Coolpix:

D3100:

Bottom line? Get a good camera!!! I'm going to have WAY too much fun with this!!
Moderator: HAZ - Moderators
Tracey and I both got one of these back in October 2012. We sought the 20x zoom and Hi-Def video capability, and I particularly wanted the GPS geocoding capability. (I think I may have covered this same ground some time back in another thread, so please pardon me if this is redundant)Sun Ray wrote:I use a Canon PowerShot SX260HS with 20x. It's a few years old so there maybe a newer model. Have a friend who is really into photography. He did all the research so when he got his....I bought one too. I've been happy with it.
Frankly, I thought HAZ'ers tended to be more savvy than the average hiker, but come on folks, this is like an epidemic! :roll:CannondaleKid wrote:But the real killer for me was it simply was not designed for dry and dusty conditions or any rough treatment at all. All the replacements were due to dust/debris getting behind the lenses... not just the outer lens, but the inner as well. The reason was the seals around the parts that extend out when turned on simply weren't up to the job.
Canon acknowledged the issue but after three replacements they said no more, so I tried to baby the last one to keep it going. I bought an Otter Box waterproof/dustproof case to keep it in while hiking, only taking it out for photos and immediately back in the case. But even then a piece of debris on the lens rubbed against the cheap plastic sliding lens cover and put a big scratch in the lens... which is when I bought my Olympus TG-2.
That's what I kept my HS260's in but even zipping it fully shut after each use, it wasn't long before there was tons of crap inside the case. As for the the nice soft protective material inside the LowePro case? It was like a magnet for the sticky little things off of plants I passed by, so after spending time after each hike trying remove it from the material, I eventually gave up and bought the Otter Box. But even then, with the HS260, if I didn't wipe around the lens every time before shutting it off, it would drag the dust past the seals.joe bartels wrote:I use a zippered PADDED LowePro case so it doesn't get knocked around and loaded with dust.
Yes and no... But that isn't the issue by itself... based on the beatings my previous four Canon cameras (S1, S2, S3 & S5) took and with which I NEVER had any dust problems, I could only come to the conclusion the seal problem was inherent to the HS260's. (Which Canon support eventually admitted to a certain degree)joe bartels wrote:Seriously do you think I'm going on less dusty hikes?
Maybe ;)joe bartels wrote:Is it just me being obtuse* or what?(* see Shawshank Redemption for context)
had a hunch, you posted that entire response, more or less, at 6:36am 2011-04-03 http://hikearizona.com/x.php?x=60749CannondaleKid wrote:I've loved the word obtuse ever since I first saw the movie
ditto that Letty as that's the way I travel as well; fortunately I've never had any lens dust problems but I replace the cap every time which can be a pain. However, the rest of my camera can get very dusty.RedRoxx44 wrote:I hike with the cameras usually in an open zippered pouch to get to quickly. Sometimes when I get home from my bushwacking I'll have leaves, sticks and dirt in the bottom of the pouch with the camera
Nothing wrong with bringing all the camera gear, all the timechumley wrote:I've managed to acquire different cameras for different purposes. My recent Yosemite photoset features shots from THREE different cameras and a fourth lens! It's almost approaching the same as my pack weight in beer! ;)