Top 10 (Plus 3) Cameras for Traveling Photographers

The world is catching up to us, even National Geographic.

I just read the article, Top 10 Compact Cameras for Travelers on NationalGeographic.com, and the list included much of the gear that we've been working with for some time. Some of my favorites on the list include the Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus OM-D E-M1, and the Sony Alpha a7 - all great cameras.

This list is meaningful for a few reasons. First, it's a stamp of approval for non-DSLR cameras. We didn't need this affirmation, but there are many photographers still on the fence about mirrorless bodies. This will help assure them that those cameras are worthy of serious work.

Beyond that, however, this list implies that you don't need a full frame sensor to produce amazing photographs. Yes, the Sony Alpha is full frame, but the other entries are Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, and in a couple cases, even smaller than those two.

For me, however, there are three more entries that I think should be considered. Here are my additions.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 ($649) - This body has most of the important features that an enthusiast would want, but at about half the price of the flagship OM-D E-M1 mentioned in the National Geo article. You do give up weather sealing, however. So if you plan on soggy adventures, you might want to look at the OM-D E-M5 as the other alternative. Otherwise, this body is a steal.

Panasonic LUMIX LX100 16.8 MP compact camera ($899) - Panasonic took a well-established, refined compact camera, and figured out how to replace its smallish sensor with a hefty Micro Four Thirds chip. Plus, you get an excellent Leica zoom. If you don't want to carry extra lenses, this could be your answer.

Canon PowerShot G7 X compact camera ($699) - Canon tries its hand at the 1" sensor compact, and seems to have created a wonderful little camera for the traveler. The G7 X features a f/1.8(W)-f/2.8(T), 4.2x optical zoom (24mm-100mm), flip-up touch-screen LCD, and 20MPs of resolution. I think it's going to be popular with discriminating shooters.

All of these cameras have a high nimbleosity rating, and will serve the enthusiast photographer very well...

Even when not on assignment for National Geographic.

-Derrick

Next Stop: New York

Fall brings shorter days, colorful trees, and my favorite US photography show: Photo Plus Expo.

This October event is particularly exciting for me this year because I'm working with an entirely new team. I'm attending press meetings as an editor for c't Digital Photography Magazine and as the evangelist for Rocky Nook Publishing. Two companies that I adore and am thrilled to be representing.

One of the things I'm working on right now is setting up a speaking schedule for meeting with my photographer friends in the c't/Rocky Nook booth.  If you're attending the show, please come by and say hello. I'll have a Nimble Photographer microfiber cloth on hand for you.

I want to meet you.

We'll also have issues of the magazine on hand. If you haven't seen c't Digital Photography in real life, you need to. It's beautiful, and it's unlike any other photo publication in North America. (We have a 20 percent discount going right now, btw.)

I'll also be speaking in the Panasonic booth on Saturday with my friend Frederick Van Johnson, and am on the presentation docket for lynda.com. Being so "on the go" brings out the Nimble Photographer in me.

I'm toying with the idea of packing only my iPad mini, the WD My Passport Wireless, and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 for my editorial work. That's right, no laptop. I'm testing this kit right now. It's so light and nimble. Everything fits easily in my Lowepro Urban Reporter 150. And I can carry it all day without fatigue.

I love fall.

New clients, new gear, new ways of working. Guess you could say that,

I'm turning over a new leaf.

-Derrick

Guess That's Why They Call Them Smartphones

I won't be purchasing an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. My 5S is only a year old and running just fine.

But I'm not disappointed. iOS 8 essentially gives me a new camera for my existing hardware.

Now, if photo gear manufacturers are still wondering why so many people are using their smartphones instead of dedicated compacts, this is a compelling reason. In addition to all of the other benefits - such as portability and connectivity - with a single firmware update, Apple has dramatically improved photography on my iPhone 5S.

For free.

On the camera side of the equation, I now have dynamic exposure compensation. All I have to do is slide my finger up or down on the screen to adjust the brightness. Other goodies were included too, such as time lapse and single-capture HDR.

Plus, the Photos App was overhauled. Once I take a picture, I can quickly edit with tools such as shadows and highlights, then share my image with the world.

Seems like camera manufacturers are just now understanding the power of a firmware update. Recently, the Olympus E-M1 and the Fujifilm X-T1 received solid upgrades this way. As a result, I'm experiencing that same warm, fuzzy feeling about my E-M1 that I have about my upgraded iPhone.

We've had digital cameras for a long time. Why so late to the firmware party? Why ignore the digital aspect of the camera?

Software updates seem so, well, intelligent.

Guess that's why they call them smartphones.

-Derrick

My Eyes are Bigger than My Credit Limit

One of the things that I liked about photo magazines was their prolific advertisements. Once a month an issue would arrive, filled with pictures of cameras and lenses and all sorts of interesting accessories.

I would examine each page carefully and figure out the items that I had to have. Sometimes I would revisit a favorite page a half a dozen times or so, and dream about how I would put this new must-have piece of equipment to use. 

I rarely bought anything. There just wasn't the budget for it. And as of the month wore on, I would gradually forget about the whole thing... until a new issue arrived. 

Now, it's like magazine day every day. 

I open my web browser and before me is an entire candy store of photo items to peruse. It's particularly bad right now because Photokina is still in full swing, and practically everyone is rolling out new gear.

Much of it I want. 

I took a quick tally today of the items on the my photography wish list, and it came out to about $4000. There's no way I have $4000 to spend. In fact, I just paid my quarterly taxes. I don't have $40 to spend.  

Once again, my eyes are bigger than my credit limit. 

But, just like that kid with a brand-new photo magazine... 

It doesn't hurt to look. 

-Derrick

How Photoshop Began

Back in 2000, I worked with the folks at Adobe to write an article titled, From Darkroom to Desktop - How Photoshop Came to Light.

It was one of the most popular posts I have ever published. I wrote about how Thomas Knoll began writing graphics subroutines on a Mac Plus in 1987. Then, how he started working with his brother John to create a program first called Display, then ImagePro. Two years later, in 1989, Adobe licensed the app that we know today as Photoshop.

The Knoll brothers represent cornerstones of digital photography. Thomas loved developing pictures in his dad's darkroom at home. John was attracted to personal computing from the very beginning. And they both had an appreciation for the intersection of these two disciplines.

If you like this kind of stuff, I've created a PDF titled, History of Photoshop and placed it as a digital download in the Nimble Store. There's no charge for it. I'm testing how this process works.

If you wish, you can help me. First, jump over to the Nimble Store. Then add the History of Photoshop to your cart and check out. A link to download the document will be sent to the email address that you used in your cart.

If you have time, please add a comment to this post about your shopping experience (and if you want, about the content itself). Or you can send me a private note via the Contact Form.

We're testing the next phase for the Nimble Store: digital downloads. There's going to be all sorts of good stuff in there. Some of it technical. But not all.

For example, in 2015, I will add a book to the catalog. Oddly enough, its title will be

The Nimble Photographer.

-Derrick