What's the best SLR cam and Lens for traveling purposes?

Question

I'll be traveling around the world soon and i want to see which slr cam will best fit for traveling. It'd have to be sturdy while capturing all of the landscapes I'll be taking pics with. In addition, it'd be great if it was portable. I'm thinking EOS XT but can't decide on the lens.

i'm just a beginner and would like to spend around $1300 for cam and lens.

Answer 1

I like SkyPilot's answer. Get a Nikon D50. It's a great camera that is not terribly large as an SLR. To keep it "light," get Nikon's relatively new 18-200 DX VR zoom lens. The camera and lens will just about kill your budget, but you should also get about a 2 GB SD memory card so you can take plenty of pictures in a day without worrying about running out of memory. If the Nikon lens will put you over the top, consider getting a Tamron or Sigma (for instance) of the same specs. They make one that you can get for about $300-350 instead of the thousand bucks the Nikon will set you back. (The VR is really nice though.........) If you end up getting the Canon, although I am not so familiar with their line, you might consider the 28-200 Canon lens or a Tamron or Sigma with a wider wide and a longer tele. It's good to have all that range in one lens while you are traveling so you don't have to worry about dropping a lens or getting dirt in your camera as you change lenses again and again.

I'm using the D200 and 18-200 VR lens a lot, but the combination would cost more than double your stated budget and it is definitely not for a beginner. The D50 is more entry-level friendly with various programs for exposure. With the D200, you have to pretty much know what you want to do all the time and set it yourself. There are no icons for scenery or portraits, etc.

Answer 2

I'll be doing a round the world trip next year. Perhaps my gear selection will be of some help to you:
Nikon D200 + charger + 2 spare batteries + universal adaptor
Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 lens + uv filter
12 GB worth of fast CF cards (I currently have only 4)
Cleaning kit
Crumpler Ben's Pizza XXXL camera bag
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The D200 is a fantasic body: it's fast, rugged, and weather sealed, but also bulky. The two spare batteries plus the universal adaptor should guarantee that I never run out of power. For a while, I actually considered a solar charger but I'll be near a power source at least once every 10 days.
The 17-55mm range is great for landscapes and street photography. It's also a fast lens, otherwise I would also bring the 50mm f/1.4. I won't bring my tele lens due to the weight. I also don't want to sacrifice the speed and image quality of my 17-55 for the convenience of a Nikon 18-200mm. It helps that I don't shoot much with the tele lens anyway. I also won't bring my macro lens due to weight considerations.
Six GB of storage should get me to the next big city city where I can whittle down my shots and transfer them to CDs/ DVDs at a camera store. I'll mail those to a friend at home and wait for confirmation on my cell phone before formatting those cards for reuse. In the mean time, I'll use the other 6 GB worth of CF cards. I shoot mostly best quality jpg. I considered a portable storage device, but I'd fill that up fast enough to still have a problem. I'm open to suggestions on this point...
The cleaning kit is only for the lens. With 2 lenses, I'd also bring a cleaning kit for the sensor.
The bag I chose will also be my day pack. Besides the camera it can snugly contain a travel book and a bottle of water. It's a shoulder bag for easy access, and it doesn't scream camera bag to potential thieves.
No external flash due to weight.
No tripod due to weight.
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I hope you find some of this usefull. Best wishes on your trip!

Answer 3

You don't say how much you have to spend.

I am a Nikon fan. Nikon make a full line of digital SLR.

The Nikon D50 is a great start. It comes with the kit lens.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=381587&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

You can also read some reviews and see examples:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d50.asp

Answer 4

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Telephoto Lens
more info:

http://www.redopinion.com/digital-camera/canon/lens-for-canon-dslr/canon-ef-85mm-f18-usm-telephoto-lens-do-you-really-need-this-lens.htm

or

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
more information

http://www.redopinion.com/digital-camera/canon/lens-for-canon-dslr/canon-ef-24-70mm-f28l-usm-best-available-all-around-canon-lens.htm

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Answer 5

Hi, I recommand you to try google picasa.

picasa is a Google's photo software. It's what should've come with your camera.

It can Edit , organise and Share you picture and small video clips.

It's very easy to use and is free, just like Google

Download it free in here:

http://www.adcenter.net.cn/google-picasa/

Good Luck!

Answer 6

good quality medium range zoom lens 35-180 or so