Should I buy a digital camera for the trip?

[bamamom]

I have a Nikon with extended lense, LOVE IT. I take lots of pics of my kids and I know I will take tons at WDW(so many photo opts ) I'm concerned about having this big camera for the rides and etc... should I buy a digital to use for most pics and just take my big camera for a few hours for some pics one day. I know they have lockers but I'm not sure about putting something that valuable in one of them
Thanks


Pop Century Oct 2005

 

[rchristiansen]

Yes, just bring the digital camera and carry it in a fanny pack. We have an old digital camera and were sick of lugging it around in the fanny pack so we bought a new smaller one. We love it. Takes better pictures than any camera - It is the Olympus Stylus 500 -- Has better reviews than the slim Sony camera. Check it out!

 

[Colinsmom]

I loved having our digital camera at Disney! Not all the shots come out, and it is easy to delete pics that you don't want to print. Plus, you can store so many pics on a memory stick! Much easier than dealing with film. We did have an extra memory stick just in case, but didn't need it.

 

[YesI'mObsessed]

We too, loved the digital at Disney! It was especially useful at CRT. Those pictures were so important to my little one that I was glad I could make sure they came out before hand. The lighting was funny in there because of the windows and one pix with Snow White didn't come out, dd would have been very dissapointed. I simply went through my pixs and then asked SW if we could possibly get another pic because it didn't turn out. She was so nice! So, it definitely paid off for that once in a lifetime picture!

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

fugiflim fine pix is the best disney cam. ever...i take it every where! It takes awesome pictures! Get one..it makes life soooo much simpler

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

I was a die hard film/slr person and I finally bit the bullet and went digital for our trip this May and it was fantastic! I took over 650 pix and being able to delete and retake pictures was so nice. It was especially helpful taking pix on the Safari, a challenge for any camera. I got a lot of gems and dumped the rest the same day. When we got home within minutes the pictures were loaded on the computer and we viewed them all the same night. Digital really has surpassed film. It may seem like a sad day for camera diehards, but embrace the change and reap the benefits!

 

[Dizneydaz]

I too love my SLR (Canon Rebel) however, after losing my 3 MP Kodak on our last trip -don't ask-I'm still upset about the 200+ pixs lost-I finally bought a new digital. I considered a digital SLR but the cost and reviews are still keeping me from purchasing. Anyway, I bought a Kodak 5 MP and I love it. I can't imagine getting a better pix from a Dig. SLR! Recent pixs of my daughter playing in the sprinklers came out amazing. On the sports setting, the water spray froze. The clarity is amazing. I'm still abit of an SLR snob-but the digitals sure have come a long way!

I still plan on taking both cameras (SLR and digital) along with several disposal water cams and a few disposals for my daughter to use. I do take more "scenery" type pixs with the digital as I figure if i don't print it-it dosen't cost anything. This year I'll use my new digital for action shots. I wonder how well it will freeze the action at say..The Lion King Show. (SLR-not so good last time)

Also, does anyone else have the film developed prior to leaving? On the last few trips, I've taken my shot rolls to Sams Club (1 hour) on my way to Walmart for souvenirs, etc. and picked up on the way back. (Also grabbed a soda-love their syro cups and filled up the rental van). I use my local Sam's to develop my film anyway and this eliminates the worry and hassle of having my film sent through xray. Just a thought.

59 days and counting

 

[SylviaL]

Since we got our digital camera, DH doesn't even touch our old Canon SLR. Also, a digital camera is good for taking pictures of kids each morning (just as a precaution in case they get lost).

 

[surfgirl]

I'm in both camps:

I love my Canon Elph for quick shots... traveling with family - fits in my pocket.

I love my digital SLR (Canon Rebel) for *great* pictures, scenery, "artistic" pictures. I don't take it when traveling - I need the space and weight for diapers, sippies, wipes, etc.

One benefit to digital - makes a fun way to pass time in line or on the plane ride home -- look at the pictures with kids and talk about your trip.

Most important advice: have plenty of "test time" before you get there so you know what you are doing!!!

 

[PaulaSue]

Don't forget to get your digtal cards on sale.

For example~ At Walmart they have 256 SD kind for $44. I found the same amount of storage at Circuit City, Office Max and Staples MUCH cheaper after rebates. I also got Double the amount of storage for STILL less than the $44 after rebate.

Now I KNOW I have enough picture storage and with 3 little girls to take pictures of, I got a good deal by waiting and watching the ads.

 

[donnab2005]

I am a die hard SLR film camera lover. I have a very nice Minolta slr and 3 different lenses. This past Christmas I got a digital camera. We just returnd from a 7 day wdw trip and I took the SLR camera because I have more lenses for that camera. Well when we got home from our trip I had 15 rolls of film. I took them to Ritz Camera to be developed and out of 15 rolls the last 5 rolls were blank. I was totally sick about all the memories we had lost. My daughter cried because the picture of her and Pocahontas was not there. So I am now a total convert to digital cameras, The bad thing is that I cannot replace all those lost photos. At least with a digital camera you can see what pictures you have.

My opinion is definately take the digital camera.
So now I guess we need to go back to WDW soon so I can get more photos.

 

[zcubed]

this is the first year that I had my digital; we also brought our 35 mm and an underwater camera. We used the underwater one in the pool, still have to get that developed, but the digital camera was awesome.

Every time we hit the room, I downloaded the photos onto my lap top and cleared out my memory card. I got so many pics this year, and though it is true that they some did not come out, that could happen with the 35 mm and i would have to pay to have them developed.

we did not touch the 35 mm camera at all! I would buy it; you can get some decent cameras at a relatively inexpensive price these days.

 

[tigertam]

I too have a Nikon2000 w/ extended lense. I bought a canon powershot A80 15 mths ago. I don't think I have used my Nikon since. Everybody is right they are fun, take great pictures, smaller, the action pictures are good too.(I haven't experimented alot) I would still bring your other camera too, especially for specialty shots or w/special effects and for distance shots. One of the things I had to think about when buying a digital was what did I want to take. I wanted to take pictures of my family and be able to have a picture that came out good in low lighting and indoor pictures. That is why I picked the camera I did, because at the time and in my price range this camera had the best ratings on low light shots. Man does it take awsome night pictures!!!!!!! I can go into a totally dark room and take a picture and it looks like it was taken in the day!! We have lots of birthday parties and I hated the dark candle pictues.(no more) Oh, but my digital is so much slower than my Nikon. So you can't catch the expression as fast. That might frustrate you, so if you don't have much time to exp. you could be frustrated in that department. When I was looking 15 mths ago the digitals did not compare in the zoom department, so you will need you camera for that. For the most part digitals are great.

You also mentioned being worried about your expensive camera, well some nice digitals are an easy $400. Mine was, but it is less now. You could probably get it for 1/2 price on a good sale. I'm not sure, but I look around and you see the majority of people w/the new nice camera's and camcorders, I've kinda thought there so normal to have, why would they want to steal mine? Its not long and your new camera is old, just like computers.

All in all I like seeing what I get, it's so disapointing to get home and think you got the perfect picture and it wasn't! Instead you just missed the smile and it looks fake, or they look dazed. The other thing I am amazed at is I can print my own pictures on my not special printer for photos and everyone whom I have asked likes the picture I printed and not walmarts. My colors are brighter on my Epson Stylus CX7400. If you have the money, I would definitely buy and bring a digital.

 

[zcubed]

look around at all of the choices of cameras and see what is a priority for you. I got an HP bundle, camera, photo picture printer, extra memory, paper, and a really nice carrying case for the printer for about $300.00. I have seen a ton of cameras in the $150.00-$200.00 range. I have seen them as low as $100.00 but those sometimes do not have the zoom or other features.

Good luck with your decision.