Equipment to take

[Mmfan4]

Hello!

I'm just curious how much of your DSLR equipment you take. Which lenses? I want to good pictures but am more interested in getting great photos of memories and my family.

Thanks!

 

[boBQuincy]

I usually carry the camera with a "walkaround" mid-range zoom (12-35) and have a wide angle zoom (7-14) and long zoom (35-100) in the bag. These are micro 4:3 so double the focal lengths for 35mm equivalent. If I am planning for character meets I also carry a small external flash. If the plan is for low light or inside rides I leave the long zoom and carry a wide aperture prime like 25 mm f/1.4.

On rare occasions I add a light tripod for fireworks but either leave it in a locker during the day or go back to the room to get it.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

This was from our last trip, along with two camera bags.

WDW Camera Equipment 2011 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

 

[xlxo]

I stop when my carry-on sized backpack is full and just under the weight limit.

 

[hakepb]

This was from our last trip, along with two camera bags.

WDW Camera Equipment 2011 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

I love that you need a nice Bose surround system going while taking pictures

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

This was from our last trip, along with two camera bags.

WDW Camera Equipment 2011 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

I probably should explain: The DW and I are both photographers so we bring two "kits". We bring a third camera body as a backup should we develop a problem with a body. My 28-70 f2.8 is my walkaround lens and the DW's is a 17-50 f2.8. My long lens lens is a 70-200 f2.8 and hers is a 50-200 "kit" lens. I bring a 30 f1.4 for the dark rides and a weather resistant 18-55 for inclement weather or excessive wet rides. I bring three external flashes. I also bring a travel tripod and gorillapod. The equipment in the photo is from several years back and some of it has since been updated.

Photography is a huge part of our WDW trips and we want to have equipment available to shoot in any possible situation. While I can usually make most lenses work for a given situation, I really like to have the "right tool for the right job".

The above equipment has handled every situation that we have run into.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I love that you need a nice Bose surround system going while taking pictures

You always have to have some tunes!!

 

[SarahJN]

I went light this last trip.

- D7000 with my walk-around lens - Nikon 35mm f/1.8.
- Wide angle- Tokina 11-16mm.
- External flash

 

[Animagic!]

I just returned home from a week at WDW this evening.

I brought with me a Sony a99 (35mm full frame body) for my major shooting and a Sony a6000 (crop sensor mirroless) for "Light duty."

I brought with me a 14mm f/2.8, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4, and a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 for the a99. Oh, and a tripod.

For the a6000 I brought a 50mm f/1.8, 20mm f/2.8, 8mm f/2.8, and a 40mm f/1.4 voigtlander.


Running around the parks I found I only used my a99. The a6000 never even left the room. I carried my bag and the 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 70-300mm at all times, with the tripod, of course, strapped on the bag. It sounds like a lot but really isn't. I only used the 14mm for nighttime long exposure shots on one day.

I "traveled light" on only one day and on that day I carried only my a99 with the 50mm f/1.4 attached, nothing else. That suited me just fine. As you can tell, I prefer prime lenses and a 50mm is a great lens for doing everything. Although it depends on where you are at. In Disneyland I prefer a 35mm lens for general purpose. At WDW I prefer a 50mm lens.

But if you want to keep it very basic, use your kit lens. It'll give you the flexibility of zoom and should work just fine in decent light.

 

[DVC Mike]

Up till now, I've brought along as much Canon DSLR gear as I could stuff in my Think Tank Airport - which is quite a lot.

However, besides having to worry about my expensive gear getting stolen and having to use my carry on allowance on the plane just for photography gear, I am trying to downsize and see if I can still enjoy photography at WDW with something smaller and less expensive.

On my next trip, I'm going to bring a Sony A6000 and see if that allows me sufficient creativity.

 

[nvtsallo]

On most of my trips I bring a lowe pro fastpack 350aw. It has a sling option and holds the weight well. Then inside goes:
Canon 5d mark iii
24-70 ii 2.8 99% of my shots
70-300 L parades and animal kingdom
Sigma 35mm 1.4 dark rides
40mm 2.8 pancake for backup
600 ex flash for character shots or some mid day shots also. I put a diffuser cap on it.
Tripod only for fireworks shots
16-35 f4 l but mostly never used since I rarely take the time to change lenses with my little ones running around.

I went in September with all of the following and my 1dx and 70-200 2.8 which was a dream for disney. If the family was there it would not have come due to the size and weight. Plus I prefer not to lug $8,500 on my hip with a black rapid and chase after kids.

I have found if you like your dslr then bring it and a few lenses that will capture the images your after. I have gone the lighter mirror-less route and the extreme full frame pro line and the canon 5d was perfect for the job.

 

[Pixel Dust]

Everything but the tripods fit into the bag. And the bag can fit under the seat on a plane. The tripods go in the carry-on for the overhead.

 

[bob100]

On most of my trips I bring a lowe pro fastpack 350aw. It has a sling option and holds the weight well. Then inside goes:
Canon 5d mark iii
24-70 ii 2.8 99% of my shots
70-300 L parades and animal kingdom
Sigma 35mm 1.4 dark rides
40mm 2.8 pancake for backup
600 ex flash for character shots or some mid day shots also. I put a diffuser cap on it.
Tripod only for fireworks shots
16-35 f4 l but mostly never used since I rarely take the time to change lenses with my little ones running around.

I went in September with all of the following and my 1dx and 70-200 2.8 which was a dream for disney. If the family was there it would not have come due to the size and weight. Plus I prefer not to lug $8,500 on my hip with a black rapid and chase after kids.

I have found if you like your dslr then bring it and a few lenses that will capture the images your after. I have gone the lighter mirror-less route and the extreme full frame pro line and the canon 5d was perfect for the job.

I too would bring it all but depending on how long you're there and how much you value photos it makes sense on some days to leave the gear at the hotel and enjoy the Disney experience without taking pics

 

[Rgonzalez79]

Sweet moses, I've never had so much lens/equipment envy

I have my paltry NEX-3N along with the 16-50 kit lens and then I bring my additional 50mm 1.4 for character pics and my 135mm 2.8 for longer range.

I'm hoping to pick up a better walk around zoom lens for our next trip, 24-70 2.8 maybe (fingers crossed while wishing on the star)

 

[zackiedawg]

I go to Disney 4-5 times a year, and drive there, so packing for airlines is not a concern. My trips vary in purpose, from family trips to photography group trips to solo trips - and my kit changes depending on the purpose.

When I go for the photography group, I bring practically everything. A580 DSLR, A6000 mirrorless bodies, tripod, remote releases for each, ND filters (2 to 9 stoppers), DSLR lenses: 18-250, 30mm F1.4, 10-24mm, 300mm F4, 150-600mm. Mirrorless lenses: 18-55, 10-18mm F4, 35mm F1.8, 35mm F1.4, 40mm F1.8, 50mm F1.7, 55-210mm, 16mm + 12mm and fisheye adapters, 135mm F2.8. Sometimes a few random other lenses for fun.

When I go solo, I typically will bring the DSLR with 18-250mm lens and 30mm F1.4 lens, and the A6000 mirrorless with the 18-55mm, 10-18mm, 35mm F1.8, 55-210mm, 35mm F1.4, and 40mm F1.8, plus tripod and remote releases.

If I'm going with family, I will typically leave the DSLR home, and leave the tripod home, bringing just the A6000 mirrorless and 18-55, 10-18, 55-210, and 35mm F1.8 - because I can fit it all into a bag a bit smaller than a lunchbox and not annoy or slow down the family and friends with my shooting!