[at-l] Trail Camera?

[jmayer@rochester.rr.com (Jim Mayer)]

I'd suggest a mid seventies vintage Canon F1.  The Canon has several
advantages over most modern, point and shoot, cameras:

(1) The camera's mechanical shutter means that a single, light weight,
battery will last for your entire trip.  And, if the battery does fail, the
camera will still work (you only lose the meter).  Most point-and-shoot
cameras go through batteries so fast that you'll need to carry one or two
spares.

(2) Most point-and-shoot cameras have relatively low aperture lenses,
particularly the zoom models.  The 50mm F1.4 Canon lens that was commonly
available on the F1 has excellent optics and is perfect for low light (long
green tunnel) situations.

(3) Zoom lenses are heavier than single focal length lenses.  With the Canon
F1's interchangeable lens feature you can replace a single, heavy, lens with
several lighter ones.

(4) The camera is around 30 years old, so should be available at a good
price.

(5) Rain is often a problem on the trail.  You can get a waterproof case for
the Canon that will protect your camera while letting you take pictures in
the rain.

(6) At a mere 3.5 (F1.4 lens, leather case), the camera is much lighter than
a Hasselblad or even a large format camera.

(7) The camera takes 35mm film.

If the F1 doesn't appeal to you, you might take a look at an Olympus Stylus
Epic.  The Epic is a featherweight (4.7 oz?) point-and-shoot with a fixed
focal length lens.  The lens is F2.8, which while not as fast as the Canon
F1.4, is much faster than most zoom models... I'm told that it is very high
quality as well.  The Epic is also water resistant.  I haven't used one, but
when I looked into a new camera for backpacking a while back it was on my
short list.

Does anyone on the list have experience with the Olympus Stylis Epic?

Oh...

(8) Most point-and-shoot cameras are good only for one thing.  The Canon F1
has multiple uses.  For example, the F1 can be used as part of an effective
dead-fall trap for mice.  When swung by its strap, the camera is also
effective against larger animals ;-)

-- Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: <FurTrappers@webtv.net>
To: <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 4:56 PM
Subject: [at-l] Trail Camera?


> Need some help buying a camera for my upcoming thru-hike. Needs to be
> light weight(see kahley, i'm learning :^)), easy to use(dumb proof!),
> and indestructible. Oh yeah, and of course, cheap! Remember, Landslides
> won't let me spend alot!! Sooo, something that uses 35mm film and takes
> decent photos. Any ideas??
>
> Thanks as always,
> Fur....... counting down the days, only 17 to go!!!!!
>
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