Travel Photography

Hello everyone,

I've inspected this survey myself and given advanced permission to Samson to conduct this survey (in accordance with our Community Guidelines) about travel photography on our forum. You might even find it fun to participate.

Cheers,

RS Webmaster

Ok if you say it is ok

Thanks for looking at it. :)

Thanks for giving us the heads up. I took the survey and it's pretty basic stuff.

One small problem with it - it says you can skip the section about film if you have never shot film, but it won't let you skip it. It also doesn't give an option to say that you don't/haven't or to say that you did, but stopped. That might be good info to add.

Webmaster,

Thanks for your approval.

Samson,

Survey completed. Hope it helps.

Hate the idea of online surveys, even if the Webmaster has approved.

From a strictly academic or research background, on-line surveys are very limited since you have no control over who responds. Again from an academic viewpoint, we encourage students to do these types of surveys just to teach how to construct questions, survey technical, analysis, etc. The greater value maybe is the doing rather than the specific results. IMO, a flaw with his survey is not identifying the respondent or what the respondent wants to accomplish with their photography. For example - I have gone from lugging tripods, multi-lens, camera bodies to a high end point and shoot. I will match my results to those carrying 50 lb of gear. There is a subset who believe that more gear represents better pictures.

I feel the same way, Frank. In fact, it has become a joke between a Spanish friend and me. He loves to cart around a backpack full of gear and take every conceivable shot, while on my most recent trip, I didn't even get my camera out, preferring to use my phone. In many cases, his pictures were not as good as mine, even though he took a lot of time to get the perfect picture, swap lenses, etc. I just pulled out my phone and shot. I am certainly capable of using the same equipment, but just prefer not to bother with it anymore.

One of the main benefits of using the larger cameras is that they offer a lot more control in the finished product, especially if the photographer is shooting 'RAW'. There's no way that the small photo sensors in cell phones can compete with the larger sensors in a DSLR.

And of course a lot depends on what you want to do with your finished product - if you want to post them on fb or instagram or do a photobook, a phone is fine. If you want to print out large photos, then a bigger camera is better.

I have been getting progressively more stuff, then paring it back. I started with a little point and shoot, then went to a 'bridge' camera and now have a mirrorless. And with the mirrorless, I had the kit lens and a zoom, but hated carting the extra lens and changing between the two, so I got a more inclusive lens (18-200). I will still take my kit lens in case (heaven forbid) I had an issue, but don't carry it with me for the day. I sell photos online, and do find I get better pics with the mirrorless. I don't see going to a full fledged DSLR - I like the smaller mirrorless body...

Did the survey, BTW...

Phone vs actual camera.

Sure, you get more pixels and more details from a camera which gives you infinite control over all aspects of the picture taking process, but you have to learn how to use all those options! It is very possible and quite easy for someone with zero training to take decent photos with one of the current phones. And equally easy for someone without sufficient training to take terrible photos with a very expensive and complicated camera.

Note: As of the posting time of this edit, I cannot get to the survey.

If you want to print out large photos, then a bigger camera is better.

But an iPhone can also produce pretty large prints.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/15/shot-on-iphone/

The topic of smartphone v DSLR v point and shoot v 4/3 can go on forever. There are so many angles-no pun intended! Convenience, perceived quality, are they for Instagram or is the intent 16 x 20 prints on the wall, etc. As has been said by many, the best camera is the one you have with you, now get out there and take some photos!

I'm aware of that, Ken, but for my purposes, I don't care. I rarely print anything out anymore. If I intended to do so, I would use my camera (I do have it, just don't often use it).

When I took the survey it seemed to me to be more about carrying light vs heavy equipment, rather than about actual travel photography and the photographic reasons to use one or the other.

Nancy,

I've edited my last post to make it more general. In commenting on the difference between full size cameras and cell phone cameras, I was just trying to make a point which I thought might be of general interest. As someone commented above, this can be debated forever but it's mostly a matter of personal preference and what the user wants to do with the photos. I also rarely get prints these days but I like the ability to "tweak" the photos to get the results I want, which is easier with RAW images.

Hey guys!

So it's been a week since I've posted up the survey and I have lots of responses from you all!

You have given me lots of food for thought and I wanted to thank you all again for your participation.

Samson

If it is really about Travel Photography is there any sense that he is aware that some countries have pretty restrictive laws about people in those photos (enforceable or not)

I love these topics. Cell phone vs "real" camera. The "real" camera is capable of taking a much better picture. It is just physics. The quality of lenses in cell phones and their sensor size are pretty limiting factors. Sure, you can print the cell pictures large, but unless it is a carefully selected pic (which demonstrates the strength of the camera) it will not look as good as the same pic taken with a real camera....... just physics. I don't hear anyone arguing cell phones are heavier than "real" cameras...... because it is just physics, cell phones are lighter. Sure, a person with a cell phone may (if they are not photographically inclined) take "better" pics than a photographer with real equipment who is striving for something special. I know lots of non-photographers who take fine "I was here" shots, they've all been taken before and look ok. Striving for something unique is a lot harder and may flop. I take both kinds and get a fair number of compliments on my "I was here" shots although they are nothing special. Finally, to everyone who thinks modern cameras are hard to operate.... not so. They generally have one or two automatic program modes (ie., automatic and intelligent automatic) which, like a cell phone, will set everything for you. But as you want to or try to gain control you can, while cell phones are limited. Honestly, to me, this debate is like saying an airline carry-on will hold as much as at 30" bag. Just physics, the carry on won't hold as much. However, the carry on bag may hold everything you want and suit you better than a larger bag. That makes sense to me, just don't try and tell me it will hold more.

Size matters in two things, the sensor and the aperture (big hole in the lens on front). The rest is window dressing.

From a technical point of view, photography is all about light. Generally the bigger the sensor and the more light you can let in from the lens, the better the quality and less noise in your image as you bump up the ISO. That is the same whether you use film or digital.

Technological advances in photography have been amazing. Smartphone today may be better than your point and shoot two years ago. However, if you compare images from photographic devices of the same time period, side by side, you will see the difference when the size of the sensor is bigger, especially in low light conditions. If you cannot see the difference, then buy and shoot whatever and no need to read these discussions.

Finally, technique matters, a lot. A well composed, properly exposed, sharp photo on a cheap low end point and shoot beats any blurry photo on a professional whiz bang DSLR. There are hobbyists who take wonderful images on plastic light-leaking toy Diana or Russian-made Lomo cameras.

The quality of the lens and sometimes the technical aspects of the sensor are also important.....but you are correct, they are not related to size.