On-ride Pictures

[Lauriebz]

Anybody have any tips for taking pictures inside the dark rides at WDW?(PotC, Splash Mountain, etc.) Of course with no flash, that ruins the picture - it's supposed to be dark, not bright from a flash.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

With what type of camera?

With really dark rides like PotC, you'll want you highest ISO and widest aperture. In most cases, that won't be enough to get a really sharp shot.

 

[YEKCIM]

I'll go out on a limb here and say that if you have a PnS camera, just sit back and enjoy the ride and don't worry about trying to photograph anything. Some of the scenes are so dimly lit that they are a challenge for a high-ISO dSLR.

~YEKCIM

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I'll go out on a limb here and say that if you have a PnS camera, just sit back and enjoy the ride and don't worry about trying to photograph anything. Some of the scenes are so dimly lit that they are a challenge for a high-ISO dSLR.

~YEKCIM

I have to agree with that. I've never really gotten a PotC shot that I like and that's with some reasonably nice gear. Trying it with a P&S would be a waste of time. If you really want good shots of dark rides, buy some postcards and take closeup shots of those. I won't tell anyone if you don't.

 

[Master Mason]

I get about a 10% keeper rate in PotC, but nothing that is really great, just keepable. I got some fairly good splash shots last time I was there using a 2.8 lens wide open. This was with a dSLR and 1600ISO

 

[Lauriebz]

With what type of camera?

With really dark rides like PotC, you'll want you highest ISO and widest aperture. In most cases, that won't be enough to get a really sharp shot.

Do you mean what type of camera? If so, then a DSLR.

 

[webshark3]

Do you mean what type of camera? If so, then a DSLR.

There are as many techniques as there are people. Here's mine (although my keeper rate is still really low, and the Haunted Mansion has been near impossible.

1) DSLR (or Sony DSC-R1) is a must. Need the big sensors....
2) As fast a lens as you can get. f2.8, but preferable f1.8/1.4. This "usually" means a 50mm prime.
3) Shoot RAW (So you can adjust the exposure as needed later)
4) ISO 1600
5) Shutter Speed "rule of thumb" is 1/focal length. This means that typically, to get a clean shot without shake, your shutter should be set no lower than 1/50sec on a 50mm lens. (If you got shaky hands like me, 1/100. If your steady, you can try 1/20, etc)
6) Manual focus (Nikon may be better with AF; Canon uses the flash to AF)
7) Pray
8) Post process (adjust exposure and add noise reduction)

 

[Cricket2]

You can hope for a breakdown right in front of something cool too.

 

[webshark3]

You can hope for a breakdown right in front of something cool too.

In that case, I change my specs to
1)mini tripod
2) ISO 100
3) Lens f8-f22
4) 15sec to 2 minute exposure

Heck, even a good P&S with a decent night mode.

 

[YEKCIM]

You can hope for a breakdown right in front of something cool too.

Key words are "hope for"; I don't think it's ethical to *cause* a breakdown no matter how badly one might want a particular shot.

~YEKCIM

 

[Cricket2]

We took a quick ride on SSE right before dinner at LeCellier one night and we stopped right at the switchboard operator spot and I didn't have my camera. I'll never think that a quick walkthrough doesn't require a camera again.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

6) Manual focus (Nikon may be better with AF; Canon uses the flash to AF)

I believe that all Canon bodies will use a red/infrared cross-hatch pattern for focus assistance if you use an external flash unit. It's not nearly as disturbing as using a flash. However, it's still not nothing, so it might offend people. It might also look much worse than it really is on the infrared security cameras that I suspect they use to monitor the rides.

3) Lens f8-f22

Wandering a bit further off topic...I would generally avoid f/22 on a typical DSLR sensor. Beyond f/16, you start to lose sharpness because of diffraction. The same holds true with 35mm film or a full frame sensor, but the tradeoff between more DOF and less sharpness starts about a stop higher. There is a pretty good explanation here on Bob Atkins site.

 

[Lauriebz]

You can hope for a breakdown right in front of something cool too.

We took a quick ride on SSE right before dinner at LeCellier one night and we stopped right at the switchboard operator spot and I didn't have my camera. I'll never think that a quick walkthrough doesn't require a camera again.

I've broken down at Splash Mountain, right infront of the big river boat with the singing chickens, I also broke down on Buzz's Space Ranger Spin right in-front of the orange robot.. I didn't have my camera on either of those.

 

[handicap18]

Do you mean what type of camera? If so, then a DSLR.

What do you have for lenses?

As mentioned before, the best for these types of rides (cost wise) is the 50mm f/1.8 (or f/1.4 if you shoot Pentax). It is in-expensive, lens wise, and has a VERY wide aperture. Its also a very sharp lens.

There are other lens options that are fast as well, but will be more expensive. Sigma makes a 20mm, 24mm & 28mm f/1.8 as well as an excellent 30mm f/1.4. Nikon has lots of used 24 & 28mm f/2.8 at a good cost, but that extra stop you lose could hurt in some cases. Nikon also has a 35mm f/2 and a 50mm f/1.4. Nikon also has 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 & 28mm f/2.8's. I'm sure Canon and Pentax have a similar lineup. The Sigma lenses can be bought for each of the camera makers. Keep in mind that these lenses listed here will start around $275 new (the Nikon used one's I mentioned can be had for as low as about $120) and going as as $1500. This is why many people recommend the 50mm f/1.8. Nikon's version new goes for about $110 and Canon's for about $90. Pentax' 50mm f/1.4 is more expensive at about $200.