Instant camera on Camino?

[allyka]

Hi all, I was wondering if someone bring an instant camera on their Camino jurney.
I'm not sure if I want to take with me my digital camera and make a thousands of photos or just use a polaroid or similar and capture only the waluable moments. I am afraid that i wouldn't stop taking pictures if I'm with digital camera.
Hope someone will help me with this

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Unless they're keen photographers, I think many people on the Camino just use their smart phones for photography - as well as for communication, navigation, and access to information. For many of us, a smart phone is just too valuable to leave behind. I find that I take up to 200 photos per day, which must slow me down quite a bit, but I consider it to be time well spent.

If you're worried that you'll "waste time" taking pictures I guess you could leave the smart phone behind or restrict yourself to using another device for photography. But instant camera seems like such a poor option to me - extra weight, low quality images, limited output (one image), difficult to source film on your journey. Perhaps a 35mm point-and-shoot film camera would be a better choice. You can find decent, pocketable point-and-shoot cameras from the cheap and cheerful olympus mjü ii (available on eBay for around €30-50) to the high end Leica Minilux (€600+). But then you don't get to see the images until later ...

 

[allyka]

Yes, the film camera is the other option, I've been considering. Thank you for your answer, it's very helpful.

 

[Stivandrer]

I personally opted the use of my phone camera as I discovered the taking out and putting away of a valuable camera simply took too much of my concentration.
And all my pictures were dead booring, same old same old, I did not have the time, and concentration to both walk and to phograph.....
Every inch of the Camino is photographed from every conceivable angle so what is left is Your view of That particular couple you just met again, or That view fron That vindow in the morning.
And for that, the camera phone suffices. It is as good as waterproof, it is slim, and it starts rightaway and there is juice on the battery, almost always !!
If you want extra quality, put your pictures through Google Photo and there´s a program to edit you photo that has quite a lot of parametres to choose from.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hope someone will help me with this

Well opinions about cameras and camino photography are not rare in this place!
I've come across pilgrims with full-frame DSLRs and three big chunks of glass and others favouring little super-power Sony's, but about 90% of people use their mobile phone nowadays. I saw just two film photographers last time out.
Personally I like weak film, although I've not taken a film camera on the camino yet. I must have viewed 10s of thousands of camino pics but some of the ones that have left the most lasting impressions were taken on budget film cameras or disposables. Almost as if their rheumy analogue eye was able to enter a mystical place that hi-tec digital kit cannot detect..
Here are couple of pics I found on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/83X8EZ

https://flic.kr/p/6xx9Vk

https://flic.kr/p/6vNYfK

If you're not going until 2021 you've some time to try things out.

 

[jostony]

I like taking pictures. For my first Camino I considered taking my DSLR but as it weighs a ton I soon gave up, thankfully, on that painful notion! In the end I bought a more compact lightweight Sony RX100. Takes great pictures. I captured so many beautiful images that trigger my memories, that I also turned into a photo book. It was great way to record a very special Camino, as I walked in memory of my father. The photo book inspired me to do more Camino's, the second was in memory of my mother. Now I am hooked and walk for me.

 

[ta.gretchen]

I am walking with my iPhone X and the Sony Alpha 6300. It is only difficult when there is rain. It is nice to take photos of nature when walking in the woods etc

 

[LesR]

I like taking pictures. For my first Camino I considered taking my DSLR but as it weighs a ton I soon gave up, thankfully, on that painful notion! In the end I bought a more compact lightweight Sony RX100. Takes great pictures. I captured so many beautiful images that trigger my memories, that I also turned into a photo book. It was great way to record a very special Camino, as I walked in memory of my father. The photo book inspired me to do more Camino's, the second was in memory of my mother. Now I am hooked and walk for me. View attachment 55480

I too took a Sony RX100 on CF 2017 and 2018, without regretting it at any stage.

Mob phone has the advantages of a convenience, light weight, always accessible, and comparatively powerful camera/lens. Sony RX100 strung around my neck (minor inconvenience) so was accessible and well suited to set pics. Mob much better for capturing the 'thing of the moment'.

No consideration to taking a 'proper' DSLR on basis of weight, inconvenience and risk of theft. But if I was a serous photographer willing to take the time to set up the shot...

Cannot think of any reason to take an instant camera, other than the opportinity to leave friends with a pic - but with Mob phone cameras, pics can readily be shared anyway...

 

[jostony]

I too took a Sony RX100 on CF 2017 and 2018, without regretting it at any stage.

Mob phone has the advantages of a convenience, light weight, always accessible, and comparatively powerful camera/lens. Sony RX100 strung around my neck (minor inconvenience) so was accessible and well suited to set pics. Mob much better for capturing the 'thing of the moment'.

No consideration to taking a 'proper' DSLR on basis of weight, inconvenience and risk of theft. But if I was a serous photographer willing to take the time to set up the shot...

Cannot think of any reason to take an instant camera, other than the opportinity to leave friends with a pic - but with Mob phone cameras, pics can readily be shared anyway...

I use the Lowepro Dashpoint 20 camera bag strung across my chest to carry my Sony RX100, which gives easy access.

 

[Robo]

Hi all, I was wondering if someone bring an instant camera on their Camino jurney.
I'm not sure if I want to take with me my digital camera and make a thousands of photos or just use a polaroid or similar and capture only the waluable moments. I am afraid that i wouldn't stop taking pictures if I'm with digital camera.
Hope someone will help me with this

A common dilemma.

Professional photographers and serious amateurs tend to take DSLRs or similar.

For anyone else I would suggest a phone camera.

To take a compact/instant camera is just one more thing to carry.

And sure, with a phone camera you might take hundreds of pictures, but at least you'll get the handful that you really love. On my first Camino I took about 2,000 photos. I sometimes scan through them as a bit of a reminder of my journey. But of those 2,000 there are probably six I really love.

With an instant Camera I would have missed out on having the memories provided by the remaining 1994!

If I used an instant Camera, I would also be worried about running out of film, and should I take this picture or not? Maybe a better one is around the corner? I'd rather take 50 in a day and have the choice of picking the one I really like. You don't have to keep them all

In terms of image quality, unless you are a professional, I reckon phone cameras are fine.
I use 'pro' type cameras, stills and video in my work (Business Vlogging), but I wouldn't dream of carting one along on a Camino.

I use a Samsung S8 phone camera. The videos in my VIDEO link below were shot on an old Samsung Note 3! As were the stills on the Blog link.

Like most things Camino.............don't overthink it

 

[RemysMimi]

I like taking pictures. For my first Camino I considered taking my DSLR but as it weighs a ton I soon gave up, thankfully, on that painful notion! In the end I bought a more compact lightweight Sony RX100. Takes great pictures. I captured so many beautiful images that trigger my memories, that I also turned into a photo book. It was great way to record a very special Camino, as I walked in memory of my father. The photo book inspired me to do more Camino's, the second was in memory of my mother. Now I am hooked and walk for me. View attachment 55480

GREAT picture!!!