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"TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY" Page 1,
2, 3,
4, 5,
6
ABOVE: Sometimes, not having
enough light can yield an atmospheric photo. If you don't have a tripod, hold
your camera firmly against a supporting object like the railing of a vaporetto
platform.
35mm vs. APS
Most film cameras use one of two formats:
35mm
Professionals and serious amateurs have used
35mm cartridges since the 1930s, when the Leica began to replace traditional
press cameras. Not too many years ago, 35mm cameras were hard for beginners to
load and use, but today's 35mm "point-and-shoot" cameras are geared
toward the mainstream consumer. The format's advantages include a vast choice of
film types (including slides) and competitively priced processing.
APS
In the last decade, a consortium of film and
camera manufacturers introduced the "Advanced Photo System" format to
overcome the traditional shortcomings of 35mm film. APS cartridges offer drop-in
convenience, and the film comes back from the processor in its original
cartridge with an "index print" that simplifies ordering of reprints.
The better-quality APS cameras let you switch film cartridges in midroll (e.g.,
to use a faster film for low-light conditions), and a magnetic layer records
exposure information to help the processing lab make prints of consistently high
quality.
Another benefit is a choice of three print sizes--standard,
"wide-screen," and "panoramic"--which you can set with a
switch on the camera. The format's main disadvantages are higher film and
processing costs, fewer film types, and a smaller negative size than 35mm (which
matters mainly if you require gallery-size enlargements).
Which format is best for you?
If you're interested only in prints and don't expect to take
thousands of pictures, APS is a good choice. The cameras are typically smaller
and lighter than their 35mm equivalents, and the best APS cameras (like the
Canon Elph series) are marvels of miniaturization. Just as important, you're
likely to get better-quality prints with APS than you are with 35mm from the
typical mass-market processing lab.
If you like to take slides, use ultrahigh-speed films, or
experiment with different films, 35mm is your best choice. You'll also prefer
35mm if you're a serious amateur who wants the widest assortment of camera
lenses and accessories, although excellent APS single-lens reflex cameras are
now available from Nikon, Canon, and Minolta.
Here's something else to keep in mind: Because of their smaller
film size, APS cameras use lenses of shorter focal lengths than their 35mm
counterparts. This means that, for example, a Canon 24-85 zoom lens offers
excellent wide-angle but limited telephoto coverage on Canon's 35mm single-lens
reflex cameras. On Canon's APS SLRs, the same lens has narrower wide-angle
coverage but more telephoto magnification--the equivalent of a 35mm-125 mm lens
on a 35mm SLR. When comparing 35mm and APS cameras or lenses, keep these
differences in mind.
Finally, it's interesting to note that APS is much more popular
in Europe than in the United States and Canada. (But then, Europeans are also
ahead of North Americans in their use of cell phones, digital video cameras, and
advanced automotive technologies.)
Next Page > SLR
or point-and-shoot > Page 1, 2, 3,
4, 5,
6
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Durant
& Cheryl
Imboden's
