[pct-l] Camera

[Sean 'Miner' Nordeen]

Cameras are cheaper after Christmas.  Also keep in mind most manufacturers are announcing new models in early January at the Las Vegas CES show that will be out in Spring so prices on existing models start to come down.

Memory Cards
The manual that comes with your camera will tell you what type of memory cards and speed you need (also check the manufacturers website).  No need to overbuy a memory card and spend 5x as much for something your camera can't take advantage of.  The size is up to you.  I personally don't like some of the generic brand cards for reliablility, so spend little more for a brand name.

As I carried a camcorder, I bounced 2 external HDs and dumped my HD Videos/Photos to them (1 as a backup) every week or two when I got into town while carrying 32GB and 16GB cards (HD video requires alot of space).  Another hiker I know, used a single 32GB SDHC card for his small camera and used it for the entire trail keeping all his photos on it, but he also bounced an external HD and made a backup copy of his card whenever possible in town.  Some mail their multiple memory cards home.  And of those, some had their family copy the photos off the cards and mail the cards back to them to save on the number of cards they had to buy.  A few just uploaded all their photos when they had internet access but I noticed that most of their uploaded photos weren't that large in size so I don't know if they reduced them first or not.  Another source of backup photos is making friends with other hikers and exchanging emails so after the trail you can exchange photos and videos.  I was able to score all of a guys DSLR photos by offering him some of my videos I shot of him.

-Miner


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Check my 2009 PCT Journal out at http://www.pct2009.lifesadventures.net/Journal.php