Bikes and cameras
 

My Sony is too big and bulky for riding. I brought it once. It was like having a 5 pound weight flopping around my neck.What pocket size camera do you guys use? Approx price would be helpful..........Thanks

iPhone 5, HTC OneX, Nokia 920, Samsung Galaxy 4 etc, etc Most can be had with contract for around $200 ;-)

Yeah. Galaxy S4, though I'm loath to stop for any reason, especially taking pics.

I'm a cheapskate that likes a camera that takes AA batteries and offers different exposure modes, a reasonably long zoom and some modicum of control. Nowadays, I'm using a Canon SX150 ... fairly large and heavy for a pocket camera, but only about $90.

There are lighter and smaller cameras with the same features, but to me, the question is binary. Is it small enough and light enough to reasonably fit in a jersey pocket? If the answer is yes, it's light enough and small enough, and I'm unwilling to pay a lot more $ for a camera that is marginally smaller and lighter.

I have a canon powershot sx160. Under $200, fits in a side pocket of my cargo pants. Works fairly well.

When I specifically want to take photos I just put my DSLR in a handlebar bag, sometimes with a second lens. If I'm stopping to take photos weight and speed aren't an issue. Otherwise my iPhone is always handy and takes great photos and videos.

Found this on the freeway, and it works great.

http://digital-photography-school.co...olpix-s630.jpg

This reminds me, I have to clean the Quest bar parts off of it, since both were in the same pocket on the last ride.

i've been into photography over 60yrs i go back as far sheet film but now i got a helment cam that works great a corba gps sport cam and its cheap

I use a Cannon Coolpix. Less than $100. I keep it in a nylon handcuff case (local surplus store) that I have velcroed to my stem. The lanyard goes around my headlight bracket, that way I can shoot pics while riding and if I drop it, it just hangs there by the lanyard. I've used this system for years and got some great shots because it's always there, close at hand.

Nikon makes Coolpix cameras. :thumb:

Doh! :o
You're right! Shows what I know about cameras! I'm just a rider :D

I've got a 3-1/2 year old 10 MP Canon S90 which weighs about 7 ounces and it has taken great photos in RAW mode. It's small, very unobtrusive in pockets and I've been very happy with it. The current Canon model is S120, 12.1 MP and weighs about 8 ounces. MSRP is $449.99.

This would be the only reason I would bother carrying a separate camera, jpegs are pretty much all created equal and most smartphones today can capture images that are close enough in overall quality to that of compact cameras that the advantage for me in making room onboard is negated. Besides I can share the image via email, text, social media or Bike Forums in a snap.

I know this is heresy to say, but I've not found shooting in RAW all that useful. I do it on the off-chance there is a photo I really love that can only be saved with some manipulation in RAW. On the other hand, a compact camera offers true zooming (some at very long ranges), image stabilization, much faster lenses, exposure control, and a host of other things that a cellphone camera does not.

I guess it depends on how important the photos are to you and what you plan to use them for.

Today I learned my lesson: always take my camera with me. These two photos would have been pretty good if I'd had a camera with me (not just my iPod touch):

http://i.imgur.com/hImg26t.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pnfNMim.jpg

I have a Nikon Coolpix L10 that I bought several years ago. It easily fits in the middle jersey pocket. it is not as small as Al's, but gets the job done. You obviously cant do as much with it as with a digital SLR, but it is easy to carry.

If I pull out the dSLR, it's set for RAW 95% of the time, and while I don't always attach great importance to every image I capture, I've found myself in situations where I did attach it and there wasn't any real control after the fact. So I just shoot RAW most of the time and I have those options available, and no I'm not a pro or semi pro photog...

Most lenses on smartphones are sub f/2.8 which is on par with most compacts, IS is becoming available (HTC OneX has both optical IS and a f/2.0 lens...) and although exposure control is not usually available in the typical fashion there are some controls available and heck, don't most people use dummy mode anyway lol! Optical zoom is about the only thing a compact has on a smartphone, except the Galaxy 4 Zoom if you want an unholy marriage in your back pocket!

I usually shoot JPEG+RAW (on the cameras that support it), bias the exposure 2/3 down and bracket 2/3 of a stop on either side. That adds up to a lot of bits!

Someone else who knows what they're talking about (not me) will have to chime in here, but about the only thing I haven't been able to fix with JPEG editors like Corel's Paint Shop Pro (~$50) has been blown out highlights, and I don't think RAW helps there. Maybe I need a Photoshop lesson!

I'd have to see pix from those smartphones to comment on them. I'm kinda picky.

You were riding your bicycle on the freeway???

Yeah blown out highlights are blown out highlights most of the time, but I have been able to salvage some RAW images with over exposed highlights in Lightroom with good results. And sometimes blown out highlights are an acceptable aesthetic part of an image.

Fine detail manipulation is one thing you can't do with a compressed image without making the compression artifacts more pronounced, white balance is another you won't be able to do without issue as well. To be sure a lot of things I shoot are for family consumption and occasionally I shoot live music and incidental daily life when I'm out and about which is for me and I like to have all the options on the table when possible.

But... I've shot alot of these type of things with my smartphone (iPhone 4) and the simplicity as well as the creative possibilities are liberating, but there are limitations to the camera and I've learned to work with them and exploit them to the best of my ability to create something that is worth my time spent. I won't fool you though, some smartphone cameras are crap.

The second one is actually very appealing, the camera limitations work well here. There is a really interesting mood going here, the results may not be near what you experienced but something about it transcends reality.

I carry a Canon S95 on many rides. While I don't use RAW, I do like the additional capabilities of this "proper" camera over a smartphone. I haven't been able to justify an upgrade to a Sony RX100 - yet! Need to check out how the zoom range on the Sony changes with lower res than the 20mp base. I doubt I'll be making poster-size prints. BTW, my old and bulky 4mp Canon G3 always gave me great results - good glass!

My Canon Elph 300 HS pocket camera is small and takes decent pictures. It is a few years old and cost under $200. The newer model 330 HS looks to be even nicer for about the same price.

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 "tough" camera. It's compact, takes nice photos, full HD video, and it's waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof, and shockproof. If I take it with me, it'll be in my trunk bag on the 520, or my little frame bag on my road bike.

Why carry it? Mount it to the bars.

http://content.photojojo.com/diy/att...-to-your-bike/

I found it's just fine for stills, but too jumpy for video.