DSLR or P&S at the parks?

[JamieH]

I'm going back and forth on what camera to bring with me to the parks. I'm traveling with my 9 and 6 year olds by myself. I've done the parks with a DSLR before and love the resulting photos, however, it was a PITA to carry around. I went back and forth between the kit lens and my 50, that was 5 years ago. Now I have a D800 and would probably do the 24-70 if I choose to bring it, but it would be so heavy! My other options is my point and shoot, a Nikon P7000 ... its a great little point and shoot, outdoor shots come out really well, but I won't be able to do any dark shots without using flash ... I also don't want to bring along a bunch of equipment (other lenses, flash, etc) ... after checking out the high ISO thread, its making me want to bring the D800 so I can get ride shots!

Pros and cons please

 

[havoc315]

Even with the D800, you'll want a prime lens for dark rides...

I've done both, full dSLR and point and shoot (the RX100). They are very very different experiences. When I carry the dSLR, I'm focused on capturing great photographs. When I carry the smaller camera, I'm more focused on my family and the moment, with the ability to capture some photographs on the side. Not saying I ignore my family when carrying the big camera, it's just a different emphasis of my perspective.

When I'm someplace where I really know I'll want to capture great images, I'll carry the big camera most of the time. It's worth the extra weight, to get the best potential out of the camera. That said, if I know I'm running around for hours and hours on the go, that's where the weight of a dSLR, especially a big one like the D800 with 24-70, can start to slow me down after a few hours.

So I'd think carefully..... If I'm going to be on the go for 8-10 hours straight with few real breaks, it might favor taking point and shoot instead. If I'm often going to have my "hands full," it's another reason to favor the P&S. If I'm going on a lot of water rides and concerned about protecting the camera, etc... easier to stick a P&S in my pocket or in a plastic bag.

On the other hand, if I'm going to the parks for a couple hours in the evening, or a morning mostly of character meets, or low impact like just a couple hours around Fantasyland, then I'm much more likely to carry the big camera.

My best advice would be to bring both cameras on the trip. Depending on the day's itinerary, I'd decide which camera to leave in the hotel. A morning of dark ride shooting? Bring the D800 with a prime lens. Night time landscapes? Bring the D800 with the 24-70. A day of commando running around the parks doing every possible ride? Bring the point and shoot.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I understand but the reason I chose my DSLR over my P&S is shutter response time.

TC

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

As havoc stated, with your concerns, I would bring both and choose on a daily basis. Since my family never likes to be photographed and absolutely refuses to pose, I'm left with shooting the "World". Two out of the last three trips have just been the DW and I so I had plenty of time to shoot. I could wander off for hours and just play. Shooting WDW is so different from what I normally shoot, its fun to have the time to set up shots, use the tripod, use slow shutter speeds, etc. Shooting WDW is an integral part of my trips, so its always DSLR time.

 

[xlxo]

Another vote for bringing both.

Sometimes the issue is the choice of camera bag. Some bags just make it heavier to carry a DSLR. Personally I prefer a backpack for long days, while a shoulder bag is preferred for quick access. Then there's the single strap bags to explore.

 

[JamieH]

Thanks everyone, I think I'll do just that...there will probably be a few nights that we will go for just a few hours after a break in the room, so that would be a good opportunity for the dslr, and I have a 50 1.4 that I can bring along. I think you are right about having the p&s for in the moment shots, thanks for mentioning that!

I've been a professional photographer for 7 years so it's sometimes hard to be satisfied with the quality of the point and shoot but I think then eories. Altered are worth it

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I always have one of my PnS in my fanny pack or my pocket, whether I have my DSLR or not.

 

[boBQuincy]

You could take the middle ground and get a mirrorless from Olympus/Panasonic/Sony. Smaller than the SLR but better image quality than the P&S, it's a good compromise. It is interesting to read that the folks at Luminous Landscape have been switching to micro 4:3 for much of their photography!

 

[SplashMo]

The SONY RX100 is the near perfect camera for Disney....

 

[WilsonFlyer]

The SONY RX100 is the near perfect camera for Disney....

You are not the first person I've heard say that about the RX100 and not just at Disney. I've been threatening but the Sony a6000 bit me. It's not far from perfect for the parks either, and most anything else too from what I've seen so far. I see my 6D spending a lot more time in the bag at WDW. Impressed.