Not lightweight camera: question for other photographers

[Freebird134]

Just curious if there are any other amateur or pro photographers that have or would consider packing a DSLR on an elk hunt? If so, what would you take for a lens or lenses? We backpack in for a week or so, so every ounce adds up--maybe it's worth investing in a small point and shoot and forego the DSLR all together?

I have a Nikon D5300 with a kit lens (18-55), a fast 35mm f/1.8, and a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6. I love my 35mm and it would be great for camp pics and trophy shots, but is pretty wide angle for any wildlife pics. The 70-300 is heavy and I'd have to bump up the ISO in low light with the f/5.6, but it does zoom in tight for animal shots.

[pointysticks]

there is no way.

not even on a truck camping trip. i have an older D70, that is a behemoth. adding a big zoom lens, is a be "no way"

i have been shopping mirror-less cameras. in particular, i'm looking at an Olympus. it is dinky. looks like a regular SLR, but shrunken down. even the changeable lenses are mini. i'm over big cameras, when the little ones will blow them away. (at least they blow away my D70)

the one i want has a view finder..(electronic)
takes HD video (WIN!)
awesome pics
tiny..
i can change lenses!!

i have a degree in photography, but ended up being a civil eng. it seems like i blinked and the technology just blew past me.

[Freebird134]

Mine isn't that enormous. It's about 2-2.5lbs depending on the lens. Which is a lot compared to a mirrorless or point and shoot. Mirrorless might be the perfect camera for an elk hunting photographer, but I'm pretty sure I"m not getting a mirror less this year (especially since my wife JUST caught me looking at a Carbon Spyder ZT online and begrudgingly said, "you are going to buy one of those, aren't you?").

Pointysticks, since you probably know more about photography than I do, what do you think about this stuff...
1) I'd like to be able to shoot in RAW--will your Olympus? I don't go crazy with photo manipulations, but I do enjoy processing photos in lightroom/photoshop
2) Are you concerned about aperture size? Handling of high ISO? The elk woods are dark. My 35mm f/1.8 and ISO even up to 1000 or more can almost take pictures in pitch black.
3) What lens sizes are you considering?

[pointysticks]

Raw yes.

I'm still researching the lenses. Right before going to Japan I found a store local that was selling the camera package for $700. Closer peek, the lenses were 3.5 aperture. Kinda slow. I agree with you. Elk hunting can be dimly lit. I came up shooting Leica film cameras. I could shoot natural light in near darkness! I want that again. The Olympus em10 can don't it with a great lens. I'm a wider angle lens guy. With film my 98% lens was a 28mm. I think the best pics are closer up.

Good luck with that bow. My wife caught me looking at the carbon34. Her response was entirely different than your wife's. Haha.

[Freebird134]

Have you seen the Sony RX 100 (i, ii, or iii)? Pricey but I think it would make a great hunting camera.

[Garrett Drach]

Two years ago I carried my Canon T5i, tripod, fluid head, extra batteries (the whole nine yards) on an elk hunt. I tried to hunt and video/photograph at the same time. I got "some" good video and photos, but couldn't really hunt the way I wanted to. Bottom line, I should have decided ahead of time to either hunt or run the camera. This past year I was fortunate enough to fill my tag on the second day, then film for the remaining 12 days...that's the way to do it!

If you're looking for a good lightweight camera to take the occasional high quality landscape photo or success photo, I agree with pointysticks that mirrorless is the way to go. The only mirrorless I have experience with is a Sony, it was a nice little camera. And bring extra batteries and SD cards, would be a bummer to carry that thing all week and not be able to use it when it really counts.

As far as lens go, you have to balance weight with functionality. If you're trying to save weight with the camera, then hauling a 70-200mm may be counter productive. I'm interested to hear what you end up going with.

Garrett