Digital Phtography on The Expedition

[TheGardener]

We are going on the Expedition to the Galapagos 5th March. I am a keen phtographer and on previous Celebrity Cruises there has always been mention of facilities to down load cards onto CD's but I havn't been able to find any reference to such a facility on the Expedition. Does anyone know if there is such a facility available please?

[xtopher_66]

Since the Expedition is not listed in the Online@Celebrity, I doubt they have such capabilites on board. I know they charge $15/CD on the Millennium class ships. With the amount of pictures I take, it would cost over $100 just to archive my pictures.

 

I'd recommend a portable hard drive device like the Flashtrax to store your photos and then transfer them to your computer when you get home. The Flashtrax has a display which makes it a bit more expensive, but I like to be able to verify that my photos were transferred to disk before erasing my CF card. You can save some money with a device that has no display. There is a lot of discussion on this in the Photo Gallery Forum here.

 

Chris

[susiesan]

On Xpedition there is one of those Kodak machines to make your own prints. I think you could also burn a CD. You have to ask the staff for help. I didn't use it so I'm not 100% sure what you could do. Just bring enough memory so you don't have to worry. They will give you a picture CD at thee end with 300+ pictures of your week on it.

[greeneg]

Bye and large, I might just comment that the price of memory cards has really come down in the recent past. I carry two digital cameras, a 4 MP point and shoot which has a dedicated housing and can be used underwater, and a 6 MP DSL. Both use the same batteries and the same SD Memory so I take 3.5 G worth with me and haven't run out yet.

 

A reasonable compromise might be just to pick up a couple of extra cards to take with you.

[gdayhoff]

The Kodak machine will burn a CD.In August 2005 the cost was $9.00.You pay and pick up a blank CD in the Gift shop.Most rewarding cruise or tour we

have been on.Enjoy

[Fontaid]

I was on the 11/13/05 sailing and the Kodak CD burner was still $9 per CD. I think I posted that on the other Xpedition thread "Anyone recently back". I also thought I read that the CD burner would not read 1 GB cards. That makes sense when you realize the CD can only hold 700 MB. On the other hand as Greeneg mentioned, the price of memory cards continues to drop, so it's not all that expensive to pick up the additional memory. I brought 2.5 GB with me and was fine.

 

Dave

:) :) :)

[TheGardener]

hi all Thanks very much for all the replys and advice as you can see I am a newbie to this forum and I might say very impressed. Any other advice from anyone who has done the Galapagos would be welcome. One thing that comes to mind did anyone take a tripod and did you find it necessary? Weight is a premium travelling from the UK.

thanks once again

[CSloan]

Is there any chance of damage to the memory cards from the airport x-rays.. checked baggage or carry-on?

[TheGardener]

Hi CSloan

the x-rays will not damage memory cards mine have been through lots of times with no ill effects

[frankpc]

Memory cards are pretty durable, here's a link to some testing that confirms no ill effects from airport X-rays and metal detectors (which use magnetic fields not x-rays):

 

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0412/04121602digitalfilmxray.asp

 

Frank

[CSloan]

Thanks... I appreciate the info! I'm assuming film for the underwater shots should be hand carried?

 

Does the Xpedition sell disposable underwater cameras onboard?

[TechKnowBabble]

Bye and large, I might just comment that the price of memory cards has really come down in the recent past. I carry two digital cameras, a 4 MP point and shoot which has a dedicated housing and can be used underwater, and a 6 MP DSL. Both use the same batteries and the same SD Memory so I take 3.5 G worth with me and haven't run out yet.

 

A reasonable compromise might be just to pick up a couple of extra cards to take with you.

 

You sound like me. I'm going to be carrying a 6.3 MP Canon Digital Rebel, and a 4.1 MP Sony Cybershot. The only thing I was concerned with is that somehow the memory might get damaged at the airport or such. So I gave in and bought a Roadstor (http://www.dealtime.com/xPO-Micro_Solutions_RoadStor_401010)

[frankpc]

Csloan,

 

You can hand carry film, I usually unbox it and put the film canisters in a plastic bag. Helps to speed the process.

 

We bought the preloaded disposable underwater cameras before we left and the TSA/airport security folks hand checked those too. Again - unboxed and in a plastic bag.

 

Not sure if the XP sold them ....

 

Frank

[greeneg]

You sound like me. I'm going to be carrying a 6.3 MP Canon Digital Rebel, and a 4.1 MP Sony Cybershot. The only thing I was concerned with is that somehow the memory might get damaged at the airport or such. So I gave in and bought a Roadstor (http://www.dealtime.com/xPO-Micro_Solutions_RoadStor_401010)

 

Actually may be more like you than you know. I carry a Pentax iST S and an Optio S40 which also has a dedicated housing and can be used underwater. AND, I just bought a roadstor also just to be safe......

 

Parallel tracks, I guess.

[TechKnowBabble]

Actually may be more like you than you know. I carry a Pentax iST S and an Optio S40 which also has a dedicated housing and can be used underwater. AND, I just bought a roadstor also just to be safe......

 

Parallel tracks, I guess.

 

HAHAHAHA...fantastic. I'm trying to find out if I can actually hook it up onboard but it seems unless I manage to get a VCR in our cabin I may be out of luck on that one. I wonder if I was REAL nice to the folks in the photo gallery area perhaps they will allow me to test the CDs there. I am dying to get a underwater housing for one of my cameras but scared to death it might fail and I'll sacrifice the camera...I guess for now I'll stick with the cheapy underwater cameras. :D

[Fontaid]

TechnoBabble - I was on the 11/13/05 cruise. There were at least 6 or 8 people (minimum) who had laptops, so you could ask one of them to check your CDs. Also, the CD (Jason on our cruise) has a laptop. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to check your CD for you.

 

CSloan - I brought 5 disposable cameras with me. I carried them with me and had them xrayed with my other carryon stuff. Before and after exposure... a total of 3 Xrays. I read somewhere that they're good for up to 5 airport xrays. However, do NOT put them in your checked luggage. Those xrays will damage your film for sure. Also, my digital memory (SD cards) went through the same xray equipment and was fine. I read that the Xpedition sells underwater disposable cameras, but they were expensive. However, I can't verify that as I didn't look. I will say that the Gift Shop on board seemed to be low on many items, so I wouldn't count on them being in stock. Here's a couple of ideas for you... either try to purchase them in Quito on Saturday... or purchase them in Puerto Arroya (first time there is Tuesday morning). I didn't look for any, but I have to believe that you can find them there.

 

Dave

:) :) :)

[CSloan]

I've got a "cheap" underwater camera that uses regular film. I'll probably just bring that along.

 

How many snorkeling/underwater photo opportunities are there on the trip?

 

I have one 1G card and one 2G card for my Konica-Minolta 8mp digital. I'll probably pick up a couple more cards before the trip. We're not going until November, so I think I have plenty of time to shop around!

 

I'd love to see pics others have taken on this trip!

[frankpc]

You can snorkel most days, it just depends which adventures you pick to go on. The zodiac snorkel was one of the best on our trip, but the sea currents (and upwelling) that brings up all the nutrients also tends to cloud the water. So while you'll see some fascinating fish, sea lions, turtles, rays and maybe sharks and penguins you probaby won't have pristine shots of them in clear water on a sunny day.

We used Kodak sea processing of our print film but some of the pics are still just OK. The cameras had ASA 800 speed film, no flash.

 

I too, avoided the underwater case for my digital camera. Beside the risk, it seems to me that the digital cameras are still too "slow" from a film speed perspective. Most are pretty noisey at 400.

 

Frank

[greeneg]

So far, I have had good luck with the little Optio S40 in it's housing. It is the specific housing for that Camera and haven't had a leak issue yet. Also keeps sand out on the beach, another good point.

 

I might suggest, rather than using one large card (1 g or greater), you might consider multiple smaller cards. That way if there is a card malfunction only the pictures on that particular card would be at risk, not everything. Just one way of thinking.

 

Almost time.......

[TechKnowBabble]

So far, I have had good luck with the little Optio S40 in it's housing. It is the specific housing for that Camera and haven't had a leak issue yet. Also keeps sand out on the beach, another good point.

 

I might suggest, rather than using one large card (1 g or greater), you might consider multiple smaller cards. That way if there is a card malfunction only the pictures on that particular card would be at risk, not everything. Just one way of thinking.

 

Almost time.......

 

Personally I have 3 - 512 MB cards. That way I can have 2 spares while the other is burning to CD :-)

[CSloan]

greeneg & TechKnowBabble -

Have you tried out your RoadStor yet? I'm curious to know how it performs. The review I read mentioned very slow burning time (25+ minutes) and incompatibility with some CD-R discs. Has that been your experience?

[TechKnowBabble]

greeneg & TechKnowBabble -

Have you tried out your RoadStor yet? I'm curious to know how it performs. The review I read mentioned very slow burning time (25+ minutes) and incompatibility with some CD-R discs. Has that been your experience?

 

Well I didn't burn a FULL cd, but mine seemed that it would be alot quicker than that

[greeneg]

Mine just came yesterday so haven't really tried it yet. I carry 6 512 MB cards and two 250's so probably won't get to it for a bit. We leave Saturday for the Constellation and I probably won't take it for weight considerations if nothing else...

 

We are going to China in the fall and that's where I plan to take it particularly since I won't be carring a tuxedo, the underwater housing, and snorkel gear.

 

Technobabble, you didn't say what lens you use on your Canon; I have a Tamron 18-200 ultra zoom for my Pentax (I know that it is also available in a Canon mount) and it looks like it is going to be a great compromise for travelling. In a digital SLR that's the equivalent of 27-300mm film lens. Images seem very, very sharp so far. You might want to look into it.

[TechKnowBabble]

Technobabble, you didn't say what lens you use on your Canon; I have a Tamron 18-200 ultra zoom for my Pentax (I know that it is also available in a Canon mount) and it looks like it is going to be a great compromise for travelling. In a digital SLR that's the equivalent of 27-300mm film lens. Images seem very, very sharp so far. You might want to look into it.

 

Welp...when I first bought the camera I bought a Sigma kit with 2 lenses, 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 and 55-200mm f/4-5.6. Then later I bought a Canon 50mm f/1.8. Haven't bought anything since...would love to be able to get something like this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=186152&is=USA&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

 

*drools* hehehehee

[greeneg]

Sounds pretty much like the starter setup that I got also, 18-55 and 70-300. Both are great lens, but I really wanted to try and just carry one multipurpose lens. That's why I got the 18-200.

 

As for the other one, you could buy a fairly nice used sports car for that....