Camera Strategies

[ransom]

What's the best camera strategy for WDW's theme parks? Do people bring full-sized digital cameras, or is it best to stick with the little (but less powerful and featureful) ones? And what do you do with the camera when going on Splash Mountain, etc?

 

[badblackpug]

I carry my compact. I think it takes great pictures, and it is small enough to fit in my pocket. On "wet" rides it goes in a ziploc in the backpack.

 

[ransom]

I carry my compact. I think it takes great pictures, and it is small enough to fit in my pocket. On "wet" rides it goes in a ziploc in the backpack.

I'm surprised you take your backpack on rides. Do most people do that at WDW?

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

I'm surprised you take your backpack on rides. Do most people do that at WDW?

We do. No place to really leave it unless one of the adults decides to sit one out. In which case, the backpack stays with the non-riding adult. On the camera question, I've had good luck with a compact digital. Only had one instance where I wish I had had my 8x optical zoom digital camera, and that was trying to snap a close-up of DM and DDs on splash mountain.

 

[ransom]

We do. No place to really leave it unless one of the adults decides to sit one out. In which case, the backpack stays with the non-riding adult.

Huh. So, where do you put it on the ride when you're riding, say, Rock 'n Roller Coaster or one of the other fast rides with harnesses?


-Joe

 

[DisneyLover1091]

I bring a digital camera in a case that came with the camera. I strap it on me for every ride. Though, on the rides that my mom or dad don't go on I will just give it to them.

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

We have neck injuries in the family, so most of the time one of us is sitting out. We've done TMRR with the pack wedged behind our legs. The compact digital has been in a case with a belt loop.

 

[01Sweetpea]

Huh. So, where do you put it on the ride when you're riding, say, Rock 'n Roller Coaster or one of the other fast rides with harnesses?


-Joe

Went we went in 2004 and I had the backpack, I put it on the floor, put on of my feet thru the straps, and sorts stepped on a part of the bag that was empty.

 

[Jackmonkey]

I found a camera bag that will carry all my lenses (but I will probably only cart around 1 lens), memory cards, & batteries in a bottom, water resistant section, and has room up top to be a small backpack. Even has little nets on the sides for water bottles. I found it at Circuit City, but I have seen others like it around.

One bit of warning: Do not, under any circumstances pack a digital camera in your checked luggage. Something about the screening process can fry the camera. A friend of mine learned that one the hard way.

 

[CrazyforDisney]

Personally, we take our digital camera. It is about 3 by 5 and fits very well into a belt pack. Take a ziplock baggie with you. Put the camera in the ziplock baggie when you go on splash mountain or any other water rides.

 

[caegan]

I also put a small digital camera in a zip lock baggie that goes in my hip pack. That being said, I really wanted to take a picture at the very top of the hill of Splash Mountain, right before the big drop. I rode it once -- I was in the very front seat -- and then going down the big drop I put my hands between my knees as far forward as the log would let me, and they stayed dry! The next time I rode I took my picture and put the camera in the same place -- it worked like a charm.

 

[kkevcamsmom]

We have this one, Olympus SP-500 UZ (love it!!!) and we are looking at getting the Olympus Stylus 800 for DD15 to cart around with her. We need to find Ziplocks big enough for the SP though!

We are heading for an amusement this weekend, so I need to grab something at the store today!

Our last camera was a Kodak easy shot (or dock I can't remember) and we just put it in a reg. ziplock.

Lori

 

[ransom]

Okay, so I should get a small camera on the order of the Canon Digital Elph, bring a zip-lock baggie and a hip pack, and I'll be all set! Oh, and bring it as a carry-on (if you still can at that point...no liquids any more...what's next?).

To everyone who responded: Thank you for all your advice!

 

[Snork]

Great thread. My wife always lugs around her Canon Digital Rebel XT in a shoulder hung pack, and that thing gets really heavy by the end of the night. Also, we have never done any wet rides because of the camera. On rides she wears the bag around her shoulders. It's a drag.

However I talked her into getting a point and shoot digital camera. Its a 10mp Olympis. The thing is like 3"x5" and imho takes better pictures then the XT. Now she willl be using that on all the days we are there except for one day at MK. I will take everyones advice and bring zip lock bags with us to keep things dry though. Thanks everyone.

 

[ssleblanc]

I am bringing my Canon Powershot A85 - it's a point & shoot.

I have a Canon IS S2 with a lens adapter, filters, larger lenses, etc. But it can be heavier and bulky to carry around with the attachments. One thing I like about it is that I can close the flash and not have it go off automatically because the camera reset itself after "falling asleep". I'm always worried about that with the point & shoot. I'll just have to be really careful.

My point & shoot will fit into a ziplock bag and will go in my baggalini for the rides.

 

[hansel1]

We took a 2.0 megapixel sony cybershot-U.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0305/03052801sonydscu30u60.asp

it's the silver camera on the left. We loved it the dimension are very small. Smaller than most cell phones. It took beautiful pictures all over the park with the exception of night pictures. I thought 2.0 megapixels would not be enough, but we printed pictures on our HP printer and you can't tell the difference. Now, if you wanted to blow them up, of course you would start to see a difference.

We took over 200+ pictures with that thing and carried it in our fanny pack. Ziplocked while going on "wet" rides, etc.