Electronics question.....overwhelmed!

[CaminoMatto]

Greetings all,

I would like to present my dilemma to the group for some input if that is alright, please keep in mind I am very technologically inept and know basically nothing about photography or smart phone technology.

My camino is coming up in January of 2015 and as part of my experience, I plan on taking a short little video each day to document the journey. In addition to the video, I of course want to take lots of pictures also.

I know nothing of cameras of any kind. I know even less about video cameras. I have never owned a camera of any kind beyond my smartphone. I currently have an iphone 4 (locked) which has served me well enough for the past few years but I am not happy enough with the quality of pictures it takes to make it my "official camino camera". Of the three devices mentioned above (camera, camcorder and phone) the only one I am dead set on taking to Spain is a phone.

I am torn between the following options,

1) Buying a video camera, a still camera, AND a new phone?
2) Buying a good digital camera that takes decent video and keeping my old phone?
3) Buying a brand new unlocked premium smartphone that will also serve well enough as my camera for stills and videos?

Money is not really an issue, not nearly as much as weight that is. I am not technically gifted and don't want to get caught up in a big mess of cords/bells/whistles/files/conversions/shutters/lenses etc etc. All I want to do is take a quick minute or two video a few times a day and then upload them every so often so my family can watch my journey. I understand I may have to carry a small light weight trip pod gadget and I am ok with that.

Personally, I am leaning towards option 3. I DO need a new phone and to my understanding the camera and video capabilities on most smartphones these days are more than enough for the very casual user such as myself. I saw a tutorial online about adding a mount and a lightweight tripod to a smartphone for the purpose of youtube videos and I thought it looked pretty clever.

Perhaps someone with some more photography/smartphone knowledge can lend a hand? If someone out there has made a camino video using their smartphone could you please let me know what equipment you used and what the result were? What is the best camera-phone out there these days?


Thanks for any help! I know this probably seems like a silly question!

 

[whariwharangi]

Are you on the camino to walk or are you on a photographic mission?

If you don't know how to use a complex camera ... the camino isn't the place to learn if only because the weight is an issue. You're not going to get quality output suitable for entertaining others until you have had some experience.

Charging batteries is an issue ... electrical outlet space is limited.

Theft is not a significant problem on the camino ... however shiny objects attract and tempt thieves. So don't carry shiny objects ... a good camera gleams in the dim light of the albergue.

I carried a point and shoot digital camera ... specifically a Pentax W60. I didn't carry a phone. I took about 400 pictures most of which replicate material already available on the internet. Still ... a nice reminder of my trip.

I've carried a camera through many hiking trips over the years ... no one really wants to see the photos of yet another sunset from the peak of yet another craggy mountian.

 

[C clearly]

I'd vote for a new iPhone, which should meet your needs and is familiar to you. Get it early so you can practice in advance.

 

[CaminoMatto]

I am not on the camino only to take pictures. I have many reason for being there and after all is said and done I would love to have lots of pictures to show my family.
A Pentax W60 is what you used? I will look into that on amazon and do some research for sure!

I am leaning towards a new phone personally, (agreed C clearly) but not being an iphone guy I might look at the sony experia Z3.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[mspath]

Check out the Samsung Galaxy S5 which is a smartphone, good camera and video camera.
If you buy it also get the book Samsung Galaxy S5 for Dummies by Bill Hughes either in paperback or as an ebook to help you learn how to use the S5.

MM

 

[lettinggo]

Hola

A good place to begin when talking about photography is; what end material is it intended for?
If one wants to make a large scale print certain resolution is required and thereby specific cameras.
If one wants to post on social medias, another resolution and camera is required.

Nowadays many low end cameras and phones deliver resolution which deliver what 90% (or so) of users want;
internet posting, computer screen/ television screen viewing, maybe an A4 print from the home printer.
With semi intelligent filters and add ons in image manipulation programs, it has become much easier and faster to get to an acceptable end material.
All this is great, except the soul of photography is being tormented (my personal view)
with point and shoot - documenting the every day and all in between.

I think your approach is great inasmuch as you write that you intend to limit yourself to a couple of 1-2 minutes videos.
This means that you have to evaluate the situation or surroundings you find yourself in, and make a decision if this is going to represent todays video.
It is an approach which mimic the pre-digital age, where there was an actual cost in pressing the button.
If you begin to train yourself with these kinds of limitations, you will be on a fast track to becoming a good photographer, in my opinion (and experience).
The key to becoming a good photographer is to train your eye, not your finger.

You write that you want to send these videos to your family so they can follow you on your journey.
This makes me think about how you intend to do this?
Are you going to send them by email?
Do you have some cloud account that allow you to send larger files?
Do you want to use your phone for these transfers?
The reason I ask this is that it will have something to say about what resolution video (and camera) you need.
Today many cameras and some phones can record in full HD (1920x1080 p)
But your material will soon enough become heavy(large) and the transfer to your family can become difficult and expensive.
If your material only is intended for family (and their computer) you may want to shoot in lower resolution and in a compressed form, such as mpg4.
This will make lighter files and easier and cheaper to send.
I suggest that you consider what you want your video for (highest resolution) and then find the camera or phone that provides exactly that.

I looked at the Experia z3 and it looks great.
As a photographer I am concerned by the miniature lens, that all phones have, and the limitations this means.
But then again, most photos I take I plan to have large scale prints of, regardless of this happens or not.
At 800$, sim free, it is an expensive electronic.
For the same price, more or less, one could by a Leica such as the V-lux 40.
It is by no means the best but it is a camera and it could be a decent companion for years, if you want to pursue your photographic interest.
There are of course many other camera possibilities such as Sony, Pentax, Canon and so on at the same price range.
And all compact camera do take both photos as well as videos these days.
But you still have to find a way to transfer them back to your family.

I am not sure I am helping as I am asking more questions than providing answers, but still a lot has to be taken into consideration before a reasonable answer can be given.

Bottom line:
Keep your Iphone 4 and get a compact camera and get into photography. You will have challenges concerning upload and storing.

Buy a new phone and get to know the camera.. and get into phonegraphy . Get a local sim and upload easier.
For the record there is a whole community dealing with phonegraphy so I am not saying that the end material always is poor. Whole feature movies have been shot on phones a decade ago.
But as I am still shooting on celluloid I just cant get the film into the phone..yet.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[Tincatinker]

@lettinggo I was going to click on "like" and then I thought "that doesn't express how I feel at all". I'm grateful for your post because it has given me some simple understanding of the technical issues and opened a realm of questions to which I will seek answers before I put my darling Finepix X410 in the attic box of treasures and commit to a replacement. I'm not a photographer, I just want some prompts for my memory when it fades. And if I want to call home I'll send them a postcard

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've taken awesome photos and videos on my iPhone.
It's the only thing I take along these days.
You can see my photos on my blog and/or website
www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com or www.caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

 

[wayfarer]

I'm with mspath on this one, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S3, 4 or 5 is second to none, you can also bring a spare sd card and battery to make sure you never run short of memory or battery. I have basicaly put my SLR into retirement since I got my S3 and it saw to all communication needs while on the Camino.

 

[William Garza]

I've taken awesome photos and videos on my iPhone.
It's the only thing I take along these days.
You can see my photos on my blog and/or website
www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com or www.caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

Those are some very wonderful photos on your Link! I may just have had my mind changed by them as to what to carry! thank you for the imagery and wonder

 

[Bajaracer]

Not sure where you are from, GSM Nation has fair prices on unlocked phones with free shipping.
http://www.gsmnation.co.uk
http://www.gsmnation.com
http://ie.gsmnation.com
http://www.gsmnation.eu

 

[newfydog]

I posted this before on another thread.....:

I shoot in three modes, the phone, the travel zoom pocket camera, and the full on DSLR with various lenses. The results are distributed accordingly----some good snapshot from the phone, some professional quality stuff from the DSLR. I won't say there is no overlap----Sometimes I shoot something great with the phone, often I shoot garbage with the big camera, but I pick the cameras according to what I hope for and how much effort I'm willing to put into it.

Here's three photos... the dog could be shot with any phone, the compressed field of the biker was possible with the pocket travel zoom, and the eagle, shot from my living room, required a professional quality 400 mm lens. I carry the camera which suits my photographic goals.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi!

I'm unable to help on the technology, but you might enjoy Mark Shea's film on YouTube. It sounds similar to the kind of thing you're planning, although he carried some heavy kit. It captures the Camino extremely well in my opinion. I'm too technically incompetent to copy the link, but search on his name and the film title 'the way'. Buen Camino!

 

[Robo]

I would not call myself an expert, though I have been 'into' photography for 40 years off and on. This is very much an 'amateurs' view.
I started out with a 35mm SLR with all the gadgets.
I now use a variety of video cameras and stills cameras for basic work related stuff in my own business.

For my Camino I planned on taking my trusty Kodak Zi8 that shoots HD and takes an external mic. I use it for most of my web video marketing work.
Then I thought about upgrading it to a GoPro. But.........you can't fit an external mic to a GoPro when it's in it's housing....

Finally I decided, in the interests of reducing weight and ease of use...........to just rely on my phone.

I currently use a Samsung Note 3 which takes great stills and video. It has the advantage of using memory cards too, so I can swap in new cards as they fill up. iPhones can't do that.

I have also used an iPhone 3 and an iPhone 4 for video. You can use an external mic on a smart phone with a simple adapter. (loads of them online)

For web use I only found one problem wit the iPhone 4. It was too high quality! The files were huge compared to the iPhone 3 which shoots lower resolution.
The point? For amateur use, smart phones take perfectly adequate stills and video.

Check out the Glif. Fits most smart phones and allows you to mount it.....

As others have mentioned, my fear is that I may get too involved in photography and get distracted from the journey. Another reason I'll travel very light. But I always take video blogs wherever I go, and want to use it like a personal diary. A few minutes a day, then put it away....

Just some thoughts...

 

[ManyMiles2Go]

3) Buying a brand new unlocked premium smartphone that will also serve well enough as my camera for stills and videos?

My reply is just concerning buying an "unlocked" phone. That was my intention when we walked our Camino last year. I went to the AT&T store and told them exactly what I was doing (going to Spain, buying a Spanish sim card). I asked if I could get an unlocked phone. The salesman told me "All AT&T phones are unlocked". I thought great, no problem. When we got to Pamplona, we stopped at a phone store, bought a sim card, and had the person install it for me. When he turned my phone back on, he said "Your phone is not unlocked". After several phone calls back and forth to the US, given a code to unlock my phone (which did not work), I ended up having to buy an international package from AT&T while we were there. So be careful when buying an "unlocked phone". As far as the pictures, my Galaxy S3 took great pictures, I thought.

Buen Camino!!

 

[Bajaracer]

My reply is just concerning buying an "unlocked" phone. That was my intention when we walked our Camino last year. I went to the AT&T store and told them exactly what I was doing (going to Spain, buying a Spanish sim card). I asked if I could get an unlocked phone. The salesman told me "All AT&T phones are unlocked". I thought great, no problem. When we got to Pamplona, we stopped at a phone store, bought a sim card, and had the person install it for me. When he turned my phone back on, he said "Your phone is not unlocked". After several phone calls back and forth to the US, given a code to unlock my phone (which did not work), I ended up having to buy an international package from AT&T while we were there. So be careful when buying an "unlocked phone". As far as the pictures, my Galaxy S3 took great pictures, I thought.

Buen Camino!!

All AT&T phones are locked! The only way to find out if they are truly unlocked is by testing them with another non AT&T affiliated SIM card such as T-Mobile before you even leave the US.
Verizon 4G/LTE phones are truly unlocked for international use, just buy a local SIM when you get to Spain.

 

[Robo]

Regarding the locked v unlocked phone, is this just an issue in the USA?

I was always of the view that it had nothing to do with the phone hardware, but it's merely the 'carrier' that controls the locking. Maybe I'm wrong....

As an example, here in Australia we buy our phones on a 'plan' from Telstra. There is no upfront cost for the phone. The cost of the phone is bundled into the monthly plan fees, along with an allowance for calls and data. Once we have been on the plan for 12 months, we can get the phone 'unlocked'. We just call Telstra and they do it over the phone. Even though our Telstra contracts are usually for 2 years. We just say we are going overseas and need to drop in a local SIM. I've done this for years as we have a couple of spare phones that we take when travelling overseas, to put local SIM cards in wherever we land.

So as to 'buying' an unlocked phone. Surely they are all unlocked, unless sold by one of the carriers. i.e. If I bought a phone outright here, for say $1,000, it would be unlocked. Because I'm not buying it bundled with a carrier's contract.

I guess the issue is.....are you able to buy a phone that is not 'bundled' with a carrier contract?

 

[Bajaracer]

Regarding the locked v unlocked phone, is this just an issue in the USA?

I was always of the view that it had nothing to do with the phone hardware, but it's merely the 'carrier' that controls the locking. Maybe I'm wrong....

As an example, here in Australia we buy our phones on a 'plan' from Telstra. There is no upfront cost for the phone. The cost of the phone is bundled into the monthly plan fees, along with an allowance for calls and data. Once we have been on the plan for 12 months, we can get the phone 'unlocked'. We just call Telstra and they do it over the phone. Even though our Telstra contracts are usually for 2 years. We just say we are going overseas and need to drop in a local SIM. I've done this for years as we have a couple of spare phones that we take when travelling overseas, to put local SIM cards in wherever we land.

So as to 'buying' an unlocked phone. Surely they are all unlocked, unless sold by one of the carriers. i.e. If I bought a phone outright here, for say $1,000, it would be unlocked. Because I'm not buying it bundled with a carrier's contract.

I guess the issue is.....are you able to buy a phone that is not 'bundled' with a carrier contract?

It's the same in the US, almost all phones you get directly from the carrier are locked to their network with the exception of Verizon 4G/LTE phones. US carriers usually won't unlock the phone until your contract is up.

Yes you are able to buy a phone that is not "bundled" with a carrier contract, you just have to pay full price and buy it fully unlocked.

 

[William Garza]

Here is a link to a device that mounts to your camera phone, it is 18.2 Megapixles, should be enough for an great shot, and compact
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-ds...skuId=1758117&st=cameras for phones&cp=1&lp=1

 

[Anniesantiago]

Those are some very wonderful photos on your Link! I may just have had my mind changed by them as to what to carry! thank you for the imagery and wonder

Thanks. I've been very happy with the photos my iPhone takes.
I also use it for email, Skype, and banking while on the Camino.

 

[karenfromcali]

I was also unsure about what to take as I wanted to photograph and video my camino as much as I was able. I wasn't a fan of i phones, but another pilgrim really liked his and recommended it, so decided to take a chance and get one. So my new iphone 5c (only got it a couple of days before I left and I am NOT tech minded by any stretch) went on the camino with me. It took great pics and beautiful panoramic photos (despite the operator!). Also great video. Don't regret the purchase at all, only wish I had gotten one sooner!

 

[Robo]

I was also unsure about what to take as I wanted to photograph and video my camino as much as I was able. I wasn't a fan of i phones, but another pilgrim really liked his and recommended it, so decided to take a chance and get one. So my new iphone 5c (only got it a couple of days before I left and I am NOT tech minded by any stretch) went on the camino with me. It took great pics and beautiful panoramic photos (despite the operator!). Also great video. Don't regret the purchase at all, only wish I had gotten one sooner!

Glad to hear it worked well for you. Smart phones really are quite 'Smart' these days.....

 

[Al the optimist]

I am with Margaret and Pat. I have a Samsung S4. I am not an great photographer and so for me it is just a higher resolution replacement for my point and shoot Sony. It takes what for me are good photos, but as I say - that is not saying a lot. That one device serves all my needs is good for me, saving weight and charging. On that note, one of the reasons I chose this phone is that it has an exchangeable battery. So I charge the battery and not the phone. So I have the security and convenience of having the phone with me at all times.

 

[CaminoMatto]

I am with Margaret and Pat. I have a Samsung S4. I am not an great photographer and so for me it is just a higher resolution replacement for my point and shoot Sony. It takes what for me are good photos, but as I say - that is not saying a lot. That one device serves all my needs is good for me, saving weight and charging. On that note, one of the reasons I chose this phone is that it has an exchangeable battery. So I charge the battery and not the phone. So I have the security and convenience of having the phone with me at all times.

Thanks so much for the help Al, just curious, did you use your phone strictly as a camera? Or did you also use it for calling ahead to alburgues, apps when on wifi etc?
Anyways, I am heading into the city today on a camino shopping trip, looking specifically at sleeping bags and smart phones.
Thanks again to all for the replies!

 

[Graham-R]

My Camino Cam was an iPod Touch 5G, did the trick, everything from video, photos to maps and guides, even has wifi so could annoy people on facebook with my photos when in a wifi zone! also had an iPhone 3Gs but the storage and camera on that was rubbish so was just kept as a phone!



Graham

 

[Al the optimist]

I used it as a camera primarily. I also used it for phoning the family back home and Camino friends I encountered along the way to keep in touch with them. I also used it to keep in touch with the later where I had WiFi, either through Facebook or Whatsapp. Good luck with the shopping and remember "Weight is King!".

 

[Tia Valeria]

I am sticking with my Fuji Finepix camera (takes AA batteries) and a very simple phone. The combined (weight inc spare AA batteries) is roughly the same as my new smartphone with its charger, and the battery life of the phone is days not hours. So a weight and battery isssue has helped my decision. However maybe in the future if I wanted more contact (Wi-Fi etc) then the phone might be the way to go.
Do folk find that the phone runs the battery down fast with taking photos? I haven't had mine long enough to be sure which uses runs it down quickest.

As extra 'electronics' we are taking a heating coil this next time - for health reasons, not for hot drinks.

 

[NicoZ]

Do folk find that the phone runs the battery down fast with taking photos? I haven't had mine long enough to be sure which uses runs it down quickest.

.

Wifi,Data and GPS will use up the battery. I can't imagine taking the odd photo making much difference to the battery. Taking long videos maybe but not in still photo mode.

What kind of charger does your phone use? Most USB chargers are very light. I've got a two outlet that might weigh less then an €1 coin.

 

[Bajaracer]

Modern smartphones cameras take great photos and video, I brought my unlocked iPhone 5 with me and took lots of photos, this along with my passport and wallet were my high value items that I had to keep an eye on. The only other electronic device I would carry is a very small LED light with a red lens so you don't bother others inside the albergue.

 

[Sixwheeler]

I use a Panasonic Lumix LF1 which has a reasonable zoom and takes good pictures and reasonable video. It has two other big plusses though: 1) a small electronics viewfinder which is indispensable when bright conditions make the viewing screen invisible, and 2) built in short distance WiFi so every day I download pictures onto my Android smartphone then when I have good WiFi I back everything up onto cloud storage. So I take a camera and a smartphone - works for me.

I also take an intelligent Anker five port USB splitter and ORIGINAL charging cords which I purchased from Amazon France so that it has a continental plug.This allows me to charge pretty well everything I carry at one go if needed - phone, camera, watch, iPod, backup battery, in reality I normally would only need to top up one or two things at most but can also offer spare ports to other people. Incidentally this charger checks the resistance of the item and matches that input so won't damage or overcharge.

Good Luck.

 

[gregdedman]

Hi Caminomatto...and all the other wonderful people here

Can I come at you from a different angle if I may?
Lets break this down to as simple as it can be...just as the Camino is supposed to represent.
Yes, we are surrounded with technology every day (a recent survey discovered that the average Brit checks their phone 150 times a day). We are also surrounded by choices, temptations, white noise, responsibilities and connectivity of a wireless sort.

You got the call, one way or another, to walk the Camino. There was something in you that wanted and needed to get away and reassess something or other, right?
The most liberating thing on any mental, spiritual or religious journey is disconnection. To rely on nothing but your body, your brain and your soul. When you meditate, you cannot do this whilst being on your phone. Walking the Camino becomes a meditation.

It is only when you start from a blank white canvas that I think you can create the brush strokes and the colours you desire.

I have walked the camino twice, as a younger guy in his late 20's and I left the phone at home. I also left the MP3 at home.
The only piece of tech I took was the camera.
Everytime you bring a phone or camera to your face, you block your view of the world.
When you plug the MP3 into your ears, you drown out the sounds of the way.

In my opinion, the Camino is about taking only what you need to complete the journey. A new phone (which could cost you the same as transport to the Camino!) is not a necessity.

If you would like a recommendation for a good all-round travel camera with great optical zoom, great close-up, filtered options and HD video, I can suggest the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ35 which should cost no more than £100 here in Europe.

Think about this CaminoMatto, I know you want to make a record of this journey, but the best way to do that is to live it and see, hear, smell and touch. Then each evening, remember the day and write it down. When you are a grandfather, sit your grandchildren down around the fire and show them your writings and verbally tell them the story of the greatest month of your life.

Phoning the albergue ahead - not a necessity
Booking transport via wifi - not a necessity
Using topo maps - not a necessity
Carrying charging leads, batteries, converters and always searching for a space socket- a right pain in the a**

The camino has been walked for 1000 years, it is only within the last 50 that we have had the luxury of taking technology with us. Back to basics my friend, I promise you will be richer for it.

I'm sorry to post like this but I just want you to take a breath and rethink your approach.

Buen Camino mi amigo

 

[gregdedman]

Also, if you DO want to take a small simple phone that is unlocked in Europe for emergencies then let me know and I'll happily gift you one. Don't go spending hundreds of dollars/pounds signing up to a new phone....save the money for more important things

 

[Tia Valeria]

Wifi,Data and GPS will use up the battery. I can't imagine taking the odd photo making much difference to the battery. Taking long videos maybe but not in still photo mode.

What kind of charger does your phone use? Most USB chargers are very light. I've got a two outlet that might weigh less then an €1 coin.

Thanks for the info. The USB lead is very light but the plug needed is quite heavy. While I might take it at some point in the future at present I am happier with my simple phone and seperate simple camera. It also removes the tempatation to be 'permanently connected'.

 

[DavidsRetired]

For what it’s worth, I used my Samsung Galaxy S4. It took brilliant pictures, allowed me to write thoughts down, and managed all my flights, trains and accommodations as necessary to and from the Camino. In addition, I used the Kindle App before bed to relax, and I downloaded the Camino stage maps; not that they were necessary, but it was nice to review them on occasion to get a sense of things.

I used a modified Neck, Passport Wallet (see pictures), which was attached to my backpack waist belt to carry both my phone and Camino Passport, during my daily walks. This allowed me to easily extract the phone, snap a picture and carry on in stride.

I used Wifi throughout, which allowed me to sync to the cloud and stay in touch with my wife and children. The only other piece of equipment needed, was a simple European Plug Adapter, which I brought 3 of, as on my first Camino, the 2 I brought were both “borrowed” and never returned.

Take care and enjoy your Camino!

 

[CaminoMatto]

Thanks so much to everyone for all the input!

I must admit that I seem to change my mind each and every time I see a new reply in this thread, I read a new post and say "yes! this is perfect! this is what I'm doing!" and then I read the next one and change my mind again!
Gregdedman your advice was excellent, I read it twice, it was that good! You certainly have a point about keeping things simple so as to focus on my true purpose. Funny story, I spent most of the day today in the city looking at tripod's, camera's, smartphones, etc and I was confident that I had picked the perfect camera-phone for my trip. After reading your post I am now thinking long and hard about the very valid point you make. I DO have a question regarding your reply but I will PM you so as not to side track this thread.

Again, thanks everyone!

 

[Kanga]

I bought an unlocked iPhone purely on the basis that it has the best camera of all smartphones. That remains the situation with the latest round of smartphones. My daughter is a (or was - recent career change) a professional photographer and I bought based on her advice. She walked her first Camino with a professional SLR, and uses a DSLR, but when travelling she now just takes the latest iPhone. An Alloclip lens extends the performance, not yet available for the iPhone 6 but will be shortly - tiny, easy to use, takes great wide angle and macro shots.
The iPhone is the only electronic gadget I take. It does everything. Well, it won't brush my teeth...yet.
Yesterday when I left for work very early I accidentally left said mobile phone, laptop and iPad at home. I did miss them for work as I no longer carry hard copies of written material. What interested me was how I felt when I sat down for lunch in a coffee shop. I realised it had been a long time since I'd been alone without having my iPad or phone to distract me. I enjoyed it. Observed those around me, made eye contact, talked to strangers. And earsdropped. On Camino I'll use the phone for photos and reading at night but make sure it is kept in my bag the rest of the time.

 

[SkuratO]

iPhone! Get it unlocked for sure. At you arrival, right at the airport get a SIM card from a local mobile company. For about €15-20 you will get your smarphone plan. Choose 10 gb of data. " Free" wi-fi hardly ever works.
You will have in one device: phone, videocamera( good one!), photo camera( great one!), voice translators ( app), dictionary(app), maps etc. And INTERNET! Don't forget to buy an adapter for european electric outlets. And don't forget to back up your photos every day!
Buen Camino!

 

[WldWil]

I called about my existing phone and the companies around here do not lock them. Nice. I will be digitizing my guides. I will have paper backups of passport, ID, tickets, etc.

I probably need detox more than anyone being a web and Internet specialist. But how would you like to contact your IT guy about your email or website being down and told that they will get back to you in about 15 days? Plus there are weight advantages.

It is part of the cross I will carry on my journey. Don’t look down on those looking at devices as you do not always know why they are on it. Maybe they are even reading their bible.

As for a camera, I struggle so much as well. I have had images over the years make magazine covers. They key is why photograph and what will you do with photos? Our family tradition is getting a photo album as our souvenir and within a week of returning home putting physical pictures in it with notes.

With that said, I have really been studying Samsung apps and settings... Check your mode options on your phone camera. The best ones are Night, Panorama (very cool) and rich tone (this is like high def).

 

[Bajaracer]

I called about my existing phone and the companies around here do not lock them.

Which phone company did you buy your phone from? I don't know of any US phone carrier (other than Verizon 4G/LTE phones) that are unlocked. If you have a Verizon 4G/LTE smartphone you are set.

 

[WldWil]

I have used http://www.cellcom.com/ since the first bag phones since 1990 <- boy that looks like a long time ago. None of their phones are locked. The do sell out of country service plans by the month. But, I am mostly looking for wifi connection to make sure no emergency happens while gone. Note: Often times the emergency fix can be as simple as giving a support number for people to renew their account to activate their emails. Once I have my full business leave planned, I'll post it on the forum as well.

 

[LesBrass]

Greetings all,

I would like to present my dilemma to the group for some input if that is alright, please keep in mind I am very technologically inept and know basically nothing about photography or smart phone technology.

My camino is coming up in January of 2015 and as part of my experience, I plan on taking a short little video each day to document the journey. In addition to the video, I of course want to take lots of pictures also...

Hello - I was a newbie to smartphones before my camino. I bought a Samsung Note 3... slightly bigger than a phone but it still fitted in my pocket (I put a camera hand strap on it and carried it on the front of my packpack strap most of the time). The larger screen was a huge bonus and the screen quality was excellent... everyone commented on how great it was.

All I can say was it was FANTASTIC!

I took nearly 2000 photos and some video... I had a kindle app so took a few books with me on it and downloaded a few more whilst walking. There are a couple of camino apps that were very useful and I used skype and messenger to chat with family at home. I also synced my photos with a dropbox account so all my photos downloaded whenever I was in a wifi zone and my family could see them every day. I also kept a blog... it was the only contact I had with folks at home and lots and lots of poeople were reading it every day. I also had a english/spanish dictionary... and a load of other useful apps. And I had a shortcut to the forum just in case I needed it and I saved some pdf files of documents like the profiles of each stage... which I also used a great deal.

WiFi is available everywhere on the Camino Francis... most bars and most albergues had free good wifi.

I left my charger in Pamplona but was able to buy another in Estella... the Samsung have a universal charger. I had a simple 2-pin plug on the lead so the charger was very light and the phone charged quickly... also there was only 1 day when charging was difficult but it wasn't a problem as I had enough charge left on the phone.

My son has aquired my phone since I returned... he is also a fan now! I hardly use a mobile at home but I did love the camera so much that I am going to buy another one to replace my point-and-shoot camera.

Big thumbs up from me for the Note 3 - saves lots of weight in the pack and excellent quality

p.s. great for music too!

 

[LesBrass]

p.s. I bought an extra 64gb memory card for not a great deal of money ... it gave me peace of mind that I could take as many photos as I could without worry.

 

[Bajaracer]

I have used http://www.cellcom.com/ since the first bag phones since 1990 <- boy that looks like a long time ago. None of their phones are locked. The do sell out of country service plans by the month. But, I am mostly looking for wifi connection to make sure no emergency happens while gone. Note: Often times the emergency fix can be as simple as giving a support number for people to renew their account to activate their emails. Once I have my full business leave planned, I'll post it on the forum as well.

cellcom is on a CDMA network (Verizon and Sprint), not GSM, but if your current phone is a 4G/LTE Verizon based smartphone, they have the GSM SIM card slot and are unlocked for using foreign SIM cards.

 

[WldWil]

I also had a english/spanish dictionary... and a load of other useful apps. And I had a shortcut to the forum just in case I needed it and I saved some pdf files of documents like the profiles of each stage... which I also used a great deal.

I just started on some Apps. What were your best ones?

 

[Al the optimist]

I have a Samsung 4 phone. I have a 64gb memory card so no storage problems. I also have a cheap spare battery with it's own cradle to charge so I always have my phone with me.

 

[LesBrass]

I just started on some Apps. What were your best ones?

I used the Wise Pilgrim App for the camino francis... and another called Camino Pilgrim. These can be used off line and were useful.

I used Airbnb, Trivago and Trip Adviser apps and the Kindle app... MapMyWalk was great in my practice walks and some folks used it whilst walking to track their progress.

I used the website Caminopedia and they have an app now http://caminopedia.com/?page_id=7155.

Also someone here recommended an app that tracked the planets and stars... cant remember the name again but search on playstore and it will come up.

A lady I walked with was using e-camino app which she said was linked to John Breiley's book... she really liked that app. I've just had a look now and seen 3 or 4 other apps which have good ratings so there maybe a few more now.

I used a google blog and they had an app so that I could write my notes without needing to be on-line.

Dropbox is free and easy to use and if you download the app after you create your account you'll get a little extra free storage... and it will sync to your account so your photos will automatically download when you're within wifi areas... this gave me peace of mind that no matter what my photos were safe.

I also used a sunrise/sunset app but cant remember the name again (sorry)

If you want to listen to music there are a few good players... I didn't rate the samsung player as it kept hanging but there are lots of others to choose from.

I used an app called snapseed https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en_GB which was good for adding a few special effects to photos on an android phone

I downloaded the Adobe Acrobat app so that I could save information and documents as .pdf files... and downloaded some of the documents on this site. It meant I had all my important and useful information stored on my phone.

I'm trying to remember them all now... my son has the phone and he's deleted most of my things now. My phone became one of the few things that became a treasure... whenever I left anywhere I checked passport/credentials/purse/phone... as long as I had these I knew I'd be fine

Hope this helps

 

[LesBrass]

I have a Samsung 4 phone. I have a 64gb memory card so no storage problems. I also have a cheap spare battery with it's own cradle to charge so I always have my phone with me.

I had one of those and left it at home because I was getting paranoid about weight but there were a few times when I thought it would have been useful and regretted no bringing it... extra peace of mind and also an extra battery if yours is running low... and I added so many things to my pack that it was maybe 2kg heavier by the time I finished but I never noticed the extra weight.

 

[Camembert]

I use Airbnb. Found a nice appartment in Lisbon just before we started our caminho, found one in Porto and last but not least in Santiago opposite the busstation.
I use the app Ringcredible. Very cheep phoning abroad with a wifi connection.
I phoned in Portugal 29 minutes to a Portuges phonenumber for 0,59 € and the other day 12 minutes to San Gabriel CAlifornia for 0,12 €

 

[Camembert]

Greetings all,

I would like to present my dilemma to the group for some input if that is alright, please keep in mind I am very technologically inept and know basically nothing about photography or smart phone technology.

My camino is coming up in January of 2015 and as part of my experience, I plan on taking a short little video each day to document the journey. In addition to the video, I of course want to take lots of pictures also.

I know nothing of cameras of any kind. I know even less about video cameras. I have never owned a camera of any kind beyond my smartphone. I currently have an iphone 4 (locked) which has served me well enough for the past few years but I am not happy enough with the quality of pictures it takes to make it my "official camino camera". Of the three devices mentioned above (camera, camcorder and phone) the only one I am dead set on taking to Spain is a phone.

I am torn between the following options,

1) Buying a video camera, a still camera, AND a new phone?
2) Buying a good digital camera that takes decent video and keeping my old phone?
3) Buying a brand new unlocked premium smartphone that will also serve well enough as my camera for stills and videos?

Money is not really an issue, not nearly as much as weight that is. I am not technically gifted and don't want to get caught up in a big mess of cords/bells/whistles/files/conversions/shutters/lenses etc etc. All I want to do is take a quick minute or two video a few times a day and then upload them every so often so my family can watch my journey. I understand I may have to carry a small light weight trip pod gadget and I am ok with that.

Personally, I am leaning towards option 3. I DO need a new phone and to my understanding the camera and video capabilities on most smartphones these days are more than enough for the very casual user such as myself. I saw a tutorial online about adding a mount and a lightweight tripod to a smartphone for the purpose of youtube videos and I thought it looked pretty clever.

Perhaps someone with some more photography/smartphone knowledge can lend a hand? If someone out there has made a camino video using their smartphone could you please let me know what equipment you used and what the result were? What is the best camera-phone out there these days?


Thanks for any help! I know this probably seems like a silly question!

Last weekend somebody bought for me a Gopro Hero 4 actioncamera in the USA .
I am going to use this camera on my next camino in May 2015. The camera is very small and light 186 grams and has a very high pixel and frame rate
I can start and stop the camera by wifi with my iphone as a remote control.
I can store my pictures and videos on my ipad mini which I also use for my blog.
Making vids and pictures with a mobile phone is a disappointment as we noticed on this year's camino. Okay the DVD I made is acceptable as some memories but what I saw from the Gopro is awesome .

 

[WldWil]

Ack, ack, ack, I just fried my phone!

I had this nifty travel charger that works off cigarette power adapter, AC or 9 volt battery. I thought carrying a 9v battery or buying one would be my power backup. I ran the battery dead last night and tested the 9v battery for first time in two years of having this travel charger. Short story, I am getting a new phone since the phone, charger and battery are all ruined.

The only silver lining is I did not way until the Camino to test it out...

LesBrass, Great list. I'll check them out when I get my new phone tomorrow.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The only silver lining is I did not wait until the Camino to test it out...

That is an excellent principle for everything about the Camino. Boots. Pack. Poncho. Trekking poles. Hat. Sleeping bag. Compeed. Socks. Foot lubricant. Gloves. Detergent. GPS. Guidebook.

There should not be any surprises on the Camino except the people and the scenery.

 

[Al the optimist]

Oh dear WidWil! Thanks for posting this as a cautionary tale for others. I fortunately bought a charger and spare battery which were specifically for my phone. Also charging the spare battery off the mains out of the phone avoids phone damage. The charger is about twice the thickness and two thirds the length of the phone and weighs very little so the convenience more than offsets it's carry load.

 

[kmrice]

Money is not really an issue, not nearly as much as weight that is.

If money is not that much of an issue, consider getting a regular, locked new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, and an international package from your provider.

The cameras on the iPhone 6, and especially the iPhone 6 Plus (image stabilization), are much better than than on the iPhone 4. If you are not a pretty serious photographer, either will be all the camera you need.

The international package allows anyone who wants to call you to use your regular number, with no overseas charges. Same if you want to call them. In Spain, you can just use the phone as you normally would. The only downside is if someone in Spain wants to call you, they will pay overseas rates. For me, it would have been unusual for anyone in Spain to call me.

To use an unlocked phone you have to change the SIM, which, while not rocket science, was tricky for me the first time (the iPhone nanosim popped out of the phone and landed several feet away, which could have been a problem had I been outside). You get a new telephone number, so only people you give it to can reach you (which may be good or bad, depending, but could be a problem if there is an emergency at home). Anyone calling from home pays overseas rates.

The international package will be fairly expensive, but you say money is not that much of an issue, and the cost will be partly offset by the fact that getting an unlocked phone will be much more expensive than getting a regular locked one, at least in the US.

Karl

 

[CaminoMatto]

I just thought I would post a quick up date as to my original question. I ended up purchasing a nifty little point and shoot digital camera, a Canon Power Shot ELPH 330 HS. Knowing nothing about cameras, I picked this little device because it seemed straight forward to use and takes good pictures as well as taking 1080 HD video. Also, the camera was on sale for $160.00 which I was pretty happy with. The total price for the camera and an ultra light mini tri-pod off amazon was just under $180.00, add to that the $35.00 it cost to unlock my iphone4 and I am pretty happy with my decision. Now all I need to do is order my micro sim from Ivar and I am good to go!

 

[WldWil]

Phone update: They replaced my Galaxy 4s. I almost went with the I6 because you can do calls from Spain, but then I figure, I'll just get the sim card from here instead. The disadvantage is that you must you a number in Spain. The advantage is that I decided to route all office calls to an answering service while gone. I'll have to post later my final small business strategy for being away so many consecutive days in a future post. I also picked up a 64 gig card (on sale) for the phone as well as a portable power bank (on sale).

The portable power bank is 6,000mAh and has the same adapter and charger as phone and camera. The weight penalty is 130g. With it though, I can digitize all guides and books as well as not carry any spare batteries which I am hoping is a justified offset.

 

[kmrice]

Phone update: They replaced my Galaxy 4s. I almost went with the I6 because you can do calls from Spain, but then I figure, I'll just get the sim card from here instead. The disadvantage is that you must you a number in Spain. The advantage is that I decided to route all office calls to an answering service while gone. I'll have to post later my final small business strategy for being away so many consecutive days in a future post. I also picked up a 64 gig card (on sale) for the phone as well as a portable power bank (on sale).

The portable power bank is 6,000mAh and has the same adapter and charger as phone and camera. The weight penalty is 130g. With it though, I can digitize all guides and books as well as not carry any spare batteries which I am hoping is a justified offset.

What brand and model portable power bank are you using?

Karl

 

[WldWil]

It is called MyCharge by AMPMAX. You may do better online, but I felt there was value in looking and plugging it in at the store in having confidence in it as well as having them weigh it for me right there.

 

[kmrice]

It is called MyCharge by AMPMAX. You may do better online, but I felt there was value in looking and plugging it in at the store in having confidence in it as well as having them weigh it for me right there.

Thanks. If it only weighs 130 grams, its a lot lighter than my 6000mAh Zagg, which weights about half a pound, or 226 grams.

You can plug a device into the Zagg while it is plugged into the wall and the Zagg will change the device before it charges itself. Do you know if this is how the MyCharge works? I can't find a full manual on line.

Karl

 

[WldWil]

Here is the link http://www.mycharge.com/products/amp-max. Mine was on sale at the cell phone dealer and no shipping. Plus, I had it weighed before buying.

There is a smaller lighter one yet that is 40% lighter weighing in at 77 grams, but only 1/2 the battery life.