Stephen Leung Photography Blog

“Say, could you recommend what camera I should get?” I get asked this question about once a week. Picking a camera is kinda like figuring out what kind of car to buy (which, if you ask, is a Toyota Camry in Sand – don’t ask why) There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution that works for everyone. One person may prefer a camera that is small and fits in your pocket, other may value a high powered zoom over portability. So rather than try recommend a particular camera, here’s a look at what I typically use…

For more planned photo outings, I usually take along my DSLR. Recently I upgraded to the 5D Mark III which, when paired with a 50mm lens, is actually quite portable.

The 50mm lives on the 5D most of the time and offers the best all around lens for my shooting style. Below is a shot with this setup from last weekend’s wedding.

For times when I don’t need or want to carry around a full rig, I turn to my trusty GF1. The GF1 is a micro four-thirds format camera and without getting into too much into the technical detail about, it takes near DSLR quality images in a much more compact form. Paired with a 20mm 1.7 lens it makes for a light and compact setup that is great for covering trade shows or shooting from this hip. While not entirely pocketable, it is small enough to sneak into venues where security may give you a hard time with a DSLR.

Sunset somewhere off the coast of Alaska.

I’m not a big fan of pocket zoom cameras, but when I do need to zoom in on something I turn to a Powershot 230HS which Lily keeps in her purse. Unlike most point and shoots, this one actually has manual controls so you can squeeze every last bit of image quality out of a small camera. Probably the biggest selling point of the 230HS is that it has a 14X optical zoom which works out to about 392mm equivalent.

How objects look fully zoomed out and fully zoomed it. The 14X zoom on this camera is pretty amazing. All in a package that fits in your back pocket. We used it at a Taylor Swift concert and were able to zoom in really close to her despite our less than ideal seats.

No matter how fancy a camera there is, the best camera is the one that’s with you when you need it. Something that’s there when the moment happens. For most of us, that would be a camera phone. In the past I would carry a Canon S90 for the pocket ability and quality, but with the iPhone 4S you get the best of both worlds. Some tech journalist scoffed at the “minor” upgrade the 4s was from the 4, but it is consistently ranked as the best camera phone out there and even outperforms compact point and shoots costing many times more.

Sunset against a passing freight train during an evening bike ride.

Besides the portability, I also love how quickly it’s ready to take pictures. I can have my phone out of my pocket and shooting in less than 2 seconds. All in the small package that is light, easy to carry and has great image quality.

So while using a camera phone as your only camera may not be for everyone, definitely take a look at what’s available the next time your phone is due for an upgrade. It may be worth considering ditching your old point and shoot for a higher end camera phone and having less devices to carry in your purse/pocket. Happy Wednesday!