touring with a video camera

[flipflopmom]

I "kind of" want to take my video camera with us. It's me and DH, and our two girls 2 and 9 on their first trip. I know there will be lots of moments I would like to save. I HAVE to take pictures, too,. I worry that we'll get so caught up in catching the moments that we won't experience them.

Any advice?

 

[lessit]

Both our video and still cameras are very small. Video camera is the new flash memory type. Wife took still camera in Baggalinni and I took video camera in waist pack. Also, used Photopass for family/scenic shots. Just remember to bring ziploc bags to keep cameras (wallets, phones, etc) in on the wet rides.

 

[disneynutsss]

i know exactly what you mean. i used to bring the camcorder on all of our trips and found that i was capturing the magic but not experiencing the magic. we decided a few years ago to just not bring the camcorder at all, but take a million pictures instead.

if you really want to bring the camcorder, share the duties with your dh and make yourself aware of how much time your capturing the magic vs. experiencing the magic.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

I understand were you are coming from. We brought our video camera but my husband forgets to use it and I'm taking still pictures b/c I'm a scrapbooking person so I need my picture moments. I do wish we took more video but we usually take it the first day and my husband gets tired using it and wants to enjoy Disney with my son not being behind the camera but I do have my scrapbooking memories that my son looks at the albums. We did use the video camera a few character meal and Pirate/Princess Party and Halloween Party.

 

[CathieArms]

I know exactly what you're going through because I was going through the same thing. I finally came up with a solution to taking both and not dragging along a lot of stuff.

I went to TJ Maxx and bought an across-the-chest bag/purse that is just large enough to put my video camera and my smaller camera (won't fit my digital SLR, but it'll fit a "good sized" small camera).

 

[ajh88]

We are videotapers and picture takers - like lessit, our camera & camcorder are both small and DH carries them both in his behemoth belly bag. He does all of the videotaping (except when he's driving, then I'm in charge). I do sometimes have to remind him to stop experiencing our trip through the video lens, but most of the time it isn't a problem.

And then, after we get home and he makes the DVDs of our trip, I'm always so happy we have all of the video footage. It has become our tradition to watch our old trips as we prepare for the next trip - sometimes to help remind us of things we want to do!

Anyway, I'd take the video camera. You can always leave it behind if you find you aren't using it. And have a great trip!

 

[Sorahana]

Go for it!! You'll have something to watch after your trip and great memories. A quick word of advice when using it at attractions and such, don't use it getting on and off the ride. If you want to catch the "before" and "after" do it before you're boarding the ride and after you've exited the ride =). A lot of people will stand up in their ride vehicles and take pictures/record which holds up the ride and is a safety issue. Also when they get off the ride, they "loiter" on the exit platform or at the exit and this also holds up ride vehicles and is another safety issue.

Take lots of pictures and record when you can!

Have fun on your vacation!!

 

[bradk]

i actually just bought a camcorder just for the trip. i otherwise used to shoot with an SLR which I still plan on taking it with me as I believe still photography has its place, but if not for the fact that I can't count the number of times I reflect back and say I really wish I had a video camera at the time, I wouldn't have bothered. Now it's almost a compulsion.

Experiences happen and they go and internal memories go a long way to remember them but I didn't realize just how much photos and videos can do too to recapture the magic until I started shooting. They may be few and far between (at least for me), but every now and then you capture something on film that no memory could do justice to.

I have a bag that my SLR goes into (and that my camera will hopefully fit into) and a backpack when I bring the tripod. I'd definitely recommend having something (hopefully waterproof) that you can keep the camera in when not in use. my camcorder (which is a Canon HF200, flash based) literally fits in my cargo pocket which is probably a help.

 

[DisneyToddlers]

Yes, bring both! Esp. for the 1st trip! We did this for our 1st family trip in Sept. We took over 4 hours of footage. Our girls were 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 at the time. We are so glad we did, as the girls will watch the footage OVER AND OVER! We can relive the magic any time. I wouldn't worry about missing it in the moment, because you can capture the looks on your kids faces and the great things they say in response to the magic. It was totally worth carrying both the video camera and camera! We had a camera bag just slightly larger than our video camera and it also fit the still camera. It did not fit the chargers and wires, but that was ok, as we charged them up nightly.

Enjoy!

 

[MissionMouse]

I would recommend taking both cameras, since if you do not take it you have no options. I find nothing compares to the value of taping your children when their young and then viewing the tape years later. A still photo does not provide this special experience in the same manner.

I also understand the tendency to start taping everything to the point you start to become separated from your vacation experience. You might review your plans and determine when it might make sense to take the video camera to capture some unique moments. At the other times just leave the video camera back in the room where you will not be tempted to use it all the time. If this is not an issue to this level, just carry it with you and remember when you use it to use if for a purpose. When the purpose is complete it goes back in the bag/case.