Best digital Cameras for outdoor enthusiasts

Have you ever noticed how your camping vacation photos look nothing like those cool landscape shots you see framed in posts? Or how that wildlife shot you took barely shows the wildlife?

Taking great nature photos isn’t so much about having the right camera (although there are a few things to look for) as it is about having the right technique. I could probably write a book about it, but fortunately, someone has saved me the trouble, so I’ll give you a few tips here and then recommend you read The Nature Photographers Complete guide to Professional Field Techniques.

Nature Photography Tips:

Take lots of pictures. This is probably the best way to get better pictures, just take a lot of them. Try different things. Experiment. This is really the best way to learn to start taking better pictures in general and it definitely applies to nature photography.

Also, be mindful of the amount of light you have to work with. Great light is generally the time of the day when the sun is low in the sky. Many professional photographers spend a lot of money on cameras with fast lenses to take advantage of this brief window each day so just keep that in mind even if you opt to stick with a more economical camera.

Remember that the number one rule of nature photography is do not harm.

Okay, so let’s move on to gear considerations and then I’ll get to a few good cameras to consider.

Get a camera with manual override. You need to be able to override the automatic functions on your camera when taking nature shots and you’ll want it to be easy so if you have to navigate through a dizzying array of menus, you’ll want to pass on that camera.

Get a camera with depth of field preview and some for of mirror lock up.

Finally, get a camera that is upgradeable and that has a lot of accessories available.

If you plan on taking wildlife shots, then a telephoto lens will probably serve you well.

Okay, let’s start talking brands here. Most professional photographers use either Nikon of Canon cameras. Minolta is number 3 on the list. While there are other quality cameras available (such as those from Leica and Sigma), I’m going to recommend you stick with Canon or Nikon.

Here are my top 5 choices for cameras for shooting nature and wildlife photography (pick one that fits your budget (they range from about $400 to $4000) – links to each camera are available in the photo below, just use the arrows to select the one you like:

1. Canon EOS -1D Mark III
2. Canon EOS 40D
3. Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR
4. Canon Powershot S5 IS
5. Nikon Coolpix P80

Hot dogs and hamburgers are great camping foods. They’re easy to make and easy to hold in one hand, leaving the other hand free to hold a nice cold beer (or other beverage of your choice).

What are the best grills to give to the people on your Christmas list who think anytime is a great time to go camping?

It really depends on your budget. They are a lot of portable grills on the market that work great. I personally own an inexpensive tabletop gas grill that cost less than $25 dollars, a Weber portable gas grill that cost over $100 but works like a dream and is well worth the money if you can afford it (get the optional cover as well), and a small tabletop charcoal grill for when I want that authentic charcoal taste.

Happy Grilling!

If the weather outside is frightful, then you’ll find it delightful to have a weather radio with you.

Remember, when you’re camping you usually aren’t sitting in front of a TV so you may not know if severe weather is imminent (or if it is, how severe) or if the clouds are merely bluffing.

That’s why I highly recommend you add a weather radio to your list of essential camping gear. Several GPS devices and handheld radios now include weather radio so you don’t have to get a dedicated unit for the task.

If you get yourself a dedicated pocket weather radio, you’ll be able to keep track of temperature and wind changes throughout the day.

Remember that severe weather can sneak up on the best of us and to remind us of that we only need look at the tragic death of four boyscouts in June of 2008 when a tornado hit their camp.

You can get a weather radio for less than $50, but I’ve picked out a bunch of cool ones below so feel free to browse and decide which one is best for you, but just remember to get one and if the camper in your family doesn’t have one yet, then put this at the top of your list.