What would What TYPE of camera should I buy for my trip?

I would buy one of the immediate point and shoot camera. Canon makes a good series beyond basic. These camera will provide additional control features that you can play around with as you get into photography. The cost will be lower so you do not have to worry about protecting an expensive. There you can determine at a later date if you want to invest in high end equipment.

I can’t give any advice on professional photography, but I can share that Nikon’s Coolpix lineup is really impressive for basic point and shoot cameras, and Nikon is well known for the quality of their lenses. And, those memory cards are cheap…Amazon has 2 gb cards for $4.95 each.

PS -- This site has a whole section on Photography in Europe under Sightseeing on the Graffiti Wall. You will get more and better info on that site.

Anna,

In order to provide some suggestions, my first question would be what type of photography are you interested in? If you just want basic "snapshots" of the places you'll be visiting, then a P&S will be fine. However, if you want more "artistic control and flexibility" then a dSLR would be the best choice.

I've been travelling with both a dSLR and associated kit (ie: extra Lenses, etc.) as well as a compact P&S for last few years. The P&S is great for some applications, but that type of Camera tends to be limited in terms of wide angle and zoom capability and also low light capability (ie: locations where flash is prohibited). The dSLR has allowed me to get some fantastic photos that wouldn't have been possible with a P&S. Even though the larger Camera is more of a hassle to travel with (large and heavy), I don't plan on changing my travel method in future.

I'm most familiar with the Canon line of Cameras, so those are the only ones I'll comment on. If you just want a basic P&S, the Elph series are good. For a somewhat larger Camera, have a look at the G11 or SX20IS or SX120IS. If you decide to try a dSLR, the 500D is a bit smaller, lighter and less expensive than some of the mid-range models (50D,7D). If you plan on travelling with only one Lens, try to choose one with a fairly flexible range and buy that with the Camera rather than taking the "kit Lens". One caveat with dSLR Cameras is that there IS somewhat of a "learning curve", so be sure to buy it several months before you'll be travelling.

Once you've narrowed down your list, check dpreview or stevesdigicams for reviews of the Cameras you're considering.

Good luck!

Anna,

I took a trip through three Asian countries with a friend. I packed an SLR with multiple lenses, filters, tripod, cleaners, bag, etc. I lugged my stuff everywhere while my friend took a nice all-in-one Canon that was just larger than pocket size.

When I got my pictures back I was really happy until I saw my friend's pictures. Mine weren't enough better than his to justify carrying all that added weight.

Since then I travel with the smallest camera from a decent company I can find. I've always been happy with a Nikon or Canon, because of their great lenses. I also hear good things about the Sony optics now, but haven't owned one.

I like having a decent optical zoom, 5X is plenty for most of your uses (3X is not quite enough). Most of the cameras come with video, night, museum, etc. modes that help you get great pictures. They all have the option of turning the flash off in areas where you don't want it. Image stabilization is another great feature when you're not using a tripod.

A large viewing window not only helps you get good pics, it also helps you edit your pics on the road to save memory for other shots.

There are some really good cameras that are smaller than pocket size. I use the neck strap off of a thumb drive instead of the wrist strap they come with and keep them inside my shirt or jacket most of the time.

If I were buying a camera today, my top picks would be Nikon Coolpix S630, Canon Powershot SD930, Sony Cybershot DSC-W290. A little larger camera would be the Canon Powershot SX200.

I am in Brad's camp. At one time I used to carry a Contax G-1 with multi-lens set up. I thought I was a pretty hot but was always fussing with lens, setting, etc. Now I carry a Canon A720 (sure it is discontinued and am not sure of the follow along model). 8 meg pixels with 6x zoom. It has all of the individual control features you get with a DSL plus a number of pre-set automatic functions. The automatic functions are fine about 90% of the time. Truthfully I think the quality of my pictures have improved because I now focus on composition and lighting knowing that the camera will take care of everything else. Also, I now get pictures that I would have missed in the past because I am not fussing with lens. Remember it is the photographer's eye and not the equipment that makes the picture.

Two final points. Having a viewfinder on the camera is important and don't over sold on pixels. Six to eight, ten at the most, is more than adequate unless you are doing a lot of blow ups or pulling small portions out of the picture.

Thanks to everyone for your responses,they were all great. I came to the conclusion that the best thing for me NOW is to buy a good quality small point and shoot with a good optical zoom that I won't add to my weight. I realized that for me to get a dslr now would require me to probably take some lessons, do lots of practice etc. in order for me to get the best use of it in order to justify taking it. I will eventually get a proper camera and take it up as a hobby but for now I'll focus on my trip, using my spare time to read about the sights to see, plan my rail route etc. I'm 100% sure this is best for me. Thanks everyone.

Anna, I agree with you, a point-and-shoot would be perfect! I'm a professional photographer and my Canon G9 is so great that I rarely bring my DSLR with me anymore on overseas trips. I have always found this website very helpful when recommending cameras:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm

Happy photo-taking!

,,,,eventually get a proper camera ,,,,, No matter what you buy you will have a proper camera. In fact, the digital camera movement has done more to upgrade the quality of pictures without having to use SL or high end range finder cameras.

Do not forget to buy extra memory chips and try to get a camera that runs on AA batteries if possible. If you get a camera that has proprietary batteries, be sure to buy a couple of extra's. Also, be sure your charger will handle Euro current, they usually do, and get a plug converter for the countries you are going to.

I'm a big fan of Canon cameras (we take a P&S and a Rebel with extra lens & tripod). Mostly pros & very few cons to each but great pics with each also. That being said, Panasonic has a new P&S out now that has 10 megapixels, 12x optical zoom, image stabilizer, face detection, and a 25 mm wide-angle to 300 mm telephoto lens. If I didn't love my camera, I'd definitely try this one. It's the Panasonic ZS1. Costco is selling it for less than $200 Thanksgiving weekend.

I had the opposite experience than Brad. I had a point and shoot digital and watched all the people with dSLR have all the fun taking pictures that I couldn't take. So, I went out and got a dSLR--a Canon Rebel. Now, I had had a film SLR so this wasn't totally new for me. I think you are probably right to take the point and shoot for now. But if you are into photography then do eventually get a dSLR. It's so much easier to learn with the digital version than the film. The money you save on film alone is incredible.

But, there is a backside of digital photography. Once you start using a dSLR you then start manipulating the images afterwards. This isn't cheating! There are things that you can do with iPhoto or other simple computer tools to make your pictures better. Simple cropping and sharpening improve many photographs. It's fun, but oh boy can it be time consuming! Pam

Canon has never let me down. Even the middle to top of the line P&S Canon cameras allow manual exposure settings - this is good, especially for indoors where flash isn't allowed and evening and night time photos. You'll be hard pressed to find a P&S camera that gives you good manual focusing.

Nikon D3000.

Small, DSLR, and great for a beginner getting into photography.

Its $450 out the door at amazon.com with 18-55 lens.

Trust me, you won't regret it!