New to DSLR

[TinkerbellW]

HI I am currently in the process of buying my first DSLR We head to wdw in July and I'm really looking forward to using it but need some advice on lense choice etc for those perfect shots.
What is your favourite spot to photograph from?
Any input would be really appreciated

 

[xlxo]

Some thoughts....

• for DSLR... Nikon and Canon your should be your first candidates. As you advance, they will have the accessories (flashes, lenses)
• In recent months, mirrorless are catching up to DSLR's as a good alternative. Mirrorless are smaller (more portable) without the mirror assembly, but the latest models use the same sized sensors as DSLR's. One major drawback mirrorless drawback is battery life to keep the LCD screens powered up. Not an issue with my dual battery chambered DSLR. Another issue is mirrorless accessories today cost more than the Nikon/Canon choices
• to clarify... what is your budget? DSLR can start from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1027229-REG/nikon_13313_d3200_dslr_camera_with.html
  http://www.adorama.com/INKD7100K.html
• Is the camera mainly for travel? Is the camera just for your family? Do you plan to be shooting sports or events? Do you plan to advance to professional purposes? If you are going professional, think about getting more premium models with additional focus points and higher continuous frame rates. Premium models will also have larger sensors that's better for low light.

With regards to lens choices....

• most start with the 18-55mm kit lens. However if you want to photograph people more than 6 feet away, you need to consider a zoom lens like 55-200mm.
• Some like to super-zooms like the 18-200mm or 18-300mm. These lenses cost more, take up less camera bag space, keep your DSLR cleaner with lens swaps (especially outdoors), but introduce distortion (pin cushion and barrelling). You might find yourself needing an external flash for low light and to get around the flash shadow with longer lenses. For novices, I like to steer them to a super-zoom so it's similar to their pocket shooter optical capabilities.
  
• if you want low light and minimize distortion, advanced photographers will get a 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8. Perhaps also a 14-24mm f/2.8. But these lenses can be a few thousand dollars each and VERY large to travel with.
• if you want the best low-light with no distortion, you invest in lenses with no zoom call primes. The 50mm is very affordable, but you will be swapping lenses.

 

[boBQuincy]

Since you are buying your first dSLR you are probably not going to be immediately concerned with a vast selection of lenses and accessories. Any of the well known brands is going to have enough in their lineup to keep you busy for a long time. The "kit" lens, usually 18-55 or so, is a good start because it is a range which generally gets used the most. This range covers mild wide angle through short telephoto (on a crop dSLR, which is almost certainly what you would buy to start out with).

The first add-on lens many beginners buy is a long zoom, often an inexpensive 50-200 or so. This gets you "closer" to the subject when you can't physically walk closer, like Animal Kingdom's safari. Even so, lens choice for perfect photos is up to the photographer's style and you will learn your style as you progress. For this reason it is good to wait on buying lenses until you get a feel for the ones that suit your style. Or you can just buy a bunch and then buy some more, like many of us.

Perfect photos are as much (or more) the photographer as the equipment. I know that doesn't answer your question but many "perfect" photos can be taken with the 18-55. My favorite spot is between the fountain and the monorail beam, facing Spaceship Earth (at night).

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

When someone asks this question, my first response/question is, " What's your budget." Within that budget, I then can let you know what that will buy and what that will allow you to photograph. I don't know your photographic experience, so I don't want to get technical. DSLR's and lenses are tools to capture light. Camera bodies and lenses (and other accessories) are the tools in the tool box. Like the tools in your toolbox, you shouldn't use a hammer when what you really need is a screwdriver. Cameras and lenses are the same thing. An example, If you want to shoot the dark rides, like Haunted Mansion, it will be difficult (not impossible) to do that with an entry level camera body and a consumer 18-55 "kit" lens. You would have to upgrade something and that something comes with a cost. If you want to shoot the Safari ride at AK, you can do that using a consumer zoom lens as long as the light is good to allow for a faster shutter speed in combination of the usable ISO of your camera body's sensor. Normally, that is not a problem with that type of lens. If you buy a camera body and a kit lens and put it on Auto, you probably will get better images than a P & S. However, you are negating the full use advantages of the DSLR. So I would recommend you first start with a budget and then go from there. If your photographic knowledge is limited, I would recommend a book called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. Its probably the cheapest thing you will purchase in photography. Its a good book for the beginner to understand the basic principles of the "Photographic Triangle".

 

[elmoandzoey]

Since you are in the process of buying a DSLR for your Disney trip, I just want to pinch in one thing. This is just my experience though but I'm sure there's a few people out there who can relate to this.

The 18-55 kit lens is a great starter lens, no doubt. I've used it at Disney and its f2.8 equivalent (17-55). My main issue with it was that on a crop body, you always have to step back if you want to photograph things that are a bit bigger. That always leaves room for people to just walk in front of you and ruin your shot. I lined up the kids in front of something, stepped back and then for five minutes straight people would just walk into the shot. I have since bought an ultrawide 10-22 and now can say that people ruining my shot has become less of an issue since I can now stand up close and take the same shot. It's my primary lens now.

Canon has a 10-18 lens which is on the cheaper side. It's small and light and doesn't add much to what you are carrying.

My point really - as was that of those who posted above me - you need to really figure out what your priorities are, what your budget is and then buy accordingly.