Before you Leave
Before your vacation, you want to make sure that your batteries are charged and ready.
Many batteries behave differently, and it is far easier to carry a spare then to be stuck with no power on your vacation. If your camera has a rechargeable battery, consider in advance where your power sources will be to recharge your battery. If you are camping you may want to see if your camera has a car adapter available so you can recharge your camera in your vehicle. If you are traveling outside of North America you will likely need to pick up a power converter as well as a plug adapter from your local London Drugs.
If your camera takes Lithium Disposable batteries, you can be sure that the batteries can last for a long time in your camera, depending on the type of camera you have. The downside to these batteries is that when the voltage is running low, they give little to no warning, so you do run the risk of being left high and dry, voltage wise. These batteries are small and inexpensive, and can sit in a drawer for several years before they expire, so it makes sense to have an extra set for insurance.
If your camera takes Alkaline Disposable batteries you would certainly want to make sure that you carry a spare set of batteries with you. These batteries are inexpensive so it is easy to keep a spare set around.
If you use Nickel-Metal Hydrate rechargeable batteries, be sure to take a fully charged spare set of batteries with you on your trip. If you are going on vacation where there may not be power you may want to bring a car charger for your batteries.
If your camera comes with a proprietary Lithium Rechargeable battery, similar to a camcorder battery, it may be the time to get a spare battery and take it as a backup. These can be expensive, but are reliable and long lasting in digital cameras.
Protect Your Investment
Before leaving, make sure that your camera will stand up to the elements. Make sure your case is big enough to protect your camera and all of your accessories. Perhaps consider bringing a few single use cameras for those situations where you need a camera but do not want to risk ruining your expensive equipment. Use the following camera checklist to ensure that nothing will interrupt your deserved vacation!
Camera Checklist:
- Camera Bag
- Batteries
- Memory/Film
- Strap
- Lens Cloth
- Ziploc Bag (protect your camera from water, dust and sand)
- Universal Power adapter
- Single use camera / Underwater camera
Memory & Film
Be sure to carry enough film with you. It's better to carry too much film than too little. Choose a 200 or 400 ISO film for best results. These speeds are the most versatile and are great for outdoor and indoor shots with a flash. If you will be taking a lot of action shots a better choice may be a 400 or 800 ISO film. This will produce a sharper image with your faster moving subjects.
Make sure to empty your memory card and archive any pictures before the big day to make sure you have as much memory as possible. You may want to purchase an additional memory card, especially if this is the first trip with your new digital camera. You don't want to have to spend your vacation sacrificing great pictures to make more space on your memory card.
Once you have made sure your batteries and memory cards are ready, take a couple of practice shots to ensure everything is in working order. Now you're ready for your vacation!
On the road again…
Some things to remember, film is sensitive to heat, light and x-rays. Be sure to keep your film separate while going through airport security checks and never leave your film in direct sunlight and heat. In extreme heat, digital cameras also may not operate correctly; the LCD panel will appear black. If this happens, wait for your camera to cool, and then continue snapping away.
Once your vacation is over, take your prints to London Drugs and let our professional lab staff show you why Nobody Does it Better for your photofinishing needs.
- Our professional lab staff uses only the best equipment and materials.
- We inspect, test, clean and recalibrate our equipment daily.
- We check every negative to determine proper exposure and colour.
- After processing, we inspect each and every picture & enlargement for correct colour, sharpness and density, and reprint those that we feel can be improved.
London Drugs uses the finest quality photographic paper and chemicals to ensure the maximum archival qualities of your photographs.
Once you have your prints, be sure to select an album or scrapbook to store your prints in, these will be pictures that you will want to look back on.
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