Should I bring my DSLR?

[TheSixOfUs]

For those of you who own DSLR cameras, I'd love your input. Should I bring my camera kit into WDW with me? My bag includes camera body, lens, external flash, and a few extra dodads. Its bigger and heaver than I would like to port around, but my iPhone camera ... well.... it sucks.

Just wondering what others have done, either way. Regrets? Worth it?

 

[Toadlover]

I was thinking about this myself. I thought I'd keep it in my backpack and just be careful because the photo quality is superior to my cell phone, obviously. I may be having too much fun to think about taking many pictures, though!

 

[freckles04]

I don't have a DSLR, but my sister does. On our family trip this past January, she brought hers everywhere we went. She didn't voice any complaints about carrying it around. In fact, she was so into (and enjoying) taking pictures that she almost never had it in its bag; she was always using it. She got some AMAZING shots that were better than the PhotoPass photographers.

 

[Toadlover]

I don't have a DSLR, but my sister does. On our family trip this past January, she brought hers everywhere we went. She didn't voice any complaints about carrying it around. In fact, she was so into (and enjoying) taking pictures that she almost never had it in its bag; she was always using it. She got some AMAZING shots that were better than the PhotoPass photographers.

That's what we all hope for.

 

[mousehockey37]

I had mine with me. I didn't have my tripod, nor a flash. I had the basics, my Canon T3 and the 18-55 kit lens.

I had the shoulder bag for it and I'm glad I had it. It made having my trip memories at my finger tips.

The Photopass stuff gives you a few stock photos. Other than that, the Photopass people used my camera and took the SAME photos when meeting the characters.

On my next trip, I've upgraded a few things... I've still got the T3, but I've added a 55-250 lens, and a camera case backpack that will allow me to have my tripod with me as well!!!

Bring it on!!!

 

[maddiesdaddy]

I'll offer a different perspective than maybe what most people might think and also because of the age of our kids..so each person has a different situation.

My wife is a professional photographer who catches amazing memories for other families and for ours as well. I have the luxury of having every moment of my children's childhood documented in professional albums, etc.

Yet...when we go, she leaves her camera at home. A camera that is honestly an extension of her arm.

A lot of the reason is that we have 2 year old twins...managing a camera, switching lenses, getting the perfect shot while wrangling those 2 is impossible. But honestly before those 2 surprised us, she didn't bring it for either trip for our now 10 year old and now 7 year old.

See..the photo pass photographers aren't the best picture takers ever..but they do a good enough job. The trip is about being together as a family and some trips (like this one coming up), we are booking a family photo shoot.

But, through all of our trips, our family memory maker has been in most of the pictures with the kids.

And before the twins, when we all went on the Rockin Roller Coaster, there was no fear of the camera being hurt, dinged, scratched.

For us and for her, this is about vacation and being together and not having to worry about where did I put it, is the lens getting damaged, did I get the light right?

Do I personally believe that we could get that one or two shots that we would blow up and hang on our wall? Sure..maybe...but is that worth having to lug it around, risk it getting damaged, and having her not be in the shots?

Truthfully..think about how you will use these pictures? Are you going to keep them on your computer, post them to social media, send them to friends and family? You can do that with an iphone camera (the best camera is the one that's ALWAYS with you).

If you are going to create wall art to adorn your house with blown up mounted pics and canvases are create a fancy album that will go in your family archives, then maybe a DSLR is the right camera to take.

Think about your priorities, the use of your pictures, the importance of your presence in family memory pictures. Then decide.

In 10 trips including our wedding trip, she has never regretted not having it.

But each person is different so just look at what is right for you.