Today's discussion on travel has been around pictures and what to use (read: take) in order to make them.
In simple terms the choice comes down to either a DSLR or some form of fairly advanced "pocket" camera (e.g. a Canon G11).
On one hand I am a keen, if lapsed, photographer and on the other I have to accept that the travel is the purpose of the journey, not taking images - I want to take good images, but they are "only" there as a record for me and as something to share with friends.
If this were a safari trip the choice would be simple: a couple of DSLR bodies and all the lenses. It's not; this is a year-long walkabout where I have to carry everything and where weight & space are at a premium. Packing even a basic DSLR kit (1 body, 1 lens, a few filters, a few batteries, lots of CF cards and a charger) takes up a lot more weight & space than a "pocket" camera, where the likes of a Canon G11 takes really very good images (still and video).
There is also the issue of carrying what is a (very) expensive bag of kit which is highly desirable to those who'd like to make my journey more "interesting" by removing my property from me.
Insurance will deal with any monetary risk, just is mostly the "need to carry this every day" factor. Do I want the hassle of a DSLR over a good "pocket" camera?
One to ponder.
