Should you buy a DSLR for travel photography? Take this quiz

Thanks for this post! I’ve been going back and forth on this for a couple years now… I have a fancy non-digital camera and a digital compact and can never decide when is the right time to combine the two with a DSLR. I always say I’ll get the DSLR once I actually know how to use the camera I’ve already got, but it’s expensive to practice and experiment with film.

I switched to a Nikon DSLR (the cheapest one!) after losing 7 rolls of film through the x-ray machine enroute from Iceland. Been a convert ever since.

I agree with Ryan 100% – You have to have a good eye for composition first. With just a great eye, you can make even simple polaroids look great. I know a photographer with the latest gadgets who’s still lacking and one who creates magic with just a simple point-n-shoot.

Thanks for this post, I’m the kind of person that goes back and forth on decisions like this… I already have a DSLR but I’m deciding whether it’s worth taking on a big 1-month trip…whether I’ll use it consistently or it will be better to take a compact…

That said, I just want to point out that using an SLR of any kind, especially in the case of a Digital SLR (where you can really experiment to your heart’s content) WILL actually make most people better photographers.

SLR’s give you a better eye for composition just because of the extra thought and consideration involved in looking through the viewfinder (rather than arm’s length away at an LCD screen) and framing a shot… also, if you learn how to use the features of your SLR you start to consider the conditions around you when you photograph, often resulting in more pleasing images that look less like snapshots and more like art…I also submit that a zoom lens that goes up to 200mm lets you take pictures from far enough away that your subjects won’t notice you and therefore do act naturally…

But you’re right, no force on this earth will make me willingly get up at 4am. I hate that about myself when I travel I waste hours that could be spent exploring.

[...] Ryan Libre explores why buying a DSLR may be worth it for your travel [...]

After doing a little research I decided on a Sony Alpha A350 DSLR with 14.2 MP and Image stabilization. I’m very pleased with everything so far, the camera was an excellent choice and I think it’s important to at least start out with a good base camera or something that won’t become obsolete anytime soon. Additional lens and other accessories can always be purchased at a later date and feels better on the pocketbook. Keep in mind, the camera can’t do everything for you, like a car, it can’t operate itself.

Found this post while searching for something else entirely… but go figure… I think it’s an excellent comparison of the pros/cons of going dSLR on the road.

But one other important point that you left out is that bein inconspicuous. A small consumer camera that fits in your pocket won’t attract as much attention as a large camera bag and dSLR. In certain parts of the world, this can mean that you’re less of a target for thieves. It can also mean that you can surreptitiously get those photos in places where you’d stand out too much taking out your large professional camera.

That’s why I stick to a small consumer camera on the road, even though I sometimes get frustrated by the lack of options. I have one that at least offers some manual controls, which isn’t great but it’s better than nothing.

[...] provide high resolution, print quality images, they don’t give you full flexibility that a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera or a Micro Four-Thirds camera [...]

[...] you’re walking around Madrid, carrying a DSLR camera that’s attracting a lot of attention. The minute the schemer shifts his gaze from your camera [...]