Camera Recommendations for WDW

[DisneyChristian]

We are going to WDW in December for Christmas. I would love to get some great pictures this time. Last year when we went in October, our current camera a FujiFiml Finepix z20 fd 10 MP took some very grainy and blurry pictures when it was dark out or on dark rides. I would like to get a P & S digital camera under $200 that will take very nice pictures in the dark and on dark rides and isn't too big and cumbersome to comfortably carry around the parks. I really don't want any more of these grainy pictures or blurry pictures. We want to get some great pictures of the Christmas decoration and lights too. Any recommendations from the photography experts?

Thanks so much!!

 

[Frantasmic]

Unfortunately, there really isn't a point and shoot that meets your requirements. Point and shoots have smaller sensors, apertures that don't let in enough light in low-light situations, and not enough ISO sensitivity to take really good pictures of what you lacked during your last trip.

To take some decent pictures in the conditions you describe, you'd need to get a dslr, some good lenses, and have some practice.

You have a few options that might do better than last year you could check out.

Get the Canon G10, shoot in RAW, and you might get better results.

Try some of the Nikon's that are newer and advertise better low-light picture taking capability.

Look at the new Casio camera that takes several hundred frames per second and you might get some stills you like (however, I've heard that these new cameras aren't that much better in low light).

With the exception of the newer Nikon's advertising low-light capability, however, all the options are more than $200.

Additionally, for STILL shots in the dark (lights and displays), your existing camera should work well enough with a tripod on extended exposure via your shutter mode.

 

[ukcatfan]

I second that opinion. Well said.

 

[zackiedawg]

As the others mentioned, unfortunately your wished-for camera is a fantasy for many - but doesn't exist. You simply cannot get good indoor shots on the moving dark rides with a P&S camera. Even folks with expensive DSLRs struggle to get shots like that, cranking up to ISO3200-6400 and using expensive fast prime lenses.

Though you'll hear many including myself tell amateur shooters that a DSLR is not a miracle cure to great photos, a good photographer can take good photos with ANY camera (still true), and a bad photographer can take bad photos with a good camera...you've unfortunately gone across the line where even a good photographer would need a better camera to get good shots. Low light with frozen motion is the single hardest category of photography to capture.

That said...there may well be P&S models that can do better than others - and you may be able to improve your results in some low light situations that are not quite as challenging as rides. But price will be your biggest challenge.

The Panasonic LX3 is a much better low light performer than other compacts, as it has a larger sensor...but it's a pricier camera. The Fuji F200EXR also does a bit better than some of its competitors, and it is a reasonably priced camera to boot. It won't be getting clear shots on Pirates of the Caribbean, but can shoot at ISO400 or even 800 in a pinch and still give respectable results.

Sony has a new camera coming out which was just announced that looks promising to do better than many competitors in low light - it has two advantages not often found on pocket cameras: 1. A brand new backlit sensor which claims to gain at least 1 stop advantage in low light situations, and from the samples seems to perform quite respectably even at ISO1600. And 2. A fast lens, at F2.4...which is a good stop or three better than the lenses on most compact pocket cams. So you could feasably gain as much as 3-4 stops of sensitivity over other pocket cams, if it lives up to promises. It's called the WX1, and should be coming out in the next few days or weeks.

Also, a few older Fujis were very advanced for their time and were far ahead of most competitors in low light - if you can find one used, it might be worth picking up. The F20 & F30 models were capable of shooting quite cleanly at ISO800, and even by today's standards are a good measure above most compact cameras in lower light. They are quite desirable on the used market though, so it may be hard to find one.

 

[DisneyChristian]

Great advice so far. Thank You for all the help. So basically it isn't that our FujiFilm Finepix z20 fd digital camera is a bad camera, it is just that no P & S digital cameras take very good pictures at night or on dark rides. We got a few nice shots in the dark of the castle lit up and a couple shot on some dark rides that came out nice too but the case ended up being like 1 good picture for every 5 pictures taken and that may be on the high side. I heard from a couple people that kodak and cannon both have models that work well in the dark is that true?

would walmart carry the Panasonic LX3, the Sony WX1, or the low light sensitive Nikons?

 

[zackiedawg]

Great advice so far. Thank You for all the help. So basically it isn't that our FujiFilm Finepix z20 fd digital camera is a bad camera, it is just that no P & S digital cameras take very good pictures at night or on dark rides.

Basically, correct. Though one caveat to that was one brought up by another poster - that 'night shots' can actually come out great even with your camera if you use the right technique. It's the 'dark ride' photos that P&S cameras can't do. Basically, any nighttime or dark place where you are trying to take a photo while moving, or of a moving subject, is not possible with the P&S without very grainy, blurred results. A camera requires a fast shutter speed to photograph something moving...but requires a slow shutter speed to capture light in a dark environment. Therein lies the problem - the shutter can't be both, so it has to choose fast or slow. If the shutter is fast, the scene will be far too dark or very noisy and grainy from cranking up the sensitivity or ISO. If the shutter is slow, then anything in motion is going to be a blur.

However, night shots taken of landscapes, buildings, or scenery don't have to worry as much about a moving subject...you can set the shutter speed very slow, and let the camera pull in as much light as possible to expose the scene. In order to take nice night shots, you'd want to set your camera's ISO setting to a lower number, like 80, 100, or 200 at the most. Then, either use the 'night scene' mode or Auto mode (you don't have manual controls with your camera), just put the camera on a tripod or lay it down on a nice, flat surface like a wall or garbage can. Set the self timer to take the photo, then line up the shot, press the shutter, and then don't touch the camera or the base it's sitting on. When the timer is up, it will take the photo - it may take several seconds, so don't touch the camera until the LCD returns to normal shooting mode. Your current Fuji is capable of taking nice night shots using this method.

I heard from a couple people that kodak and cannon both have models that work well in the dark is that true?

Actually, not particularly. In the compact P&S arena, those two manufacturers are not really class leaders in low light situations. They aren't any worse than any other P&S, but not better either. Canon does have a model or two that are considered 'advanced' P&S models - such as the G10 - which have larger sensors and manual controls. But this model is not only more expensive, but much larger than the typical pocket camera.

would walmart carry the Panasonic LX3, the Sony WX1, or the low light sensitive Nikons?

I would think the Sony & Nikon models would be at a Walmart at some point - they are standard mid-range P&S models, compact and pocketable, and reasonably priced, so they will likely be commonly available at many locations. I think you'd have the best chance with the Fuji F200EXR & Sony WX1 at this point of the new compact pocketable models with slightly better low light capability...Nikon's compact range is not especially capable in that regard, any more than any other model.

The panasonic LX3 I'm not sure would be available at Walmart. This is a more expensive and much higher-end camera - though compact, it is definitely in another class from the standard compact P&S models, with a larger sensor, manual controls, and very nice lens. It can be found at plenty of online retailers, and likely some dedicated camera stores or high end electronic big-box stores...not sure about Walmart though.

 

[DisneyChristian]

Thank you! I will try to keep a look out for those camera's at my local walmart.