Which Camera Gear to Take

[Mishnogramjo]

HI everyone, I will be heading to Disney with my four kids next month and have some serious equipment concerns.

I own a DSLR with a couple of basic lenses and a couple of primes, a Canon S1100 and a Canon S2IS.

My wife is definitely taking the small elph camera but I'm trying to decide betweetn lugging my DSLR with lenses or just take my S2IS.

The biggest differentiator is that my S2IS with the CHK hack will do great taking video and can even get raw files out of it. But then, every time I use it, I get frustrated by the flow focus and low light capabilities against some of my faster prime lenses my favorite right now being my 50mm F/2.5 Macro.

If anyone has had a similar decision to make, would love to hear from you.

Thanks

ML

 

[Master Mason]

Take both, you can use the S2 for days you want to go light, and the SLR for days you want to seriously shoot.

 

[webshark3]

Take both, you can use the S2 for days you want to go light, and the SLR for days you want to seriously shoot.

Few years back I tried this method. Problem with Disney is, I never know what day will present that shot I want with the SLR. End of the trip... I'm winding down... I pack my P&S... and (darn) Disney surprises me with more great photo ops.

 

[Master Mason]

Few years back I tried this method. Problem with Disney is, I never know what day will present that shot I want with the SLR. End of the trip... I'm winding down... I pack my P&S... and (darn) Disney surprises me with more great photo ops.

I don't even have a P&S I figure I got the DSLR for a reason. I was just trying to offer a suggestion, if you have both then you can choose on a daily basis, instead of locking yourself in to something.

 

[Groucho]

Like MM - I got the DSLR for a reason. The only thing we use the PnS for is taking video. IMHO, having fast-moving kids is all the more reason to use a DSLR; it will be faster and more reliable at getting most any shot, and it's easier to leave it on all the time with a lens hood and no lens cap, so it is instantly ready to take a shot all day long.

You do give up the huge zoom range and the video, and the tiny PnS sensor may catch focus a couple times than the DSLR doesn't do to larger DoF, but ultimately, it's no content IMHO.

 

[bob100]

I would take the DSLR with one or two lens,
use the small Canon for portability and and candid pics, The SLR can be used for other opportunities like long exposure night shots or using it just for a day around the park to get a few good higher res pics.

 

[kaffinito]

Take the DSLR and the pns. It's not that much of a pain to take the DSLR with you to the parks, and you can get better shots that way. If your pns is a pain and takes poor quality low light pictures, then without the DSLR along you're limiting yourself to only those shots your pns is capable of.