Best Camera Lens

[jbland]

I am an avid photographer that cannot get enough of taking photos of my family. I will be purchasing the PhotoPass Plus as well. I would like to take only 1 lens on our trip. Which one would you recommend?

I photograph with a Nikon and am thinking my 25-70mm f/2.8 should be fine.

Thank you for all the advice,
Jenn

 

[chirurgeon]

As an avid Disney photographer, I don't think I could just take one lens. Most of the time I have my 18 - 155, but to not have my 70 - 300, just in case, would make me crazy, umm crazier. but I guess that's because I go to WDW more than DLR. Still, I might need that long shot.

 

[BayGirl22]

I am an avid photographer that cannot get enough of taking photos of my family. I will be purchasing the PhotoPass Plus as well. I would like to take only 1 lens on our trip. Which one would you recommend?

I photograph with a Nikon and am thinking my 25-70mm f/2.8 should be fine.

Thank you for all the advice,
Jenn

Full frame or crop sensor? Are you trying to focus on portraits, park details, landscapes? And do you need to be close to you family or can you put some distance between you and them?(I.e. Are you traveling with small children).

I ask that last question because if you are trying to get portraits of your kids at Disney it's hard to get the distance between you and them (without obstructions) to use a longer portrait lens, so if you have a crop senator you may want to get something that goes down to 17 for the wider angle. Fixed aperture of course. My Tamron 17-55 2.8 is an affordable walk around len (I shoot Canon)

Of course you may still want a longer zoom lenses for detail pictures like the castle. Or a prime with a wide aperture for dark rides. It really depends what your shooting. I don't shoot pics just of the atmosphere, I shoot people, I know others opinions may differ.
There is a Disney photography board here, but be sure to specify DL bc it is more compact than WDW.

 

[mom2rtk]

If you only want to carry one lens, then your mid-range zoom is probably best. I use my 17-55 f/2.8 for 90% of my shots in the parks. I also carry a fast prime, a zoom, and a wide angle lens on various occasions. I consider my 17-55 my workhorse. The other lenses I really just pull out for specific tasks.

It really depends on your shooting style and tolerance for carrying heavy things for long periods of time. My doctor always recommends weight-bearing exercise, so I opt to carry a couple extra lenses each day.

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree with the suggestions for a mid-range zoom if you're only carrying one lens at DL/DCA. I have a 18-200 and find that most of my pictures out there are in the 18-80 range.

When I go to WDW I get similar results except for pictures across Epcot's World Showcase Lagoon or on the safari, which calls for a longer lens.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

As others have suggested, the lens you plan on bringing in should be fine for family and all around shots of the parks.

As stated above, I would also suggest multiple lenses. I usually carry three lenses with me at all times, 24-105mm general walk around lens, 50mm 1.4 for dark rides, and a 10-20 wide angle.

 

[wiigirl]

As an avid Disney photographer, I don't think I could just take one lens. Most of the time I have my 18 - 155, but to not have my 70 - 300, just in case, would make me crazy, umm crazier. but I guess that's because I go to WDW more than DLR. Still, I might need that long shot.

 

[figment_jii]

I also carry around two lenses at DLR. The basic mid range one that came with the camera (18-55 mm) for most everything and a fast prime (30mm, f/1.4) for dark rides and indoor dining photos. At WDW, I also have one zoom lens I bring to AK, but even then I tend to stick the other two.

I also carry extra lens cap covers...sigh...I've lost more of those at DLR/WDW...

 

[mom2tinkandmickey]

My 18-200 is my multipurpose lens for the Parks.

 

[jbland]

I have a cropped sensor camera. I would love to take all my lenses, but my hubby will laugh at me. Thankfully we are going April 29th and crowds should be very low then. The park is my oyster!

Full frame or crop sensor? Are you trying to focus on portraits, park details, landscapes? And do you need to be close to you family or can you put some distance between you and them?(I.e. Are you traveling with small children).

I ask that last question because if you are trying to get portraits of your kids at Disney it's hard to get the distance between you and them (without obstructions) to use a longer portrait lens, so if you have a crop senator you may want to get something that goes down to 17 for the wider angle. Fixed aperture of course. My Tamron 17-55 2.8 is an affordable walk around len (I shoot Canon)

Of course you may still want a longer zoom lenses for detail pictures like the castle. Or a prime with a wide aperture for dark rides. It really depends what your shooting. I don't shoot pics just of the atmosphere, I shoot people, I know others opinions may differ.
There is a Disney photography board here, but be sure to specify DL bc it is more compact than WDW.

 

[whoever]

I was shooting my 24-70/2.8 on my D600 last trip out as my walk around lens, and my 50/1.4 on dark rides. I think I'm going to grab a 24/1.4 for Dapper Day if I can swing it.

 

[DarthMole]

I have a cropped sensor camera. I would love to take all my lenses, but my hubby will laugh at me. Thankfully we are going April 29th and crowds should be very low then. The park is my oyster!

A low of 24mm on a crop sensor doesn't seem wide enough to me. Then again, I'll probably find my 17-50mm lacking on the long end but that is what I'm going to take in a few weeks. I may take my 30mm f1.8 for evening and rides and see how it does. With our D90, it's probably still going to be a challenge. Wish I had a D7100 and f1.4 for times like this and our aquarium trips.

 

[BayGirl22]

A low of 24mm on a crop sensor doesn't seem wide enough to me. Then again, I'll probably find my 17-50mm lacking on the long end but that is what I'm going to take in a few weeks. I may take my 30mm f1.8 for evening and rides and see how it does. With our D90, it's probably still going to be a challenge. Wish I had a D7100 and f1.4 for times like this and our aquarium trips.

That was my thought. I have trouble getting enough distance between me and my human subjects at DL so I'm usually at the 17 end of my 17-55 on a crop sensor.

 

[Mouseketeers4]

I have a crop sensor DSLR and the 17-55mm f2.8 worked great for our DL trip last September. I took my nifty fifty but it stayed in our room for the whole trip.

 

[whoever]

Here's my combo I'll be rocking for probably all of Dapper Day. I'm bringing the 24-70 f/2.8, but I suspect I'll be sticking with this prime.

 

[jbland]

Thank you for all your replies. Keep them coming, all very good points

 

[whoever]

At DLR, I typically ALWAYS shoot wide, so that 18-200 on my crop, and even the 24-70 on my full frame often go unused at the long end of the focal length. There's a reason my walk around lens is going from my 50/1.4 prime to a 24/1.4 prime instead. Its just too crowded to shoot even mid-length most of the time, and on dark rides, the longer the focal length, the more shake you've got to accomodate for.

As far as bodies go, other than the size/weight/glass requirements, full frame has it locked up. The sensors are huge and sensitive, so you can shoot some pretty amazing high iso without noise. My old D80 after 8 years of use isn't getting much shutter time these days now that I made the move to full frame with my D600. Speaking of which, anybody want to buy some Dx glass? I've got a few nice ones..

 

[AJaquins]

My husband went in December for Christmas and shoots with a Nikon D5000 and he used a 18-140 Nikon lens. He said it was perfect for characters, parades, and fireworks. That's the only lens he used all week even though he carries a 55-300 lends also.