PhotoPass Pic quality

[foxxxy83]

What is the quality like of the pics the PhotoPass photographers take of you?? Just wondered coz I've seen LOADS of posts of people who have used it for years or of people who are getting it but have also noticed a couple of posts saying the quality of PhotoPass pics is TERRIBLE. Have got PhotoPass+ for our trip and am now worried about quality. I will be taking my own camera and taking snaps with that too but don't want them all of just my son TIA!

 

[2Tiggies]

We've had some great ones, some average ones and some that were instant delete material. It varies greatly. Not all photographers are equal. It depends how you determine a photo is good or terrible. I am quite picky with photo quality. Overall it is a worthwhile investment for us. It's very subjective

 

[wayneg]

Done Photopass 4 or 5 times now, I would say very hit & miss, we probably get 6-10 really good shots each year. To me thats worth it as we share with 3 other families, making it around $35/family incl del, there is no way I would buy it just for us on our own, $135 incl del is too much for me.
This year for the first time we struggled to find photographers, past years they were everywhere we wanted them, they also reduced the magic shots so didn't get half as many as we have in past years.

I would say aslso take your own shots plus everytime you have a pic taken ask the hotographer to take another with your own camera, hopefully between all options you will get plenty of good pics.

 

[foxxxy83]

Thanks! Am one of those snap-happy kind of people (bit like a Japanese tourist! Lol!) Will DEFINITELY be taking PLENTY of my own! Just wanted to know what my expectations should be

 

[wilma-bride]

The Photopass photographers are not professionals, that's the trouble. Like the previous posters, we've had truly great Photopass pics and downright awful ones. Our worst ones were outside Magic Kingdom one day - the camera must have been somewhere cold (or had a fault) as there is a thick 'fog' on all of our pictures that was definitely not there that day.

But the magic pictures and the chance to have pictures of all of our family (I am usually the one behind the camera) is worth every penny. We normally try to get in on a Photopass share (although, I fear they are going to become few and far between now, with the new limits on viewing/editing time) but next year DD and I will be getting Photopass+ for the first time so no share then.

 

[foxxxy83]

OK thanks. I think the main one am after is a pic of us with Cinderella's Castle in the background. Every time we watch a movie and the castle comes on with the fireworks etc at the very start before the movie trailers begin, my son always points to it and whispers "I want to go there Mummy" and I always reply "One day we will, you see if we don't". Would be an AMAZING memento!

 

[Elise79]

The best way of guaranteeing a particular shot is to go to several photographers and get the same shots taken.

In July we had a good experience the number of bad photos due to photographers was only a couple but most were down to us eg eyes closed, not looking etc

Saying that we had enough excellent photos to do a photo book.

Some of my favourites are the candid ones the photographers capture at the character meet & greets. Most snap the whole way through the interaction (although not all do unfortunately) and they can get some really unique photos rather than just the posed ones.

 

[foxxxy83]

OK great, thanks!

 

[chmurf]

I've had wonderful pictures with photopass, like the very first one we ever took, it was on Main Street, and just at the end of a stage show. The photographer snapped just as 3 bursts of fireworks went off on the castle stage. He snapped 3 times, each perfectly timed to the fireworks ... absolutely magical ... the only regret I have is that we were just off the plane and so tired that we never had the strength to smile on the pictures.

Other pictures were correct, but nothing more. The kind of pics I could have taken myself with my DSLR. Also the resolution is slightly less than your average DSLR camera. (Last year it was like 8Mpixels when my DSLR has twice as much) but it's often compensated by the fact that the photographers use a flashlight that far outshines the built in flash of most cameras.

And some were not worth keeping. Blurry, not properly centered.

usually character photographs do a better job than others

all in all, doing the photopass is a no brainer.
I'm also a trigger happy person, and I clocked over 10.000 photographs on our last 3 weeks trip, but I also do photopass+ without any hesitation, despite the fact that photographers will gladly take pictures of your whole party with your own camera.

There are very good photos, and even if it was only 10 exceptionnaly good shots in a thousand, it would be worth every penny. Everything else is a bonus

 

[winniepie81]

My last trip in May we defiantly noticed a decline in quality of pix compared to previous trips. Blurred pix, eyes closed, some photos did not appear at all when we went to view them and we had random families photos on our pass! Luckily we views our photos early in the trip so had time to go back to the locations that did nt come out!

 

[foxxxy83]

Other families pics shouldn't be on your PhotoPass card. No offence but there isn't any excuse for that. I can understand people walking pass in the background may end up in a couple of shots but who wants a pic of someone else's family! Plus, is it really that hard to get a decent shot?? I mean, even with a camera with low MP you can still get a halfway decent shot if you know your way around a camera. Will DEFINITELY be taking my own and asking them to take shots with that as well! I'm wanting to get a photo-book made for one of my son's Xmas presents so I need good quality prints

 

[edinburghlass]

The best way of guaranteeing a particular shot is to go to several photographers and get the same shots taken.

In July we had a good experience the number of bad photos due to photographers was only a couple but most were down to us eg eyes closed, not looking etc

Saying that we had enough excellent photos to do a photo book.

Some of my favourites are the candid ones the photographers capture at the character meet & greets. Most snap the whole way through the interaction (although not all do unfortunately) and they can get some really unique photos rather than just the posed ones.

I agree over the M&G shots. We had great fun down at Camp Mickey and Minnie at AK the day they opened the new location for Mickey and Minnie in May. Chip and Dale, Donald, Baloo and King Louie were all there messing about photo bombing each others shots and dancing about behind the photographers making everyone laugh. The CM ended up taking a selfie on my camera there was so much nonsense going on which made everyone laugh and cue a red face. This was early in the morning before any of the characters went to their allotted spots, possibly a once only occasion but one to treasure.

 

[2Tiggies]

Other families pics shouldn't be on your PhotoPass card. No offence but there isn't any excuse for that.

It's really not a big deal. It happens occasionally when the photographer scans your card without clearing the shots from the card before. You can delete them from your Photopass account and the other family will still get theirs if the card is scanned and if not, PP will find them and get them added. Don't worry about it

 

[2Tiggies]

Also the resolution is slightly less than your average DSLR camera. (Last year it was like 8Mpixels when my DSLR has twice as much) but it's often compensated by the fact that the photographers use a flashlight that far outshines the built in flash of most cameras.

That's true. Have you noticed that the Photopass photos are also stripped of all Exif data before you get them on your CD? I found that quite interesting.

We have had some fabulous candid moment shots captured by the photographers. There was one last year when the photographer turned his camera on me taking photos. I had no idea he'd even taken them until I saw them on my account when we got home but it's the kind of shots you won't get anywhere else

Also some pics captured of us with Pooh and Tigger when my charm bracelet got stuck on Tigger and we were all in hysterics while the surly faced character handler treated it like a government breach while the photographer was snapping away singing "Stuck on you"

 

[thestevied]

We're currently using photopass+ and I'm very keen to see what the quality is like when I get home. Think we've had some good shots, and I like being able to get the ride photos added to our card, but for every photo I've had added to the card, I've also got the photographer to take a photo with my camera. Better safe than sorry.

 

[winniepie81]

Just thought it was a little random and surprising! plus someone must have had our photos on their pass! Luckily we still managed to buy a few pix that turned out well in locations we ve never been snapped before! I was shocked to relise we very never got a decent pic infront of spaceship earth!

 

[2Tiggies]

Luckily we views our photos early in the trip so had time to go back to the locations that did nt come out!

This is key, if you are able to do it. Even if you don't have a laptop of similar to use the wifi to do it at the resort, a quick stop at any photo center in the parks or DTD and you can view your pics just to check.

Here's another once in a blue moon fluke reason to check. In 2009 we went to AK and stayed til around 11 pm (they still did evening EMH at that time). On our way out the park we stopped to check our photos and were stunned when our card was swiped and the screen revealed someone else's photos and only the last few of hours from a meet and greet early evening that day at AK onwards were ours. Our cards must have been switched by accident at the meet and greet. It took all of 2 minutes for them to locate our photos and have all of ours from both cards put onto a new card. Had we not checked it would have taken a lot longer to sort it out.

Also, take a photo or note the number on the back of your card so if you lose it, they can get the pics put onto a new one. FWIW this is easy with regular Photopass but they are a lot more sticky about replacing PP+ cards apparently. Just always a good precaution. Lost photos and cards are usually easily resolved. Having all the info to hand just saves you a lot of time and stress.

 

[foxxxy83]

Am planning to take pic of every hard ticket I get for that very reason. Hopefully we won't lose anything though (touch wood!)... I registered for a PhotoPass account when it was the old PhotoPass website so will that one work or do I need to register again on the new site?? I'm going to have WIFI in my hotel room so can access Internet on my iPod to check if my pics have been added properly (that's my hope anyway!)

 

[Sencybil]

I think I've read that the magic shots were reduced, but now the new website is in use they are back again....hoping so anyway, asI have splashed out on PP+

Sencybil xx