Carrying my camera!

[ut_dentist]

We are making our first trip to WDW in May 2005. I have a Cannon Rebel camera and want to use it at least part of the time for photos. I'm planning on using a backpack to carry it. Does anyone have any advice on carrying and using a large camera at the parks?

 

[jlovesee]

Ew Evil Cannon....

Anyway My husband and I shoot for Theme Parks Magazine and have tons of experience carrying cameras (Nikon D100 and a larger Nikon Coolpix plus lenses) around parks all day, its a good workout I'll tell you that.

First, probably not a good idea to take it on roller coasters, and stuff, what we usually do is carry it around for a couple of hours and then take it back to the car (trunk) after that. Otherwise you will be breaking your back no matter what. Also don't worry about all the lenses, bring the smallest lense you have and only that and one or two batteries. Probably a good idea to invest if you dont have one, a comfortable, chest strap camera bag (one that will wrap diag across but will also be comfortable on a shoulder). I honestly right now am at work and can't think of the brand we use, but will post later because they are not to expensive and very comfortable.

If you dont want to do a bag, then get a comfortable strap, the plush, black camera straps you can get at almost any camera store (Ritz Camera, etc) are much MUCH better then the standard one's that Nikon/Canon gives you. TRUST ME THE $20 is WORTH IT.

If you want to ditch the camera bag make sure you wear something with pockets. Usually what I do is, ditch the camera bag, take the camera, and a couple of batteries with me, (I also have one 500 MB card so I dont have to change that), and stuff the small stuff in my pockets (with baggies!), If you have cargo pants/shorts they work very well, anything with pockets is ok though.

One last thought... bring a disposable camera with you if you want to have photos after you dump the bag of bricks .... excuse me CAMERAS off at your car. Sometimes this might even be a better option to trade off a whole day with. You know one day Cannon next day light disposable. I love my Nikon but disposables are worth there lack of weight in gold and now quality is pretty good. Fuji's are cheap, quality options. No matter what get these before you go, Disney marks them up bad, actually all parks do this.



Enjoy your trip!

Jennifer

 

[dcg0317]

I know you said you are planning on useing a backpack to carry your camera but is it desgined for carrying a camera? I bought a nice one from Tamrac, model #5746, it is a small like backpack that can be swung to the front of you to get at the camera very easy, it's the right size for me, I have a KM A2 which fits nice in it and well padded, and room for accessories, they make different sizes of this model and other types of camera bags as well. Here is a link to there site.
http://www.tamrac.com/

 

[Amirah95]

We have a Sony Cybershot digital camera and a Canon video camera and they both came with small padded leather bags. We take it on coasters and everywhere we go. Before we get on water rides we put them in little zip lock baggies and then into thier bags and then we're set. We put the cameras back into the big bag in the trunk when we're done for the day. We take our camera everywhere we go and we haven't broken one yet.

 

[jlovesee]

Tamrac is the name of the camera bag that I use... So I concur. Your probably safe on most Disney rides (except a very few) with your camera, Im just a freakzoid with mine Just make sure if you go on a water ride to have baggies, and a plastic bag (you can usually get these from a gift shop if you forget). Im thinking probably to avoid Splash Mountain though, you can REALLY REALLY get soaked on that.

Jennifer

 

[daddyscooltv]

This is what I do, I also shoot a Nikon D100 with the mb-100 battery pack on the bottom. What I usually do is just take 1 wide angle zoom with me I use the 24-120 and my sb-800 flash. A lens in that zoom range you will be able to take just about anything you would want to take at most of the parks since most of the shots at the parks are of characters and wide angle landscape shots. As far as the flash you need a good flash to get the character shots. I agree with wear something with alot of pockets for your batteries and memory cards. I always carry extra batteries for my flash and an extra memory card. When we go to aniamal kingdom I take my 24-120 and my 80-400 lens also that way I can get some closeups of the animals but that is the only time I carry more than 1 lens. I would sugest that you stay away from a camera bag or backpack because you can bet on it that when the camera is in the bag is when you will need it for that 1 and only special shot. On the days that I don't want to LUG around a Real camera we take my wifes coolpik 4300. The smaller point and shoots cameras are nice and small and don't weight anything that way you will always have a camera with you.

Ok sorry to ramble on about cameras but thats my hobby hope I have helped some.

http://www.pbase.com/daddyscooltv/mvmcp


Thanks for listening,
Chris

 

[Cherb]

Have a look at this site.... lots of professional and amateur reviews of camera back packs of all sizes...

http://www.pcphotoreview.com/Backpacks/PLS_3139_760crx.aspx

I'm personally looking to purchase a Lowepro Micro Trekker 200 which should suffice for digital camera, DV camcorder, and a few essentials such as water and sunscreen for the family.

 

[lulu71]

I use a Nikon 5400 and it looks to be about the same size as the Canon Rebel, but I'm not sure. I have a small Eddie Bauer backpack that has a padded inside pocket that velcros closed where I keep the camera. The rest of the backpack is very functional, with pockets for passes and place for cellphone and a larger inside area for ponchos.

I didn't see it online, but you might check in the store, which is where I got mine. It's been a while though, I got mine in the summer.