The perfect point and shoot for backpacking

[infrar3d]

I use a Canon WP-1 as my kayak camera. I think it fits nearly all your criteria.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I use a Canon WP-1 as my kayak camera. I think it fits nearly all your criteria.

I have two of those that I keep at the lake cottage. One for each of my youngest granddaughters. They work very nicely and aren't very big. The 32mm f3.5 is reasonably sharp also. Just make sure you get one with good seals. JohnW

 

[Paul Howell]

I keep forgetting the Canon WP, the lens should be pretty good.

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film169.html

 

[Two23]

I suggest one of the Pentax IQ Zooms.


Kent in SD

 

[Jon Buffington]

Another suggestion is the Nikon L35AF. Very sharp 35/2.8 lens, can take real photo filters for B&W (46mm I believe), exposure comp, and takes AA batteries (easy to by anywhere).

 

[Paul Howell]

Thinking about Canon, a Super Sure Shot, or Autoboy, first generation, came out in 1981, 40mm 1.9 lens, takes 49mm filters?, uses AA batteries, top shutter speed of 1/400, pop up flash, down side is that it now 40 years old, has first generation AF, reliability might be an issue with a consumer grade camera that old.

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film104.html

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Bonk, fantastic upcoming trip. Good for you! If you will be carrying all your supplies, I urge you to go with a lightweight and simple camera:
1. Rollei 35 (various models)
2. Olympus Trip 35

Example of a Rollei 35S hiking photo from the Reichenbach Valley, Switzerland, Agfapan 25 film:

 

[Autonerd]

ICan you help me out, and make some suggestions?

The only point-and-shoot I have ever really loved is the Pentax PC35AF (not the PC35AF-M, btw). This was Pentax's first point-and-shoot. It is auto-focus and auto-exposure, but manual wind, so it's small, light, simple, very quiet, and has less stuff in it to break. Lens is 35mm f/2.8 and very good quality. It has an integrated flash and uses AAA batteries. Exposure compensation, well, sort-of -- it has a +1.5 button for backlit photos. The ISO is set manually (25-400) which gives you two stops either way, but you can't use it to underexpose your Tri-X.

They are a bit tricky to find as they are older (early 1980s) but definitely fit your price range, a good working one should be $80-$100, maybe less.

Definitely a neat little camera. I had one as a kid and just bought another one recently. I'm an SLR guy but I'm loving this little camera. Again.


HTH
Aaron

 

[bunip]

Olympus 35 rc. i use it without batteries and works in manual mode; with batteries it's automatic or aperture priority. no af, no flash. very small.

 

[mgb74]

I've taken a few cameras while backpacking and hiking. I agree with your thoughts on a compact P&S versus a SLR. The size and weight of a SLR, even a compact one, adds up step by step. (Though my ME Super with 40mm pancake lens comes darn close to a P&S).

You say you want "superb" image quality (don't we all) but it helps to put that in context (as noted in post 16). If you're not making 11x14 (or larger) prints, then that opens up options. The fixed focal length cameras do generally give better quality but there's a catch. If you're cropping your negative to make up for the fixed 28-35mm lens, are you really getting a better result than with a moderate zoom (say 28-70)?

I wouldn't worry too much about batteries as long as they are reasonably available on your trip and you don't plan to do a lot of flash photography. A fresh CR123 or CR2, plus a spare, will go a long way.

AF may be hard to avoid in a P&S but I find I spend more time trying to bend the AF to my wishes than it would take me to focus. Some sort of focus lock is very, very helpful.

For years, taking Boy Scouts backpacking, I used a Rollei Prego with 28-90 lens. A not very compact P&S, but great results with slide film. I think that its functionality can be replicated in a smaller, lighter package today. But, based on my usage, I would want a zoom that begins at 28mm or 35mm.

 

[ericB&W]

Fast point & shoot with great lenses Nikon L35 af , Minolta AFC , they have manual iso so one can over/under expose
Minolta has not fixed flash and doesn't seem too much robust but maybe is just an impression.
Leica mini zoom has a great lens too.

 

[Arthurwg]

Contax TVS is worth looking at …….

One of my favorites. Worked great while it worked, gave up the ghost after a few years. Still thinking about another one.

 

[Huss]

Fast point & shoot with great lenses Nikon L35 af , Minolta AFC , they have manual iso so one can over/under expose
Minolta has not fixed flash and doesn't seem too much robust but maybe is just an impression.
Leica mini zoom has a great lens too.

I had a Minolta AFC. Absolutely horrible AF. And would not take a pic unless there was an AF confirmation. Which a lot of the time there isn't. A zone focus camera would be so much better than that lump.
The L35 is much better, but they are starting to die randomly, just like my 'perfect' LW35.

 

[Huss]

One of my favorites. Worked great while it worked, gave up the ghost after a few years. Still thinking about another one.

I had a TVS III. When it got a pic in focus it was great, but that was not often. Very disappointed especially given that was never an issue with any other P&S cameras I owned from Nikon, Minolta (but NOT the AFC!), Pentax, Rollei and Fuji.

 

[Arthurwg]

Apparently the TVS III is considerably more expensive than the original TVS, no idea why. But I never had a problem with focus with mine until it went completely haywire.

 

[Huss]

Apparently the TVS III is considerably more expensive than the original TVS, no idea why. But I never had a problem with focus with mine until it went completely haywire.

It has a really stupid trap door lens mechanism which slows down using the camera, as well as giving a fragile point of failure. With the TVS 1 and 2, you just turn it on, lens extends ready to go. With the TVS 3, you turn it on, the trap door flips open, then the lens extends, then you can shoot.
Your "went completely haywire" line pretty much sums up what happens to these old but very expensive P&S cameras. Unfortunately.

There are a couple of people who still fix them if it is the flex cable that failed. One person in Portugal, one in the Ukraine.

 

[Arthurwg]

Unfortunately I can't find mine. Still in the house somewhere but I've searched high and low.

 

[Bill Burk]

I wanted to add to the discussion. I have never made a bad decision regarding cameras for backpacking. Always enjoyed the results.

I have however, greatly appreciated the quality that I got when I brought formats larger than 35mm. For the better image quality that comes with larger formsts, I would recommend a folding camera that uses 120 film, even if only 6x45.

 

[Bill Burk]

Another thought, because I have brought multiple cameras on many backpacking trips.

Whenever I used the ‘second choice’ camera, it felt like a missed opportunity to use the better one. Whether it was between a Minox vs 4x5 or Rollei 35 vs SLR. Even now anytime I reach for the phone instead of the camera, I feel like I missed a shot.

Best would be to bring a real good camera and a plastic piece of junk that can take the same film in case the good camera breaks. Never use the junk camera unless you have to. But don’t bring two pretty good cameras and switch back and forth..

 

[Huss]

.. But don’t bring two pretty good cameras and switch back and forth..

What about two awesome cameras?

 

[otto.f]

Olympus XA, I was stunned at the Generalife and Alhambra in Granada how it conveyed the subtle color variations in reflected light on white walls. Contrast, sharpness, color, all very nice and it slides so smoothly in your pocket

 

[Bill Burk]

This would be what I had in mind! Plastic and lightweight. Use it when that Nikon 35ti or Ricoh GR won’t operate. Otherwise leave it tucked in a corner of the pack.

 

[Bill Burk]

What about two awesome cameras?

So long as one is awesome for weighing next to nothing, then the other can be the best possible camera for backpacking…

 

[Vaughn]

I have traveled with an Oly XA --something for snapshots while touring with a 4x5. I recommend it...perhaps one as a spare for whatever camera you might get...small enough.

 

[ericB&W]

An undervalued small camera is Ricoh FF1, a sort of Minox.
It has a very good lens but is more reliable than Minox, zone focus,
hasn't aperture priority , just program but with 1/60 syncro shutter speed
one is free to use diaphragm at certain light conditions , non DX code.