Deciding which camera to use to shoot the journey....

The nominees are.....

          Major decision to be taken. Which camera to take on the trip? I have recently become quite immersed in the hobby of photography. Spending too much time reading “Dummies” books from the local library, but learning that there is so much more to a good photograph than 'point and shoot'. To TAKE a picture, or MAKE a picture.... that is the question!

India is maybe the ultimate country destination in terms of  intensity of sights, colours and human activity. For this reason, I believe is worth a little time to consider how I should try to capture my memories of crowded streets, Hindu temples,  Raj era railway stations and the lives of some of the billion people on the sub-continent with whom I shall cross paths.

            My Christmas present was a Canon Rebel T3. As an entry-level DSLR, likely adequate for anything within my range of capabilities, especially with a few choice add-ons.  Heavier and requiring a fair size bag to haul around during long hot sight-seeing days, maybe a chore. This low-end Canon camera of 2014, packs more technology than a $5000 high-end model of circa 2000.

          Since 2012, my regular pocket sized, long-term camera friend has been a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. This camera accompanied me on my walk up the River Rhine, surviving much rain, even snow, plus absorbing 1100 kms. vibration on many cobbled streets. Light-weight, easy to use and proven to take clear pictures through the Leica lens, also sports optical 12x telephoto. The MAJOR drawback of this and all point & shoot cameras is the LCD screen as view-finder. OK in-doors, on cloudy days and fine in low light situations, the LCD image is almost impossible to frame in strong sunlight---likely very prevalent in India.

         After much equivocation, the winner is......... the Lumix point & shoot. Light-weight portability wins the day, plus the fact that the camera is less tourist pretentious and hopefully makes me less attractive to any potential 'snatch & grab' street hoodlums.