Thoughts on taking our DSLR?

[Technosavant]

I will be taking my P&S, last time I hated carrying it around. I think its the photographer more than the camera anyway. Just kidding

It doesn't matter what a bad photographer has on hand, they won't get good results. A good photographer can get good results with anything, but will get better results with better equipment. For most of us mediocre folks, well, better equipment can salvage a few shots.

You take what you're comfortable with using and hauling around. I go to the trouble of taking my DSLR because the better autofocus capabilities and more intuitive framing (what you see, you get, and no trying to hold the camera out a couple feet to frame a shot) is worth the tradeoffs.

 

[Callalily6]

Most of the cameras mentioned arent too heavy. The smaller DSLR bodies arent too bad to wear around your neck all day. Especially if you have a 50mm on it. Good lens. Not real big. I have an E3 with the battery grip and wide angle lens. It weighs a ton. At the same time, you can do really cool time lapse and other stuff a pns cant do. So I have both and switch off. The DSLR comes out at night, usually. And the pns is out during the day.

 

[ILuvCrush]

I always take my DSLR... I take a bigger purse/bag than I would otherwise, and stick it in there when I get tired of it around my neck

I don't take my extra lenses, except my 70-300, and that is ONLY to AK (for the safari) Everywhere else the 55mm is plenty.. esp with a good camera that you can zoom in via cropping when you touch up your pics later


Paula

 

[melancholywings]

I have a Nikkon D40. I took it to DL with no problems using only the default lens and a smaller holster camera bag that fits it perfectly - it doesn't have all the pockets so it's smaller - about the same size as the camera. For the rides I often just left it over my shoulder.

 

[borntoshop96]

I agree. I have a huge Nikon D300 and I always carry it at Disney. I'll hand it to the Photo Pass photographers and let them use it as well as take photos with their Photo Pass camera. That way, I end up with even more great shots to choose from when it comes time to create my albums. You got it to use it, so use it!!!

 

[sherry7]

......The only problem comes when you have to entrust some ride attendant to watch the bag for you but luckily WDW does not have a lot of rides in which you can't simply stick the back under the seat or hold it between you and your guest.......

Regarding the above post....

Which rides at WDW would you NOT be able to take your DSLR on?

 

[TagsMissy]

We have a DSLR camera (so it's pretty big). I was wondering how much of a pain it will be to lug it around the parks. We won't be going on any of the "adult" rides. I really want to bring it, but I'm just a little afraid. PLMK what you think. Thanks.

Dawn

We bring ours too and we have a small pocket camera as well that's fully waterproof perfect for the water park and certain rides in AK

 

[TagsMissy]

Regarding the above post....

Which rides at WDW would you NOT be able to take your DSLR on?

I wonder the same thing. We took ours on every ride we went on. The only rides we didn't do were the Tea Cups and a few of the real kiddie ones.

 

[sherry7]

I wonder the same thing. We took ours on every ride we went on. The only rides we didn't do were the Tea Cups and a few of the real kiddie ones.

Thanks for the info. Can anyone else think of any particular rides where you couldn't carry a DSLR?

 

[Technosavant]

Thanks for the info. Can anyone else think of any particular rides where you couldn't carry a DSLR?

Never had a problem with any of them. The more violent ones (Rockin' Roller Coaster, Everest) aren't a problem- my camera bag fit in the pouch provided and the shaking didn't break anything. If you have a huge camera bag, your mileage may vary, but I had no problems.

 

[iggbees]

i also have a pentax k100d and i can't wait to bring my dslr back to disney with me this jan. i've brought it on my trip in july 2007 and i love the shots that i got. i was stupid and didn't bring it on my trip jan 2008 and was so disappointed with my p&s that trip. the quality of the pictures were pathetic compared to the dslr. i agree with posters who say, why have a dslr if you're not going to use it at a place where the photo ops are amazing!

i would get a backpack that is comfortable and can fit not only your camera but other necessities that you might need in the parks. i don't have a camera bag. i bought a small patagonia backpack that is comfortable and fits my camera and a lens perfectly and still has some room for other stuff.

 

[CAdreamin]

I took my dSLR but removed the battery grip before the trip. While it was lighter it actually felt too light! It really depends on what quality of pictures you want and what your skill level is. Do you know how to use your camera well? I'm pretty good with mine and honestly, it pained me to see people with dSLRs using the onboard flash at night to take pictures of the castle with lights on.

If you're going to use a fancy dSLR as a point and shoot, save yourself the extra weight and use your point and shoot.

I used a Tamron 19-35mm lens for most of the time, and my 50mm only some of the time. Normally, my 50 stays on my camera almost all the time. My (i can't remember the lower range - 200mm lens never got used.

It was a pain to change lenses, but I did it. I wanted the good pictures. I had my camera in my right hand and managed to still push both my kids in their stroller all day long.

During the wishes fireworks show I held the camcorder in my left hand, and used my camera in my right. I tested out the settings in manual before the show started and got pretty darn good results. I'm happy with it.