camera question-to take or not to take?

[happy.family.of.6]

I would love to take my Canon Rebel Xti, but I have a couple of concerns. One, I am worried about the weight of carrying it all day-if I took it, I'm thinking there are two lens' I will feel I have to have..... Two, I'm worried about riding rides with it....where would I leave it so it wouldnt get stolen/damaged. There is a possiblity that my mom or whoever stays with the youngest rider can watch it on big rides, but what about rides we can all ride, or if we split up? Have any of you taken your Dslr and still had an enjoyable time? Or would you say the fab pics arent worth it and only take our point and shoot? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

We leave Saturday morning!!!

 

[AKADrea]

for us, wrangling the 3 kids/strollers, etc, we decided to just take the point and shoot. I would be heartbroken if something happened to my good camera. BUT, I did see a lot of people toting around they're DSLR's. I guess it's really a personal choice and what matters most to you. I wanted to focus more on actually DOING things instead of trying to capture them on film. (I also took full use of the photopass photographers to capture the character greetings, etc) If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been in any of the pictures!

 

[DisneyFamily123]

Last Oct., I bought one of the smaller Canon cameras with image stabalization. The zoom was sufficient. No bigger than a wallet. It worked great! I shot full length videos, took tons of great pictures. It holds high-capacity memory cards, and I used a different card each day to avoid the risk of losing the camera and a whole week's worth of photos. Lots of cast members will take photos for you and plenty of stuff to use as a makeshift tripod. Unless you really plan on major zooming, I'd see no need. I also take an older spare point and shoot camera just in case I accidentally break or lose my preferred one.

 

[MainStreetMania]

We took a small 100.00 Camera from Kodak. It worked great with the 9 megapixel. Remember there is also Photo Pass and Cel Phone camera. Our kids took a bunch with there cel phones when they were out on there own and they are some of the best pictures from our trip

 

[ncmomof2]

I took both my SLR and point and shoot. I figured I would take the SLR a few days and the smaller one the others. I ended up taking the SLR everyday because it was not a pain to carry around and the pictures were so much better. I did bring the little one as well for short videos. I guess it is a personal thing but I did not find it too much to carry around. Even with four kids in tow, including a 5 month old!

 

[kokotg]

I've taken my Rebel xt on 4 Disney trips so far, and never had any problems. I take it on most of the rides with me. I'm so used to hauling it around with me places that I hardly even notice it anymore. I mostly just leave it around my neck, and then I stick it in a backpack if it's going to be in the way. You can bring a backpack on the vast majority of rides, so if you have someone to hold onto it for you on the rare occasions when you can't bring it along, it should be fine.

 

[cogero]

I always say I am going to leave the SLR at home but we never do. We just like the quality of pictures so much more and the lack of shutter lag. It is a personal choice though.

 

[MissionMouse]

The Rebel is actually a pretty light DSLR and travels easily. I hope you have a camera case or at least a small camera bag. This provides the protection and hopefully the bag also has a rain cover. The electronics and lenses are the key items that allow you to shoot in low or mixed lighting situations providing the edge over lower tier cameras. On a few occasions I would leave the DSLRs behind and use a point and shoot knowing I would not be taking any low or mixed lighting shots. It was nice to travel light on occasionally. Otherwise I took my Nikon DSLRs with a few lenses...they weigh more than a Rebel.

 

[bear_mom]

We typically take both, there are situations where the DSLR just does a better job. I will carry my DSLR the parks on a few certain days and other days we just use the point and shoot. I have a backpack for my DSLR that I put it in some of the rides - others I have it out trying to shoot pictures (without flash of course ).

I have some pretty good pictures of the night shows that I don't think I would have gotten with the point and shoot.

Emily

 

[happy.family.of.6]

Thanks all! I've decided to take it-we are actually going to take both. I know I would regret not taking it. No camera compares to the quality Dslr's take.

 

[mouselovr]

Wouldn't leave home without it! And I have the old model that is a little heavier than most! Have fun and enjoy the pics!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I took my dSLR last spring and I wouldn't have done anything different.

If you decide to go that route, try to narrow down your lens choice. Hauling two lenses really isn't necessary. Go wide. =)

If you take your dSLR pack a gallon ziplock bag for those pesky pop-up showers.

 

[tchrrx]

We took our small camera with us daily. DH took his large one with the lens' a couple of days. He kind of gauged based on what we'd be doing each day & which things he knew he'd want great pics of. I bought him a small sling-style camera backpack. It was heavy, but also very supportive so that the camera weight wasn't just on one shoulder.

 

[eccobleu]

I took my Canon XSi last month, and bought a Lowepro fastpack 100 to carry it around in. I carried it to the parks every day for 8 days and had no issues. It also went on every ride that I went on: EE, RnR, etc., with no problems.

HTH

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I have seen some pics from the Rebel--AMAZING PICS!! DO NOT LEAVE IT IN YOUR STROLLER--TAKE IT WITH AT ALL TIMES!! My Dad just the Rebel Xs-i with the 2 lens and I would love to take it with me, but I know better-- I will get calls ever 5 minutes--is it with you, caring for it ok?? I don't blame him though, but neighbor took hers and loved the pics she got--had it in her camera bag- when pushing the stroller and with her when stopped.

 

[MissionWDW]

I had the same issue this time. I also have a Canon Rebel XTi. I didn't want it to get messed up (my best friend and MIL broke their good cameras at Disney). I decided I will take it, but I also bought a small point and shoot waterproof Fuji. I figured the kids will have fun taking pics in the pool and at the waterpark with it. I guess I will decide if I want to take it to the parks when I get down there. I also have my video cam...but I don't know what to do about that. The new point and shoot does take pretty good video clips. I guess I will just wing it when I get there...lol. My MIL will also be there...she is a professional photographer and is planning on taking her 40D and her small point and shoot. So hopefully between the two of us we will have some good pics. BTW....my husband doesn't ride the "big kid" rides...so he will be my bag/camera/stroller watcher. For shows or rides we get on, I will just take the camera bag in with me. A PITB....but better than get lost/stolen.

 

[KelseyLaPerle]

I took my dSLR last spring and I wouldn't have done anything different.

If you decide to go that route, try to narrow down your lens choice. Hauling two lenses really isn't necessary. Go wide. =)

If you take your dSLR pack a gallon ziplock bag for those pesky pop-up showers.

Which lens do you recommend (for best use if I don't want to carry two)? I have a 18-55mm (the one that came standard with my Nikon D3000) or a 55-200mm. Is the "bigger" one going to be good? I just don't know how close I'll be to things - I've never been to Disney with kids before!
Thank you!

 

[Indiana Joyce]

I have a nice SLR camera. I am kinda snooty about photos anyway. I am not spending all the money on a nice vacation to take so so pictures. We have a backpack we bought that was made for cameras. It's super easy to pack around and ride rides. I say take the nice camera! If you tote it around a day or two and hate it...then you can leave it at the hotel the rest of the trip!

 

[jenseib]

I took my rebel the last 2 trips along with my point and shoot. Somedays I broguth the rebel to th parks and others the point and shoot. I really wish I just shot all with the Rebel. My rebel has sence broke and it would cost me $250 to repair it so I got a 50D. I still have the rebel and am debating on wether to eventually spend that money and fix it so I can use it as my vacation camera. I hate flash pictures, so using an SLR works so much better in restaurants.

 

[jenseib]

I also wanted to comment that I have a Canon backpack for my camera. I take my equiptment down on the plane in it, but to mee it's not great to take to the park. It's heavy with all the lenses for one thing and I don't need them all at the park. I bring a smaller bag to the park for my camera. Something thats easier to get it in and out when I need to. I only bring one lens to the park usually, sometimes two. My bag was just a freebie I got with some other stuff one time, and it's kind of crappy. I have decided to get a nicer one that I can fit money and stuff in and then go without a purse next trip.