Shop Smart: Travel Cameras

• Smart Shopping for Travel Cameras

A wonderful trip is filled with precious memories, all of which definitely need a good camera to capture. But with luggage and souvenirs already taking up so much weight, how do you pick the right travel camera? What should be the key factors in your choice? And if you don’t want to carry a heavy DSLR, how do you select the highest cost-performance compact model that offers the most value?

This time, Jingdianjia has specially invited senior technical editor Sun Zongwei from DIGIPHOTO and travel & food blogger Wisely to provide consumers with guidance on choosing a travel camera—how to pick the most practical one for your needs.

First, people who enjoy travel photography can generally be divided into two types: professional photography enthusiasts and regular consumers using compact cameras. For professional-level photographers, the focus when traveling should be on choosing a suitable backpack. But for casual users, weight is often a big concern, and they’re unlikely to bring a tripod, so they prefer lightweight, compact cameras—but they still expect a certain level of image quality and performance. As such, high sensitivity and image rendering become their main priorities. Wisely, known for his food photography, believes that the last thing you want when traveling is a bulky camera. If you don’t want to carry a tripod, it’s best to go for a camera with high ISO sensitivity, which offers more convenience and is less affected even under poor lighting conditions. Also, choose a camera based on your travel destination—for example, Kyoto suits a telephoto lens, wide-open spaces call for a wide-angle lens, and cultural landscapes are best captured with a mid-range focal length. When it comes to professional compact cameras, Wisely recommends mid-range options like the Canon S95 and Panasonic LX5, which can meet most needs.

• Travel cameras should offer both high sensitivity and high definition

Sun Zongwei explains that under the dual criteria of “high sensitivity” and “high definition,” the recommended compact digital cameras can be roughly divided into two systems: 1. EVIL, 2. APS.

The EVIL system refers to “Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras.” They are digital SLR cameras with interchangeable lenses, yet are lightweight—truly meeting the needs of most people. This system is also called the “Micro Four Thirds System,” jointly launched by OLYMPUS and Panasonic, mainly to make DSLRs more compact. Despite lacking a mirror, it offers a 2x focal length advantage (telephoto capability), and for general users, its high sensitivity of 1600 performs excellently, making it more than adequate for indoor shooting. Since this system was co-developed by the two brands, their lenses are interchangeable, offering consumers more choices.

The other system, the APS-C system, includes SONY’s NEX series, which features high-sensitivity sensors, naturally resulting in great image quality. However, this is a system developed by SONY and is relatively new to the market with fewer lens options. But for general photographers, it’s very practical because even in full auto mode, it can produce excellent photos. Moreover, the SONY NEX series allows for vertical movement, making framing quite convenient—ideal for beginner photographers.

Both systems, with one body and one lens, cost around NT$20,000 to NT$30,000, yet are highly practical—almost on par with entry-level DSLRs.