Cameras

[mcmac4]

We finally invested in a Nikon camera a year ago. My husband and I want to take great pictures at Disneyland, but I don't think it's worth taking this camera - too bulky, 2 lenses to worry about, and most of all....TOO HEAVY!!!! We went to play in the snow last month, and my husband was tired of carrying the camera in less than an hour - I told him this is practice for Disneyland I told him we have a teenager and a preteen, and we need to buy an umbrella stroller just to carry the camera. I am NOT going to carry it! I want to buy a point and shoot, and he said he doesn't want to buy one of those after we already spent the money on this nice camera.....so, I'm putting him in charge of the camera - 5 days in the park/10-12 hours a day. I want to PLAY and take advantage of the Photopass again.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We finally invested in a Nikon camera a year ago. My husband and I want to take great pictures at Disneyland, but I don't think it's worth taking this camera - too bulky, 2 lenses to worry about, and most of all....TOO HEAVY!!!! We went to play in the snow last month, and my husband was tired of carrying the camera in less than an hour - I told him this is practice for Disneyland I told him we have a teenager and a preteen, and we need to buy an umbrella stroller just to carry the camera. I am NOT going to carry it! I want to buy a point and shoot, and he said he doesn't want to buy one of those after we already spent the money on this nice camera.....so, I'm putting him in charge of the camera - 5 days in the park/10-12 hours a day. I want to PLAY and take advantage of the Photopass again.

I take mine to the park every day along with a medium size zoom lens, I do not use the others for walk around photograpy. I also have a very small movie camera and a point and shoot I keep in my pocket. Probably a bit excessive, but I get the photo's I think I need.

Jack

 

[Bungle]

I have a nikon too, and while I agree it is a heavy camera I will be lugging ours along. I'll also be bringing a small point a shoot. I will use the point and shoot most of the time but still bring the nikon out when I know I will be wanting to get some great pictures, like special meals and character meets.

I really make my husband carry it most of the time though

 

[ladeeesquire]

I use a canon but I get your issue.

fwiw, I take my little pocket camera when I go to the parks. Its a fairly high quality one and takes very good pix. Not as good as my "big" camera but I find that with my pocket camera I have it with me always and will take more random pix of my dd, age 3, in line or just being silly or whatever. I wouldn't want to have to deal with the big camera--or multiple lenses-- on rides and such. Too much trouble for me. I'd probably get tired of dragging it around pretty quickly, wouldn't feel like dragging it out of the backpack or whatever and so might miss a great shot because of inconvenience.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I would suggest finding a really comfy camera bag, or something similar that has padding that can be used for the same purpose. I tend to be a photo geek, and take my Sony DSCH50 with me everywhere I go, as I'm a photo geek. It's worth the extra effort to take the camera, as you will be able to take alot better quality pics than with a standard point and shoot camera. I take mine everywhere, as I've got a non regulation case that doubles for my camera bag, and is alot more comfortable than my main camera bag. It kept my camera dry after 3 back to back rides on GRR.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

I would suggest finding a really comfy camera bag, or something similar that has padding that can be used for the same purpose. I tend to be a photo geek, and take my Sony DSCH50 with me everywhere I go, as I'm a photo geek. It's worth the extra effort to take the camera, as you will be able to take alot better quality pics than with a standard point and shoot camera. I take mine everywhere, as I've got a non regulation case that doubles for my camera bag, and is alot more comfortable than my main camera bag. It kept my camera dry after 3 back to back rides on GRR.

I agree with this we bought a backpack meant to hold laptops that was both padded and waterproof to carry our DSLR and Video Camera worked great.

 

[blabbermouth]

When we bought a new camera a year ago we really hemmed and hawwed over whether we should get a DSLR or not. Ultimately we decided we'd be too lazy to carry something massive around, so we got a more sophisticated point and shoot that had a lot more customizations than just Auto!

We got a Canon SX110is and we love it. It takes much better photos than our old cheap point and shoot, and while it is slightly larger, it can still fit in to a small park bag. I think the newest version is the 130is and it's supposed to be great too!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Angel Ariel]

We use this backpack to carry our Canon XSi around the parks. It fits the camera (with the 18-55 lens attached), with a 50mm lens and 70-300mm lens very easily. It has easy access to the camera section, and has enough room in the top section to put wallets, a point and shoot, small sunscreen...any smaller things we would carry around the park. It also has 2 mesh pockets (one on each side) that can hold water bottles/drinks.

It's lightweight, and smaller than a normal backpack - so it's easy for both of us to carry. We generally share the weight throughout the day. Last trip we carried it virtually every day, and I think we both agreed we aren't going to do that again. We recently bought a new, better quality P&S than our previous P&S that we feel confident taking great pictures with as well. So now we'll choose a day or so to carry the DSLR and get the pictures we can't get with the P&S (think fireworks, dark rides, etc). The rest of the time we'll carry the P&S and leave the DSLR at the hotel.

 

[MichelleVW]

I could never go to the park without my dslr, but I am crazy into photography and would be miserable without my camera there.

I just toss it over my shoulder and put the extra lens in my small backpack and it doesn't bother me a bit. I have had nightmares that I have been to Disney without my camera and it's horrible for me! But I know everyone isn't as crazy as I am!

 

[vew-tori]

We have a canon and I would never go to Disney without it. We do have a great camera backback and I confess DH carries it most of the time but I usually carry the camera on my shoulder and only put it in the bag for water rides. We also have a small waterproof point and shoot. DH bought it just so he could get pics coming down Splash Mountain . Gotta a love a man who will go to the extreme for the pic!

I love having 2 cameras there. It just gives me more choices for scrapbooking .

 

[Disneyland 1951]

I seldom take my Nikon DSLR as it is just too big (and now old?) Two years ago I purchased a small Canon SD1100 that fits into my pocket along with a cell phone, and costs only about $200. It works well, it just is not as fast and doesn't have the resolving power of a good DSLR.

However, It takes very usable photos that have been used by others,
including this weeks Micechat update on the Miceage site.
http://miceage.micechat.com/mc/mc021611a.htm

Here are examples of some:

A Rainbow in February

Auora watching little girls mob Tiana on the 55th anniversery, when no one was paying any attention to her.

GLOWFEST Dance along

And even shoots nice video (Not HD, but better than most)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN9pMLIkXIU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfw4ivW8kPw

Because I have been so pleased with the Canon point & shoot, I broke down and placed my order for a new Canon T3i DSLR.

If you can afford $250 extra, a small Canon P&S that does video would be a good substitute for the DSLR. Or I would bring the DSLR, but only carry it with one lens (Widest angle zoom).

 

[taaren]

If you don't want to carry it every day, why don't you just plan on bringing it one day, perhaps the second or third park day, and get all your desired shots in then (ie, have to do family in front of the castle, favorite ride, special spots). Then on the other days you could just take a smaller, lighter pocket camera to get the spontaneous photos (I use my phone camera for most photos throughout the trip/get Photopass ones at the same time just in case, then just take my Canon in when we are doing the Character stuff and try to get the posed stuff in on that day). On the other days just keep it in the room safe perhaps?

 

[mhconley]

My mantra for the parks is pack light; I get by with pockets and my indispensable little fanny pack. (Fashion police be darned.) I am an avid photographer but have and would never carry my DSLR in the parks. I always carry a good point-and-shoot. I purchased a Sony Cyber-shot W350 last summer and it takes fantastic pictures.

Martin

 

[MichelleVW]

We have a canon and I would never go to Disney without it. We do have a great camera backback and I confess DH carries it most of the time but I usually carry the camera on my shoulder and only put it in the bag for water rides. We also have a small waterproof point and shoot. DH bought it just so he could get pics coming down Splash Mountain . Gotta a love a man who will go to the extreme for the pic!

I love having 2 cameras there. It just gives me more choices for scrapbooking .

I've always told people that if I couldn't bring my camera to Disney then I just wouldn't go!

 

[DisSarahK]

We brought our Canon DSLR (and one lens) into the park on every day of each of our last two trips. Typically I carried the camera and my husband carried the backpack. I thought that was a fair trade off, LOL!

However, while taking pictures of the Pixar Play Parade, Woody got a direct hit on my camera with a water gun. Ack! He wasn't aiming for me--just spraying at the crowd and I didn't duck behind my husband in time. Anyhow, that was the start of many error messages on my camera and I lost the ability to use my onboard flash for the remainder of the trip.

This won't stop me from taking my new DLSR on our next DL trip though!

 

[Lasty K]

I recently purchased a Canon EOS XT and can't wait to put it to use at Disneyland soon. I'm sure it'll bug me a little bit, but the pictures captured should make up for it.

For those of you who are looking to buy a new slim camera and want DSLR performance, check out the Sony aNEX-3 digicam lines. They're pretty slim, capture 720P HD video, and has the ability to swap out lens kits.

 

[Funball]

i always take my nikon L22, it's a point and shoot but it works great! and it's easy to carry around!

 

[tanyaewa]

I brought my DSLR on 2 of 5 days & the point & shoot the other days.
That way I got some amazing shots but was always ready for character encounters