Should I get a DSLR?

riven

riven

riven

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Ok, probably a commonly asked question, and I know I want a DSLR and can afford one, but should I get one?

Most of my photography is done whilest mountaineering or climbing. This means every gram of weight is a premium. Also a large camera is likely to live in the top pocket of my bag. Semi accessible but not not as good as my chest pocket for action shots, or to snap without stopping. I guess more protection (adding weight) is needed for a bigger camera too, to stop damage and wetness.

Currently I have a Canon Ixus 850 IS. It's light, tiny, it takes amazing photos without much tweeking. The battery lasts forever, and it's pretty rugged, dealing with abuse and dampness just fine.

However... Whilest the colour saturation of pictures is amazing, the sharpness (especially the edges at 28mm) and the noise are pretty bad. I know that thats the sacrifice you make with such a small camera.

Here's an example:
http://flickr.com/photos/joebarker/2763921496/

Wonderful shot, but the lack of sharpness and noise really seem to detract from it as a whole.

So do people think it's worth carrying an SLR and maybe missing a few shots, but getting better shots when I do take them or should I stick with the compact. Also would the weight saving of say a Canon 400D outweigh the partial weather seals of say a 30D.
 
You could go inbetween and get something like the Canon G9, or wait for the next G model. I've been happy with a bridge camera ever since I first owned one about 5 years ago; a DSLR would be too bulky for me.
 
While a DSLR would undoubtably allow you to get better shots, I'd imagine it'd be quite a bit of bulk and weight if you were climbing.

You could always apply a bit of sharpening and denoise in Photoshop.

As TheAlex said, have a look at the higer end PowerShots.
 
What about a DSLR and a 'pancake' lens? I'm not sure what other manufacturers provide but I know Pentax do some very small lenses (http://www.pentax.co.uk/_uk/photo/lenses/index.php?lenses&gruppe=203&artikel_nr=21550). These lenses make DSLRs very slim and are extremely light and easy to carry around :)

imgp4800sbr2.jpg
 
Amoeba said:
What about a DSLR and a 'pancake' lens? I'm not sure what other manufacturers provide but I know Pentax do some very small lenses (http://www.pentax.co.uk/_uk/photo/lenses/index.php?lenses&gruppe=203&artikel_nr=21550). These lenses make DSLRs very slim and are extremely light and easy to carry around :)
Click to expand...
That's fixed focal length "prime", not zoom lens!
(and not good for much anything in varying situations)
With zoom lens DSLR will always be bulky, that's the drawback of big sensor.
 
EsaT said:
That's fixed focal length "prime", not zoom lens!
(and not good for much anything in varying situations)
With zoom lens DSLR will always be bulky, that's the drawback of big sensor.
Click to expand...
I realise it's a prime lens :p. I don't have an issue shooting with prime lenses (your comment of them not being much good for anything is ridiculous) and Pentax supply them in 21mm, 40mm and 70mm versions, so there is a pretty good range available anyway.
 
Amoeba said:
I realise it's a prime lens :p. I don't have an issue shooting with prime lenses (your comment of them not being much good for anything is ridiculous) and Pentax supply them in 21mm, 40mm and 70mm versions, so there is a pretty good range available anyway.
Click to expand...

All of those 3 would probably be similar to the size of a 24-70 f/2.8 :p
 
It depends a lot on what mountaineering you do and where. When in Scotland I always take my DSLR when hiking, and usually when climbing. A good day and 2 summits is not much more than 1200m and almost no where when hiking requires absolute balance or death. Now I live in switzerland s the scale is different. This weekend I did a 1400m approach to a cabane and a 1300m climb. And the climb was an AD- UIAA III. The exposure was tremendous (fall and die), the climbing challenging, no protection in place, with super loose rocks. An exhausting 12 hour day. With full alpine gear (rope, ice axe crampons, harness with winter clothing) my bag weighed too much as it is and I wouldn't dream of taking an SLR. but saiyng that, 2 out of the 4 us did. One bringing a 100-400 with him. In the end it comes down to fitness
 
I do about the same as you D.P. Scotland when I can get there and Alps in the summer. Certainly on the stuff we did this year (all between PD+ and AD although chamonix so generally hard for the grade) the guys who had bridges never took them out of their bags.

Aside: We had a nice 12 hour epic on aguille du moine due to route finding being a nightmare. Should have been a 5/6 hour round trip just to aclimitise!

G9 and S5 look pretty nice although a quick flick through flickr and blue skys still seem to be quite grainy on the G9.
 
smallest DSLR body is the Olympus E-410* & you can get a pancake lens for it which makes it a small package overall.

* edit: meant E-420
 
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