Autumn in DFW area LEAVE THE CAMERA AT HOME

[hookedonears]

Your question on the Podcast was to a bunch of Photoees, and probably not the right people to ask. We also live in the DFW area of the country and are Disney Regs. If you can afford the Disney Photo Pass, by all means do that instead. Also, take a small digital camera, or at the chance of making Julie feel sorry for you, box cameras for all other pictures. Having one less thing you have to wag around and worry about, will make your trip that much more enjoyable.

 

[safetymom]

I stand behind my answer I gave on the show. You should bring your DSLR. You never know when you are going to have one of those magical moments. Small pocket cameras are nice but most people buy their DSLR for a reason.

I am not sure how many times they have been to Disney but if they have a nice camera they should bring it.

Also many have complained about their Photopass photos not turning out well. If you take some of your own you still have some pictures to remember your trip.

 

[hookedonears]

I may be wrong, but I thought she said it was going to be their first, but may be I thought it was to be their first because they were planning to take an expensive camera. I also suggested that they take a small digital camera, or box cameras to take their own pictures in addition to the Photo Pass pictures. Photo Pass pictures have always been absolutely perfect for us, and small digital cameras and box camera really do take pretty decent pictures.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I'm not a photographer, nor do I play one on TV. But I agree with the statement that the less you carry around with you, the better. If you are a photo junkie, and live for posting pics on the internet, or want to have a whole album of kick-butt pictures for your scrapping or picture albums, yeah...bring the big camera. Have at it. I suppose if you're a "local" rolleyes1), you have all the time in the world to come back day after day, taking pics and enjoying the parks as often as you like.

But if you are into actually focusing on your enjoyment of the parks at the moment you are there, because the moments you are there are so rare, I find carrying around a large camera and tripod/monopod awfully awkward and uncomfortable. My DH has it in his head that he should carry all his gear around the parks all the time. Fine. Go for it, dude. But while you're setting up your tripod and fixing your settings, you won't be taking pictures of me, because I'll be off doing the next fun thing.

I take pics on my lousy iPhone camera, because that's all I will carry.

Good idea about the ziplock bag, though...my iPhone will fit great in the sandwich size!

 

[brandylouwho]

Why have a nice camera if you aren't going to use it at such a photographic place--vacation at WDW? Unless photos are not that important to you, but then you probably wouldn't own a DSLR if photos weren't important.

I suppose it depends what they want to get out of it. For us, photos are our favorite souveniers and we have little kids, so I take a ton of pics. I do scrapbook and make photo books from each trip.

I definitely have had crappy photopass pics and have had trouble finding photogs in the parks at times.

Maybe, if the kids were older & we went to WDW more than once a year, I could consider leaving the big camera at home.

We do not carry the big old camera bag, tripod and all our lenses. We take a fanny pack style bag. It is compact and fits my DSLR w/ a lens attached + 2 additional lenses.

And I would think a small, gorilla pod set up on a table or railing could help steady the camera for fireworks photos and the like.

I look forward to the day that I don't have to bring diapers, wipes, etc to the parks, but I cannot envision a trip where I wouldn't bring my "good" camera.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Your question on the Podcast was to a bunch of Photoees, and probably not the right people to ask. We also live in the DFW area of the country and are Disney Regs. If you can afford the Disney Photo Pass, by all means do that instead. Also, take a small digital camera, or at the chance of making Julie feel sorry for you, box cameras for all other pictures. Having one less thing you have to wag around and worry about, will make your trip that much more enjoyable.

I used to totally agree with this, but last trip I took my dad's big 10x zoom camera and I have to say I got some really excellent shots...ones I could never have gotten with my little pocket 4x zoom. Before I would say travel as light as possible around the parks, but now I decided the bigger/better camera was definitely worth the extra lugging. I didn't fool with extra lenses or a tripod or any extra equipment though.

On a side note, for anyone worried about losing their camera, in addition to taking a picture with my name phone address, ect...I also attach a small luggage tag to the strap with my name, cell phone and the resort that I'm staying at for that trip. Just in case the camera doesn't work for some reason and whoever finds it can't access the pictures.

 

[safetymom]

I suppose if you're a "local" rolleyes1), you have all the time in the world to come back day after day, taking pics and enjoying the parks as often as you like.

I take no where near the number of photos I used to take when I came here on vacation. I took so many more when I vacationed here.

You read so many stories on the DIS of people that are disappointed with their PhotoPass photos. Many of them wished they had brought their own camera.

It all depends on what you plan to do with those photos. I can't tell you the number of times I thought it would be an ordinary day in the park and I got some amazing photos. If I had left my camera at home I would have been kicking myself.

 

[hookedonears]

We have hundreds of pictures from Disney, some taken from digital cameras, some from box cameras and some Disney Pass photos. 99% are of the smiles of our family with Disney in the back ground. Most of the pictures are very good. Some are not so good. If we were at the Grand Canyon, Zion National park, or some other National Park, by all means, we would take and use our nice camera. Wagging our nice camera around the parks for 8 hours a day is and wasn't fun. We did it once. Disney has many many cast members walking around the parks with nice cameras whose jobs are to take nice pictures of their guest. If you can afford the photo pass pictures, I would highly recomend it. Yes there have been some complaints, but out of the millions of pictures they take each year, I think they are an outstanding option.

 

[Quicklabs]

For me, taking photos is part of the fun of the vacation. It also makes me slow down and really notice the details.