Can't decide on what gear to bring

[cajunrose]

Leaving for Disney in one week

Here is what I have...what would you bring?

Fuji s5
sb800
sb600
50mm f/1.8
85mm f/1.8
18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 (I think)
Sigma 105mm Macro
50-200VR (VERY soft...find it very difficult to get good results from)
Gary Fong diffuser for the on board flash (pop up) as I wasn't planning on bringing a hot shoe flash..but might now.

Here are my thoughts. Obviously bring the S5 (my baby..lol). I was thinking the 50mm cause that's the widest prime I have. I wish I had the 30, but I don't. I was thinking I would bring the 85 also for times when I needed longer but faster. Definitely my 18-70 cause as my walk around.

Thinking of leaving the 50-200 home cause every time I use it, it ticks me off cause it's so darn soft. Leaving the Macro home. It's heavy and I love macro photography, but I'm just starting to get into it and I have a lot of practice to do before I'm any good at it.
Was going to leave the hot shoe flash at home, but I'm reading now (in the flash thread) that it's good to bring for indoor character meals? We are doing 4 character meals I think?

What would YOU bring?

I have a slingshot 200 that I thought about bringing...or a micro trekker (spelling) back pack.

I thought I had it down...what I wanted to bring. But looking at threads here, I'm second guessing myself.

 

[MICKEY88]

the hotshoe flash is also great for fill flash of characters in shaded areas..

my flash is on my camera at all times at WDW

 

[Gdad]

I would bring the S5 (obviously) the 50 & 105 primes and the 18-70, plus one of the flashes for character meals, character greetings, etc. It is a shame you don't have something to get good results in the 200mm range or beyond, especially for AK. Are results soft even stopped down to f8 or so?

 

[cajunrose]

I don't know that i ever tried it at f/8. Even at ridiculous shutter speeds (1/2000) I get bad camera shake at 200. Yes, the VR is set. I hate that lens and I know if I try to use it I won't be happy with it.
It's a light lens..maybe I'll bring it anyway.

Why would you bring the 105 Macro? I don't find it's useful for anything but macro. You would skip the 85?

 

[The Grays]

I would bring the S2 naturaly, the 50 1.4, the 18-70, the sb800. That is all if I wanted to go light. At the most I would add the 85 1.4.

 

[AndrewWG]

I don't know that i ever tried it at f/8. Even at ridiculous shutter speeds (1/2000) I get bad camera shake at 200. Yes, the VR is set. I hate that lens and I know if I try to use it I won't be happy with it.
It's a light lens..maybe I'll bring it anyway.

Why would you bring the 105 Macro? I don't find it's useful for anything but macro. You would skip the 85?

The 105 Macro is a great lens for both Macro shots and as a regular 105mm prime lens. It doesn't have to be just used as a macro. I am guessing it is f2.8? I would certainly bring that over the 85mm if I had to choose one or the other. It has just that much more reach that you may want at times. It also gives you the ability to do some macro stuff if you should choose to.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Your list sounds like a good start. I'd add a tripod, replace the 50-200 with a 70-200, through in an ultrawide, add some circular polarizers and memory cards and you should be good to go.

 

[Groucho]

That S5 is a neat camera. I'm sure the extra dynamic range will come in handy for you at WDW (or DL if going to California.)

I would probably skip the 85mm F1.8. Usually when you're after the extra speed of the prime, you want wide, not long... there may be a couple exceptions though; it might be good for close-ups of characters in SpectroMagic for example. It will probably not be any good for on-ride dark ride photos if you want to try any of those.

I would bring the 105mm macro. I have a manual-focus 105mm macro and liked it more and more as the trip went on. I think it'd be a great exercise to use it as the primary lens. Obviously, you can't get any wide shots, but it's really nice for merchandise photos, portraits, etc. Maybe try mounting it when you're just walking around and see what kind of results you can get with it.

 

[Gdad]

I said bring the 105 since it is your longest lens which you like (I assume) plus is likely at f2.8 or so. I would definately experiment with getting better results with the 50-200 stopped down before you go. Bjorn Rorslett reviewed this lens and indicated it is best between f8 and f11 - you can read it HERE. If you get better results stopped down I would take it- but if not I would leave it behind. No reason to try to use something that is unlikely to produce results you will like.

Also- I have read some schools of thought that think VR actually works against you at high shutter speeds like 1/2000.

 

[cajunrose]

I'll give the zoom a try with it stopped down and play with the 105 a bit more and then try to decide. Thanks for the tips on stopping down and maybe shutting the VR off!

 

[Gdad]

I'll give the zoom a try with it stopped down and play with the 105 a bit more and then try to decide. Thanks for the tips on stopping down and maybe shutting the VR off!

If you stop it down you *will* probably need the VR since it will be a slower shutter speed- just a thought.

Good luck.

 

[cajunrose]

Well hopefully I can find that sweet spot with that lens..LOL I hope to learn to love it b/c the next stop for me is MUCH more expensive..rofl