camera at Disney

[ougrad86]

Thought I would ask those in the know. I am looking to get a new digital camera (finally retiring my film camera) and I have more or less narrowed it down to a Canon, but now concerned about the zoom and the lens.

Based on experience, what sort of zoom do you "need" at Disney? I am more into the scenery, with my family somewhere in the frame sometimes. Doing fireworks and Spectromagic as well. Most of what I see is 4X, DH is saying I should have a really large zoom but then I get out of the compact easy-to-carry range, and I just want a small point-and-shoot with easy settings.

Also, has anyone had trouble with lens getting scratched when the camera is shoved into a purse or pocket? None of them seem to have lens caps.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zackiedawg]

First off, if you are coming into digital for the first time, and don't sound like a professional SLR style person, I would have to strongly recommend getting an ultra-zoom type camera. While not quite as compact as a slim little ultra-compact, they are still plenty small enough nowadays to wedge into a purse or small bag...and the versatility they provide is just about perfect for a first-timer. There are mini-DSLR style ultrazooms, with bigger grips and protruding lenses that are bulkier but have more range (you may not want these types if portability is high on your list), and there are compact ultrazooms that have 10x to 15x zooms on slim bodies that are no larger than a standard rectangular compact when turned off - the lens pops out to extended position when powered on. These might be a good pick for you.

Now...Canon makes some great cams - ones that might fit into this description for you would be the SX110 (10x) and SX200 (12x). However, I'd strongly encourage you just for your own sake to look around at other brands - there's really no particular reason to limit your choices because there are plenty of excellent cameras out there to choose from, and ergonomics/price/design/features are all so personal, that you might find you like another design better. Casio has a brand-new, just announced compact superzoom, the EX-H10, with a 12x zoom. Check out Panasonic's Lumix TZ6 and TZ7, both with 12x zooms, and Sony's H10, with a 10x zoom. They're all equal performers in nearly all situations...with very similar specs. If you really want to limit yourself to just one name brand...you'll still get a great camera...but you might miss out on one that you really would have loved, or would have been more comfortable to hold. Just my opinion!

Also, don't just look at the multiplication factor of the zoom - look at the actual focal range which is very important to get a versatile camera. You can get a 10x camera that has a longer reach than a 12x camera, for example. The most important number is the wide angle that the camera starts from. Wide angles are very useful for details, closeups, buildings, etc where you want to fit in as much as possible without cutting off the ends. Many compacts start at a fairly average 36mm...not very wide. A 10x lens on a 36mm base means you will reach out to 360mm (10 x 36). A camera that has a 12x zoom on a 28mm base means you'll reach out to 336mm (12 x 36). The 10x actually reaches farther...but at the same time, has a less useful wide end. You want to look for lenses with maximum verstility and range - I'd recommend getting a big-zoom camera that starts at least around 28mm, and has 10x or 12x of reach. This should give you the best of both worlds. The Canon SX200 starts at 28mm with 12x zoom bringing the telephoto end to 336mm. The afformentioned Casio EXH10 starts at a rather amazing 24mm and has a 10x zoom for 240mm at the telephoto end. Panasonic's TZ6 and TZ7 have a very good range of 25mm wide with 12x zoom to 100mm telephoto. Just a few ideas!

As for scratching and such - many of the cameras actually DO have lens caps - but they're built in. Usually, the lens will retract into the body, and a metal cover will slide into place when the camera is turned off. I'd make sure you get a camera that does cover the lens if you intend to be tossing it in a purse. It might be a good idea to give the camera its own little case as well - even just a soft drawstring jewelry bag or something - so it isn't collecting all of the dust and bits and scratches that can be hiding in a purse.

 

[LaurieN]

I'm glad I found this thread however I'm really confused
After reading the PP (which was like another language to me) I'm not sure I've made the right choice with the camera I've recently purchased.
I decided to upgrade to a better point and shoot (I wouldn't know where to begin with an SLR) I got the canon SX10. It seems to have a lot of features (none of which I know how to use yet) that I hope to master by time my trip comes around in Nov.
So, I guess my question to the experts is: Do you think this is a good choice for Disney or should I just go with a more compact one?
Thanks and sorry for hijacking this thread
Laurie

 

[EnnEss]

I have to take the opposite tact ougrad86 than the previous poster, although all their points are correct. You sound much like my gf.

She wants a camera that takes good pictures, not amazing, and is easy to carry (When i say not amazing, there are still really good, particularly compared to film cameras on the whole). She tried a larger one for awhile and ended up disliking it. I personally really dont like the ultra zooms, you get all the added weight and bulkiness of a DSLR and not all the benefits.

Compact cameras are great. 4x zoom is also plenty. I have a DSLR and a compact camera. At disney wanting more than 4x zoom is really rare. Even maxing out to 4x zoom is rare there unless you're spending time taking extremely artistic shots and then you want a DSLR. I have thousands of pictures with both, and the compact ones are still great. They aren't as good obviously, but they are still great. I really like the olympus waterproof camera, but my last two point and shoots were canon. All these were taken with a Canon point and shoot but the selectoin of pictures is random, I just used photobucket to show someone some pictures, they arent a selection of the best, just showing specific things,anyways, you can see SOME examples at least. http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj207/Solz20/Disney/?start=0
I like the canon SD890IS and the olympus stylus 1050 SW which i really like because its waterproof to 10 feet which is fun for things like waterparks or the ocean, swimming pools etc.

This is going to be a personal preference thing really. Do you want something you can carry in your pocket and barely notice its there, or something around your neck or in a bag on your shoulder. I carry a DSLR to lots of odd places, not just on vacation but when hanging out with friends, so im not averse to it. But I know a lot are. My gf didnt even want something big in her purse.

Oh, the lenses, they dont scratch, they have automatic lens covers when they close, all point and shoots do pretty much.

Laurie, I had an older model of that camera and learned to use it on a Disney trip. I later upgraded to a DSLR. I really liked that camera but I ended up regretting the purchase because I really wanted what a DSLR could offer and when I bought the version of the camera you had it was not cheap at all. I really liked all the extra features on the camera though, I just ended up wanting more. It was still good for 2 years for me though, so I did get my money out of it. I don't mind carrying cameras around. I often now carry my DSLR in my hand for hours on end, I dont even notice it. Everyone is different though in that regard. I think the way to tell is think about going out and bringing your camera. If you think oh i dont want to carry it, maybe it's too big because if you dont bring it you will have no pictures obviously. If you think oh its worth it for the flexibility in picture taking and the fun I have learning photography and etc, its probably worth it.