Secondary camera? Tomorrow I embark on a 10-day photo shoot traveling through the national parks of Utah. I am taking my new Nikon D7500, lenses, flash and tripod. In my participant...

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

Tomorrow I embark on a 10-day photo shoot traveling through the national parks of Utah. I am taking my new Nikon D7500, lenses, flash and tripod. In my participant packet, they advise bringing a "[s]mall, point-and-shoot (or other secondary) camera." I hadn't planned on carrying a secondary camera (and my smartphone has a camera), but I do have a pocket-sized Fujifilm FinePix F45 fd (8.3mpx, f/2.8-5.1, 8m-24mm focal). I used this camera extensively before I went DSLR, and it produces nice JPEG photos suitable for viewing online and for small prints.

I'm a little concerned about over-packing, so I wonder if I should take this camera or leave it behind?

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Just Fred wrote:

I'm a little concerned about over-packing, so I wonder if I should take this camera or leave it behind?

Just stick it in your jacket pocket. You'll hardly know it's there.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

rook2c4 wrote:

Just stick it in your jacket pocket. You'll hardly know it's there.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Take It! You may grow tired of the weight of all your gear and take a break with the Fuji.

Dannj

As long as you have a pocket to put it in, take it. Better to have it and not need it than find yourself wishing you had😊

pdsdville Loc: Midlothian, Tx

I caution anyone on taking a new camera on an important shoot. Learn the camera first. Take your old one using it as your primary while still taking photos with your new one. Better safe than sorry.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

You will learn, Grasshopper, as I did on our trip through Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon....constantly changing lenses from my normal shooting lens (28-300mm) to my wide angle (10-24mm). Thank goodness my wife helped me and I didn't pick up a lot of dust on the sensor. Once I bought another camera, a D800, I keep the wide angle on the D7000, which eliminates lens changing. Check online, a good used D7000 runs about $400. It'll save you a lot of time and frustration.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

SteveR wrote:

You will learn, Grasshopper, as I did on our trip through Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon....constantly changing lenses from my normal shooting lens (28-300mm) to my wide angle (10-24mm). Thank goodness my wife helped me and I didn't pick up a lot of dust on the sensor. Once I bought another camera, a D800, I keep the wide angle on the D7000, which eliminates lens changing. Check online, a good used D7000 runs about $400. It'll save you a lot of time and frustration.

The trip starts tomorrow, which makes buying new (to me) gear online now inviable. Besides, in addition to my little Fujifilm camera, I also own a Nikon 1 J1 and a Nikon Coolpix P900. Another camera is NOT what I need. I was reacting to the suggestion that I bring a secondary/backup camera, and thought of my pocket-sized Fuji.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Just Fred wrote:

The trip starts tomorrow, which makes buying new (to me) gear online now inviable. Besides, in addition to my little Fujifilm camera, I also own a Nikon 1 J1 and a Nikon Coolpix P900. Another camera is NOT what I need. I was reacting to the suggestion that I bring a secondary/backup camera, and thought of my pocket-sized Fuji.

Since you don't have a second DSLR, I think that their suggestion is a good one. When my son went to Europe a number of years ago on a tour, all he had was a Nikon p&s. Amazingly, the photos he came back with were pretty good. You can use one of your other cameras, perhaps even the 1 J1 if you have a wide angle lens for it as your second camera. BTW....what will be your primary shooting lens? For trips like this I found the Nikon 28-300mm to be an excellent lens, as do many other hoggers. The Fujifilm pocket camera may just fill the bill for you for convenience. From what I've seen they have 12 mp and up. It beats hauling a bunch of equipment around.

Have a good time. There's a lot to see in Utah....but some places do require hiking, so that small camera sounds even better.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I'll take the contrarian POV: I'm going to Paris in October. I have two DSLRs, a Fujifilm mirrorless, and 7 or 8 film cameras. I'm taking the Fuji with one lense. Yes.... no backup... no second lense. I've never had a camera fail; I have, however, carried backups and never used them. Some travelers miss the travel experience because they see Europe through the viewfinder. Not me. If it were to fail, it wouldn't ruin my trip-- and I've been doing this for awhile.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

SteveR wrote:

BTW....what will be your primary shooting lens? For trips like this I found the Nikon 28-300mm to be an excellent lens, as do many other hoggers.

Close. I have an 18-140mm as my primary walking-about lens. I also have a 55-300mm, a 24mm, an 18-55mm and a 35mm prime. If I had to take just one lens, I'd go with the 18-140mm.

le boecere

[quote=Just Fred]Tomorrow I embark on a 10-day photo shoot traveling through the national parks of Utah. I am taking my new Nikon D7500, lenses, flash and tripod. In my participant packet, they advise bringing a "[s]mall, point-and-shoot (or other secondary) camera." I hadn't planned on carrying a secondary camera (and my smartphone has a camera), but I do have a pocket-sized Fujifilm FinePix F45 fd (8.3mpx, f/2.8-5.1, 8m-24mm focal). I used this camera extensively before I went DSLR, and it produces nice JPEG photos suitable for viewing online and for small prints.

I'm a little concerned about over-packing, so I wonder if I should take this camera or leave it behind?[/quote]

I'm surprised. I would have thought that the smartphone would be the better camera of the two (Fujifilm vs. smartphone)

cthahn

Anyone who goes on a trip of any kind with only one camera is not a photographer. This goes for batteries, memory cards, and any other necessary items. Any thing can go bad any time and when it happens, don't complain.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

le boecere wrote:

I'm surprised. I would have thought that the smartphone would be the better camera of the two (Fujifilm vs. smartphone)

It might be. My iPhone 6s has a 12 mpx sensor, versus the Fujifilm's 8.3. But megapixels don't tell the whole story. The sensor size in the Fuji is 1-1/16" versus the iPhone's 1/3," which means a smaller pixel size.

I think a lot of the iPhone's capability lies in the software. Don't get me wrong, the phone is capable of taking terrific photos. I'm taking it with me, too.

I'm thinking of the Fuji as a backup because its controls are easier to use (IMO) than the phone's.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

[quote=Just Fred]Tomorrow I embark on a 10-day photo shoot traveling through the national parks of Utah. I am taking my new Nikon D7500, lenses, flash and tripod. In my participant packet, they advise bringing a "[s]mall, point-and-shoot (or other secondary) camera." I hadn't planned on carrying a secondary camera (and my smartphone has a camera), but I do have a pocket-sized Fujifilm FinePix F45 fd (8.3mpx, f/2.8-5.1, 8m-24mm focal). I used this camera extensively before I went DSLR, and it produces nice JPEG photos suitable for viewing online and for small prints.

I'm a little concerned about over-packing, so I wonder if I should take this camera or leave it behind?[/quote]

Since the Fuji is a compact, over-packing wouldn't be an issue. That Fuji is ten years old, and there are more modern cameras available.

Some links -

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2017-roundup-compact-enthusiast-zoom-cameras
http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/best-compact-camera-2013-34-reviewed-963985
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-point-and-shoot-under-500/
http://www.bestproducts.com/tech/gadgets/g706/point-and-shoot-digital-cameras/