[pct-l] digital camera

[ALightner at aol.com (ALightner@aol.com)]

I had great luck this year with my Canon S400.  

I did a lot of research beforehand (megapixel.net is a great resource), and 
decided I wanted the best pics possible for my price range, and hoped that I 
would be able to take good care of it.  Were I to buy now, I'd spend the same 
$$$ and get the S500 - same camera but 5MP.  I would have bought the S500 for my 
04 hike, but they went on sale a couple months after I bought mine.

The S400 takes a proprietary battery, but the charger's tiny.  So I carried 
the Charger (2 oz) and a spare battery the whole way.  At every resupply (or 
random food stop) along the way, I'd just find an outlet and plug it in.  Twice 
it went 10 days and 100+ pics on one battery, and I shot with max resolution 
and the screen on.  I really could have ditched the spare battery, but I didn't 
want to be without pics if something went wrong.

I had a problem in central oregon, but I take full responsibility for that.  
I had it in "weatherproof" case.  I checked the case when I went to bed, and 
the outside was wet, but the inside was dry.  When I woke in the morning, the 
inside was wet, and the camera was dead.  But I had gotten the Best Buy product 
protection plan, so when I got to Portland, I was able to swap it out for 
free.  I had no problems in Washington, where I took to keeping it double 
ziplocked.

I didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket with the memory card, so I 
bought 6 smaller ones rather than one big one.  That also let me send my pics 
home along the way.  My buddy uploaded them with my trailjournal, then sent the 
cards to my next resupply.

My only regret is the choice of 4MP.  It takes acceptable 8x10 pics when on a 
tripod, but the pics weren't quite up to snuff when hand held.  5MP+ and I'd 
have been in heaven.

my $0.02

Be well. Hike On.

-Rev. Gizmo
PCT '04

In a message dated 1/2/2005 10:58:38 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
tobywoodard@msn.com writes:

> Subj: [pct-l] digital camera 
>  Date: 1/2/2005 10:58:38 AM Pacific Standard Time
>  From: tobywoodard@msn.com
>  To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>  Sent from the Internet 
> 
> 
> 
> I have plans to thru-hike the PCT this year and would like to buy &use a 
> small digital camera.  What kind should I get?  What about  battery 
> life/recharging, etc.  Please help!!
> *
> *
> *
> The most exquisitely wonderful and comforting experience a man can have in 
> his lifetime is the opportunity to smell the aromatically rich and 
> intoxicating bouquet that eminates as the scent of a beautiful woman upon her first 
> waking in the morning.
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