Taking photos is a real pleasure when you’re traveling! A veritable memory factory, photography allows you to immortalize your best moments in Ireland! But it’s not enough to simply press the shutter release to take good photos: you need to choose the best possible camera to make it easier for you to get around and take your shots!
Before embarking on material considerations, it’s important to know what you want to do with your future camera during your stay in Ireland. Do you want to take quick, instinctive shots without too much creative research, or are you looking for high-quality, artistic photography?
Because the answer to this question will undoubtedly determine your choice of appliance! In photography, there’s a camera for every purpose. And it’s best to choose the right one from the start!
Thus, travelers wishing to take standard photos will undoubtedly opt for a“compact“. This type of camera has the advantage of being aimed at beginners who don’t want to get too complicated, and who aren’t too demanding when it comes to photo quality. The icing on the cake is that these appliances are rather small and easy to store. (No need to pack a special backpack to store it!).
Rates are generally quite affordable, ranging from €100 to €250. All you need to do is buy an SD card, and you’re ready to immortalize your best memories!
For the others, you can choose between a hybrid, a bridge or an SLR. And that’s where it gets complicated! Firstly, because prices are rising considerably, but also because they are aimed at photographers ranging from amateurs to professionals!
A bridge is halfway between a compact and an SLR. This means it has all the automatic functions of a compact camera, but with better optics. Richer in terms of features, it is more complete and already allows you to try your hand at top-quality manual settings. The camera’s ergonomics are also more pleasant to hold than a compact. However, the latter is considerably larger and requires a protective carrying case. It’s also more fragile. Nevertheless, its weight is quite comfortable, and you’ll be able to walk around for hours without feeling it weigh on your shoulder. In short, the bridge is a real compromise for those who want a gentle introduction to photography! Expect to pay between €250 and €350.
This is a brand-new range of digital cameras. It is an intermediate alternative between the compact and the reflex. Like the bridge, the hybrid consists of a body that can accommodate interchangeable lenses in the same way as an SLR. An advantage if you want to travel light but still need powerful optics! Where the shoe pinches is the price: the hybrid is almost as expensive as a bridge, but offers virtually equivalent photos. What’s more, the cost of the lenses is quite high.
Now we’re playing in the big leagues! The SLR is no more and no less than the modern adaptation of the film SLR… except that we’ve swapped the film for an SD card! Extremely flexible, the SLR generally consists of a body and a panel of interchangeable lenses! Which of course means traveling with more equipment (which can be cumbersome, even inconvenient.)! What’s more, SLRs are much larger and heavier…not to mention the extra weight of the lenses!
On the sensor side, it has nothing in common with a compact or bridge camera. It’s the key to professional-quality photos! However, you’ll need a high-capacity SD card, as photos are much heavier! In terms of functionality, the SLR is primarily designed for manual shooting (with control of aperture, shutter speed and brightness), but it is also formidable in automatic mode. So you can take high-quality artistic photos, provided you’re well-equipped when it comes to lenses! The only drawback is that SLRs are quite expensive: expect to pay at least €300 for a top-of-the-range bare body. This is followed by the purchase of lenses, which can cost from 100 to several thousand euros! Last but not least, a dedicated photo bag is a must-have for travel: also count on around a hundred euros.
So it all depends on your desire, your level and your budget. Generally speaking, a compact or bridge camera is ideal for getting started and taking decent shots without getting too technical.
If, on the other hand, you prefer more freedom and want to take quality photos, an SLR is the perfect solution! It allows you to shoot with great depth of field, and let your creativity run wild!
A word of warning: SLRs require practice and a good knowledge of the world of photography. Beginners may be put off by the sheer number of functions: we recommend that you buy a specialist book before you start! We also recommend that you never take more than 2 lenses with you: they should be versatile without taking up too much space!
