Ideal Equipment

[MarkBarbieri]

If you could have any camera equipment with you at WDW, what would it be? Ignore the cost. The only limitation is that you actually have to carry it - no porters. So what camera, lens(es), tripods, etc would you carry?

 

[jann1033]

i tried to answer this , i really did ...but in doing research got side tracked in "L glass or not" territory and gave up so...

right now the rebel xti would be great for me with canon 28-300 lS, L lens...but since i have to carry it and that lens is heavy , i'll take the rebel xti and the 28-135 i have now..
right now i think that is about my skill level so why pretend it's not
if somebody knows of a better lightish lens i'll take that one instead and i am still looking for a good monopod or more compact tripod that i have now and the ultimate bag still eludes me too

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon 5D
24-105 L IS f/4
70-200 L IS f/4 (I would go with the f/2.8 if it came with a porter)
50 f/1.4 for dark rides
Canon 430 flash

Day - Image-ination 3 ounce monopod
Night - Velbon 347 tripod

all stashed in a Crumpler $5M bag

 

[mabas9395]

Canon 30D
10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
24-70mm f/2.8L USM
70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Gitzo G1228 Mountaineer Reporter Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod
Arca-Swiss Monoball B1 Ballhead

But my wife will have to carry her own water bottle and the kids will have to carry their own souveniers. Actually, if I'm going to WDW to take pictures with all that gear, the wife and kids can stay home.

 

[Groucho]

Somehow I suspect that people responding will just pick the top model from what brand they're using now. That's boring, IMHO, so I'd have to say that I'd like to take a Hasselblad H3D to WDW for a few days.

OK, OK, I'll play along. But it's going to be predictable. I'd take the upcoming Pentax K10D with their full range of prime lenses ("Limited" versions when available), plus a 10-20mm 180'-on-DSLR fisheye, and an as-yet-undetermined 300mm. On paper, no other remotely-affordable DSLR package can match it for the things that appeal to me. Chances are that others will honestly say the same for their picks as well.

I can't say much about the tripods, etc as I try not to pay too much attention to the stuff that I know that I cannot afford. And realistically, the point where you hit diminishing returns on that stuff is usually fairly low. (Is an $800 tripod really that much better than a $200 one? Or, is a $350 ballhead really that much better than the $55 Manfrotto one I recently bought?) I would tend to buy whatever had the best combination of sturdiness, portability, and price.

 

[mabas9395]

Groucho, make sure you bring along plenty of memory cards for your 39MB pictures.

 

[Groucho]

If you can afford one of those cameras, the cost of memory cards is the least of your concerns. I'd probably have to go with the hard-drive-based Imagebank anyway.

Anyway, it's 39mp, not 39mb - the pictures take up about 50mb each. About 40 on a 2gb card. Heck, you'd probably be exhausted from carrying it around after that many pictures anyway, but boy, they'd sure be beauties!

 

[Master Mason]

Canon 5D
24-105 L IS f/4
70-200 L IS f/4 (I would go with the f/2.8 if it came with a porter)
50 f/1.4 for dark rides
Canon 430 flash

Day - Image-ination 3 ounce monopod
Night - Velbon 347 tripod

all stashed in a Crumpler $5M bag

What Bob said, except for the bag, I prefer a backpack as it is easier on my back. And I don't know anything about the Monopod he listed.

Really, the 30D would do everything I needed, but I really really like the idea of a full frame sensor.

 

[WillCAD]

My ideal camera (for the moment) would be a Canon 5D. (I currently have a 300D)

My ideal flash would probably be one of the upper end Canon Speedlights. (I currently have a Speedlight 220EX)

My ideal lens doesn't exist, and if it ever did it would be so expensive Bill Gates would shudder at the thought - I'd like to have an 18-300mm with IS and a fixed f-stop, preferably no heavier than the camera body itself. (I currently have a Sigma 18-125)

 

[Disneyfreak92]

Oh, this is a fun one! I would take my Canon 30D and/or possibly a 5D and my 430 Speedlite.

I want one of those lenses WillCAD is referring to. But in reality, I would take my 10-22mm and my 28-135mm. I would also LOVE to have the 70-300mm f/2.8 L lens with the IS.

I am hoping that I have just ordered my ideal tripod for my upcoming trip, but haven't received it yet, so I can't say for sure 'til I get my hands on it. So hopefully, my ideal would be the Giottos carbon fiber MT-8160. And I would like to have the Manfrotto 322RC2 ball head to go with it.

I'd also like lots of 2-4GB memory cards. And in addition to my Tamrac Adventurer (7, I think), I'd like a Lowepro sling bag too if I'm taking 2 cameras. Actually, it's kind of like one for me and one for DH.

How about that? Now I just need a little

 

[boBQuincy]

What Bob said, except for the bag, I prefer a backpack as it is easier on my back. And I don't know anything about the Monopod he listed.

Really, the 30D would do everything I needed, but I really really like the idea of a full frame sensor.

The monopod is my own design, Image-ination is my company. The monopod is made from six sections of aluminum tent pole, very light, very stiff. It folds to about 12", unfolds by itself, and is custom cut to my height.

Most of the equipment I listed is what I already carry, except the 5D. I just ordered a 30D and 10-22 lens so I doubt full frame is in my near future.
My thoughts were that the 1.6 sensor's days were numbered but now I believe the 1.6 will be with us for good, and more EF-S lenses will be offered.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Why do people prefer the 5D over the 1DsM2?

 

[Master Mason]

Why do people prefer the 5D over the 1DsM2?

Size and cost....

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The rule was that cost is no object. So does everyone really find that the 1DsM2 isn't sufficiently better than the 5D to justify carrying the extra weight?

 

[Master Mason]

At my skill level the 5d is still more camera than I need. I am getting better, but the brain behind the camera has to get better before the camera will make a bit of difference at that level.....

 

[Furgus]

All you Canon users....


Nikon D2xs
Nikon Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX
Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR II
Nikkor 200mm f/2.0G AF-S ED-IF VR
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR

SB-800

NOt sure on Tripod's or Mono's, but I wold take one or the other.

 

[0bli0]

Canon 1dmk2
Canon 24-70 2.8L - general walk around lens
Canon 135 2.0L - great for people shots
Canon 50mm 1.4 - for indoor shots and people shots
either Sigma 15mm fisheye *or* Sigma 12-24 EX
50mm lensbaby 2.0
all in crumpler karachi outpost or lowepro rolling minitrekker aw

i generally don't take a tripod to the parks... but if i do, i'll keep it in the locker until the evening - Manfrotto 055mf4 + 322RC2 head

that's exactly what i took to disneysea

 

[boBQuincy]

All you Canon users....


Nikon D2xs
Nikon Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX
Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR II...

Ah, NikonBoy woke up!
Nikon's 18-200 really targeted what the customer wanted, a wide range OEM zoom with VR and good image quality. I'm not sure there's enough room around the front element to print the full designation though.

I wonder how long before Canon has theirs ready?

 

[handicap18]

Nikon D2Xs with the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AF-S VR lens as the general walk around lens.

In my bag I would carry along a 24mm f/1.4 (the 50mm lens on a digital SLR isn't wide enough for the indoor rides IMO, though I still may take a 50mm depending on what spot I would get for any of the night time parades), 70-200mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S VR along with a 1.4x teleconverter (this would still make the lens an f/4 and give almost a 300mm length), I'd also like to take the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 ED AF-S VR Macro lens, the 85mm f/1.8 or use the 105mm f/2.8 depending on where I sit for Fantasmic. Don't know if I would use a fish eye at Disney, though it could be interesting to try, but I'd definately have one of the super wide angle lenses in the 10-24mm range, probably Nikon's 12-24 f/4 ED-IF AF-S as its f/4 all the way through, although Tokina's 12-24mm is also f/4 and gotten very good reviews.

I'd also have the SB-800 for indoor shots when a flash is needed, probably fitted with the Gary Fong Lightshpere II diffuser.

Another lens I would consider is the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 ED AF VR lens to use on Killimanjaro. Probably use it only at AK then keep it in the room the rest of the trip.

Plus one of what ever the better tripods are.

Sure would be a lot of fun taking pictures with this equipment.

 

[tinksdad]

All you Canon users....


Nikon D2xs
Nikon Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX
Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR II
Nikkor 200mm f/2.0G AF-S ED-IF VR
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR

SB-800

NOt sure on Tripod's or Mono's, but I wold take one or the other.

I'll second that Vote!!

I'm a Nikon boy too!! Presently using the D-200 which is a lot of camera, and is keeping me plenty busy with all it's features.

The whole tripod/head debate is pretty complex. You want one that holds the camera still when making those long exposures. Which usually means sturdy. Sturdy typically means heavy, heavy makes you not want to take it...... I've got a decent Manfrotto 3021 which isn't bad, but it's not as sturdy as the better fiber ones, wishing now for a Gitzo.

siggggghhhhh, it's only money.................