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Have you purchased a camera specfically for caching?


whartonia

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I have a Fuji FinePix S8100. It's a great camera, but on the bulky side. I'm very tempted to buy a new digital that is easier to take along caching. I've been itching to get a Canon ELPH, but thinking I could probably get something cheaper.

 

So have you splurged on a camera specifically for caching? If so, what did you buy?

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i always bring my Canon A430 which is an excellent camera (in fact being a few years old) and very in expensive

 

some of my shots (not while caching though from the a430)

sorry for the watermark but im as protective of my rights as michael moore lolz

good1zf3.png

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canon has come out with a much upgraded camera which appears to be the same style as the a430 but with 7mp and newer stylings for $89.99

a430

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$89.99

Amazon

 

my only complaint is it is a bit chunky, but i can easily compensate that by how good a build it is

 

btw digitial zoom means nothing as it is just cropping the photo, you want the most optical zoom when comparing models

 

hoped i could help

 

 

*i own the a430 as my point and shoot model (and rebel xt for dslr) and all refrences are based on that and the assuption that the a470 is an related model

Edited by hiker24
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Thanks for bringing up this subject as I've also been thinking of getting a new camera and could do with a bit of advice. Most of the pics I've taken while caching (I've recently posted a number of these on another thread) have been with a Nikon Coolpix 885 which is a 3.2 megapixel camera I've had for about 6 or 7 years (in an emergency situation, I use my iPhone!), and it's been acting very sluggish of late. I'm thinking it's about time for an upgrade but haven't really looked into what's available as yet. I'll be very interested in the responses of the more camera-wise folks out there.

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I didn't buy a camera specifically for geocaching but I bought one primarily for kayaking that has features that make it good for geocaching as well. I got a Pentax WP30. It's a 7MP camera that is waterproof and rather than the zoom lens extending out it extends into the body of the camera. Dropping a camera with the lens extended is a quick way to ruin the camera. It takes nice photos and easily slips into a shirt pocket.

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I didn't buy a camera specifically for geocaching but I bought one primarily for kayaking that has features that make it good for geocaching as well. I got a Pentax WP30. It's a 7MP camera that is waterproof and rather than the zoom lens extending out it extends into the body of the camera. Dropping a camera with the lens extended is a quick way to ruin the camera. It takes nice photos and easily slips into a shirt pocket.

 

The latest addition is a Nikon S210 compact, that has yet to prove itself.. But early results are pretty good for an 8mega pixel compact..

While not boght exclusively for caching, I did buy a Nokia 6220C cell fone.. Has a reasonable 5mega pixel camera, and a-GPS... Great as a backup or for a quick cache on the way home from work if I don't have my 60CSx.. I usually tote a Nikon D50 and a couple of lenses around if I know i am going to take lots of shots..

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I didn't buy a camera specifically for geocaching but I bought one primarily for kayaking that has features that make it good for geocaching as well. I got a Pentax WP30. It's a 7MP camera that is waterproof and rather than the zoom lens extending out it extends into the body of the camera. Dropping a camera with the lens extended is a quick way to ruin the camera. It takes nice photos and easily slips into a shirt pocket.

 

The latest addition is a Nikon S210 compact, that has yet to prove itself.. But early results are pretty good for an 8mega pixel compact..

While not boght exclusively for caching, I did buy a Nokia 6220C cell fone.. Has a reasonable 5mega pixel camera, and a-GPS... Great as a backup or for a quick cache on the way home from work if I don't have my 60CSx.. I usually tote a Nikon D50 and a couple of lenses around if I know i am going to take lots of shots..

 

I find my dslr too bulky to bring around caching and have kinda backed up to my point and shoot a little more than i would have liked to.

 

The a470 and the Nikon s210 have about $30 in price separating them ($89 on a470 and $115 for the nikkon) so its what one you like better and if you can justifty spending the extra money on the nikkon ($30 isnt alot of money but it add up so its justification before spending)

 

hope i could help x2

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Yes, I have, but I didn't splurge at all. I used to carry my Canon digital around but it was bulky and heavy so I stopped bringing it along. Earlier this month I picked up a Kodak Easy Share simply because it was very inexpensive and rather small so it's lighter and easier to carry around than my other one. It's not the best camera around but I'm happy with it.

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So have you splurged on a camera specifically for caching? If so, what did you buy?

I've thought of picking up a Canon A590 when it was on sale for under US$100.

 

I picked up the Canon A590IS about 3 months ago for $109 at B & H Photo with free shipping. I have 2 canon digital SLR's that I use for wedding photography, but wanted something lightweight and compact without spending a fortune. So far I really like this camera and was a great deal for the money. Besides that, I had to find something to replace my old Canon A70 that had finally died on me. I had it for several years and served me well so decided to stick with the Canon A series.

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I shoot wildlife (no bullets!) so I'm all about big zoom in a small camera, so my beast is the Panasonic FZ18. It's a year old, and newer versions are available. Panasonic was one of the first to offer mega-zoom on a small(ish) fixed lens. Others are doing so now, but no one else uses a Leica lens. Panny's image stabilization is also top of the heap, which matters hugely at 18X zoom.

 

Peruse my gallery, or visit my webshots page to see what this camera can do. Everything since late Jan 08 is this camera. Since then, I have played with a few other mega-zoom fixed lens cameras but haven't found any that make me smile like this one does. Color is sharp and deep. That long zoom is astonishing. It's tough. I've dropped it three times and it's fine. It's snappy, able to shoot and track a bird on the wing, with burst firing. Lots of manual settings, about 15 scene settings that make things even faster.

 

Drawbacks: blown out whites are a problem in bright sunlight; spot focus is too broad, making it hard to focus on the bird and not the tree branches that surround it, but practice and persistance wins out. Proprietary battery means you can't just pop in AA's when it's depleted. so buy at least one backup battery.

 

My Webshots page

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I bought a Canon A590IS just to keep in the car at all times, which ends up being my caching camera too. It was about $90 and takes pretty good shots.

 

I just looked at one of these and from the description it looks great. (actually it was the best rated in the search I did, digital cameras around $100 on Amazon.) Would any of the 2-3 here that own it recommend it? I'd say 80% of my photo taking is during caching trips, and while I'd like the higher grade stuff (like a DSLR), it's just to bulky for me to actually use. I have a nice Minolta 35mm SLR and lenses that just sit in the bag since I went digital.

 

I need a new camera, for caching and every other purpose. My Polaroid i832 is great, but the battery door design was poorly made considering the cheap low grade plastic they used, and now it doesn't want to power up from weak connections to the batteries. In every other way it has worked well, and still limps along taped up.

 

To answer the OP, I don't know if I could say I've ever bought a camera with solely Geocaching in mind, it is definitely what it will get used for the most. I kept my Polaroid in my GPS holder's front pocket, and where one went so did the other.

Edited by Airmapper
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Thanks for all the replies. Now I don't feel too guilty for getting a smaller camera. The Canon Digital ELPH SD1100 IS was on sale for $149. I love the look and my sister's ELPH has lasted for years. Hoping to be more diligent about taking pics while caching. I love seeing them in other people's logs.

 

canon.jpg

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I picked up a Canon Power Shot A1000 IS a couple of months ago from buydig.com for $145.00 with free shipping and no sales tax. 10 megapixel, image stabilization, has a real viewfinder, and takes AA batteries. Nice little camera.

You made a similar post in an earlier thread when I was looking for a new camera. Thanks to you, I looked at this one and eventually bought one.

 

The AA batteries, image stabilization and the viewfinder were essential in my selection process.

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I bought this one about four years for geocaching. I found very usefull when doing multis, I take pictures of the coordinates for each stage. It is an old 4 mega camera. but it has a Leica lens ;)

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I now use this one most of the time. It is a Nikon D80 , it is a lot heavier, but I like having a longer lens for wildlife photos.

 

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Edited by JohnnyVegas
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I had to search out this thread again because I recently bought myself a new camera especially to take with me on geocaching trips. I've previously been using a 3.2 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 885 which has served me faithfully over the years. I have no pretensions of being a wildlife photographer but I've often been frustrated at being unable to get decent shots of birds and other creatures with the 885's 4X optical zoom and always wished that I had a camera with a more powerful telephoto lens. And now I have! Behold the power of the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS! A 20X optical zoom (with 4X digital zoom for a combined 80X) in a 10 megapixel point-and-shoot! Took this baby out on a trip last week-end with my daughter and suddenly, MYSTERIOUS BROWN BIRD ON A FENCE .....

 

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..... becomes JUVENILE RED-TAILED HAWK!

 

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Yes, it's got more features than I currently know how to use, is larger than my Nikon, and can't fit in the sidepocket of my backpack. However, it does fit INSIDE my backpack and that's where it's likely to be when I need it. Can't wait until my next outing! :(

Edited by JamGuys
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I have an Canon Rebel XT with a battery grip+an 17-75mm lens that I use primarily. It's a bit bulky, but when i'm actively searching for caches, i just throw it in the backpack and put the bag down. I haven't had a problem with it since i got it in 2006.

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My camera gets used mainly for Geocaching and hiking. I had a Canon A80 and loved it. When it stopped working I nearly bought an SLR, but then realised the beauty of it was that it went everywhere with me and came out of the belt case in a second. I replaced it with a Canon A710IS, which is great, and if I break it caching it won't break the bank.

I do miss the pull out and swivel display of the A80. It sounds like a real gimmick, but I can't tell you how many times it came in useful.

Another thing I love about the Canon A series is that they take AA batteries, so spare batteries can be shared with my Garmin.

I've just got a Gorilla Grip tripod especially for Geocaching/hiking so I can be in the odd pic or two.

CanonA80.JPG

Old Canon A80 died 18 months ago. RIP.

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I picked up an Argus Sprout for $15 from walmart.com It takes pretty low quality pictures and is marketed as a kids camera, but it's designed to take a beating and is very small. I just attach it to my pack (it's in the shape of a carabiner) and it's always at hand. If it goes belly up, no big deal.

 

Big downsides to it would be low PQ, built in rechargeable battery (so if it dies in the field you are SOL), no flash, and limited storage capacity. :laughing:

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My camera gets used mainly for Geocaching and hiking. I had a Canon A80 and loved it. When it stopped working I nearly bought an SLR, but then realised the beauty of it was that it went everywhere with me and came out of the belt case in a second. I replaced it with a Canon A710IS, which is great, and if I break it caching it won't break the bank.

I do miss the pull out and swivel display of the A80. It sounds like a real gimmick, but I can't tell you how many times it came in useful.

Another thing I love about the Canon A series is that they take AA batteries, so spare batteries can be shared with my Garmin.

]Old Canon A80 died 18 months ago. RIP.[/size]

 

I replace my Canon A95 with the spectacular Canon A650 IS (the A series derivative of the G9). Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Canon will be coming out with the A series derivative of the G10, which would have been awesome. The swivel display is simply the best. It is not a gimmick. And I would not buy a camera that didn't take AA batteries. Proprietary is for the kiddie P&S crowd.

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I have a Canon 10x zoom forget the model - S3-IS? A little large but take it in a padded case. The zoom is great and the macro also great for neat bugs. Imagine stablization is a MUST or you'll need to hold your breath and use a really steady hand. Hard too do with your heart pumpin hard.

 

Geocaching without a camera is a missed opportunity - so much is out there. waterfalls - mountain tops - funny growing trees - bugs - birds - rock formations - trails - bigfoot - little feet - animal tracts - creeks -

flowers in bloom - animals - car got stuck - sun sets - sun rise - pictures of GPS - Cool containers - meth labs - red neck furniture - does-someone-really-lives-here - tree stands - caves - mushrooms - neat plants

- injuryed elbow - pretty snakes, frogs, and lizards - moths - bee nest - bird nest - bear scat - abandon wells - baby fisher - fish in clear water - Ducks are us - Hello Cardinal - Tree rubs - Dear beds - Mr. Squirrel - Rabbits - chipmonks - worms - dead moles - Hawks - What is THAT! - neat clouds - poison ivy - stinging nettle - jewel weed - muddy shoes - Real Hermit - neat pastures - snow scenes - Snow Man.

 

? - Do Snowmen always smell carrots?

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When I started playing this game, I had a couple Olympus DSLRs that I lugged around with me. On hikes, this proved cumbersome, and during paddles, the measures I used to protect the cameras from the environment often delayed my photo taking to the point where I was missing more shots than I was capturing. I decided some compromise was in order, setting a few standards for my new camera acquisition. I wanted a point & shoot that was truly waterproof, and commenced browsing what was available, ending up with the Olympus Stylus 770SW. Waterproof to 33', drop proof to 5', crushproof to 220 pounds, and fits in my shirt pocket. The pics are nice, though not the same quality as my DSLR, but I figured a pretty good shot beats a missed shot every time.

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Depending on where I'm going, I take up to 3 cameras with me. I take my Kodak EasyShare C340 for a quick snapshot camera, and I use it the most because it fits easily on my belt. If I'm going somewhere really scenic, I take my Digital Rebel XT, because it takes gorgeous photos, and if I'm going somewhere that I know I'm going to want really good pictures, I bring the zoom lens for it. Finally, if I'm doing really interesting caching, or going by bike, I'll bring my Sony Digital Handycam. I like to mount it on my bicycle handlebars and film the ride.

 

None of them were bought specifically for geocaching, though. They just got drafted when I got into the hobby. The photography opportunities is one of the major reasons I love this hobby.

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I was into photography long before I started geocaching. My primary reason for buying a GPS receiver was protection against getting lost while shooting in the back country and being able to return to a specific location. I also recently started geotagging my photographs. I began geocaching because it seemed to be a good way to learn how to use the receiver.

 

When I head out, I'm usually carrying at least one of my DSLRs and likely three or more lenses, a tripod and water. Sometimes, when I'm walking the dog, I'll see if there's a cache in the area I can grab. In that case, I'll take my Canon G5. It's only 5Mp, but is capable of shooting in RAW format, which gives much more flexibility in post processing.

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I used to have a Fuji Finpix S5100, but it gave up the ghost a couple of months ago. I now have a Canon EOS XSi (or 450D depending on where you live). I currently keep the kit lens on it, but also have a 55-250mm lens. I just got my first GPSr yesterday and haven't gone caching yet, so *shrug* We'll see how it goes. I generaly bring my camera with me everywhere (even on ambulance and fire calls).

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