How many pics are too many? (Lessons learned)

[Trail X]

I know what you mean about the camera. We go to family functions all the time, have the kids birthdays etc and have the camera with us but fail to take many pics. In the digital age you can never take too many pics.

Instead of the Burrego thread... I thought this was an interesting discussion point.

I used to agree with the comment above. But I've found three limitations/lessons.

1. Storage Space - actually just purchased two new 8 gig cards, and a new 2 TB drive to cure this issue. You don't want to get to the point where your card is full, or your computer capacity is full.
   .
2. Battery life - on our big road trip, I'd go through a battery a day, and end up running out sometime around sunset! I'd be putting the battery into the charger every time I put the camera down, just to try to squeeze 10 more shots out of it next time I picked it up. Cure? Two batteries!
   .
3. Life - don't let good memories pass you by because you were trying to capture it. This is a tricky one. For instance, on the GC, I was running around trying to charge up my battery (see B.) to get the perfect shot of my wife and I on the edge of the rim during sunset. Sadly, we weren't able to fully enjoy said sunset together because I was trying to CAPTURE it! I ended up missing THE shot, and didn't really get to spend much of it with the wife. This is the most difficult of my lessons, and one I haven't figured out how to solve yet.

Share your own lessons/thoughts as they pertain to this...

[navigator]

it gets back to your mission

for me, pics are usually reminders of memories.
We have a cheap Kodak 14MP digital with a 4GB memory card.
We never fill the card up between events.
I can usually use the camera on a few trips before it needs new batteries.

Usually we are doing birthdays, beach trips, boating trips, camping trips etc. Nothing calendar worthy but definitely things you want to remember. I think in those situations take lots of pics and get as many real-life ones as you can.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I agree, since you no one uses film anymore I see a lot of people take a million pics cause your not wasting film just space and you can delete without issue. Which is great but you do miss out on the fun when you are glue to the camera. But it is nice to have a pics to remember it. Can be hard to find the right balance.

If anyone wins the lottery they can just hire a photographer to follow them around and get the pics and never miss out!

[Chutes]

Good discussion point. I love my SLR but it can sometimes be a hassle to carry around(if I even remember to bring it).

Does anyone use their cell phone to take photos?

http://forums.offroadtb.com/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=2762

[Trail X]

I use my point-and-shoot as my 'carry around' camera.

Only my cell phone for sending picture messages, or creating reminders for myself.

In my opinion, a cell phone cannot replace a real camera (even if it's an iphone 4s!).

[Chutes]

I have a canon point as shoot that I carry around as well. It is great for my tackle box when fishing or my pack when hunting and can take some pretty good pictures too.

I just have so much more confidence with my D3100. It feels like I couldn't take a bad picture with it.

I wish they would build a phone into a camera instead of building a camera into a phone.

[DirtyBacon04]

I'm going to hit a trail this weekend with a pro photogropher. We'll see how well that turns out.

[bgwolfpack]

Some of us are old enough to remember waiting days if not a week to get pictures developed. These new digital cameras are a delight to use and teach more about what not to shoot than most could afford in the past to shoot…a lesson learned.

You can't shoot too much today. It doesn't cost anything to do so and only a click rids it from the memory.

James,

Remember, some moments need not be shot, these are the ones that become stories for your children and their children and a story told to your child is worth one hundred pictures.

[Trail X]

...and only a click rids it from the memory.

Agreed on many points Randy, except this.

It sounds this simple, but you do NOT want to see the "card full" error pop up when you are needing to get that perfect shot at the perfect time. All I'm saying is, manage your cards, always have extra.

[bgwolfpack]

...and only a click rids it from the memory.

Agreed on many points Randy, except this.

It sounds this simple, but you do NOT want to see the "card full" error pop up when you are needing to get that perfect shot at the perfect time. All I'm saying is, manage your cards, always have extra.

Sorry James I keep neglecting this statement of yours. The Camera I use (Canon EOS 30D) with its 1GB flash card will take over one thousand pics at low res and max out at 235 in high res/full poster size quality. I just do not have this issue. I've also left the camera on for days without a problem. It has auto shut-off and auto awake.

[Trail X]

I think it has a lot to do with how shutter happy you are. During our big trip we took upwards of 250 shots most days, so we were bouncing off the rev limiter of battery capacity and card capacity pretty quickly.

[rgraboske]

Some of us are old enough to remember waiting days if not a week to get pictures developed. These new digital cameras are a delight to use and teach more about what not to shoot than most could afford in the past to shoot…a lesson learned.

This is one of the reasons it took me so long to move to a DLSR. The waiting to see how your carefully crafted shots came out was so much fun. And the feeling when they came out right was great

When we took our cross country trip in 2000, we shot 27 rolls through my old N50, so about 650 shots. When we went to DC a couple years ago, we'd shoot that many shots per day with my D80. I've been carrying an SLR for so long, that it's not something I notice. It's always at hand, and now that my daughter is into it, I have a 2nd person to carry equipment

[plaen]

I think it has a lot to do with how shutter happy you are. During our big trip we took upwards of 250 shots most days, so we were bouncing off the rev limiter of battery capacity and card capacity pretty quickly.

My avg size on my Sony is 27mb in raw, and 3-5mb in jpg. Currently I have it in raw+jpg mode so it creates one of each, on an 8gb card I run about 400 or so pictures, a little over 8-900 on 16gb. Battery life is decently good, I've managed to take 2500 pictures in a day, and had a little sliver left, but no flash, and didn't leave it on all the time.

When I'm doing night shots, I usually get 15-20 long shots (5-6 min shutter times) that really drains the battery. My battery is quite drastic from time to time, with some days going all day, and others lasting 100 shots.

Staying with the topic, I agree, there is a very fine line with always having your face glued to the camera or enjoying others company. Generally when I'm taking a bulk of pictures I'm by myself, less distracting, easier to focus on taking pictures, and no one to worry about walking in front of the shot, or bringing in unwanted light.

Usually if I have my dslr with me its a few shots of things going on, otherwise its usually powered on but not in hand, all my family knows they can grab it and take a few shots if they want to or see something when I'm not around, makes for some surprises when I review all the pictures. Most of the time I will use the cell for birthdays and non special events.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I think it has a lot to do with how shutter happy you are. During our big trip we took upwards of 250 shots most days, so we were bouncing off the rev limiter of battery capacity and card capacity pretty quickly.

Get a 32gb card and you could take pics till you camera starts smoking and not fill it up.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Would also like to mention I found out at the rally that my camera can take 15 pics simultaneously..... Not as cool as I thought it would, which I only found out when I went to sort through all those D@mn pics!

[RICHIET]

I feel with digital, snap away, better too many then not enough. While the pictures may look similar when your taking them, you never know when everything comes together just right and really stands out. That perfect expression or something in the background that popped up at just the right time that you couldn't have timed if you tried. That's not a substitute for setting your shot up correctly, just take a few more than you think you need. Then take some with different exposures for a different perspective. Cards are cheap enough so the limiting factor is battery life. I shoot between 400 and 800 shots at high school soccer games and about the same at wrestling tourneys and never needed the second battery, though I always have one with me. I also have the battery grip for my Nikon D300 which holds a second battery and in a pinch could be loaded with 8 AA batteries. I prefer a couple of 4 or 8 gig cards in case one craps out you can continue to shoot and if you can't recover, you don't lose all your pictures. I back up to an external harddrive as well as DVDs. I rerecord the DVDs at five years out of fear of degeneration. So far I have 7 year old dvds that have no problems but I still won't chance it. The gold or archival discs are suppose to last but the're too expensive. CDs are suppose to be better for backup but they would accumulate too quickly. I also found that when I videotape I miss all the action, but with the dslr, I can still follow and enjoy the action.