there, but I'd accept thicker but still carryable if i could also get

a) a viewfinder. Needn't be through-the-lens, just please let me see the view in sunlight!

b) WiFi, whether totally independent or needing a link to my ever-present smartphone. There are pictures I'd love to share faster (Gumbo on the Go, for instance) and I'd also love to readily get my backup into my online account.

 

I've found quite a few choice with even greater telephoto (albeit in some cases with lower resolution) and an almost-ideal (Lumix TZ30) in the right price range: But, it lacks one of my requirements, a viewfinder.

 

All help and suggestions greatly appreciated!

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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Paul HeymontPaul HeymontGumbo Guru

In the end, I've gone with a camera that is bigger than I hoped (but I wasn't going to get all my wishes in a compact...I knew that).

 

I've gotten a Sony HX300, with more zoom than I imagine I'll need (50x), 20Mp and Zeiss lenses. It's one of those "bridge" cameras; looks like a DSLR but lens doesn't change and viewfinder is not optical, but electronic. In fact, it's a miniature of the LCD, viewed through an eyepiece...but that's fine when the sun is too bright. AND, the LCD pulls away from the body and rotates, so I can evade the sun that way, too...

 

It doesn't have built-in WiFi, but I got an Eye.Fi Mobi card for it; it will transfer pictures wirelessly to either my smartphone or my computer. 

 

I think I'll be happy.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

GarryRFGarryRFTG Guru

Travelling as light as you do it would be an awful burden Rob.

I found a lovely bargain today. A Samsung ST 72 camera. It has wifi to view the pix on my TV and its so tiny that I could tuck it into my sock.

$50 US and brand new ! Its been in the stores for over a year. So its reduced !

Getting to be a collector I'm afraid !

Sounds just like your "Cup of Tea" though Rob

Last edited by GarryRF
Paul HeymontPaul HeymontGumbo Guru
Originally Posted by Travel Rob:

Can I ask the price? Or is this a case where if you have to ask the price,you can't afford it? Lol

 

 

$360; Sony has reduced the "list" from $499 to $399. A few dealers are selling it even cheaper, but the guy who was selling for $319 was doing that by taking out the included battery and AC connector and selling them separately. When I heard that I didn't even ask the total...don't do business that way.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

Paul HeymontPaul HeymontGumbo Guru

Three-year later follow-up on my original camera-quest. Still happy with the Sony despite its size, but never made a complete switchover: there are  just some times when you have to have something that's pocket size. So, sometimes that's my Samsung S7 phone, but especially on the road, it's a camera that fit ALL of my original specs.

It's the Panasonic Lumix ZS-50 (TZ50 outside the US). Eye-viewfinder (electronic), built-in WiFi to link to phones, 30x optical zoom and the Leica lenses. I've been using it for six months now and it is, I think, pretty much the perfect travel camera. It's not the latest model, but still widely available between about $250 and $300.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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