camera advice

[shewhobikes]

I've decided I must have a digital camera (really small) to take on rides with me. I've already missed too many good photos. Any guidance on what to buy or look for? If you carry a camera, is it in your jersey pocket or where? I don't want to spend a fortune but I want something with good resolution. Thanks!

[SadieKate]

I have a Fuji A303 which I like very much. It is not the smallest, but it is pretty durn small. On the road, I carry it in my jersey pocket. On the dirt, it goes in a padded Eagle Creek camera pouch hung on the sternum strap of my hydration pack.

[yellow]

Mine is teeny tiny and is "all weather". I carry it in my jersey pocket. It's super easy to use and takes good pictures. You can see it here (http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_product_lobbypage.asp?l=1&p=16&bc=27&product=1130) It also takes nice movie clips with sound.

The deal with the real small ones is that they may not have viewfinders, as with mine. So if you're particularly blind (as I am), it can be bothersome if the light is really bad or whatever. They try to make up for it by having a larger screen on the back.

That being said, I have a larger Fuji that takes better pictures. But I like this other better for riding because it is so very small.

[DeniseGoldberg]

My current camera of choice for cycling is a Canon Digital Elph - the S40. I also have an S400 which is slightly bigger, but still pretty small in the overall scheme of things. Why two? The S40 is the size I wanted, but at the time I bought my first camera it didn't come in a 4 megapixel version, so I bought the S400. When the S40 was released I was bad and couldn't resist buying a second camera.

I carry either of these cameras in a very small fanny pack when I'm riding.

I wrote an article on touring with a digital camera that might be helpful even though I think your focus is just having a camera you can use while you're riding. It might answer (or bring up) some questions for you. You can find the article at http://DigitalCameraOnTour.crazyguyonabike.com.

Another good resource if you're researching digital cameras is Digital Photography Review at http://www.dpreview.com/.

--- Denise

[Surlygirl]

I have the same one as yellow, the Olympus Stylus Verve. Its small and fits in either a pocket or a seat bag. Its a great little camera for biking. I also have a small camera mount called an ultrapod that I got at campmor that you can clip to the handlebar or a tree or put on the ground.

[Bike2Work4Me]

We bought a Canon SD400 after my other Canon got dropped by a co-worker. It's really small, light, fits in your jersey pocket, and takes great pictures. We just returned from riding Bicycle Idaho. You can see what the pictures look like that it takes. I didn't doctor a single picture. The best pictures are on Page 2.
http://homepage.mac.com/gstahmer/PhotoAlbum15.html

Gretchen

[Pedal Wench]

Wow, that Olympus Verve looks really cute - I don't think it was around when I did my research. I have the Pentax OptioWP. It's small and waterproof. We took it on Ride the Rockies and it was perfect. My boyfriend perfected the technique of storing in his jersey and shooting incredible stills and videos on the bike. I just started taking it with me on the bike too,and it's easy to grab it, turn it on, shoot and back in the pocket it goes, all while cruising down the road. Go for it!

[shewhobikes]

Thanks, ladies. Denise, those are super links; lots of info.
Bike2Work4Me: Coeur d'Alene is so gorgeous, insn't it? I went there once and just fell in love with that resort. And the golf course is unbelievable.

[Bad JuJu]

I have a Pentax Option 43WR--the WR stands for water resistant. Not waterproof, that is, but water resistant. It's pretty small, and fits into a seat bag easily. Has a little bit of a zoom even.

I've heard some folks complain about the photo quality, but I've gotten some decent pix with it. See some examples here:
webshots photos (http://community.webshots.com/user/badjuju222)

[gretassister]

Yes, I know I need to join the 21st century; but I still carry a Pentax K100 ( strapped to my chest with a camera harness, in a saddlebag or fanny pack ) and lots film.

[Nanci]

I have the Casio Exilim S100. You can find it for about $170. I like it because it has the fastest startup and fastest turnover time (being ready to take the next picture) of any digital camera. So I can have it out, on, and take a picture before whatever I want to take a picture of is gone/over. It has a bunch of presets in a cool format- you page through and it shows you a typical picture- portrait, flower, pet, sunset, twilight, night, party, so many I can't name them all. You can custom-set anything, and then if you like the result, save the settings. It's so cool. The size is wonderful. Credit card sized. Even in it's case it can fit in a pocket, but the lens has a built in cover so you don't have to carry the case if you don't want to.

Yes, I have a better, bigger, more complicated Olympus digital, but the Casio is just so little and cute and easy to deal with that it gets taken out all the time.

I found out about this camera when I found an earlier model in the woods when I was trail running. I put up a "found" sign for a month, but no one ever claimed it.

Nanci