Talk to me about carrying a DSLR around in parks!

[JimmyV]

Where do you recommend renting from? I was thinking about this for my upcoming Baltic cruise

I use LensRentals.com No affiliation or connection. Just a satisfied customer.

 

[WLfamily]

I solve the portability problem by renting a locker. The mid-day Florida sun can be harsh and not very conducive to taking great photos. So I tend to carry my camera equipment with me first thing in the morning, and then lock it away in a locker until later in the day when the early evening glow allows for some much better shots. I'll make a sweep of the park later in the day when the lighting is best to take photos, and don't really bother with my camera from 10:00-4:00. Since I'm not using it during that time, it is safest in a locker.

We always do rope drop then head out of the parks by noon. We spend the middle of the day at our resort; pool, nap, etc. and head back out around 5:00 for our dining ressie and stay at the parks until close. The Florida sun can be harsh on me too!!

 

[WLfamily]

I use a Lowepro Passport Sling bag and a 17-70 lens for the parks. The 55-200 kit lens is ok in good light but not ideal for the parks. Your better off using the 18-55. You can always crop in but you can't crop out..

The 3200 is not heavy so a backpack is not necessary. Look for a bag or a comfortable strap that provides easy access.

Sharona, you may know the answer to this. I've read a lot about the Nikon Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens. People who own the Nikon cameras seem to swear by it for low light conditions. I've also read reviews of people who say it's the only lens you really need. Would I be better off buying this lens than using the 18-55 or the 55-200?
And what is the difference between it and the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF?

 

[powbob]

Sharona, you may know the answer to this. I've read a lot about the Nikon Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens. People who own the Nikon cameras seem to swear by it for low light conditions. I've also read reviews of people who say it's the only lens you really need. Would I be better off buying this lens than using the 18-55 or the 55-200?
And what is the difference between it and the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF?

I own and use this lens. It is what's called a normal focal length lens for APS-C. I like it a lot. But for general use a zoom is a much better choice. 18-55 for general stuff or 55-200 for farther away stuff. 18-55 most useful in general.

Sometimes I just take my 12-24mm zoom. It is a great super wide to normal lens.

 

[WLfamily]

I own and use this lens. It is what's called a normal focal length lens for APS-C. I like it a lot. But for general use a zoom is a much better choice. 18-55 for general stuff or 55-200 for farther away stuff. 18-55 most useful in general.

Sometimes I just take my 12-24mm zoom. It is a great super wide to normal lens.

So you think I should stick with the 18-55 in the parks powbob? I don't want to be taking different lenses to swap out being that I'm just a beginner. Will that basic lens do ok on the dark rides?

 

[powbob]

So you think I should stick with the 18-55 in the parks powbob? I don't want to be taking different lenses to swap out being that I'm just a beginner. Will that basic lens do ok on the dark rides?

If you really want to carry only one lens use the 18-55 and learn to adjust your ISO settings for low light conditions. I've also found that under normal shooting conditions I prefer the 18-55 with the VR switched off. Personally I use my 50mm f1.8 much more than my 35 because it's a nice focal length for portraits. Good lenses have good resale value if you get out of photography.

 

[sharona]

Sharona, you may know the answer to this. I've read a lot about the Nikon Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens. People who own the Nikon cameras seem to swear by it for low light conditions. I've also read reviews of people who say it's the only lens you really need. Would I be better off buying this lens than using the 18-55 or the 55-200?
And what is the difference between it and the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF?

I have the 35 mm and love it for my abstract stuff and for low light but a fixed focal length is not versatile enough for vacation. You can't really use your feet to zoom in and out in such a busy crowded place. I would use the 18-55.

 

[Tigerlulu]

If you want one lens--all around zoom for a beginner--I recommend the 18-200! You won't have to swap out once and you'll get the reach you need. The 18-55 doesn't zoom very far. But you definitely want the wide end as well as the long end. If you only get one lens I HIGHLY recommend this one!

And Nikon has a pretty good one. It will be better quality than the standard kit lens that would come with the camera. You could always buy just the camera body and the lens separately. You will be happier in the long run!!

 

[hayles77]

On our recent trip, I carried my d7000 cross body with a crumpler neck strap. I did not bring a camera bag into the parks but kept a large ziploc in our park bag in case of unexpected weather.

I did not bring extra lenses into the park, just picked one lens for the day. I brought a point and shoot camera but ended up leaving it on the room because the camera was quite comfortable wearing it cross body.

If the camera is tucked away in a bag, much more hassle to stop and dig it out when a photo opportunity arises.

Enjoy your new camera!

Can you recommend a good cross body strap? Thx

 

[CitrusSwirlGirl]

Years ago I used to always bring my slr and then dslr into the parks, but I dropped them like hot potatoes (figuratively, not literally, lol) about the time cell phones with fairly decent cameras became a thing ...but, this thread has inspired me to pack my dslr for my next trip.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I have a small(ish) camera bag for my DSLR. It's no bigger than a purse. It has a very small pocket attached to it. I carry the DSLR in the bag, and my ID, credit card, some cash ,and an extra battery in the pocket. My sunglasses hook to the bag loop. What more do you need?

Now, if you want really good fireworks photos and etc., you're going to need to carry a bit more. I'm not personally willing to carry a tripod or anything like that into the parks. Point is, carrying just the DSLR should not be a problem.

 

[WLfamily]

I have a small(ish) camera bag for my DSLR. It's no bigger than a purse. It has a very small pocket attached to it. I carry the DSLR in the bag, and my ID, credit card, some cash ,and an extra battery in the pocket. My sunglasses hook to the bag loop. What more do you need?

Now, if you want really good fireworks photos and etc., you're going to need to carry a bit more. I'm not personally willing to carry a tripod or anything like that into the parks. Point is, carrying just the DSLR should not be a problem.

What camera bag do you use??

 

[mickey1968]

I bought a DSLR a few years ago and have taken it on several trips now to WDW. I travel solo and really enjoy taking pics, but I do find it a bit of pain to carry sometimes, both in the parks and on the plane. In the larger camera bag I have it takes up half the space in my carry-on luggage. For the parks though, I bought one of the Black Rapid straps a couple of people mentioned. Makes all the difference. You can carry it cross-body and for me the camera hangs down exactly where my hand falls at my side so I can quickly grab it and shoot as I walk. I also carry one of the Disney Vera Bradley small backpacks in the parks and it is just the right size for my camera with a Tamron 18-270 lens and a few other items. Oh, and I have the Canon SL1 model. It is a very small body that has about the same capabilities as the Canon T5i, but much lighter even with the big zoom lens. I never seem to remember to bring the tripod with me in the park for fireworks shots but have gotten pretty good at "trash can shooting."

 

[powbob]

If you want one lens--all around zoom for a beginner--I recommend the 18-200! You won't have to swap out once and you'll get the reach you need. The 18-55 doesn't zoom very far. But you definitely want the wide end as well as the long end. If you only get one lens I HIGHLY recommend this one!

And Nikon has a pretty good one. It will be better quality than the standard kit lens that would come with the camera. You could always buy just the camera body and the lens separately. You will be happier in the long run!!

Oh, definitely, but that's also a much larger $500 lens.

 

[powbob]

Years ago I used to always bring my slr and then dslr into the parks, but I dropped them like hot potatoes (figuratively, not literally, lol) about the time cell phones with fairly decent cameras became a thing ...but, this thread has inspired me to pack my dslr for my next trip.

Good for you! No one should have to put up with fairly decent.

 

[powbob]

I use LensRentals.com No affiliation or connection. Just a satisfied customer.

I agree LensRentals.com is very reputable, and you can rent the Nikon 18-200mm lens for $38.00 for five days.

Another very well respected site if you want to save some money by buying used is KEH.com. Their condition ratings are very conservative and any defects are noted on the description. You can save quite a bit of money while getting very nice lenses as well as anything else photo there. You can, for instance get that $500
Nikon 18-200mm lens in excellent condition for less than $300 right now.

 

[Tigerlulu]

You can pick up a used one or rent. There is also a local rental place in Orlando that will deliver and pick up to your resort, which is nice. Kingdom camera rentals. Good service.

 

[richmo]

Now that my kids have grown up, I'm getting to the point where I hate carrying anything into the park. Most days I'll be in cargo shorts with my phone, wallet and car keys in various pockets. On most trips, I've had enough days where I'll have a day or two I'll designate "picture days", where I'll bring the DSLR. I definitely don't bring it in every day....

 

[WLfamily]

I think I'm going to stick with taking the 18-55mm for now, it seems to have the most votes as to which lens will cover my needs. I did order the BlackRapid Curve strap as suggested! Now I just need to find the perfect park bag that's not a backpack.
I have lots of studying and learning to do with the camera before my trip. I know most of you are advanced in the world of DSLR, but is it ok for me to use the Auto mode if I'm not sure about the others yet? It has a great Guide mode that will let me choose what situation I'm in and tell me what settings to adjust also. Which is best for the beginner?

 

[sharona]

There is nothing wrong with using Auto modes until you're comfortable with the other options. I wouldn't want to be learning while on vacation! Too much work and too much room for error.