Which camera do I bring?????

[sphmaz]

I have a DSLR that I LOVE. I take all my pics with that one for the most part. I also have a small point and shoot (panasonic lz3, love it too!), that I put in my bag. It's my "go everywhere" camera for days I don't have my dslr with me for some reason or another. We are going to Disney at the end of September, which one do I bring? I am leaning towards the smaller point and shoot. Thoughts? Reasons for taking one over the other? I'm figuring the p&s is smaller and easier to tote around and I still get great pics! My DH agrees, says leave the dslr at home. Then there are no worries of breaking it, losing it...etc.

TIA!
Sue

 

[jann1033]

if you are really happy with the pictures from the point and shoot i would take it most days but take the dslr for days you want to take something special( ie parade, fireworks, special meal or characters )

our kids are grown so no strollers etc and i know us, we like to travel light and usually by the end of the trip if it doesn't fit in a pocket it stays in the room. last time i left my slr in the room alot and regretted it since i barely have any pics from our last trip plus it wasn't working right which didn't help so 1/2 i took were no good/. so i think a small pocket one for some of the days would help but still take the good one for special things, otherwise why have it

 

[Anewman]

I have a DSLR that I LOVE. I take all my pics with that one for the most part. I also have a small point and shoot (panasonic lz3, love it too!), that I put in my bag. It's my "go everywhere" camera for days I don't have my dslr with me for some reason or another. We are going to Disney at the end of September, which one do I bring? I am leaning towards the smaller point and shoot. Thoughts? Reasons for taking one over the other? I'm figuring the p&s is smaller and easier to tote around and I still get great pics! My DH agrees, says leave the dslr at home. Then there are no worries of breaking it, losing it...etc.

TIA!
Sue

Well I just came back(the 19th) from the world and took my DSLR, but it did end up spending most of the vacation in the room. I ended up shooting with my daughters Panasonic LZ3 about 85% of the trip. I was just not in "PHOTOGRAPHER" mode during the trip, I was more in "little kid at WDW" mode. You know... sometimes photography can be like a chore, and sometimes on vacation you just want to relax but you also want to have some memories on film(media card).

Anyways that is just me, and it was only my second trip to WDW so I still have not seen or done everything there.

Photos from my daughters Panasonic.

 

[mrtoadslastride]

Those pictures look really good. I just bought an S3 that I really like. I wanted the DSLR, but didn't want anything quite that big so I went with the S3 to replace the Sony P9 we bought 4 years ago. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't have gone with something like the new Canon A710is and then bought a DSLR in a couple of years.

 

[handicap18]

Bring them both. I've carried around a Sony Video camera, a Canon P&S digital still camera AND a Nikon film SLR (with 2 lenses) and used them all. Last trip was just my Nikon dSLR. I don't mind carrying it around my neck. I have a good bag that it resides in while on rides, busses and indoors. My dSLR takes much better pics than my 4+ year old digital P&S. I'm partial to the dSLR. Having 2 cameras is a good idea. Keep 1 for yourself and the other for someone else your traveling with. The more pictures the merrier

 

[sphmaz]

Well I just came back(the 19th) from the world and took my DSLR, but it did end up spending most of the vacation in the room. I ended up shooting with my daughters Panasonic LZ3 about 85% of the trip. I was just not in "PHOTOGRAPHER" mode during the trip, I was more in "little kid at WDW" mode. You know... sometimes photography can be like a chore, and sometimes on vacation you just want to relax but you also want to have some memories on film(media card).

Anyways that is just me, and it was only my second trip to WDW so I still have not seen or done everything there.

Photos from my daughters Panasonic.

WOW! Those are some great shots!!! Did you use a particular setting on the camera? I haven't tried any night time shots. And have you had any problems with glare on the LCD in bright sun?

Thanks!
Sue

 

[sphmaz]

OK. I will bring them both. Better to have both than to not have one and wish I did! I just need to take a deep breath and CHILL!!!! I just want this to be perfect. We are surprising our kids (6,3) with this trip and I want to capture EVERY moment!

Sue

 

[0bli0]

bring both. use what you feel like using. definitely don't let photography be a chore. a p&s is great for taking photos at the moment without having to worry about composure, settings, trying to get artistic or perfect shots, etc.

if you have your dslr with you, then you will be able to choose some time to specifically take photos, if you desire - without then saying 'if only i had brought it with me'.

honestly, based on the fact that you asked the question, i'd say that there is something inside you that feels slightly burdened or at least encumbered by the dslr. one thing that may help is a smaller lens or a more suitable walk-around lens, so you don't have to change or carry a bigger bag, etc.

i certainly take fewer photos when i'm with family and many tend to be of the kids. when i went to disneysea last week by myself - i took about 600 photos in one day, and still had plenty of time to ride rides, eat, and just enjoy the environment.

so take both, and use your p&s, and then your dslr *only* if you feel the urge to do so

 

[Anewman]

WOW! Those are some great shots!!! Did you use a particular setting on the camera? I haven't tried any night time shots. And have you had any problems with glare on the LCD in bright sun?

Thanks!
Sue

Thanks, but no real special settings.
No Tripod
No Flash
Center spot focus, prefocus and recompose.
IS mode 2
Being 230# helps hold camera still.
Change ISO and try to use the lowest possible.
Use the red Camera(auto) instead of the red heart(simple mode), this allows you to disable or enable flash and set your max(slowest) shutter speed) and ISO.

EDIT
Glare, well it has not been that serious an issue(hadnt even thought about it). I use my big hand to shade it. I really dont think it is worse than any other cameras I have used.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Be very careful about leaving your DSLR in your hotel room. I had all of my camera gear stolen once. Now I insure it AND I always keep it with me or in the safe.

 

[0bli0]

that holds true for anything in your room. remember every room safe has an easy to learn code (by staff) that will open it, so nothing in the safe is secure. i've had laptop stolen from a room before. now my stuff is insured and i keep copies of the photos on drives in the safe and just leave my everything in the room. i travel a few times every month and most of the time my camera is with me but i'm happy to leave my laptop, my backup camera, lenses, etc. - the piece of mind afforded by the insurance is nice. i won't stress over it.

 

[spoon2003]

For our trip, I was concerned about my XT by the pool or the beach. I bought along a combination retractable cable lock (it was used for my laptop), whenever I had to leave the camera, I looped the cable throught the camera, beach bag, then locked it to the lounger. I know this doesn't prevent the "big" thief with cable cutter, but atleast will deter the casual "walk by and grab" ones. I will keep the lock in my camera bag from now on.

Sue from Boston

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We generally take both cameras with us and then decide which to use each day. Most of the time we use the DSLR but the small one is nice for quick pictures.