Hi everyone...

[Adsos Letter]

My wife and I are taking a 13 day road trip the last half of May...piddling along from D.C. to Savannah.

Before we go I am going to upgrade my camera, and I'm trying to decide between the Nikon D5100 kit (18-55mm VR, 55-300mm VR) or the new Canon Powershot G1 X.

The Nikon kit is on sale here at Costco for $996.00, and the G1 X is available from B&H for $799.00 (limited release, and not sure when I would receive one if I order it).

DPReview has an intriguing review of the G1 X, and I'm finding myself drawn to it. I also like small cameras, although the G1 X weighs a bit over a pound and is a bit larger than their G-12. It also has a metal body, which I like the sound of.

Still; I've heard good things about the D5100, and the price seems right...

Anyone have any insight on this? Alfredo? Anyone?

Best to you all. I'm really looking forward to this trip!

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I've always been a Canon girl, so I have no standard of comparison,

but I just wanted to say hi. Have fun on your vacation.

[Adsos Letter]

2. Hi Blue.

Yeah, really looking forward to this trip.

I've always liked the Canon Powershot line for compacts. Costco also has a Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D (with 18-55mm lens) for $799.00, but it's a bit too small for my hands.

[CC]

3. Can you get those hands on one of

each and see which one feels better to you? You know me, always advise the hands on thing. Really just wanted to say hi, good to see you. I am a Nikon girl but feel both companies have the quality thing so it really ends up what camera feels best in your hands. Oh and you really ought to start in Baltimore or Annapolis and end in St. Augustine, specifically old town. Not much further on either end.

[Adsos Letter]

5. Hi CC.

I can't figure a way to get my hands on the G1 X; it looks good from what I've seen, but I have no real way of telling. I suspect I'll end up with the Nikon because I already have a compact Canon that I enjoy.

I doubt that we'll make St. Augustine but I'm sure we'll make Baltimore. We are going to spend four days in the Shenandoah Valley, and on the Blue Ridge Parkway; other than that, we have no real hard and fast plans. I do want to stop at The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse.

I wish WJMS was around to give me some advice on the BRP around Asheville but I haven't seen him post here for awhile.

I'm glad you posted! Good to hear from you.

[CC]

7. I miss WJMS along with so manyothers from

the group. You might want to try a PM on here and the old DU2. Worth a try. Beyond that not sure how you get in touch. Have a great time and stay safe. Hoping you get must share photos so we get to see them. St. Augustine is the second place I would move if I were to move anywhere I wanted, after New Orleans. The down side for now is that the state's politics are so f'ed up these days and it is affecting every part of daily life.


If you go with the Nikon (or any other digital) I would go to my favorite how to learn the camera controls fast site....give the Nikon link directly.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/nikon/d5100-dslr/nikon-d5100-review.html

[Celebration]

10. WJMS

Hi Adsos Letter,

I'll send you WJMS's website. I am sure you can contact him through that.

Have a great trip.............and glad to see you.

[NV Whino]

4. Hey you!

Come around more often.

I'm a dyed in the wool Nikon girl. No point in asking me. Just wanted to say hi.

[Adsos Letter]

6. Hey NV Whino!

I'm leaning toward the Nikon, but I'll have a learning curve on the interface if I do.

Did you shoot any of the marathon yesterday? Kim and I worked the rest station at the 20.8 mile mark, right across from Stag's Leap and Regusci Winery. Kim was part of Kaiser's medical response group, and I went along as interested bystander/volunteer/dragged-along-husband.

What a gorgeous day it turned out to be! I have yet to download my photos; I'll post them if any are decent. No guarantees.

I hope you were able to enjoy the weather yesterday. Like June in March.

Good to hear from you.

[NV Whino]

8. No. I forgot about it.

Did my taxes instead.

[Sherman A1]

9. I am sure that both will serve you well

I am a Canon fan, so no means of making any comparison.

Have a good trip! That is the way I love to vacation, just a general direction and no real hurry.

[Adsos Letter]

12. Thanks, Sherman A1.

I've been looking forward to this trip since we first drove through the Southeast a couple of years ago. That time we were helping our daughter move back to San Diego from Philly, and the trip was basically a sprint.

This time we are going to piddle.

[Major Nikon]

11. The price for the Nikon kit is not bad

Cameta has the same kit as a factory refurb with a 1 year warranty for $100 less. Nikon factory refurbs are just like a brand new camera. They come in the same box with all the same accessories and you won't be able to tell it from a brand new camera.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-D5100-Digital-SLR-Camera-18-55mm-55-300mm-VR-DX-Lens-Kit-16-2-MP-USA-/140701802127?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item20c27b1e8f

IF you go with the Tamron 55-300, you can save $200.

The D5100 has the same sensor as my D7000. This means you get the same quality and the same low light performance. It's also the same size as my D5000 which handles very well.

I can't say much about the Canon, but with the fixed lens it's not going to be nearly as versatile as the two lens kit you mentioned. The lens is going to work fine for taking people pictures, but you're probably going to find it wanting if you want to do landscapes or nature photography. I also doubt if the autofocus system is going to work as well as the D5100. A DSLR is also going to be the way to go if you want to expand on your photography like buying a nice portrait lens or macro lens.

Whichever one you decide I suggest you get it ASAP so you'll have time to learn how to use it. Getting new equipment right before a trip and trying to learn it on the fly is not a good idea. If you decide to get the Nikon, I highly recommend buying Thom Hogan's guide to the camera. I buy his book with every new Nikon I get.
http://www.bythom.com/nikond5100guide.htm

[Adsos Letter]

13. Thanks for the sound thoughts, Major Nikon.

I picked up the Costco D5100 kit today.

First thing I realized was that, when I thought about taking it with me on a couple of runs to the lumber yard (building a tool shed out back) it wasn't as simple as slipping my Canon point-and-shoot (PowerShot SX200 IS) into my pocket. Duh!

Gave me pause for thought; as the old saying goes, "the best camera is the one that's with you..."

Thankyou for some wisdom from experience! I will start with the Thom Hogan guide and see if I can bring back something to share with the group.

I suspect I'll take my Canon too, just in case.

[Major Nikon]

14. I have a Canon Elph that I take with me on trips as well as my DLSR

There are times when it's just not practical to carry a bigger camera, so I keep a camera that's compact enough to fit in a shirt pocket.

The Thom Hogan guides are excellent. They basically replace the manual that comes with the camera. You get a pdf version of the full manual that I keep on my phone and the ipad and you also get a smaller bound booklet that is a quick guide for the most commonly used features. The Nikon manuals are thorough, but they leave a lot to be desired and they are terrible if you are new to DLSR and trying to learn. Thom's guides take you step by step through all the features and explain them from a much more practical sense. Since it sounds like you're new to Nikon DSLR, I suggest you read it cover to cover. By the time you get done you'll be well on your way to really understanding what the camera can do.

Since you're probably going to need a camera bag, look into the ones made by Crumpler. I have the 6 million dollar home, but that one is probably bigger than what you need. Look at the 4 or 5.
http://www.crumpler.com/us/Camera-Bags/Camera-Bags/6-Million-Dollar-Home.html

[DisgustipatedinCA]

15. In another thread, you mentioned that you used to use a Canon SLR

I would think you'd get great enjoyment out of an SLR, whether it's Nikon or Canon. I understand that size is an issue, and so is build. Have you considered the possibility of one of the 4/3's SLR's? There's a consortium of companies making smaller form factor SLR's to a common spec, so that lens makers can make one lens for multiple manufacturers' cameras.

Also, and of course this is just my opinion, but if you get a Canon or Nikon body, go cheap. Then get the best lens you can afford, even if it's a 50 f/1.8. In a couple of years, you may sell the camera body at a yard sale for $50, but you'll keep the lens(es) and trade up to a newer, maybe better, body. I think the lens is more worth an investment than is the body.

Both Nikon and Canon (and I'm talking full size SLR again) make really nice $700-$800 camera bodies. They won't be of titanium build, but they still take amazing pictures. I know more about Canon than Nikon, but I have nothing bad at all to say about Nikon--they have a great reputation. On the Canon side of things, you might even consider the couple-of-years-old-now T2i. I've read good reviews. It's a starter DSLR for sure, but you could probably sell it in 2 years for 25% less than you paid for it, and get into something nicer (if money is a consideration). But again, the glass you buy now, and over time, will go with you when you upgrade to the ZX85000 body or whatever in a couple of years.

Whatever you end up doing, I hope you enjoy shooting your trip with the new camera.