Best Cameras To Bring To The Parks??

mandaminnie1

Earning My Ears
Joined
May 14, 2016
Hi Everyone! We are going to Disney World this December for the first time ever! And i want to purchase a good quality camera to bring around the parks that will capture all of the beauty! I was looking at the canon g5x but i wanted to see if any of you had any insights? i want it to be a great all around, day time, night time and fireworks.

thanks! *o*
 
I don't which camera brands or types are better - my concern is about lugging one around all day, every day! I am planning on taking both of my cameras - a small easy one (probably carry around every day), and the bigger one with changeable lenses.

I may only use the bigger one at Animal Kingdom so I can get some good pictures of the animals that are far away! I have a backpack type camera bag for the bigger one - which protects it, but it just doesn't have a lot of extra space for everything else, so I don't want to use it every day.

Just be sure to take the size / weight of the camera into consideration prior to making your decision. Have a great trip!
 
Have you considered the Sony RX100 series? The latest version just came out and will be available for purchase starting on the 28th of this month. It's a small p&s camera with a 1" sensor. It's a little more expensive than the camera you're looking at but I would strongly suggest you consider the Sony if you're looking for a good camera. Don't take my word for it. Do some searches and almost all will recommend the RX100 against its competitors. dpreview.com is a great website to visit as they have full reviews on various cameras and in some instances, comparisons tests too. On dpreview.com, they rated the Canon at 78% and the Sony at 85%.
 
I brought my DSLR on our previous trips, but this time I am just coming with my cell phone, and getting the photo package... it is just too much to lug the big camera around. I also brought a smaller point and shoot camera to carry around, but it wasn't even worth it because the pictures didn't turn out great... so I am not even bothering with it this year.
 


I don't know much about the exact model you mention, but Canon is the way to go. I recently bought the SX530 after dropping my 5+ years old canon bridge and I couldn't be happier. I have an older Rebel as well, but rarely use it because of bulk. Check out the specs for things you care about like zoom (make sure it's the lens/optical that zooms, "digital zoom" is just cropping the picture and going to be low quality), action mode/high ISO, and different presets.
 
We find it's a pain to carry a camera around the parks. We use our cell phones (which take pretty good pics) and the Photopass photographers.
 
We do memory maker & have cell phones, but always take my Nikon. I take about 100 pics a day on top of the phone camera pics. I don't mind carrying the Nikon around because I do it all the time at home, on day trips, on all vacations. It's a part of my body at this point. & I can wrap it up & stick in our backpack if needed. Depends how you a re about pictures.
 


I just got a Nikon L840 this week to use to video our trip in a couple of weeks. We did this in March too, and I am in editing them to upload to our Youtube channel. It's very light and small and does well in lowlight. I've also heard good things about the Canon G7X I believe it is. I know several "vloggers" that use that camera.
 
I still use my canon rebel. Bring a strap and or a case/bag for it.
 
I use to use a Canon PowerShot ELPH 340 in the parks.

I have recently just been using my camera on my phone, which takes incredible pictures. It's a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
 
A few things:

1) I'm a professional photographer. On three of my trips I hauled around pretty much an entire kit (2 bodies, 4 lenses). It wasn't a lot of fun.

2) As many have said, cell phones can do a really good job. If you know how to use Photoshop, they can probably capture about everything you need, and you'll have the advantage of being able to see what you're shooting as you shoot it.

3) Photopass/Memory Maker is also a fairly good option. It's expensive (to me, at least) but it keeps you from having to carry equipment around, and it lets everyone be in the shot. The two problems I've encountered with them are a) a lack of Disney photographers when I need one, and b) when I want to get a shot that Disney doesn't imagine anyone will want...so again, no photographers around.

4) If you do want to buy and haul a camera/system around, there are two big things I would pay attention to, a) manual exposure controls (and learning how to use them properly) and b) lens interchangeability, or the lack thereof. The first requires practice to get good at. The second will determine what shots you can get annd what shots you can't. Most cameras with fixed (i.e., non-interchangeable) lens will go moderately wide to moderately long, and will capture most of what you want to capture. Test that theory before you go, however, and you can learn how to use manual exposure at the same time.

5) If you want interchangeable lens, you're looking at a system, which tends to add weight and bulk. One good option is to look at mirrorless cameras, which tend to be smaller and lighter weight. Of my many cameras, the most used is a Canon 5D Mark III; I have two friends who use Panasonic mirrorless cameras who call my Canon the boat anchor, because they can fit a body in three lenses in less space and with less weight than my Canon body alone.
 
Most days I take my dslr into the parks with one lens (16-80mm) on a comfy neck strap, cross-body. I've taken just a small point and shoot and was a disappointed with my shots. Though, if it's too hot or rain, I will end up putting the small camera in a zip lock and leaving the bigger one in the hotel room.
For me, having a nice camera would not make sense if I left it home on a vacation where there is such an amazing photographic opportunity.
We do get photopass as well on longer trips so everyone is in the shot.
 
I have a Canon SX50. It's really kind of a "crossover". I can play with the settings and it has an incredible zoom, but isn't as bulky as a DSLR.
 
I brought my DSLR on our previous trips, but this time I am just coming with my cell phone, and getting the photo package... it is just too much to lug the big camera around. I also brought a smaller point and shoot camera to carry around, but it wasn't even worth it because the pictures didn't turn out great... so I am not even bothering with it this year.

Agreed. I tried lugging my DSLR one year and it was far too bulky, not to mention all the worrying about it dropping, getting wet, etc. Now I stick to my iPhone. The pictures are great and I don't have to carry anything extra.
 
How is the quality of the photopass pictures? I'm pondering the same thing - if I should just shoot with my iphone + photopass or carry my DSLR. It would be SO much easier to not have to lug the camera...but if I'm going to get better pictures with the DSLR maybe it's worth it?
 
It depends on what kind of pictures/videos you're going to want in the end.

Our group of friends for example; we each have Iphones, along with 1 point & shoot, sony(?) camera with a screen that flips up, is waterproof & shock proof (mainly for vlogging or selfies) along with 2 DSLRs. The bff uses a Nikon with a 50mm & a 70-300mm lens. I use a CanonT5, with the kit lenses it came with (30-70?mm and a 7--300mm?) along with a f1.8 50mm for nighttime/dark stuff.

It's a lot to lug around on some days, but we're passionate into the photography, if you want to have your own pictures around the park, of the hotels, each other, the castle, entertainment, etc that are good quality, investing in a dslr would be a good idea.

If you're okay with some good quality of your family in the parks and meet and greets, and the other more candid/atmosphere ones being lesser quality, than go with your phone, or a cheaper point & shoot with the option of photopass added on. It's what I always did prior to getting my dslr.
 
Have you considered the Sony RX100 series? The latest version just came out and will be available for purchase starting on the 28th of this month. It's a small p&s camera with a 1" sensor. It's a little more expensive than the camera you're looking at but I would strongly suggest you consider the Sony if you're looking for a good camera. Don't take my word for it. Do some searches and almost all will recommend the RX100 against its competitors. dpreview.com is a great website to visit as they have full reviews on various cameras and in some instances, comparisons tests too. On dpreview.com, they rated the Canon at 78% and the Sony at 85%.

I also have the Sony rx100 and its great... the low light pictures are great and it's way better than a phone, aside from not being able to change lenses it's very close to a dslr. Best quality with portability! I use it more than the dslr I own. The photography board has images going around that were taken with the rx100.
 
I love using a GoPro to film/take pictures in the park. A lot of people just think that you have to be snowboarding down a mountain or some other intense sport to use one but I love it in the parks. On most rides you are allowed to film on the ride. Also it's extremely tiny so it's not bulky at all. Only think I would recommend is spare batteries. Filming and taking a lot of photos does drain the batteries but overall I love using it.
 
Depends on what you want.....

I've found that for the important photos... ones with everyone in them, getting photopass to take the pictures works out better. Candid photos of individual work out fine with an new iPhone, even at night in most cases.

Now if you want a photo of every building, sign and flower... DSLR is the only way to go.

But in the end, what photos do you look back at five years, ten years or twenty years from now?
 

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