bring the 'big camera' or not?

[JJsmama]

I am wondering whether or not to take along my nice big camera and lenses or to just bring a small point and shoot. Obviously, the big one is more trouble to bring considering that we are flying, but it take such great photos. However, what I would like to know is whether you enjoyed having your big camera or found it a pain. For instance, on deck or activities, you can't just leave it on a chair or anything, the way you can hide away a small one. Did you find you needed to take it back to the room frequently to protect it (from water, etc) or did you not find this to be an issue?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

I LOVE my DSLR camera. It's with me most of the time. I agree that the picture quality is better, and you have more options. (I don't even own a point and shoot anymore.)

However, we are bringing a point and shoot (borrowing) on the cruise. We're flying too, and that bag/lenses etc takes up a lot of room-then there's carrying it around, finding a place for it wherever we are sitting/standing/touring. The point and shoot has its advantages there. I also find the pictures to be fine. There's also less thinking with the point and shoot. Auto focus and it's just a quick snap. The pictures by the ship's photographers are a nice fill-in.

just my 2 cents
Good luck with your decision and have a great time!

 

[larry80]

We brought our small sony camera, and I also brought my Canon t1i with the 18-55 kit lens. The wife ended up liking the quality of all my pics

 

[Gigi22]

Also, you have to remember the salt water spray factor when you are at sea. If you are trying to take pictures on an outside deck, that darn salt water spray can get into your camera and wreck it! Take a plastic bag or see-through camera container to take those shots. Back in the pre-digital camera days, DH nearly ruined his 35 mm. camera just taking pictures on deck.

 

[princesscinderella]

I just bought a big canon rebel and one of the main reasons is that my point and shoot canon just did not capture the beauty of the ship a I would have liked. My kids move too much and I had mostly blurry pics of them that is hard to see in the small LCD viewer. So this time I plan on lugging my big camera as we spend o much money for these cruises I want beautiful pictures to go with the awesome memories

 

[stevenpensacola]

Here's my take...

The photographer, and not the camera, is what makes a great photo.

Yes...the big cameras do take nice photos...if it's photos of the ship itself, or Castaway Cay...or pretty much anywhere you're going to visit, you can find better photos "on-line" than you can take yourself.

I prefer a good quality camera which can slip into my pocket...just for the convenience sake.

As a side note...I've found I enjoy a trip much much more when I'm not trying to document everything that happens...and just enjoy the moment. I've see so many folks who are so caught up into trying to photograph or record every minute of their vacation, that they can't relax and enjoy themselves. Facebook has really magnified this "problem".

I've got some of those tapes myself...I remember thinking it would be a neat idea to turn on my video recorder and hold it by my side while walking from the castle down main street of WDW. Without a doubt, the most boring video you will ever watch!

Within a generation or two, nobody will know who you are...and your offspring will not know who the folks in the photos are...so the photos will end up in a "virtual" closet....collecting virtual dust.

Enjoy life as it happens...

ok...my sermon for the day is now over...so whatever camera you choose to take...

HAVE A GREAT CRUISE!!!

 

[Cobrastrike]

We take both with us. When we know we're going to be up in the pool we bring the waterproof p&s. If we're wandering the ship, we always make sure we have the DSLR as characters can show up in the darnedest places, and the DSLR is a lot faster to turn on and focus to get a good shot (sometimes the characters are in a rush to get to a specific place at a certain time so you have to be quick).
Also you have much more control with a DSLR if you want to to take artsy photos.

 

[cyclenut]

I actually went out an bought a good DSLR for our Alaska cruise. I took it and a point and shoot. I left the DSLR in my cabin for some shore excursions and took it with me on others. I set aside time to be the photographer and capture the beauty of the ship and the surroundings then I put the DSLR back in the cabin. Most of the "family fun" doesn't need the quality of the DSLR so the point and shoot is fine.

I agree with the PP that the person taking the picture is the biggest factor in getting a good picture. I know several people that have the same DLSR I have and can't get anywhere near the pictures I get of the same event. I also know others who take pictures I am very jealous of. However, there is only so much you can do with a point and shoot.

I have a canon rebel t2i with the standard 18-55 and the kit 55-250 lens. I also purchased a 50mm 1.4 lens that I just love. I took all of these as a carry on in my camera bag and I took my monopod (checked bag). I used them all.

I've read several things about salt air ruining a camera. I'm sure that can happen with prolonged or direct exposure. I wouldn't let that stop you from taking your camera. Just be careful with when you take it out. Some of the higher end camera bodies are weather sealed, but if you have one of those you probably already know it.

As for the point and shoot option. I make sure I always have a camera with me. It doesn't even have to be a high-end one. I took a small 3MP camera with me on a backpack trip and ended up with some awesome pictures. If you don't have one already but are used to your DLSR, I suggest you pick up a compact zoom that has at least 10x optical zoom. My DD has the Canon SX120 and it takes some excellent pictures but when off can fit in a pocket easily.

 

[sayhello]

I spent years lugging the big camera, and the great lenses with me, and got fabulous photos. But I eventually got tired of carrying the camera and the case with me. They're so heavy, and a lot of the time, they just get in the way. If you invest a little in a "point and shoot", you can get a small camera that takes some fabulous pictures. I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ5, and have taken some pretty amazing photographs over the last 4 years that have garnered a LOT of compliments, and that I am *VERY* proud of. It has manual overrides, several modes, and, with a little experimenting, can be made to take some amazing pictures. Yes, there are a few occasions where a fancier camera would have gotten a nicer nighttime shot, or something of that nature, but that doesn't happen often enough for me to want to lug a big camera around.

I agree about it being the photographer as much as the camera. I know some people who lug around the huge cameras, and take fabulous pictures. I know other people who carry around humongous, fabulous cameras, and their pictures are only so-so.

Sayhello

 

[dllocals]

Take both your SLR and a point and shoot. Take your little camera every where you go on ship and capture the memories! You can leave you SLR in your stateroom... just a couple minutes away from anywhere on the ship. Use your SLR to create images that you and your family will never forget.

If you don't want the bulk os a SLR, newer point and shoot models take far better photos and video than the ones just a couple years old. Check out the after Christmas sales. For around $100+ I am sure you will find a quality Nikon, Canon or Sony. Do some homework.

 

[Rogillio]

Here's my take...

The photographer, and not the camera, is what makes a great photo.

Yes...the big cameras do take nice photos...if it's photos of the ship itself, or Castaway Cay...or pretty much anywhere you're going to visit, you can find better photos "on-line" than you can take yourself.

I prefer a good quality camera which can slip into my pocket...just for the convenience sake.

As a side note...I've found I enjoy a trip much much more when I'm not trying to document everything that happens...and just enjoy the moment. I've see so many folks who are so caught up into trying to photograph or record every minute of their vacation, that they can't relax and enjoy themselves. Facebook has really magnified this "problem".

I've got some of those tapes myself...I remember thinking it would be a neat idea to turn on my video recorder and hold it by my side while walking from the castle down main street of WDW. Without a doubt, the most boring video you will ever watch!

Within a generation or two, nobody will know who you are...and your offspring will not know who the folks in the photos are...so the photos will end up in a "virtual" closet....collecting virtual dust.

Enjoy life as it happens...

ok...my sermon for the day is now over...so whatever camera you choose to take...

HAVE A GREAT CRUISE!!!

Recently I was backing up our digital pictures to a Passport HD and learned we have 46,002 digital pictures! Some people will claim we never look at them but that is not true. Pictures are about a close as we'll ever come to time travel!

So maybe the pictures will end up collecting dust for a generation or two but think of how cool it would be to see pictures of your great, great, great grandaddy!

I only own a small 12 megapixal Cannon and it takes awesome pictures! I keep it with me on vacation and try to capture just enough to bring back the memory. I agree with the idea of living for the moment and enjoying it w/o trying to chronical every minute but it's pretty easy to take my camera out of my pocket and take a few clicks of the Tower of Pisa or Tower Bridge or the Tower or London.

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

For me it is a no brainer. I am definitely taking my D7000. To deal with salt spray I will leave the camera in the small case I have, and take it out for pictures. This and not changing lenses outside, will protect my camera pretty good. Also mine is a weather sealed metal body so that helps a bit too.

 

[KsSteve]

We just purchased a Nikon D5100 specifically for our Alaskan cruise this summer. I love it so much more than my point and shoot. However, we will take both with us on the cruise.

 

[nikkistevej]

I take my big Canon rebel with the lenses and all- obsessed with pictures. I do try to put down the camera and see things with my eyes and not the camera lense. We also take our Fuji water camera, we can use it on the beach or pool, and not worry about it messing up, it takes pretty good pics not in the pool too. it also takes video (underwater also)which my DD loves. Either way- enjoy your cruise!!

 

[tufbuf]

I always bring my Canon 5D in all our trips. With it, I got a Leica point and shoot and an Olympus waterproof camera for water excursions. It's just me but I am not happy with the point and shoot photos when I can use my DSLR. The quality is far superior and the response so much faster. If you are going to Alaska, I suggest bringing the DSLR.

 

[Anal Annie]

Before our big trip to Europe for our Med cruise last summer I would've said YES!! Now...not so much - but it may depend on the quality of your point & shoot and your photographic ability.

I have a Canon Rebel with an 18-200 lens so it's pretty heavy / bulky. I bought a new 16 GB Compact Flash card for it before we went to Europe and fully expected that I would take the majority of our pics with this camera. We had a lot of weight restrictions on our flights (26 Lbs for a combined total on our carryons for our overhead bin bag AND our "personal article"). This crazy camera was several pounds of that! I put it into a boarding bag along with my purse for my "personal article" that went under the seat. I really stressed over the weight issues we faced too. ANYWAY, I also bought a new 8 GB SD card for my old Canon Powershot - then came to find out that the camera was too old and wouldn't take more than a 2 GB card. SOOO 2 days before we left I went out & bought a new Sony Cybershot compact with a 10x zoom and a spare rechargable battery & a case that would fit on a belt. This way we'd have 2 cameras as a fail safe. We started out at Disneyland Paris & I immediately strapped the new compact case on my belt and found it soooo convenient that it was THE ONLY CAMERA WE USED for the entire 15 days!! We took 1,700 pictures and I am sooo happy with how the majority of them turned out. It was also great in low light situations (like museums) where no flash was allowed too. The 10x zoom was also a key feature in why we only used this camera.

I feel like we got some really professional quality photographs and we will be ordering several as enlargements to frame (like 11 x 14's or 16 x 20's). I will continue to use my DSLR for things like sports photography as I NEED that speed. But for vacations like this...I'm now content with this camera.

 

[dovbniak]

To add my 2 cents:

I bring the following:

1. Small point and shoot that fits nicely in my short pocket or swim trunks pocket (in a zip lock bag when riding the AquaDuck).

2. Digital SLR with 4 lenses (macro, zoom, wide angle, and standard 50 mm)

3. HiDef Camcorder full 1080p.

I have found that using #2 and #3 are best reserved for quiet alone time during vacations. For example, I woke up at 5 am on the Dream and took my camcorder all around the ship. There was no one around.

However, when we were all together, the only camera I took was the small point and shoot. Less intrusive and allowed me to enjoy my family instead of fussing with camera equipment.

My equipment fit quite nicely in the safe your stateroom is equipped with.

 

[makaylee]

We have brought both on every cruise and will continue to do so. The point and shoot for the pool and iffy excursions and the nice one for everything else.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I bought a Sony Nex 5N just for this reason. It is a SLR and very small and light. I learned the hard way not to carry all my lenses though. I now pick one for the day and go with that.

I also bring my underwater P&S for anytime we are near water or scubaing or heading to the beach.

 

[amyren]

I take my Nikon DSLR pretty much everywhere on vacation. For me it's way more reliable than our point & shoot. On excursions DH usually takes a backpack so I put my camera bag in his bag. He just got me a new lense for Christmas but it doesn't fit in my camera bag so I'm not sure what I'll do in the future.