Picking what equipment to bring

jmc_in_disney

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Good morning everyone - we are finally going back to Disney after a long time away. :yay: In the 11 years (!) since we last went, I bought my first DSLR (Nikon D5100, a crop sensor) and realized that I love photography and am kind of good at it - so I'm now a hobbyist, sometime professional and I've since upgraded to a D750 and have a variety of lenses.

But this will be my first time shooting at Disney. We are going the week before Easter because my son will be there with his orchestra. I know it will be crazy, but I"m so looking forward to it and I may also do a senior photo shoot while I'm there.

I have been considering just bringing my Sigma 35 1.4 art lens or renting a 24 mm. Will I regret not bringing a zoom at all? Do you ever feel the need for one? I just don't want to get bogged down with equipment and think wide angle will be much more useful.

Thank you for any input!
 
I'm also a D750 shooter. On my last trip to Disney, I did not bring a standard zoom lens. I almost exclusively used my Tamron 45/1.8 on my D750. Perfect for normal view and for dark rides.
I know conventional wisdom is that you need a zoom for travel, for the convenience. But honestly, I think there is something to be said for the prime option. With the high quality images of the D750+prime, you can easily crop a good amount. Thus, you do have some flexibility to "zoom in" during post-processing.

Now, I won't travel without an ultra-wide option. For me, I used a second camera body -- I had my Sony A6300 with 10-18 lens for my ultrawide shots.
But I also did some wide with the Nikon 18-35 on the D750. For some past travel, I've packed the Rokinon 14/2.8 for use on my D750. And I have the Irix 11mm on pre-order.

I'm doing a Disney Cruise + Universal this summer. I'm strongly considering a prime-only trip.... The Irix 11mm, Tamron 45/1.8 and Tamron 85/1.8.

Many will say you need a telephoto.... Unless I'm shooting wildlife (like the AK safari), I feel I do not need telephoto when I travel. I can live without getting closeups of the stage shows.

Not sure I'd be happy sticking to just a single prime lens for an entire trip.... but packing 3-4 lenses also doesn't mean always carrying 3-4 lenses. You can pack 1-2 lenses only, based on what you want to shoot on a given day or evening.

I'll go back and forth on my packing quite a it on my next trip.
 
I'll be bringing a D750 into the parks next week, as well as the Nikon f/2.8 trinity. The only prime I'm taking is the 50 f/1.8.

My shooting style relies a lot on the standard and tele zooms, so I really can't see myself going without these. I think it really depends on your shooting style and what you want to capture. I'm looking at recent "Rivers of Light" images from a few friends and contacts and I predict I'll be using the 24 - 70 for this. I like to take a lot of "people" shots - parades, shows, etc - and I think the 70 - 200 will get some use. For night time and architecture/landscape shots there's the 14 - 24.

If you'll be shooting your son performing I would definitely go with something that has more reach than the 35.
 
Thanks so much, I appreciate the insight. Honestly, it's been so long since we've been to Disney that I'm not sure what my goals are - and being it will be so crowded, we're definitely planning on going at a bit of a slower pace. Plus, I hope to get some candids of my son and his friends.... so I definitely will need something with a bit of reach, as you say. I don't own the 70-200 but I think it would be too heavy for me to bring around the park. I am considering renting a 24-70 - my other options are the 35 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm Tamron and 70-300. I may bring the 90 mm because it would be great to have for details, which is definitely some of what I'm after. I am very torn between bringing too much and having regret over what I didn't bring. :)
 


Thanks so much, I appreciate the insight. Honestly, it's been so long since we've been to Disney that I'm not sure what my goals are - and being it will be so crowded, we're definitely planning on going at a bit of a slower pace. Plus, I hope to get some candids of my son and his friends.... so I definitely will need something with a bit of reach, as you say. I don't own the 70-200 but I think it would be too heavy for me to bring around the park. I am considering renting a 24-70 - my other options are the 35 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm Tamron and 70-300. I may bring the 90 mm because it would be great to have for details, which is definitely some of what I'm after. I am very torn between bringing too much and having regret over what I didn't bring. :)

The Nikon 70-200/4 is a nice weight compromise. But I still find it bulky for travel.

Everything really depends what you want to capture, your style, etc.
if you want to capture wide and telephoto shots of Fantasmic, Rivers of Light, etc... you probably need a zoom. If you want the versatility to capture a landscape in one moment, but then in the next moment, get a closer crop of a character or a person in the next moment, you need a zoom.
You can only change lenses so often and so quickly.

Prime shooting is more challenging. You definitely have to sacrifice some perspectives when shooting primes, you miss some shots. You need to rely more on foot zoom.
But the advantages of primes:
Forces you to be more creative and put more thought into composition.
Let's you get low light shots you won't get with zoom lenses.
Gives you superior IQ, superior bokeh, etc.
Often can make your camera a bit lighter.
 
I'll be honest. I haven't fully embraced prime lenses. I own a few and use them on occasion. But I just prefer shooting with a zoom of some sort. I like lots of options.

When I take a Disney trip, I take lots of lenses, but try to limit what I carry in the park each day. I own Canon's 70-200 f/4. I don't think I have it in me to carry a 2.8 version of that in the parks, but the 4 seems fine to me. But even so, I take it on just a couple days over the course of a trip (generally days we're planning to see some sort of show). I use a mid-range zoom most of the time, but almost always have a wide angle along (except on the days I'm carrying the long zoom).
 


But the advantages of primes:
Forces you to be more creative and put more thought into composition.
Let's you get low light shots you won't get with zoom lenses.
Gives you superior IQ, superior bokeh, etc.
Often can make your camera a bit lighter.

Agreed.
I was lucky enough to try a friend's Nikon 105 f/1.4 on a studio/portrait shoot and I fell in love with the IQ and bokeh. My next lens purchase might just be the 105 1.4 or the 85 1.4.
 
Agreed.
I was lucky enough to try a friend's Nikon 105 f/1.4 on a studio/portrait shoot and I fell in love with the IQ and bokeh. My next lens purchase might just be the 105 1.4 or the 85 1.4.

Tempting... but price and weight are a bit much for me. I LOVE the Tamron 85/1.8 vc... similar IQ, just 2/3rds of a stop slower... with VC, and much cheaper.

I'm really debating whether to try to make my next trip prime only, at least as far as the d750 goes. Then use my d750 for high IQ shots... use my a6300 with f4 zooms for convenience shots.
 
I always over pack my camera gear. I typically take two bodies and 4 lenses. Canon 6D and Canon 70D. 17-40 F4L, 50 F1.4, 24-105 F4L, and 70-200 F4L. A lens on each camera, and the two extras. Yes it's overkill, but it's what I love to do at Disney...

instagram.com/davedoesdisney
 
Part of my thought process is always:
1 -- While my back appreciates travel convenience, I really want the best image quality when I'm shooting special memorable sights.
2-- When I'm shooting tourist sites that have been shot a million times, how can I make my shots stand out, how can I hope to capture something a bit different?

#2 is very difficult, and I'm not claiming to be very successful. But practically everyone is shooting between 24mm and 75mm, between F4 and F8.
So I know I want ultrawide -- though I'm definitely not the only person on earth shooting ultrawide, it really is just enthusiasts who invest in ultrawide. Let's me create looks in photographs that at least your typical visitor isn't getting.
Fast primes let me play with depth of field, in a way that most people aren't doing.
And fast primes give me better IQ than most people are getting.

Covering 16nm to 300mm is definitely important if your goal is to get everything. My goal isn't to get everything -- my goal is to end the trip with a few wow shots.
(and enough basic gear to of course get family memories).
 
I always over pack my camera gear. I typically take two bodies and 4 lenses. Canon 6D and Canon 70D. 17-40 F4L, 50 F1.4, 24-105 F4L, and 70-200 F4L. A lens on each camera, and the two extras. Yes it's overkill, but it's what I love to do at Disney...

instagram.com/davedoesdisney

that definitely sounds like "overkill" for family travel but you're packed to get the shot
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless
 
Hahaha. As for me, i thought Instagram was created more as a way of showing people that you have a close to perfect life...even when you don't! Sad modern days.

For many I think it is that. I use it strictly for my absurd Disney obsession. I actually have three accounts, just for Disney posts. Told you, #obsession :confused3

instagram.com/davedoesdisney
instagram.com/disneyinslowmotion
instagram.com/spinningdisney
 

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