? for DSLR camera users

[mom2rtk]

I usually only bring my SLR for daytime use. At night I find the camera/phone a works fine!

I would have expected the opposite. Phones tend to do much better in the daylight while DSLRs (with their larger sensors) do better at the high ISO settings needed in low light.

Wonderful! That settled that - the DSLR goes with me, lol. And that's great that the photographers will take pictures on your camera. I may skip the MM then, if that's the case. I'll have to find a little backpack. I have a really good Roots backpack camera bag, but it's BIG (a full sized backpack), far bigger than I want to be lugging around all day at Disney.

Is there a good cross-body bag anyone has found that can carry a DSLR? I have the D3200, and likely will just take my 18-50 with me, with the exception of at AK, that day I'll likely take my zoom, too.

Disney photography is one of my favorite hobbies. It's such a visually appealing place, I can't imagine being there without my best camera gear.

I usually take all of my lenses, but pick a couple to put in my backpack each day.

Be sure to stop by the photography forum with any other questions you have on photography in the parks.

 

[SplashMo]

I take my SONY RX100 mk1 (about $350.00 these days) awesome photos from a small P&S.

 

[suemom2kay]

Rapid strap and 85mm prime lens (not a big lens) good size for tourist photos. Have brought it on all rides except KRR.

A backpack works great for stowing on rides as others have said.

 

[Tomh]

I have taken my DSLR with me many times into the parks. Some days I will just carry the camera, using the strap, or carrying it in my hand when my neck is tire of it. I also make certain to carry at least 2 gallon sized zip loc bags in case of rain / wet attractions. With the camera this way, I can either leave it hanging on my neck during a ride, or stow it under the seat, or where ever is available.

Other days, I will carry my small camera bag with me. It has a shoulder strap, as well as a carry handle, and enough room for extra lenses batteries and the like. It is a little more cumbersome to carry around, but does afford the camera, and other gear a good deal of protection, as well as making it easier to carry additional lenses and the like.

On many of my trips, I have had the good fortune of having my DD along. She is 20 now, and doesn't car at all for any ride that even remotely approaches being thrilling, including Pirates of the Caribbean because of the drop in it. She is, however, always more than willing to keep and eye on my camera for me while I am riding, though my memory card is usually a bit fuller when I get the camera back lol.

 

[trstno1]

This thread is great. I'm getting lots of ideas about how to manage myDSLR in the parks. In the past I've always carried my DSLR in a simple shoulder bag, padded by hand towels from our hotel room (which are also useful for saving spots for parades, drying off seat rides, etc.). Now I'm considering a padded insert for my shoulder bag, and I'm also considering a rapid strap.

 

[mom2rtk]

Another vote for the Black Rapid strap!

And if you want try shots like this:



Crazy Hair Day at Splash Mountain by mom2rtk, on Flickr


I suggest keeping one of these in your bag.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Yes I take mine. D3300 Nikon. I have a sling bag that is well-padded that I carry it in and I take it on every ride with me.

 

[ScottJayhawk]

I resisted getting a DSLR for years in favor of top of the line super compact point and shoots that were very easy to carry. I was generally happy with pictures. Got a Canon T5i Rebel before our last 2 trips to see if carrying it was worth it. I got a case logic case for it with shoulder strap of course. I didn't love carrying it around BUT it is totally worth it. FAR superior pictures offset the minor inconvenience. And we still get Memory Maker and use photopass photogs a lot.

 

[RustManFan]

the LowePro I mentioned in my earlier post can be worn crossbody and comes in different sizes to meet your needs

 

[Disney_Alli]

My brother-in-law carries his DSLR with him every day in the parks. He has a camera bag he bought at CostCo that he loves. It's a sling backpack that can be carried on either shoulder then simply rotated around to your front to get the camera and extra lenses out (though carrying it one way when its moved to the front results in the opening being at the bottom)

 

[trstno1]

Another vote for the Black Rapid strap!

And if you want try shots like this:



Crazy Hair Day at Splash Mountain by mom2rtk, on Flickr


I suggest keeping one of these in your bag.

I *definitely* want to try a shot like that. I wonder if 18mm on a crop-sensor body will be wide enough.

 

[brandikorte]

Yes, I always take my camera. I have a crossbody Blackrapid strap so it's not a nuisance to keep on my person all day. I just hold it in my lap during rides (I don't do water rides because I don't want to be wet and I am not a roller coaster fan). I would probably feel completely lost without my camera, lol.

 

[midge3426]

I ALWAYS take my DSLR camera. I take a backpack with me to the park with things that I may need for the day. The camera is padded by our rain panchos. I also take a pancho for the camera in case one of Florida's really wicked down pours hit while we are at the park. I wrap the camera in the pancho and place it in the backpack. So far, it has kept my camera dry.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Do you take your camera to the parks? If so, what do you do with it on the rides? What's the best way to carry it that you've found? We plan on getting Memory Maker, but... I'm worried that I'm still going to regret not taking my camera.

I do take it into the parks with me. Not necessarily every park day, but at least once in each park during the visit.

We have a small camera backpack (Tamrac Adventure Pack 6) - it's about 1/2 the size of a regular back pack, and it has a small compartment on top for us to put wallets, sunglasses, etc.

When it's just DH and I, we just carry that backpack with us. On a water ride, we'll make sure the electronics/camera are in a waterproof bag (but we've been going in Nov of late,so this is less of an issue b/c we aren't riding water rides).

When we have DD with us, we use a hiking backpack as her diaper bag. On days I'm bringing the camera with us, it just goes on top of that backpack.

Usually in the parks, I'm wearing it around my neck (arm through the strap, camera to the side a bit, so the camera's weight is distributed better). The backpacks are for having a place to put it on rides we don't want to carry it (like RnRC)

 

[dmccarty]

I have a holster bag for my DLSR. The bag is just large enough to hold the camera with a 50mm prime lens and I can just squeeze in a 24mm. I carry a couple of zip lock bags in case of rain or wet rides. For photos on a ride the 24mm lens is perfect on a full frame sensor camera. The viewing angle is large enough that you don't have to focus too much, pun intended on framing the shot. You don't have the time for that on a ride like Thunder Mountain or Primal Hurl.

The bag protects the camera from being knocked around when being carried. On dark rides that are bumpy, there are sometimes baskets/nets to hold stuff and if not I wrap the camera strap around an arm and either rest the camera on my feet or hold between my legs.

I sometimes will take a bigger camera bag for my 70-200/F2.8 lens if I think I can get a photo of the kids on Thunder or Splash Mountain. PITA to carry that bag around but what the heck. A few hours of pain in the shoulder vs a good image that generations will view is worth it.

I have done this with a D700 which is NOT a light camera but it is not really a problem. Traded in the D700 for a D800 a few years ago and the new camera will go to WDW next trip. I carry the D800 in the same holster bag. Bringing the 70-200 is the big, bulky problem.

The cameras HAVE been on Splash Mountain and KRR but I don't like to do it. That is when the zip lock bags get used and I protect the bag with my body. We have not been on KRR in years but they had a compartment that protected the bag on our ride.

Later,
Dan

 

[BubblyTrip]

The water rides and rain are really the biggest concerns for most. A staple packing item for us is a box of gallon size freezer ziplock bags. I double bag all of the electronics and carry a small backpack in the event of rain or while on the couple of wet rides and this has been a great solution. I keep a couple of quart size in my pocket for smaller things like wallet and phones and have never had a problem. As long as you aren't carrying a huge lens that should work for you. If you do have long lenses, although a minor annoyance, you can always put those in a separate bag for those cases where water is a concern.

Me too. It's in a ziplock in my light backpack. I also carry extra ziplocks. They are great for organizing and waterproofing.

 

[W.E.D.]

Do you take your camera to the parks? If so, what do you do with it on the rides? What's the best way to carry it that you've found? We plan on getting Memory Maker, but... I'm worried that I'm still going to regret not taking my camera.

My wife is a photographer. She always takes her DSLR with us into the parks. Depending on the ride she either just leaves it around her neck or wraps the strap around her wrist. I should note she keeps it in the travel case so she's ready for water-rides--but we typically also have a Disney bag by then so she puts it in the bag for double protection.

 

[taffy]

I own a D800 and also a FujiFilm x-e2

These days I just carry the fuji as a nice compact mirrorless camera. I have a little shoulder bag and take it on all the rides. I usually leave the d800 at homes these days.