Touring the park with your camera...

[bean bunny]

Being new to the dslr camera I'm curious about how you more experienced users tour the park. What bag do you use? Do you carry all of your lenses with you? I'm expecting to travel with all three of mine (kit lens, 55-250, 50mm) but I'm wondering if its necessary to bring them all in to the park. Any suggestions or experiences would be extremely helpful (I should add I'd want to photograph rides indoor as appropriate as well as the usual Disney photos around the parks and resort.)

 

[nexttripdisney]

I have a Canon Rebel and bring the standard lens, one telephoto, the auxillary flash and the users manual (I'm new to the dslr). I also tuck in an extra charged battery and my flip video camera.

Good thing I have four kids to help carry!

Also, I put my name and cell phone number on a piece of masking tape and attach it to the inside cover of the camera bag.

You might want to tuck in a plastic bag to protect the whole thing on water rides. I do take the bag on rides, I just wear it across my body so it can't fly away.

 

[AndrewWG]

I don't know what your kit lens is, but I would probably mostly just use the kit and the 50mm. The 55-250 would be good in Animal Kingdom but I don't think you will have a lot of use for it otherwise. However, if it is light, I would maybe just suggest bringing them all.

I usually bring with me my Canon 7D, my 70-200mm f2.8, my 17-50mm f2.8 Tamron, my flash, my 30mm Sigma, my batteries, other gadgets, etc. all packed into a Canon photo backpack. It is heavy but I like to be prepared. If I am feeling really lazy and am not going to AK, I don't bring the 70-200, I just leave it in the room.

One night on my lat trip, I just brought the camera with the Tamron lens into MK. No bag or anything! I didn't feel right the whole time but my back thanked me!

 

[rock_doctor]

I usually bring my camera with the stock lens (T2i), 1 extra memory card, 1 extra battery all in my Lowepro Rezo TLZ 20 case. It is real nice, just sling it over your shoulder and forget about it until you want to use it. You can get the case off ebay for ~$15 including shipping... I don't take any other lenses into the park but have all extra parts (lenses, chargers, flash, filters and cables) in my room stored in a Harbor Freight aluminum case. It comes with dividers and pre-checkered foam. Just pluck out the foam sections you don't want to use to make everything fit. It is nice. I did not use the dividers just the foam. I also put the camera back into the alumn case for storage (i.e. when not carrying it around).

 

[Raindown]

My setup for Disneyland depends on what I plan to photograph that day. I have the luxury of being about to pop in for a parade or show and head home.

It is either:

The Lowepro Slingshot 202aw:
Body + 3 lenses

or

Crumpler 5 Million Dollar home:
Body + 2

I bring a Benro Travel Angel if and locker in until night time or when I need a monopod during the day.

 

[Wingman]

Bring what you think you may need for the day and just put the lenses that you are not using in a locker.

I agree with what was posted, outside of Animal Kingdom you may not use the 55-250m. Certainally bring the 50mm for the night parades and indoor rides.

I brought both of my bags on my last trip, Crumpler 6MDH and my Fastpack. I picked the bag depending on what we were doing.

 

[zackiedawg]

I have 8 lenses, flash, camera body, tripod, and 4 different camera bags. How I travel around the parks and what lenses and bags I bring are dependent on the park, my mood and goals, and who I'm with.

There are days I've gone with a larger bag with 3 extra lenses and flash unit, and the 4th lens attached to the camera body. There are days I've traveled with one lens attached and two extras with me, no flash, but with tripod. Some days, no tripod. There are days I'll pick a smaller bag, and just bring one attached lens, and one lens in the bag. There are days I might just bring 2 lenses, one being a long prime and the other an ultrawide. And there are days I'll just stick my travel zoom lens (18-250) on the camera body, and no bags or other lenses - just the camera in my hand.

Flexibility is the key...that's why I got into DSLRs and built a kit - I rarely feel the need to carry every single lens for a day of shooting, but I'd never travel without bringing all my lenses with me in my main backpack. At the hotel each day, I decide which ones I want to shoot with that day, and decide whether to go handheld, small bag, holster bag, or large bag.

 

[Gdad]

How I travel around the parks and what lenses and bags I bring are dependent on the park, my mood and goals, and who I'm with.

This^

If I'm going solo or to meet up with folks just for the intent of photography then I'll probably bring a backpack full of gear, lug a tripod, the whole nine yards. If I'm there with the family and just going to enjoy a day at the parks (which is most of the time btw) then it's usually no bag, one camera, one lens, maybe a spare battery and a couple memory cards in my pocket. I do believe that just carrying one lens (especially a prime) can fuel your creativity. I do not believe in the conventional wisdom that certain lenses are best for certain parks- some of my favorite images are with the 'wrong' setup.

 

[zackiedawg]

I do not believe in the conventional wisdom that certain lenses are best for certain parks- some of my favorite images are with the 'wrong' setup.

Agreed there - I've walked around parks with the wrong lens and gotten some favorite shots - I did AK with only an ultrawide once, and stuck myself with just a 30mm F1.4 at DHS once. It's a challenge at first, but certainly helps force your creativity.

 

[photo_chick]

I don't think there is a one size fits all setup. We all have different styles and which lenses you take really depends on you. And I agree with the notion that there is no wrong lens for a shot.

I keep my camera around my neck with my walkaround lens on the whole time. IMO, you do need to have a comfortable strap to do this. As far as lenses, If I feel like I want more I stash them in the waist pack that we use to carry the water bottles along with my other extras. It works well for me. But I won't carry around more than what will fit easily in that pack.

 

[DVC Mike]

While I bring down 4-5 lenses for my trip, I've gotten into the habit of just bringing my camera with a single lens per visit. It's more fun to take all your shots witha certain lens one day, and then go back and take more shots with a different lens.

 

[rdunative]

I take a Canon backpack with everything I can possibly get in it. = )

 

[maccagerl]

It can be a long day hauling around a DSLR and a bunch of lenses and equipment! I try to travel light these days, so I just bring my camera with a wide angle-short telephoto zoom lens for my walkaround set up.
When I go to AK, I also bring my 100-300 telephoto because I love taking pics of the animals!
I just carry one bag to hold my lens and any other junk I am carrying around the park.

 

[Witch Mountain]

This^

If I'm going solo or to meet up with folks just for the intent of photography then I'll probably bring a backpack full of gear, lug a tripod, the whole nine yards. If I'm there with the family and just going to enjoy a day at the parks (which is most of the time btw) then it's usually no bag, one camera, one lens, maybe a spare battery and a couple memory cards in my pocket. I do believe that just carrying one lens (especially a prime) can fuel your creativity. I do not believe in the conventional wisdom that certain lenses are best for certain parks- some of my favorite images are with the 'wrong' setup.

I definitely agree with this approach. Next week, I'll spend the day with a friend and we'll both be photographing. No idea which park(s) or what we'll do. Both lenses might make it into the bag or I might decide to go light and shake down the 18-105. One lens definitely makes you reframe your picture ideas.

 

[Evad]

I usually bring everything to the park in one bag and use what ever lens the mood strikes. Last trip I spent almost entire day in MK and Epcot with my 70 - 300mm lens and just shot far off details. There is no right or wrong setup!!

 

[dmxwidget]

Have any of you ever had issues at Security with any of you set-ups? I was planning on bringing down my 70-200mm at the end of the week, but I don't want to not use it.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I have never had a problem with security and I have brought in a 70-200 and a 100-300.