Compact camera or SLR?

My travel compromise is a "superzoom compact", an older version of the Canon Powershot SX HS. The newer SX 70 HS has a 65x optical zoom range (equivalent 35mm wide angle of 21mm), variable angle LCD monitor screen, and advanced shooting modes (predictive focus etc). Bigger than a compact but lighter than a SLR with extra lenses.

What kind of compact camera? What kind of SLR?

A full frame DSLR with a grip is a lot bigger than a APS-C DSLR without a grip. Some compact cameras are fine, but some have terrible low light/high ISO performance.

There are some museums and other sites that prohibit large bags. That's where a pocket camera comes in handy. If you have a modern smart phone, you could use it where you'd use your compact camera and take your DSLR for street and country photography.

On a related note, I have taken my full frame Canon 5D2 with an assortment of lenses on some European trips, including Tuscany. I also took a small Panasonic Lumix camera to use in the city when I didn't want to lug around the big camera. The Lumix did a good job, but let me down in low light. The Canon did great, but I got tired of the size and weight of the kit. I have since gone to a Fujifilm X-E3. It has the quality of the big Canon but is small and lightweight.

If planning to shoot photos in museums, I would not care to bring an heavy camera. Some places don't allow photography, some places are simply too crowded to make nice photos, but above all old pictures often have a slightly reflective varnish coating that makes shooting photos without glare difficult unless their illumination is planned for photo shooting. Often there is no way your photo can match in quality a simple postcard of the same subject. And even when I was in full control of the light and of the subject (say, shooting a photo of a picture in my home church) the task sometimes turned out to be surprisingly difficult.

But if you want to shoot landscapes, portraits (here the issue is field depth) or above all night or low light photography, a SLR camera may make the difference.

How important is photography to you? I'm an avid amateur photographer, and I'd never consider travelling with just a point-and-shoot camera.....I take my mirrorless Sony a6000 with full capabilities. (I switched from a full DSLR because of the large decrease in weight, while still allowing me excellent quality and lens choices.) Actually, I don't even own a point-and-shoot camera: if I don't use my Sony, I use my iPhone (I think cameras in between those two options are a waste of space). Most churches and galleries allow photos for private (non-commercial) use, but they don't allow flash, tripods, or selfie sticks. The Sistine Chapel ceiling is an exception, where photography is not allowed.

What camera equipment you should take depends on how you feel about photography and what you plan to do with the photos afterwards. However, if you're asking the question, my suggestion would be to just take your smartphone (all of which, these days, take very good photos).

Consider the "features" that each of your equipment options have (or don't have) and decide on how important each feature is to you.

My current P&S is a Canon ELPH. The pluses are long battery life (in compariso to the AA powered P&S of past), compactness and light weight. And image quality is pretty good for "snapshots". It has a long (but not super long) zoom range, pretty good low light capability and image stabalization. The big negative for me is the lack of a viewfinder and dependency on previewing the image on a LCD screen. The LCD screen is difficult to view because of ambient glare and almost impossilbe in snowfield conditions. Composing an image using the LCD screen is more like "point and guess". With a point and guess it's shoot wide and crop.

I used to bring a Panasonic ZS-50 travel superzoom. Fits in my pocket, has an EVF, shoots in RAW and a decent zoom - 720mm equivalent. It had a 12MP sensor which was decent in low light.

I then switched to a Canon SL2. Its the smallest and lightest DSLR out there, especially with a 24mm pancake lens. The 18-55 kit is not bad but a 10-18 is ideal for museums.

Didn't have any issues anywhere in Rome with the exception of two places - on the Scavi Tour and in the Sistine Chapel. No issues having it on me but could not use it.

yuwc,

I suppose the answer will depend on how much camera gear you want to pack around, and what type of results you want to achieve with your photos. A dSLR offers considerably more control than a P&S camera for different shooting situations, and also the capability to shoot RAW (although some of the newer compact cameras also have that now).

My approach is to take both a full size dSLR (Canon 7D) as well as a compact super zoom (Panasonic, ZS-30). I primarily use the dSLR as that offers more control of things like shutter speed, aperture, ISO and the ability to use different lenses (I typically take two lenses, a 24-105 medium zoom and a 10-22 wide angle). I use the P&S if I go out in the evening and don't want to pack the big camera and also for snapshots of less important subject matter.

I figure that I may only get to many of the places I visit once in my lifetime, and I want to make sure I have the ability to get the best results.

If you decide to go only with a P&S camera, be sure you know how to turn the flash "off" as many sights do NOT allow flash photography.

Just a quick note- NO camera is going inside the Borghese. They will take it from you and store it during your 2 hr visit.

Crowds in the other museums will limit picture taking. Yes you can get shots, wait for the crowds to clear and you’ll often get a few seconds for a clear shot of an object. But you will have to shoot quickly. Your not going to have 5 min to line up the perfect angel, play with your depth of field etc. It will be run and gun.

Most import will be light (weight), wide angel- you will be close or have 15 people between you and the piece of art, and a Fast lens. ie 1.4 - 1.8, 24mm wide in 35 mm terms. Seriously consider the Sony Rx100 Mark V (lens changed in later editions- long length but only a f2.8 instead of the 1.8).

Travel safe,

One Fast Bob

Just a quick note- NO camera is going inside the Borghese. They will take it from you and store it during your 2 hr visit.

That's not what their website says! Their website says that it's allowed as long as there is no profit, and it doesn't involve tripods, selfie sticks, or flash.

I use the P&S if I go out in the evening and don't want to pack the big camera and also for snapshots of less important subject matter.

I had considered doing something like that but with the camera on the new iPhones, which is with me anyway, I left my ZS50 at home. The only thing I really missed was the zoom

Most phones work fine as a compact, quick shot camera, so I wouldn't really bother bringing a compact camera.
On our last trip, I used a small sling/backpack style camera bag as my daypack. The bottom portion held my DSLR and three lenses (35mm, 18-55, and 70-300)
The top portion of the bag held items we wanted for the day's outings: snacks, guidebooks, maps, tickets, etc.

Some places won't allow backpacks inside, but do allow cameras if flash isn't used. At those places, I checked the bag and carried the camera.

I am contemplating between a Canon 500D with 18-200mm lens and compact Olympus XZ-1. The Olympus as a preset F1.8 setting for low light but comes with only a 4x optical zoom. I believe most of the photos I plan to shoot will be day time - of buildings and landscape. My main concern is bringing a bulky bag for the DSLR. Thank you for all the suggestions :)

I would take both cameras and then decide what you want to take with you on the particular day depending on what you’re doing. Most places allow you to take your camera but not a big backpack. This was the case at the Vatican, colosseum, and borghese gallery. So I just brought a shoulder bag for my camera (this doubled as a purse) and all was good. They did make me check the bag at borghese, but not the camera, which I wore around my neck. 3 places I was not allowed to take pictures - Sistine chapel, capuchin monastery and San Clemente basilica. I took my point and shoot out at night/dinner and when I was tired of carrying around the big camera. Photography is really important to me, though. The friends we traveled with just took pictures with their phones and were perfectly happy.

Interesting and Fantastic news if they are now allowing cameras inside the Borghese! Haven’t been there for about 3 yrs. Cameras/photography have always been banned previously, had to check in your camera at the lower level/store area check room.

I suspect the modern cell phones caused the rule change. At the V & A in London they banned photography in the Raphael Cartoon room but in my last visit there it was picture city. I asked and was told too many cell phone cameras and they just gave up the fight.

OK, need to get back to Rome ASAP. The building interior of the Borghese is a work of art in and of itself. This time with a camera in hand.

Travel Safe

One Fast Bob

Even though I said 'never' I have purchase a compact DSLR, Canon. I also have a full Canon DSLR (several really, lol). I understand your dilemma...Oh the weight. I no longer bring a camera bag. I have two travelon purses. One will hold my important items and my compact dslr. The other is larger and will hold my larger DSLR, either EOS or full frame, and the small travelon with my financials, etc. I will chose one telephoto lense to 85mm or two smaller lenses, usually 50 mm and maybe a 15mm to bring on my trip. The heavy regular size DSLR and lense fits in my wheeled carryon, which I will not check if it has my DSLR in it. The Compact DSLR will usually go in my personal item. The travelon purse used to carry my DLSR folds up in the carryon when in transit. My small travelon purse will hold my compact dslr plus all my important financial and ID information, etc. This small purse zips smaller and will fit in the larger travelon with my dslr...but compact dslr stays in the hotel in that case. Unfortunately, I don't see my two bags on the travelon site any longer, but I'm sure you can find alternatives. So it has gotten more complicated, but lighter and less awkward than a camera bag.

About the Borghese Galleries - until a few years ago, they had a strict no-photos policy and wouldn't let people bring cameras into the galleries. Now photos are permitted except when there's a special exhibition, then the no-photo rule applies throughout the galleries, not just in the special exhibit area, but they let you carry the camera with you. That's the only place I can remember having to check my camera.

I have a pretty good point-and-shoot camera but it doesn't have the capabilities that my Panasonic digital (SLR-like, aka bridge) camera has. I prefer the view-finder for outdoor use, especially in bright sun (lots of that in Italy). The wider angle is good for both interiors (cathedrals, etc) and scenic vistas, and it does a great job in low light. A friend uses her digital SLR with multiple lenses and doesn't mind carrying all that weight around with her. She's a serious amateur photographer, though and her photos are often professional quality. My pix are mostly to help me remember where I've been and what I saw.

Minolta XD7, 35 to 70 lens, 400 ASA B&W and go for it.

I use a Maxpedition Versipack tactical crossbody bag and that doubles as my camera bag.

My Canon 200D/SL2 is small and very light so I had no issues walking around with it around my neck. If you plan on bringing your Ti1, I would seriously consider a 10-18mm lens as UWA is key in Rome. I also brought a 24mm pancake and the 18-55 kit. I never really found the need to go beyond that especially with that APS-C sensor

JMHO and YMMV

I recently returned from 10 days in Italy and Malta and used my DSLR with 18-140mm and iPhone. I will never again take a DSLR to Europe after lugging it in the past to St. Petersburg, Versailles, and now Italy. There was no problem with security carrying it in and using a Rick Steves Civita Day Pack, but the camera is large and heavy, and I have to carry it throughout the trip as I won’t check it. I also use my iPhone for photos and videos when I don’t want to lug the DSLR but I find it hard to use the screen because of glare and the difficulty using it to zoom I when it often switchs from photo to other modes. I have tried taking just a wide angle lens to reduce weight and size, but I still wanted a zoom and didn't get that much extra value in the reduced size and weight and faster lens. I have other small cameras without viewfinder and that I have taken to Europe, but now I leave them at home since they don’t have a viewfinder. Upon returning, I purchased a Panasonic Lumix DC-ZX200 with both viewfinder and screen. It has a 24-360 optical zoom and takes photos and videos. PLUS, it is small and lightweight. I carry it in a small case on my belt or in my day pack. A friend who introduced the camera to me puts her camera in her purse. I think it will be a good compromise between the heavy and bulky DSLR and just a iPhone (which I will also take) as it is easy to pack and carry and use AND it is small and light. My back is already thanking me and I don’t think I will be sacrificing much in quality. Plus, people won't see me lugging the DSLR and won't say I am "old" as happened on this last trip.

Jim, consider going mirrorless -- my mirrorless is about half the weight of my DSLR, and still allows me to get an excellent zoom and/or wide angle lens, and allows me more control over my photos. I'm in Italy now, and I'm really glad I brought it.

One more vote here for a mirrorless as the perfect compromise between an SLR & a compact. My mirrorless NEX 6, 2 lenses, chargers, filters, adaptors, spare batts., etc all fit into a bag 1/3 the size of my old SLR kit. (& 1/4 the weight).

I'm headed to Rome for the 1st time next month, so no info yet, but as for Florence...

not sure about the Uffizi, but there's no photography allowed in the Pitti Palace. The Duomo, Duomo Museo, & Baptistry are fine, (with the usual rules about no flash or tripods.)

I would never ever take a trip without my SLR camera, may leave clothes, wife or something else, but never the camera. Buy a smallish backpack, if you don't already own one and TAKE the camera.

I usually have the DSLR and a point and shoot -- in recent years now that I have a good Iphone camera with zoom capacity, I use the DSLR and the phone. I used to do close ups with the DSLR and establishment shots with the point and shoot, but now that I have an 18-140 lens as the basic lens on the DSLR, that is not necessary. I like having a camera with me at all times and the phone works for that. I haul the DSLR in a camera bag when I set out for a day focused on photography and hope to get shots that I will blow up. More and more my photos are for family and for my travel blog and the phone does fine for most of that.

I just got the new iPhone 11 and I am amazed at the high quality of the pictures. Taking pictures in low light is better that any camera I have ever owned. It would be perfect in any museum or church where flash photography is not permitted. The new wide angle lens gives you lots of options for taking pictures that were not available before. It is also small enough and light enough that it should be a problem and you don’t have to carry a separate phone.

Hi
This topic comes up periodically and simply there is no right or wrong answer.
The DSLR v mirrorless v compact camera debate is more about your own personal
photography,
Do you travel in the US with a DSLR ?. Are you only wanting "holiday snaps"
or are you the "sunrise-sunset-golden hour" photographer seeking wall sized images? Do you have enough spare
weight capacity in your carry on ? Also I personally don't think a holiday is the time
to learn about a new camera, no matter what type.

As others have corrected, photography has been permitted in Italian museums for a number of years now. Perhaps late 2014 ?
doesn't really matter.
It's not the access, it is the number of other tourists you will encounter. That
and having either fast lenses, or the camera that can manage high ISO.

regards