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Best Camera System for Antarctica/ Patagonia "Newbie"


notjaded
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We are going to Antarctica, and I want to obtain a camera system for this bucket-list trip. I hope you can help identify options for me.

 

Situation:

 

While I have not used an advanced camera in about 45 years, I used to handle good equipment as a photographer for my college newspaper. How much do I remember of the basics? Only a bit.

 

In the more recent years, I have had an array of small point-and-shoot cameras. Currently, a Cannon PowerShot Elph 310HS. I have not really studied up on the manual that much, as I only pull it out occasionally when using my Iphone camera might lead to the loss of my Iphone clear.png?emoji-smile-1742

 

I want to get a camera and lens that would be optimal for shooting nature in Antarctica and Patagonia. I desire to be able to take high resolution pictures that I can blow up and mount on the walls of my house (if any come out great).

 

Given that I don't care to develop a hobby as a photographer, and don't desire to keep lugging a larger camera around on other trips, this might be a one-off.

 

So, I called my local camera rental place and asked how much a good camera system would cost to rent for a month. They quoted me $750.00. They said that would be for renting $5000 of equipment.

 

I would appreciate any advice that you might be able to provide to this "newbie." Is there a great and simple camera/lens out there that I could buy for less than a $1000 that would give me really high resolution pictures suitable for enlarging and mounting? Other options?

 

Many thanks!

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First thing that pops into my mind would be a Sony RX10. Hopefully pierces comes on line (resident Sony expert). The latest and greatest is well over your budget (and a pre-release at this point); the RX10 III is about $1400, but I'd look at the specs on Sony or your favorite photo retailer (B&H Photo usually has good descriptions and reviews). Canon has a the G3 X around $1000 as a bridge camera if you're more comfortable with a Canon menu system.

 

Both of those are high resolution/high zoom advanced point and shoots. If you're thinking interchangeable lenses, then you'll have a harder time with price/features/quality, but in today's environment, I'd probably look mirrorless. But look at the features on the cameras above and similar models and see if they'll meet your needs.

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I like B&H and have bought a fair amount of photography equipment from them. There are other places, such as Adorama, that a lot of enthusiasts use. And sometimes you can find a good deal on good old Amazon. I'm just used to the look and feel of B&H, and we travel to NYC often enough that I've been to their actual store many times (which is a fascinating NYC institution!). Pricing is going to be pretty constant in this segment regardless of where you buy.

 

If you go to their web page, under photography, point and shoots, search their "advanced point and shoots". There really are 3 cameras with very long zooms and larger sensors for better low light performance (I'd want both for the trip you're describing). The third is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500, which has a little less telephoto range. The Lumix was arguably the darling of the high end superzoom/bridge cameras for a long time, but the Sony has probably surpassed it at this point.

 

I don't know where you're located and whether you have a real camera shop around you. If you do, I'd really recommend trying to put my hands on all three of those cameras and seeing which one is most comfortable for you to use and carry. The problem in the era of Amazon is that outside of places like NYC, it can be pretty hard to find a shop with all three of those to look at, and outside of a camera store, you'll be very hit and miss to find anyone who can help you with the differences.

 

Good luck!

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First I must admit never having been to Antarctica, and fantastic for you to be making such a trip - if I was more techno-literate I would add an envy emoticon.

 

Last December/January we took Oceania from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, with a stop in the Falklands. I did not take my big weather proofed dslr, but took a Canon super-zoom and an Olympus waterproof. This is my second waterproof camera and would never travel without one - not for underwater, but because it is perfect for inclement weather. And travelling where you are, you just might run into a little wind and rain. It saved me on the Falklands when we were at a beach with penguin colonies and the rain came down in sheets, making the super-zoom useless.

 

The little waterproof takes pretty good pictures, but not to the quality you are looking for. I suspect that the super-zooms will fail when stretched out to the maximum as the image stabilization will not be sufficient to give you really crisp shots (based on my experience). Because I wanted something smaller than the dslr but with good quality and weather proofing I opted for an Olympus mirrorless with a few lenses.

 

This would be a good solution for you, except that it exceeds your price ceiling. So, since this is a bucket list trip, have you considered renting a body and a few lenses? I checked a site which I think was LensRental or something like that and you can rent a Canon 5D body and quality lenses, which will be a weather proofed system and I think come in under your price limit. This would give you the quality you are looking for without the huge price tag if you purchased. I am not familiar with other brands but they may also offer something similar to the 5D.

 

I took mine to Newfoundland a few years ago with just one lens, and took about 700 photos (single shot) in a little over 2 hours when we rented a zodiac and went out among the icebergs. Didn't have to worry about the cold, the salt spray or the wind -

 

Let us know what you choose - you posed a very interesting question

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I like B&H and have bought a fair amount of photography equipment from them. There are other places, such as Adorama, that a lot of enthusiasts use. And sometimes you can find a good deal on good old Amazon. I'm just used to the look and feel of B&H, and we travel to NYC often enough that I've been to their actual store many times (which is a fascinating NYC institution!). Pricing is going to be pretty constant in this segment regardless of where you buy.

 

If you go to their web page, under photography, point and shoots, search their "advanced point and shoots". There really are 3 cameras with very long zooms and larger sensors for better low light performance (I'd want both for the trip you're describing). The third is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500, which has a little less telephoto range. The Lumix was arguably the darling of the high end superzoom/bridge cameras for a long time, but the Sony has probably surpassed it at this point.

 

I don't know where you're located and whether you have a real camera shop around you. If you do, I'd really recommend trying to put my hands on all three of those cameras and seeing which one is most comfortable for you to use and carry. The problem in the era of Amazon is that outside of places like NYC, it can be pretty hard to find a shop with all three of those to look at, and outside of a camera store, you'll be very hit and miss to find anyone who can help you with the differences.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks again for your recommendations. I will start my intensive search as soon as my workload allows, and with enough time to practice before the trip!

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First I must admit never having been to Antarctica, and fantastic for you to be making such a trip - if I was more techno-literate I would add an envy emoticon.

 

Last December/January we took Oceania from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, with a stop in the Falklands. I did not take my big weather proofed dslr, but took a Canon super-zoom and an Olympus waterproof. This is my second waterproof camera and would never travel without one - not for underwater, but because it is perfect for inclement weather. And travelling where you are, you just might run into a little wind and rain. It saved me on the Falklands when we were at a beach with penguin colonies and the rain came down in sheets, making the super-zoom useless.

 

The little waterproof takes pretty good pictures, but not to the quality you are looking for. I suspect that the super-zooms will fail when stretched out to the maximum as the image stabilization will not be sufficient to give you really crisp shots (based on my experience). Because I wanted something smaller than the dslr but with good quality and weather proofing I opted for an Olympus mirrorless with a few lenses.

 

This would be a good solution for you, except that it exceeds your price ceiling. So, since this is a bucket list trip, have you considered renting a body and a few lenses? I checked a site which I think was LensRental or something like that and you can rent a Canon 5D body and quality lenses, which will be a weather proofed system and I think come in under your price limit. This would give you the quality you are looking for without the huge price tag if you purchased. I am not familiar with other brands but they may also offer something similar to the 5D.

 

I took mine to Newfoundland a few years ago with just one lens, and took about 700 photos (single shot) in a little over 2 hours when we rented a zodiac and went out among the icebergs. Didn't have to worry about the cold, the salt spray or the wind -

 

Let us know what you choose - you posed a very interesting question

 

Thanks, airheadfan! I appreciate your kind advice and encouraging comments! I will return after I purchase and report on my successes/failures!

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OP: I want to second the recommendation to have a small waterproof camera with you, in addition to whatever main gear you decide on. There will be times, especially in the zodiacs, when you'll want to have your "good" camera in a dry bag or otherwise well-protected and not instantly available.

 

I had just put my DSLR into a dry bag as we were about to wade out to a zodiac, when the scene below unfolded. Fortunately, I had my small waterproof Nikon AW100 in my pocket. This remains one of my favorite photos from our trip, proof again that the best camera is the one you have with you.

 

enhance

 

(photo by turtles06)

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OP: I want to second the recommendation to have a small waterproof camera with you, in addition to whatever main gear you decide on. There will be times, especially in the zodiacs, when you'll want to have your "good" camera in a dry bag or otherwise well-protected and not instantly available.

 

I had just put my DSLR into a dry bag as we were about to wade out to a zodiac, when the scene below unfolded. Fortunately, I had my small waterproof Nikon AW100 in my pocket. This remains one of my favorite photos from our trip, proof again that the best camera is the one you have with you.

 

enhance

 

(photo by turtles06)

 

Awesome picture and awesome advice, which I intend to follow. Thank you!

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If you are unsure of handling a DSLR with multiple lenses, the previous recommendation of the Sony RX10 series is as close as you can get to a bag full of camera equipment in one unit. It uses a 1" sensor that produces excellent 20MP images and both the RX10 III and IV feature a 24-600 fixed lens with stabilization. It has smart auto modes, and can even be be used in full manual mode as well.

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned is that the RX10 is one of the best non-dedicated video cameras made. If you planned on carrying a separate high-quality camcorder, you can deduct the price of that from the RX10 ans you will not need it at all.

 

I usually travel with a couple of camera bodies and a handful of lenses (out of choice) but if I were forced to take only one camera on an important trip. I would pick up an RX10 in a heartbeat. The price is off-putting but a rather famous race parts supplier said it best in his catalog motto: "Buy the best and cry once!"

 

Enjoy your envy-generating trip!

 

Dave

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If you are unsure of handling a DSLR with multiple lenses, the previous recommendation of the Sony RX10 series is as close as you can get to a bag full of camera equipment in one unit. It uses a 1" sensor that produces excellent 20MP images and both the RX10 III and IV feature a 24-600 fixed lens with stabilization. It has smart auto modes, and can even be be used in full manual mode as well.

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned is that the RX10 is one of the best non-dedicated video cameras made. If you planned on carrying a separate high-quality camcorder, you can deduct the price of that from the RX10 ans you will not need it at all.

 

I usually travel with a couple of camera bodies and a handful of lenses (out of choice) but if I were forced to take only one camera on an important trip. I would pick up an RX10 in a heartbeat. The price is off-putting but a rather famous race parts supplier said it best in his catalog motto: "Buy the best and cry once!"

 

Enjoy your envy-generating trip!

 

Dave

 

I truly appreciate the advice. Thank you!

 

When I look at the B&H site for the RX10, I see the basic DSC-RX10 with a 24-200 lens. Would you say that would be insufficient for my mission? The RX10-III is around $500 more and the IV is double the price.

 

Aside from having a spare battery and memory card, and waterproof case, would you advise any additional purchase options?

Edited by notjaded
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I truly appreciate the advice. Thank you!

 

When I look at the B&H site for the RX10, I see the basic DSC-RX10 with a 24-200 lens. Would you say that would be insufficient for my mission? The RX10-III is around $500 more and the IV is double the price.

 

Aside from having a spare battery and memory card, and waterproof case, would you advise any additional purchase options?

 

Even though the original RX10 with the 24-200 f/2.8 zoom was realeased over three years ago, it is still a great camera and the lens range is more than adequate for portraits, scenics and general walkabout. It is, however, a little on the short side for wildlife. I realize that you set a budget of about $1k, but the mark III or IV with the 24-600 reach and 4k video (if needed or wanted) are really more of an all-in-one solution for an adventure cruise. The price is daunting, but it is likely that you would use the camera for years to come and, dare I say, become enamored with photography again. ;)

 

I feel like a commissioned salesman trying to upsell, but I really believe that for an Antarctic adventure, having enough lens and the additional performance (especially the Mark IV's burst rate and focusing speed) would be worth the additional expense. That is, of course, my opinion and I guarantee I have a different point of view on cost vs. value when it comes to photo equipment. ;) The original RX10 was a groundbreaking camera and three years later, is still a formidable piece of equipment. If the budget has a hard ceiling, you might look at the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000. It has a 25-400 lens for a bit more reach and is no slouch in the other departments either.

 

As turtles mentioned, the best camera is the one you have with you and I'll add that the picture you take is always better than the one you didn't. :D

 

Dave

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Even though the original RX10 with the 24-200 f/2.8 zoom was realeased over three years ago, it is still a great camera and the lens range is more than adequate for portraits, scenics and general walkabout. It is, however, a little on the short side for wildlife. ...

Dave

 

OP: this is of course excellent advice. In Antarctica, you'll be doing a great deal of photography from the deck of your ship -- birds in flight, whales, seals, penguins. I had an 18-300mm lens on my DSLR, and definitely you could go much longer. (The true "birders" had at least 400mm lenses.) These are cropped from 300mm

 

enhance

Wandering albatross

 

enhance

Breaching humpback

 

enhance

Black browed albatross

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pierces and Turtles06:

 

You have been so kind with your time and thoughtful advice. I appreciate the illustrative photos too!

 

I've got to study up some more on the options and costs, and might return with some more questions when I have time (I have a work project which will take the bulk of the next month.)

 

Thanks again!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Different animal from the superzooms. The Panasonic is a 24-72 mm equivalent lens in a very small footprint. The Sony RX 10 has a 24-600 lens. You’ll get much better reach with the Sony, which I think you’ll want on this trip.

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OP: this is of course excellent advice. In Antarctica, you'll be doing a great deal of photography from the deck of your ship -- birds in flight, whales, seals, penguins. I had an 18-300mm lens on my DSLR, and definitely you could go much longer. (The true "birders" had at least 400mm lenses.) These are cropped from 300mm

 

 

 

 

Hello Turtles06

 

Great wildlife shots......

 

I am going on a big box Antarctic cruise by Holland America, I will not be going on shore.

 

I am an advanced amateur photographer and own Canon 100-400mm II, 1.4x II, 200mm F4, 500mm II, 16-35 F4, 10-18mm and others. My main interests are wildlife and landscape.

 

If possible I like to pack light with 2 APS-C bodies, 2 lenses. I am bringing the 16-35 and 100-400 for sure.

 

The wildcard is.... is it worth my while to bring the 500mm prime too? Will I be able to make use of it on deck?

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We are going to Antarctica, and I want to obtain a camera system for this bucket-list trip. I hope you can help identify options for me.

 

Situation:

 

While I have not used an advanced camera in about 45 years, I used to handle good equipment as a photographer for my college newspaper. How much do I remember of the basics? Only a bit.

 

In the more recent years, I have had an array of small point-and-shoot cameras. Currently, a Cannon PowerShot Elph 310HS. I have not really studied up on the manual that much, as I only pull it out occasionally when using my Iphone camera might lead to the loss of my Iphone clear.png?emoji-smile-1742

 

I want to get a camera and lens that would be optimal for shooting nature in Antarctica and Patagonia. I desire to be able to take high resolution pictures that I can blow up and mount on the walls of my house (if any come out great).

 

Given that I don't care to develop a hobby as a photographer, and don't desire to keep lugging a larger camera around on other trips, this might be a one-off.

 

So, I called my local camera rental place and asked how much a good camera system would cost to rent for a month. They quoted me $750.00. They said that would be for renting $5000 of equipment.

 

I would appreciate any advice that you might be able to provide to this "newbie." Is there a great and simple camera/lens out there that I could buy for less than a $1000 that would give me really high resolution pictures suitable for enlarging and mounting? Other options?

 

Many thanks!

 

The short answer is no.

 

Certainly, there are a number of 24mp cameras that allow for fairly large printing.

But for under $1,000— you’re pairing that camera with a consumer lens. And you’re likeky using the camera in auto without a full understanding of how to get sharp photographs.

Which will result in lots of soft and flawed photos.... unless you get really really lucky, you may not get any images suitable enough for enlargement.

 

Even if you got the $5,000 in camera gear — unless you master some basic techniques, you won’t get photos suitable for large enlargement.

 

As an example— I teach a beginner photography class. A student showed me her photo on the camera LCD— I praised it highly, spectacular composition. The moment I saw the photo in a slightly larger size, I realized it was terribly mis-focused. (But the tiny lcd hid the missed focus )

 

Anyway... the camera closest to what you’re looking for, I’d look at the Sony rx10v.

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  • 2 months later...

OP back here, to provide an update and ask a few questions of you kind and experienced photographers...

 

Update: Based upon all of the recommendations and trying it out in a camera store, I bit the bullet and bought a Sony RX-10 M3! What an awesome camera that I was able to acquire with a modest discount at B&H via mail. Based upon advice give here and elsewhere, I got it about a month ago and have been reading the nearly 400 page manual and testing it out in the field. Everyday I learn something else about the camera. Very complex, but the Auto mode and SCN modes seem to take me mostly where I need to go at this point. I really like the Black and White high contrast feature.

 

I'd really be interested in your advice regarding my filter useage:

 

I ended up buying some filters: ND, Polarizer and UV. I have been keeping the UV filter on all the time, use the ND to darken the bright sky, and have experiemented with the Polarizer when shooting water scenes. I have been doubling up on the UV with the other filters. Does all this make sense?

 

One other question I have: A friend of mine ended up losing his camera to the water when he was in Antarctica, and I'm wondering what advice you have to minimize this possibility. Certainly, I would keep my neck strap on, and when getting in and out of Zodiacs, have it in a waterproof bag. Am I missing anything?

 

Thank you!

Edited by notjaded
New question.
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For situations like this I use a tether. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, mine is two small carabiners from REI (not even climbing related and a length of slightly stretchy paracord. Since I use the peak design strap system one carabiner also has one of their tabs tied around it for easy connect/disconnect.

 

One end is clipped to my belt or something similar, the other to a firm point on the camera (you may want to use a keyring for certain points.

 

Note that the intent of the tether is NOT to prevent damage, its to ensure that if something happens I have at least something to repair :)

 

 

One other question I have: A friend of mine ended up losing his camera to the water when he was in Antarctica, and I'm wondering what advice you have to minimize this possibility. Certainly, I would keep my neck strap on, and when getting in and out of Zodiacs, have it in a waterproof bag. Am I missing anything?

 

Thank you!

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Thank you, Loonbeam!

 

I appreciate you mentioning the Peak Design system, which I Googled. Seems like a winner.

 

Do you use your tether system in addition to, or instead of, a neck/shoulder strap?

 

Thanks again. A really new process for me. :)

 

For situations like this I use a tether. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, mine is two small carabiners from REI (not even climbing related and a length of slightly stretchy paracord. Since I use the peak design strap system one carabiner also has one of their tabs tied around it for easy connect/disconnect.

 

One end is clipped to my belt or something similar, the other to a firm point on the camera (you may want to use a keyring for certain points.

 

Note that the intent of the tether is NOT to prevent damage, its to ensure that if something happens I have at least something to repair :)

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While I am "married" to the Sony A6300 with its assorrted lenses, I did pick up a used RX10 III on eBay for about $800.

Am very impressed by it other than it weighs aboout 2x times the A6300!. But it does have a 600mm reach on the telephoto siide.

 

I have also had various Panasonics P&S.And my wife uses a ZS40 compact. If I am not mistaken, the previous compact Leicas were just re-badged Panasonics with a higher mark-up.

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A couple of comments:

Take the UV filter off when you use the other filters. You might get vignetting and odd light reflections. I know it's a pain to take on and off in the field but you risk ruining your shots.

 

Get several extra batteries. The cold uses up the power much faster. Keep the spares in a pocket, next to your body. I would take about 4 batteries, unless you know you have a really long day of shooting, then take more. I've not been to Antarctica, maybe someone who has can give better advice, but I've burned through 2 batteries in a short time, just trying to take pictures of snowflakes.

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First I must admit never having been to Antarctica, and fantastic for you to be making such a trip - if I was more techno-literate I would add an envy emoticon.

 

Last December/January we took Oceania from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, with a stop in the Falklands. I did not take my big weather proofed dslr, but took a Canon super-zoom and an Olympus waterproof. This is my second waterproof camera and would never travel without one - not for underwater, but because it is perfect for inclement weather. And travelling where you are, you just might run into a little wind and rain. It saved me on the Falklands when we were at a beach with penguin colonies and the rain came down in sheets, making the super-zoom useless.

 

The little waterproof takes pretty good pictures, but not to the quality you are looking for. I suspect that the super-zooms will fail when stretched out to the maximum as the image stabilization will not be sufficient to give you really crisp shots (based on my experience). Because I wanted something smaller than the dslr but with good quality and weather proofing I opted for an Olympus mirrorless with a few lenses.

 

This would be a good solution for you, except that it exceeds your price ceiling. So, since this is a bucket list trip, have you considered renting a body and a few lenses? I checked a site which I think was LensRental or something like that and you can rent a Canon 5D body and quality lenses, which will be a weather proofed system and I think come in under your price limit. This would give you the quality you are looking for without the huge price tag if you purchased. I am not familiar with other brands but they may also offer something similar to the 5D.

 

I took mine to Newfoundland a few years ago with just one lens, and took about 700 photos (single shot) in a little over 2 hours when we rented a zodiac and went out among the icebergs. Didn't have to worry about the cold, the salt spray or the wind -

 

Let us know what you choose - you posed a very interesting question

 

Such great information! Thanks! We'll be boarding a cruise ship doing the same route in 3 days. While I don't have a weatherproof camera, I'll be taking lots of plastic protection.. hoping that it won't be pouring at the Penguin colonies. (although the weather report looks pretty bad)

Love the picture of the Penguins and the ship that was posted!

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