If you had to choose....

[nfrank]

If you were relatively new to photography and trip budgeting forced you to choose between buying a new camera or paying for PhotoPass (or Photopass+), which would you choose? And why?

Thanks!

 

[Shutterbug]

Thats easy.
Buy a camera. The camera will be used more than just at Disney.
Best way to learn photography is by doing it!

 

[traylorc]

To be honest I would buy the camera, and supplement my pictures with a few shots from Photopass.

I have to be honest, I view Photopass as being very hit or miss. If you find a very experienced Photopass photograher, you may walk away with some great shots. But the majority of the pictures that I have seen from Photopass are overexposed, underexposed, blurry, etc...

It is not my intent to insult anyone....but for me personally I have found that the more I learn about photography...the more I learn about lighting, exposure, composition, metering, etc... the less impressed I am with pictures from Photopass Photographers. I do not mean to sound elitist or snobbish, that is not my intent. But my memories of Disney are important, and I want those memories capture with properly exposed, properly composed, non-blurry shots. Therefore, I would not want to become 100% dependent on Photopass to capture those memories.

 

[mom2rtk]

You know you're asking a bunch of camera enthusiasts whether to buy a camera, right?

I love using my own camera AND getting Photopass. But if I had to do one or the other, it would be a camera hands down. Photopass does fine with staged photos, but the candid photos always end up being my favorites.

 

[photo_chick]

I'd go with the camera. I never do the photopass because the shots I want are not the posed everyone else has them shots. I want my kid with her face covered in ice cream and my son crashed in the room with a Mickey treat still in his hand. Photopass can't get me those.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

The camera. Disney PhotoPass photographers will take a picture with your own camera. Use that to get some shots with the whole family. I'm also one who isn't afraid to ask another guest to take a photo for us. (They usually get handed our P&S, not my DSLR.)

How many of the on-ride/dining photos would you actually get with the PhotoPass+? To be honest, when I look at the monitor most times for the on-ride photos, they're nothing worth paying for. There's almost always someone making a goofy face or something. (I really need to stop inviting my newphew.)

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I would go with the camera, hands down. I have used Photopass in the past and while many times the images were good, there have been times, as others have stated, I wasn't impressed. On the other hand the only time you will see me in a picture at WDW is from Photopass!! LOL!! I use my camera(s) twelve months out of the year. I need to send one in for some calibration, but have difficulty finding a time that I can be without it (even though I have two other DSLR's). You will get far more benefit from a camera than from Photopass.

 

[hakepb]

The camera.
But if you are looking to spend less than $200, photopass would be much, much higher quality .. And the photopass card is more shock/waterproof...

 

[HPS3]

I'm with Dave, the PP photographers will take pictures with your camera. Just make sure you set your settings the way you want them. I cant tell you the last time I really liked a shot from photopass.

Just buy a camera and have fun learning.

 

[nfrank]

But what if you knew that you were going to Disney World alone? It's looking like my trip is going to be solo, more than likely.

 

[MolonLabe]

For me, photo pass ensures we will have some good pictures of all of us. Photo pass photographers can be hit or miss but last trip they were more hit than miss. We also did multiple days in the parks so we'd get the same shot with a new photographer.

Some are good, some not so much.

We are doing PP+ this year, ever y day we'll have the canon g11 and I'll have my t4i with two to three lenses.

The g11 is mostly to hand of to strangers to take pictures of us with. My wife is also a shutter bug with a point and shoot and last trip she got some great candid shots.

If I could only do one? If buy a canon g1x and have the photo pass people take pictures with that

 

[hakepb]

Well, you are asking a bunch of photographers and/or hobbyists. Most would love to wonder around Disney with just a camera. (And not have to worry about if that camera will get in the way of other loved ones enjoyment)

Unless I was wanting to show off a bunch of pics of me at Disney, I'm not sure how fun a Photopass would be...but as I mentioned a PP card is easier to carry than a camera.

 

[HPS3]

If I was going to WDW alone, that would be more of a reason for me to have a backpack of photo gear. On a solo trip, I would be able to catch so many more shots than I do with the family.