Lets talk cameras for the outdoors

[907Thunder]

I would like to start predator hunting in an area where I will not be allowed to kill anything, I will be stuck in this location for a number of months. My solution is a camera with a telephoto zoom, a pair of binos and a predator call. Ill have my bear gun with me but for liability reasons they prefer it not to be used for "target practice" but self defense is ok. At any rate, lets discuss some options and necessary parameters here so i can better decide which camera to use to capture these predators with.

Interchangeable lenses with telephoto zoom... is a must
reasonably priced...if i had thousands of dollars to spend on a camera i wouldn't get a job in the middle of nowhere at a luxury fishing resort (Id be there as a guest)
lets try to keep size and weight to a minimum...this will also serve as my edc camera as well.

I have my eyes on the pentax Q10 as a good enough kind of camera


What kind of cameras do you guys enjoy using...I bet some of you got some nice set ups out there.

I appreciate the help.

[Saladin]

Cannon Rebel XT
With a group of lenses that I picked up over time at pawnshops on the cheap.
That and a good tri-pod.

The results have been far better than I expected.

[petmi1]

Have you thought this through?
If you call in a predator and then kill it in self defense I'd say you're poaching.

[907Thunder]

Im not shooting it with the gun im shooting it with the camera, if a bear gets too aggressive then I have no choice. I am not going out with the intention to kill anything. I am just trying to practice my calls and my tracking skills... and hopefully my photography skills.

That said lets get back to cameras...

Saladin, one of my ex's is big into photography work and recommended the canon rebel t4i. I do not truly understand the differences between the features of these cameras. I guess its time to start some real serious research.

[Saladin]

Im not shooting it with the gun im shooting it with the camera, if a bear gets too aggressive then I have no choice. I am not going out with the intention to kill anything. I am just trying to practice my calls and my tracking skills... and hopefully my photography skills.

That said lets get back to cameras...

Saladin, one of my ex's is big into photography work and recommended the canon rebel t4i. I do not truly understand the differences between the features of these cameras. I guess its time to start some real serious research.

Can't help ya there,I don't either! Maybe a newer model than mine (5yrs old).
I just know the one I've got is phenom for me. Taken it on my "travels" world wide, it's held up well.
And was simple (had to be for me) to learn.

I would recommend extra memory cards, they are pretty inexpensive. And huge capacity.

Hopefully Chris Upchurch will chime in.
He's been know to take some pretty good "happy snaps"!

[BillyOblivion]

What kind of cameras do you guys enjoy using...I bet some of you got some nice set ups out there.


I've got a Pentax K10d that's been to 3 continents so far. It's 6 years old now and has been back to the repair shop once because it fell out of an SUV 3 times.

The current model equivalent is the K5 II.

If I was going to buy one today I'd get the K30--it's more rugged and weather proofed.

The DSL line has a bigger CCD, and the lenses are bigger.

There are a LOT of lenses for the Pentax. Canon and Nikon has more, but if you're not an obsessive or a professional there is a wide range.

The Q10 is a nice, but it uses a new, Pentax proprietary lens connector (the K30 also uses a "proprietary" connector, but third parties make lenses for it).

I think you'll probably be happy with the Q10.

I think you'd be happier with a K5II or a K30.

[Prometheus]

Im not shooting it with the gun im shooting it with the camera, if a bear gets too aggressive then I have no choice. I am not going out with the intention to kill anything. I am just trying to practice my calls and my tracking skills... and hopefully my photography skills.

That said lets get back to cameras...

Saladin, one of my ex's is big into photography work and recommended the canon rebel t4i. I do not truly understand the differences between the features of these cameras. I guess its time to start some real serious research.

The T4i is a great camera. I love mine.

Get a package with the 18-135STM lens and then pick up a 55-250IS lens for under $300 delivered from B&H or Adorama and you'll be set.

The pictures I can get with mine are amazing.

To give you an idea, the T4i with the 55-250 lens gets you this:
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy281/prometheus77777/IMG_4764copy.jpg
and this:
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy281/prometheus77777/IMG_2210_zpsd2e6b21a.jpg

Neither of those images had any post processing done to them at all. SOOC / strait out of the camera and with a $200~ lens.

The pictures I get with my higher quality glass are amazing.

You are asking about longer telephoto zooms and low price points, so not much point in showing examples that you aren't looking for.

[907Thunder]

Since this is going to be my go to camera for the out doors size is going to be a big deal. After looking at canon I am starting to like the Idea of the SL1