Gear Questions

[misse336]

A few questions about carrying photography gear and other misc gear in the parks.

We are planning a trip to Florida this summer. We are planning to visit MK (x's 2), Sea World, Lego Land and either US or HS. This is my first trip since I was in college, my first trip with a dslr and my first trip with my 3 kids. I just got a t5i this Saturday with the 18-135 lens. I have a 75-200 lens from my original non digital slr 10 years ago that is compatible with my new camera, although it's not really a good lens. I imagine that my camera will be around my neck 90% of the time unless I am on rides that wouldn't allow you to have a camera.

My questions are:

1. Do you put all of your misc things (wallet/keys/phone/etc) in your camera bag or do you carry a separate bag (purse or backpack) for the misc items?

2. What type of bag do you find most comfortable in the parks? Backpack? Sling? Messenger? Something else?

3. If you have a "go to" bag that works well for Disney, please let me know what type and brand it is. I will most likely just have the kit lens and the 75-200 lens that I currently own since I don't know that a few hundred more dollars for a prime lens is in the budget after just buying the camera, although I would love it to be.

This question is off the gear topic, but:
4. What rides in MK, SW, LL, US and HS are you unable to carry a dslr on and where do you stow them during those rides?

 

[havoc315]

A few questions about carrying photography gear and other misc gear in the parks.

We are planning a trip to Florida this summer. We are planning to visit MK (x's 2), Sea World, Lego Land and either US or HS. This is my first trip since I was in college, my first trip with a dslr and my first trip with my 3 kids. I just got a t5i this Saturday with the 18-135 lens. I have a 75-200 lens from my original non digital slr 10 years ago that is compatible with my new camera, although it's not really a good lens. I imagine that my camera will be around my neck 90% of the time unless I am on rides that wouldn't allow you to have a camera.

My questions are:

1. Do you put all of your misc things (wallet/keys/phone/etc) in your camera bag or do you carry a separate bag (purse or backpack) for the misc items?

2. What type of bag do you find most comfortable in the parks? Backpack? Sling? Messenger? Something else?

3. If you have a "go to" bag that works well for Disney, please let me know what type and brand it is. I will most likely just have the kit lens and the 75-200 lens that I currently own since I don't know that a few hundred more dollars for a prime lens is in the budget after just buying the camera, although I would love it to be.

This question is off the gear topic, but:
4. What rides in MK, SW, LL, US and HS are you unable to carry a dslr on and where do you stow them during those rides?

1 -- It depends on the camera bag!
2 -- That's pretty subjective. Lately I have been using one of the Million Dollar messenger bags. For more gear, I have a backpack type bag that works well.

4-- At Disney World, you can bring your camera on almost every ride. Some rides, like Soarin, will as you to store your bags right under the seat. In a ride like Splash Mountain, you may want to protect your camera, so I'd keep it in the bag.
The only ride I can think of, where you might not want to bring a camera at all, would be the River Rapids at Animal Kingdom. You can store camera bags right in the center of the raft, which I've done before. But now they do have lockers you can use.

 

[ThurlFan]

1: DW carries a bag also with her personal stuff and general supplies, but I can keep my wallet and phone in my pockets so I'm pretty well self-sufficient with the camera bag.

2 & 3: I just have one camera bag so it's my go-to by default. Lowepro slingshot 100aw in the parks with my Canon XSi. It holds the camera plus three lenses (including the one on the body) in the main compartment, and I put other things in the triangular compartment on the top (remote shutter release, granola bar, inhaler, 50 cent poncho, camcorder). The front pocket will hold two filters in their protective cases. It is just big enough that I can put the camera with attached 55-250mm lens in the main compartment. I can wear this bag all day and not have it wear me out.

4: I think I've carried this on every ride at WDW at least once including Kali, RnR, ToT, Space Mountain...the built-in waterproof cover has been deployed on Splash and Kali, of course, but more recently it's been left in the locker at Kali.

5: You might consider the reasonably priced (~$100) 50mm f/1.8 from Canon, it's a treat. Helpful on dark rides like Pirates and Small World. On a crop body, it's not quite wide enough to capture full scenes in Spaceship Earth, but can still get some nice detail pics.

 

[AmyB2006]

1. Do you put all of your misc things (wallet/keys/phone/etc) in your camera bag or do you carry a separate bag (purse or backpack) for the misc items?

I put everything in my backpack. I don't carry anything separate.

2. What type of bag do you find most comfortable in the parks? Backpack? Sling? Messenger? Something else?

Backpack

3. If you have a "go to" bag that works well for Disney, please let me know what type and brand it is. I will most likely just have the kit lens and the 75-200 lens that I currently own since I don't know that a few hundred more dollars for a prime lens is in the budget after just buying the camera, although I would love it to be. This question is off the gear topic, but:

I have a Lowepro Fastpack 250. I love it. Enough room for my T2i with the 18-135mm lens attached, 2 or 3 lenses and a flash. Plus a compartment up top for other misc items and souvenirs. And there's also a laptop compartment in the back. Water bottle compartment on the side as well. Lowepro sells a cell phone holder that attaches to the strap and I have that too.

4. What rides in MK, SW, LL, US and HS are you unable to carry a dslr on and where do you stow them during those rides?

Pretty much the only ones I put it away on are the super bumpy ones or Soarin. Roller coasters etc. Splash or anywhere that it could get wet.

 

[photo_chick]

1.I rarely carry an actual camera bag into the parks. My camera is around my neck or slung across my body. I has a Lenscoat Bodybag on it. If I want to take an extra lens it's tucked into the bag I stick the ponchos and everything else in. Along with my extra batteries and memory cards.

2. When I take a camera bag it's messenger style and is only to tote lenses. The camera never goes in it.

3. My "park" bag for all of my stuff used to be a hip pack. It had pouches for water bottles and everything. Sadly it split a seam. Not sure what I'm using this year.

4. Soarin' and Mission Space are the only ones where anything comes off me. Otherwise I'm just holding it tight. I do keep a plastic bag handy to cover my toys on the water rides or in case of rain.



OP if I had your gear I'd leave the 75-300 elephant in the room except for on AK day. And if you really want a prime but are short on cash consider picking up a used 50mm f/1.8. Also make sure you get insurance on your gear. It costs very little and is well worth it if you drop your camera, it's stolen, etc...

 

[handicap18]

Typically I don't carry a bag. I like to use lens pouches that attach to my belt. I usually have 3 lenses with me. One on the camera, one in the pouch and then a 50mm f/1.8 in my pocket. I like to wear cargo shorts with big pockets.

If your staying at a Disney property you won't need your wallet in the parks unless you want to pay cash for something. Your room key, park ticket and credit card are all attached to to your magic band.

Other things I carry in my pockets are an extra battery, extra SD card (though my camera can hold 2 SD cards and I can easily get 800 RAW images on each one), a diffuser for my pop up flash and cash.

I have worn a backpack in the park on a few trips. I just use a regular backpack because it has side pockets that I can put water bottles in. I probably will use a backpack on our next trip. I need a place to keep my flash since each day we have a character breakfast. I'll also need to carry around some energy bars for the kids and probably all their waters in addition to mine and DW's. I have a nice backpack I bought at LL Bean years ago that is still in great shape. Plus its more comfortable to wear with my Black Rapids strap than my sling bag.

My travel tripod will fit in my LL Bean backpack and it will also fit in all the lockers in each park. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to bring the travel tripod or a bigger one. The travel tripod is just barely tall enough for my camera to be above any of the fences around the parks. It is also a nice size to fit on top of the trashcans around the parks too.