What focal length do you most at Disneyland?

[andytaro]

Hi,
I am pretty new here but have been long time Disney freak.
I've been to WDW, DLR, and Tokyo Disney who knows how many times but never took my DSLR. Now my 2 kids (13 and 5) are grown, and finally I have luxury of hauling my DSLR and lenses to Disneyland Resort for the first time instead of diaper bags!

However, I am going to limit myself to 1 body(1dmk4), a 270ex, and 2 lenses at most. I am definitely taking 50mm f/1.2 because this lens is pretty much attached to my body whole time (it works as a body cap).

So this leaves me with either 24-70mm or 16-35mm. My focus is to capture memories during our visit and probably taking lots of snap shots and kids with characters.

What focal length do you (or did you) use while you are in the park when you taking your family members?
We are going to character dining so 50mm might be tight at table due to space limitation if I remember correctly.
I do remember there is space for taking pictures at character greet loc. to use my foot zoom, but is 50mm too tight?

I am leaning towards 16-35mm because I can get close to my models( kids & disney characters) and still can capture some recognizable landmark without other people being in my family photos. On the other hand I am concerned about distortion when using wide end. I am pretty sure my wife will not appreciate pictures at the wide end.

Do(Did) you use 21-31mm (16-24mm fullframe) for snap shots at Disney park?

 

[C&B Young]

Welcome to the forum! I personally would take the 16-35 if I had to limit myself to 1 lens. I had tried using a 28-135 as a walkaround lens on one trip and soon had to switch back to the kit lens because I was missing the 18-28 range too much. Disney World definitely lends itself to wider shots. I would try and make space for the 2 lenses though, I took a whole backpack full of photo gear down last month and even then felt limited at times!

 

[Raindown]

I take quite a few pictures at Disneyland. I'll provide my insights. You'll have to translate my FLs to your FF camera as my 7D is cropped (all shot with available light). If I bring three lenses, it usually is a 35, 135, and either the 24-105 or the 16-35. If I only bring two, it really depends who I'm with and what we plan to do.

For talking pictures of people, I really like my 24-105. It is great all day and for anything outside. I don't really have more than 2 or 3 people, including the character, in my pictures. I usually like one full body shot and another tighter, like torso up. The zoom just makes this easy.

For character dining, I've only done Ariel's. As much as I would like to use the 35, its just too tight for anything in the vertical orientation. I'll often just stick it out with the 16-35. The 16-35 good job FL wise. At the meet and greets, there is generally plenty of room to zoom with your feet. However, it gets a little tricky inside a restaurant. I don't think I've ever felt like I needed anything wider, even for wide castle/fireworks shots.

Make what you will of all that. If you are there for more than one day, perhaps change it up.

 

[andytaro]

I really appreciate useful information from experienced phogs in the park.
It sounds like 16-35mm is useful, but I only use this lens for my landscape work and have never used for taking pics of people. ( I took my cat with this lens for fun)
@16mm
ttp://andytaro.smugmug.com/Other/test200/IMG1636/832362451_RrsSt-L.jpg

@35mm
ttp://andytaro.smugmug.com/Other/test200/IMG1628/832362188_puAf7-L.jpg
(please add h to see pics of my cat with 16-35mm)

It can produce "interesting" photograph if used wisely, but I am not sure how useful for taking shots of characters and my family.
As you guys suggested, I should give up super wide and just take 24-70mm & 50mm for versatility. Also my wife always complains when I switch lenses so this also solves this issue too.

 

[donaldduck1967]

When I was there in Feb of this year the Tokina 12-24 never came off my D90 except for 2 shows. Aladdin and one other outdoor show. I had an 18-105 with me but never felt I needed it while in the parks.

 

[handicap18]

Its all going to depend on your photography style. Some people will go an only use the long end of a lens. Others will go and shoot mostly very wide stuff.

For me, based on exif data from my shots from my last 3 trips, the majority of my shots are between 24 and 100mm. I do like using the wide end of my 10-20mm and also the long end of my 70-300mm. Those only come out, however, in certain situations. I also use my 30mm f/1.8 a lot. Its especially useful at night when I don't have time to set up a tripod and also on the indoor rides where flash photography is not allowed.

Based on the 2 lenses you listed..... I would go with the 24-70mm.

 

[photo_chick]

My go to walk around lens for any situation, the one I take when I only take one lens, for the last fifteen years has been a 28-105. I never have a problem taking just this lens for anything. Has it cost me the occasional ultra wide shot, a telephoto shot or low light shot? Yes. But I know when I walk out the door with it what it can and can't do.

Of the lenses listed I'd take the 24-70. But that's me, and your shooting style may be different.

 

[andytaro]

After reading posts, I grabbed my 50mm and 5dmk2 and headed out to Red Robin with my family to test the 50mm FL in tight environment.

I found 50mm is to be adequate for taking pics of food and family members until I tried to photograph a kid with Red Robin character. I found 50mm to be too long when I try to shoot my kid with Red Robin. I plan to take 1dmk4 to DLR so that is going to be even tighter because of 1.3x crop factor of the body.

I think I am going to take 24-70mm +50mm to versatility even though I will be missing super wide end.

 

[Groucho]

I would agree with 24-70mm. Last time I was at DL, I primarily used a 28-75mm on a 1.5x crop body and found that worked well. I have since switched to a 16-50mm lens because 28mm was a little big long with the crop. If you're taking people pictures, I think the 28-70mm would be a better choice than a 16-35mm, which might be too wide in some circumstances - like if you want to get a "face shot" of the kids and a character.

In terms of DL vs WDW, I don't think there is much of a difference in terms of recommended lenses, at least if you think primarily of WDW's Magic Kingdom. Disneyland is a lot more "dense" but ultimately, I think you'll primarily want about the same focal lengths.