Too Many Lens Choices and Prepping for the Trip

[scbell]

Hi, everyone!

I'm new to the boards, and have been reading a lot about lenses related to taking my first DSLR to Disney in a few months. We have been twice before, first in 2007 when I was pregnant with #3, second in 2010 when he was 2, and now he'll be 5, and is very tall, so we expect he'll get to ride most of the thrill rides we all enjoy. (My older girls will be 10 and 14.) We say before every trip this one will be our "last" because of cost... but at the end of every trip we always talk about coming back, but we can't seem to stay away. We love Disney!

I have a Nikon d5100, along with the 18-55mm kit lens and the 50mm f1.8/G (which I love and stays on my camera 80% of the time). I am not sure about another lens to take (which I'll need to purchase). I'm wanting to keep it under $500, and I'm not scared of buying an off-brand like Sigma or Tamron for a zoom if I need it (I've read some good reviews on both). I am conflicted about going the zoom route or getting a 35mm prime. I'm concerned about the character shots with all three kids (the youngest I imagine will be in front of the character in many of the shots, though) and whether I'd be able to fit them all in a 50mm frame easily (since many of the characters are rather tall/large and can almost count as two people). I am thinking outdoor shots with characters will be fine with the kit lens (or another zoom) at 35mm.

I don't like using a flash at all (though I know on some of those character meets, a flash is a necessity). I'll probably use my popup with a homemade diffuser. I don't have a speedlight yet, and I don't think I have time to learn how to use it effectively before we go. Also, my camera won't fit nicely in the top of my backpack with a speedlight attached.

I have a pro friend who suggested getting a backpack. I just purchased a CaseLogic TBC-307[/URL] from eBay for ~$30 after reading reviews of people who have used it at Disney. It's awesome, and I wish I had bought it from the beginning for hikes and other family outings instead of my Lowerpro Adventura 170 (which may find its way to eBay soon). I also have a shutter release remote. Before we go to Disney, I plan on buying another battery (backup) and 32GB or 16GB memory card (I have a 16GB right now). We're staying 4 days at Disney and going the 5th day to Universal (all my kids are Potter fans and we've never been).

So, ALL of that to ask you experts out there... what lenses do you suggest? I don't want to take the kitchen sink... my backpack will probably be carrying other things besides my camera gear, so I have to think conservatively. I'm not certain I'll be comfortable whipping out my camera during most rides, either. It took a lot of coaxing before convincing me to take my DSLR to Disney, but now I want to make sure I can get great shots that we all will treasure. Also, are there any other gear (lens filters, etc.) you suggest? Other than character shots, the other "typical" shots during parades, fireworks, and general candid shots inside the park and resort are what I'll be aiming for.

Thanks to you all!
~Shana

 

[havoc315]

Remember you can always rent lenses as well...
A 30-35mm prime is really hand IF you want to take dark ride pictures. Lots of people, myself included, enjoy grabbing such shots which really test your gear and your skill. But the reality is, I think you can skip such shots without any regret.
You can grab some dark ride shots with the 50/1.8, but it will be sometimes tight.

So unless getting dark ride shots is very important to you, I'd skip the 30-35mm prime.

Your 18-55 kit will actually do just fine in many situations, including character shots.
Within your budget, some would suggest something like the Tamron 17-50 2.8, which is an affordable upgrade of your kit lens. Basically, gives you the same focal lengths but with a constant 2.8 aperture. This would truly let you get away with avoiding the flash in typical indoor lighting. (But not fast enough for really dark rides).
Whether it's worth upgrading from the kit lens to something like the Tamron, is really pretty subjective.
When using each lens at 30mm, stopped down to 5.6 for example, the results will be pretty similar.

A fun Disney lens is ultra-wide angle --- Either something like a 8mm fisheye, or the Tokina 11-16, or the Tamron 10-24, as some examples. With fairly cramped quarters but so much to see, Disney World can lend itself to some ultra-wide shots. (You'll see examples in some of the sharing threads on the board).

I find you can easily live at Disney without a big telephoto zoom, though it can be helpful at shows and at the safari. Tamron makes an excellent affordable 70-300 zoom.

Overall in life, I use my 70-300 more than I use my ultra-wide, but at Disney, I would use ultra-wide angle more often.

So it's really what you want to accomplish:
Dark ride shots -- a 30-35 1.4-1.8 lens would be great
Indoor flashless shots -- Upgrading to a 2.8 zoom lens, like the Tamon 17-50 2.8
Telephoto zoom at the safari etc, something like a 70-300 zoom
Ultra-wide shots at the park, of the castle, of fireworks, etc -- A fisheye, or an ultra-wide angle.

I've covered just about every basic type of lens except for tilt-shifts and macros, lol. Don't think either is much of a priority for Disney. (I don't have a tilt-shift. I love my Macro, but it's not a Disney lens).

 

[scbell]

I know this is going to make me seem really green and/or cheap, but has anyone had any experiences with something like the Neewer telephoto and/or wide angle lens attachments? They are around $30 for the kit on Amazon. I wonder how much sharpness would be compromised with them (I realize it won't be as sharp as the lens alone). It would reduce the need to swap lenses as often.

 

[hakepb]

FWIW, at indoor character meets (including meals) I normally use ISO 800 to get a fast enough shutter without flash, on my little camera (its f3.2+ is close to kit zooms)
I've heard the new princess greets/story time may be much darker.

Your camera does really well at ISO 800, but if you want lower ISO character shots, you would want a faster lens.

 

[wiigirl]

I know this is going to make me seem really green and/or cheap, but has anyone had any experiences with something like the Neewer telephoto and/or wide angle lens attachments? They are around $30 for the kit on Amazon. I wonder how much sharpness would be compromised with them (I realize it won't be as sharp as the lens alone). It would reduce the need to swap lenses as often.

 

[aliwolly]

Ooooh listening in! I was just about to post a very similar question! I like the idea of a wide angle... I've got the kit lens and a 35mm prime f1.8 that I absolutely love. Was thinking of an entry level telephoto zoom but maybe a wide angle would be more fun...

 

[havoc315]

I know this is going to make me seem really green and/or cheap, but has anyone had any experiences with something like the Neewer telephoto and/or wide angle lens attachments? They are around $30 for the kit on Amazon. I wonder how much sharpness would be compromised with them (I realize it won't be as sharp as the lens alone). It would reduce the need to swap lenses as often.

.... You get what you pay for.

The best way to find value, as lenses don't really deteriorate with age, is to look on the used market. I have over 10 lenses... They are all from eBay. Some were almost new, some were 20+ years old. Won't find good lenses for $30, but you should save substantially over buying new.

Shooting Sony gives me access to some great old Minolta lenses, that become image stabilized since its in-body.

 

[havoc315]

Ooooh listening in! I was just about to post a very similar question! I like the idea of a wide angle... I've got the kit lens and a 35mm prime f1.8 that I absolutely love. Was thinking of an entry level telephoto zoom but maybe a wide angle would be more fun...

For me, ultra wide angle is never a necessity, but sometimes just fun. And really can give you a less common photographic perspective.

On the other hand, a telephoto zoom is -sometimes- a necessity. I -need- it for shooting my kids' sports. Though not for much else.

 

[cobright]

This is my lens anxiety attack all over again.

What I can say, that helped me, is set a realistic threshold on just how much you want to carry into the park then choose your gear to get the most use out of that amount of kit.

I decided that, as much as I love taking 'the perfect shot', doing so means a level of complexity in my kit that would become onerous fast.

I did some real hard thinking about just how much worse my shots would end up if I did all or nearly all of them with a Tamron 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 lens. The answer is that 90% of them you wouldn't be able to tell the difference and the rest will look just fine. Maybe I slip a 24mm f/1.4 into a vest pocket for MNSSHP ... maybe.

Now I can breath easier. My kit is small and light. I can walk the whole thing into the park on my Backpack strap thanks to the guys a Peak Design and their Capture Camera Clip system (shameless plug, these guys rock).

Easy.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

What I recommend for a WDW trip is listed below. This recommendation is based on attempting shooting everything. After you decide what you don't want to shoot, you can eliminate that lens from your kit.

Walkaround lens- many use a consumer zoom (18-55), some use an 18-105, 24-70 (f2.8-heavier and more expensive)

Long zoom lens-this can be consumer 50-200, 70-300, and then the more expensive 70-200 f2.8. This is for AK Safari, shows in front of the castle, Fantasmic and other shows where your seating is not close

Low light Prime for dark rides-30-35mm, f1.4-1.8. The 30-35mm on a crop sensor camera is a better focal length for the dark rides than the 50. One lens that is getting a lot of attention lately is the new Sigma 18-35 f1.8. It costs about $800, but can be used as a short zoom and dark ride lens.

UWA lens- I don't find UWA's all that desireable, however others do. This is a personal choice lens. I use my 18-55 for my wide angle lens.

The other equipment, depending on what you want to shoot could include a tripod, remote control, and possibly a neutral density filter. You might also consider an external flash.

 

[photo_chick]

If you have a fast lens there is no character meal that flash is a necessity to get the exposure. That's not to say that some won't prefer the look with an off camera flash over the use a prime. But you can get the exposure without one.

Now, from what you said you want to do the lenses you have will work. If you really want a new lens I'd go with a 35mm or the Sigma 30mm... based on what you said you want to do.

 

[mikegood2]

I have two suggestions you might want to think about:

What are you using for a camera strap? I found that in many ways a comfortable camera strap is possibly the most important item you use. A sling type strap like the Black Rapid strap (what I use) or one of the other variations are very comfortable. If you are using the more traditional neck strap something like the Crumpler Industry Disgrace is another great option.

While I don't see it mentioned much on these threads, if you are only using the kit lens and an additional lens some days and feel like a camera bag/backpack is overkill, what about just using a lens pouch. I've got a cheap Amazon camera bag ($5) that fit a single lens in it perfectly. It has a decent amount of padding, for protection, and a Velcro strap that attaches nicely to a belt. It can also be thrown in another bag or backpack. If you are going in the "cooler" part of the year a camera backpack is fine, but we usually go in June and a backpack can get uncomfortable on a 90+ degree day.

 

[photo_chick]

The Crumpler Industry Disgrace is an awesome strap. It's what I use. It's also long enough that most people can wear it cross body if you don't want to keep it just around your neck.

 

[cobright]

I have a Capture v1 from Peak Design coming and I will be reviewing its performance on this coming Disney trip.

Capture is a mount that attaches to a backpack strap for carrying your camera.

Makes sense to me as I pack-mule most trips anyway. And using any camera strap and a backpack at same time causes hassles anyway.

 

[HPS3]

I think you would be fine walking around with your 18-55 but I think 50 will be a little too tight for rides and meals. The sigma 30 f1.4 is a great lens and used by many Disney shooters.

On top of all, I agree that you need a comfortable strap. I have been using an Op-Tech Pro strap that can be used around the neck or cross body. It has a comfortable neoprene non slip pad.

 

[W8n4night]

Experimented with a few approaches. This is the current lenses I take to WDW

18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX

Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

I have others but in a balance of all things these two get me the quality and flexibility I need for Disney

 

[laniers]

A couple of items I find useful are an ultra-wide angle lens. Lenses from brands like Rokkor are relatively inexpensive but give you photos that most people just can get. The other item I like is a gorillapod tripod. It's small and will fit an your camera bag and allows you to get long exposures without lugging around a full size tripod.

 

[scbell]

Thanks to everyone for your replies! After reading your responses and looking on the LensHero website, I've narrowed it down to 3 lenses to choose from (and who knows, I may get two).

1. Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Macro OS HSM
2. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 HSM
3. Nikon 35mm f/1.8G

I am leaning on getting the longer Sigma lens and the 35mm, because the #2 Sigma above is the same price as #1 and #3 together, AND it doesn't have vibration reduction (there is a Tamron lens that has VC, but it's WAY out of my price range). I'm thinking on the go at Disney that VC is a must for me. And the 18-250 would cover just about any other situation I'll find myself in with outdoor shots, since I've been wanting a longer lens for wildlife shots anyway. If I get those two, I'll leave the lenses I already have at home.

I'm also looking at GorillaPods now for Fantasmic and the other fireworks shows.

Thanks again for all your help!