Camera?
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Reflex
07-Sep-17
I head out on Saturday for my Wyoming elk hunt. I'm getting everything put together in my pack and I keep going back and forth on whether or not to bring my Sony point and shoot camera. I will have my iPhone with me and my Garmin Oregon 650 even takes pictures. However, I really want to get quality photos. My iPhone takes good pictures, but the size and orientation of the photos can be a bit limiting. What are your thoughts? Now that smartphones are so prevalent, do you take both phone and camera, or save the weight and ditch the camera? I should note that I am doing a backpack hunt, so weight savings is always a plus!
From: APauls
07-Sep-17
I have found photos to be different strokes for different strokes. For example my wife doesn't really care that much about amazing photos and in all honesty doesn't really see the difference between a good and a great photo. For me, it's almost everything. I LOVE photos and take a lot of time trying to take nice ones. For me, the difference between my Panasonic Lumix G7 and a top of the line cell phone aren't even comparable in the way you can take a photograph. My G7 is small and light and takes many lenses. I take it wherever I go. But I really do think it is up to the individual. Many people can come to different conclusions and all can be right.
From: Stoneman
07-Sep-17
take it... worth the xtra weight
From: cnelk
07-Sep-17
Take the camera. Be sure to set the photo size at 1m or even 2m.
The clarity is MUCH better than phone pics and also, if you want to submit pics to a magazine for publishing, they will most definitely use them.
Good luck
From: wilbur
07-Sep-17
I agree take the camera and document your trip with a bunch of photos.
Be sure to share them with us when you write up the story about the big elk you slay.
From: Glunt@work
07-Sep-17
Camera is worth it. Even the small cameras are a big step above phones. Phone pics look good on a screen or from a distance but if you need to crop and zoom or print, they are lacking. That tiny lens is amazing but but not like a bigger piece of glass.
From: smarba
07-Sep-17
Camera. GPS pics are pathetic. Phone pics can be pretty decent for close range stuff and to be viewed on a phone sized screen, but I ALWAYS carry my Pansonic Lumix 24x optical zoom for pics of whatever neat stuff or critters I see. Well worth the weight IMO.
From: Reflex
07-Sep-17
Thanks guys! I think you have made up my mind.
From: Backpack Hunter
07-Sep-17
Yup, always take my camera with me. Definitely worth the weight.
From: Lost Arra
07-Sep-17
Even my old Lumix is much easier to use with one hand (bow in the other) than my phone. I can turn it on, zoom, switch to video, view the photo/video and put it back in my pocket much easier than my phone. Having my camera allowed me to take an upclose video of a massive bull that I never would have gotten with phone. (I had cow tag).
From: SoDakSooner
07-Sep-17
I have a little nikon that has a decent optical zoom. DOn't remember the model. I basically only use it for hunting. My cell doesn't get reception at all and dies quickly even on airplane mode. battery in the camera lasts all week and it takes decent pics. Only 8 megapixel I think, but I have blown up plenty that look ok.
From: Daff
07-Sep-17
I just got some photos back today and there is no comparison. If picture quality is important take a camera! The pictures I am comparing are from an iphone 6 and my little nikon cool pics. It doesn't weigh much and is very compact even has a timer so you can be in the shot. Good luck on your hunt I'm packing now!
From: midwest
07-Sep-17
I'm carrying nothing but my Galaxy S8+ this year.
From: Franzen
07-Sep-17
I'd take the camera and leave the iPhone at the truck, especially having the separate gps unit.
From: yooper89
07-Sep-17
I truly regret not bringing my camera more than anything else on my hunt this season. Didn't connect, but I would have sniped the hell out of some elk with that badboy.
From: WYelkhunter
08-Sep-17
take a camera for sure. phone cameras and the garmin camera can't even compare to a real camera. especially if you have a picture you need to zoom in for.
From: jims
08-Sep-17
I have a Lumix TS-3 that is 100% waterproof that is great on trips. It's always nice having a waterproof camera in Alaska or elsewhere on rainy days. It also takes great 1080 video. It's a little bigger than an IPhone so doesn't take up much room. I've actually used it attached to a telescoping pole to take underwater video of spawning salmon in Alaska. I also bring my cell phone on trips as a backup. It's always good to take photos and video with more than 1 camera so you have a backup plan if batteries die or something else happens. Also good having a cell phone in case of emergencies.
I just bought a Canon SX60 that I've been using on bighorn sheep scouting trips this summer and fall. It has a giant 65x power lens. It's been fantastic for sizing up rams, mtn goats, deer, and elk on video/photos when I get home from trips. In fact, I can zoom in on ram horn rings around 400 yards away! It's a lot of fun! It isn't waterproof so I put it in a small, waterproof dry bag in my pack. It actually zooms things in as good as my spotting scope and a lot better quality than an iPhone digiscope hooked up to a spotter . If you want to zoom in on critters it is a fantastic camera!
