Wayfarer on paddling and photography

I bought my first digital camera, Canon PowerShot S40, in 2003, followed by a digital SLR camera (Canon EOS 10D). Most of my paddling pictures and some video clips during last year were shot with Pentax Optio WP. And, I've just ordered Optio W10 ...

1. Where to buy?

It makes sense for me to buy a camera on-line. You can find it much cheaper than in your local store. Do your research first. There is a lot of camera reviews available on web, e.g., DigitalCameraReview.com, TrustedReviews.com or Steve's Digicams. I am tracing information on waterproof digital cameras, especially, Pentax Optio line, on my web pages.

2. If you decide to buy a waterproof camera like Pentax Optio W10 or Olympus Stylus SW 72 you don't need to worry how to protect the camera against water during paddling and shooting.

The other, non-waterproof, cameras may be cheaper or offer better features. Customized waterproof cases allowing good camera control are available for many popular camera models. However, they tend to be expensive, bulky, and not that comfortable to use. I bought such a case for my Canon PowerShot S40 and used it for shooting video clips, but for the most of my paddling I ended up with carrying the camera in a small Otter box and taking it out just for shooting.

3. A new camera comes with a ridiculously small memory card. I believe that a new Pentax Optio W10 is being sold without any memory card.

I recommend to store your pictures at the highest available resolution. Shooting from a tippy kayak with a tiny camera, often without viewfinder, you will have a lot of missed frames. It is easier to sort and edit your pictures after paddling when loaded to you PC rather than on a small camera LCD. You need memory!

Memory cards are relatively cheap and the lack of memory should not limit your photography. I recommend at least 1 Gb of memory. During my Ultimate Florida Challenge paddling I didn't manage to fill 3 Gb of memory cards with my Pentax Optio. However, if you plan to shoot video ...

I like the Sandisk Ultra II SD card with a built-in USB port, so you don't need a cable or a card reader to upload pictures to the computer.

4. I have found a pretty good battery life in my Pentax Optio WP, even in cold weather. If you remember to charge your battery and do not use flash too much you may not need a spare battery for day or even a weekend paddling. Of course, it is a good idea to have one.

I paddled 7 day periods without a chance to recharge my batteries during the UFC 2006 and didn't use more than one spare. I have bought cheap spare batteries for my Pentax Optio on e-bay.

Keep in mind that a battery indicator on your camera may not show a real battery charge level. In Optio WP this indicator shows usually "full" when the camera is turned on and after a few shots goes to a more realistic level.

5. I am carrying my camera in a small neoprene pouch attached to my life jacket or to the boat if I am not wearing one. The camera is always on a leash! I have bought that little LowePro bag in a local shop. Take your camera with you to find one with a good fit.

6. Finally, I would recommend some sort of a mini tripod to mount a camera on a deck or a kayak bow. It will really extend your photography and video options. I am using a slik mini tripod and some other solutions but even a simpler one will work.

I am going to write another post about mounting a camera on your boat.

Would you add anything?

Related posts:

• 10 Tips on Shooting Pictures without Viewfinder
• Pentax Optio WP/WPi - 10 Tips on Paddling and Shooting
• Pentax Optio W10
• Olympus Stylus SW 720