Camera....

[LVROFDSNY]

Last time I was at The World I experienced disappointment and heartbreak when it came to my camera...some shots didn't come out...it would only work in certain lighting...I could not capture fireworks...it did not zoom enough...well you get the picture.

I have seen some of the wonderful images that each of you have captured and was wondering what type of camera you would recommend. Should I do a small digital that is easy to carry or just bit the bullet and carry around something bigger? What type of camera do you have...do you like it...did it do all the things you wanted?

Thank you so much for you advice!!! I will be visiting The World for possibly the last time with my family as just my parents and my sibling, as my sister is 21 and I am 19, she will probably be married by the next time we go to WDW. We will be going over Christmas so I want to capture all the magic!!!

 

[pyrophoric]

Personally I would go with a small but high quality camera and for those important shots let the park photo staff take their pictures. Yeah, they are expensive but you can be sure to get a quality photo.

If you are just going to be taking photos yourself, then I would go with the big bulky camera. Knowing the settings is half the battle to taking a good picture though.

 

[RiversideBunny]

.... ....my sister and I are 19 and 21 and will probably be married by the next time we go to WDW...

That's taking the aggie thing a little too far.

Good luck with the camera.
Get one of the latest point and shoot types, for around $200.
Otherwise you'll really have to jump up in price and carry around a big DSLR with extra lenses.

 

[Unplugged]

I just use a Canon PowerShot SD700. It works well, is easy for the family to use, and the built-in settings handle 90-95% of the photos I want to take. The newer version of what I have is the SD770. This newer model does 10MP and offers a few features (both programming and physical) over my camera. It's small, quick, reliable, etc.

I just referenced the newer one on NewEgg.com, and they're offering a free 2GB card with it right now. My 2GB card holds hundreds of photos at max res so that's a good deal IMHO. :wave:

I also agree with Pyrophoric. For real quality family photos, let the PhotoPass CM's take care of it. You're all in the shot, they turn out wonderfully, and if you really leverage it like we do, then you can buy a CD with all the PhotoPass photos on it. (FYI - We buy ours after we get home from the PhotoPass web site.)

As a side note, based on the quality of the photos from my PowerShot, I just bought a Canon Vixia HF100 (hi-def camcorder with SD cards only) for our vacation in 2 weeks. It's produces beautiful HD video and also grabs photos at 2.76MP. I will add the disclaimer that for quality photos, a dedicated camera is best. I don't have an HD screen yet, but I figure my little one will only grow up once, so if I record an event, I want the best I can afford and this HF100, to my suprise, was very affordable for HD video.

 

[Philo]

We always take two. My wife has a tiny little Olympus Mju. It's a 5mp camera and works well in good light although has no real zoom capability, it doesn't handle low lighting well and you can't do much more than setting it to auto (other than turning the flash off of course :animwink: ). The great thing about this camera is that it has a water proof case - a proper one which actually lets you submerge the camera. This is very comforting when riding things like SM, KRR etc or when visiting sea world.

The other camera is my Fuji s5000 although this has just been replaced by a Panasonic FZ18. The s5000 is a few years old but still got me some awesome pics. It had a 10x optical zoom (great for the shows), full 'tweaking' for those advanced shots and lets you stick a few filters on top if you feel the need. It was only a 3mp camera but you would never know. The downside is that it's quite a chunky camera.

My new Panasonic (which only cost around £200) is all of the above but much more modern and advanced in some areas (18x optical zoom, stabilization etc). I'm looking forward to using this!!!

Having said all of that, the best thing to do is to learn how to use your camera. Look around on the net and read books about how to take photos. Simple composition tips can really help.

 

[Senderella]

*cough*HOOKEM*cough* LOL.

Anyhow.. I use a Canon Powershot A620. Love it. It's always taken beautiful pictures but I do have my eye on a Nikon Coolpix P80. I'm willing to bet the majority of the absolutely flawlessly gorgeous pics you've probably seen have been taken with an SLR of some kind or by people that really know photography. An SLR is a lot of camera in my opinion but I'd sure like to have one lol.

For regular cameras I love Canon and Nikon. For camcorders I like Sony (have a Canon and it kinda stinks). If you want to learn more about taking great pics, it helps to know the ins and outs. Pick up a book and read through it and practice before your trip. That's what I'm doing right now because I'm determined to take even better pics. Night shots are hardest/most frustrating for me but my day shots with my Canon are REALLY nice. HTH!

 

[imamouse]

I used to lug around a big camera (Kodak) that took really great picutes and was easy to use, but didn't fit in my purse. I opted for a Lumix by Panasonic becuase it was the only small camera I found with a 10x optical zoom. Now, I just need to learn how to use it. Like you, I can manage daytime pics, but nighttime and fireworks are a whole different story. Good luck and I hope you have a magical trip with your family.

 

[LVROFDSNY]

Thanks for all of those with great advice.
Thanks also for those that acknowledged my signature...y'all must be from Texas!!

I currently have a camera that I reallly like, but it does not zoom as much as I will like...I will probably have to have a big bulky camera before I will be satisfied with the zoom!!!

 

[blackthidot]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0510/05100301sonydscn1.asp

Thats the camera I use. Ive had it 3 years and I just learned how to use it at night without a tri pod or anything.

 

[barkatozz]

While I spend most of my time at WDW w/ a video camera, I have a Canon PowerShot SD1000(newer model is the 1100) and it takes some great pics for a little point & shoot camera. I have alot of pics from my last trip on my MySpace.

 

[Kamikaze]

Nightshots/Fireworks = Fuji

 

[Philo]

I opted for a Lumix by Panasonic becuase it was the only small camera I found with a 10x digital zoom.

These are nice cameras. We got one at work and I was really impressed which is what made me move from Fuji to Panasonic. I wanted to be able to play with the settings more which is why I went for the SLR version but the compacts are great for point and shoot. That 10x zoom is much better than I expected too. Distortion etc is really low.

 

[disneyniebo]

First we had a Kodak Easy share CX7300 3.2 mega pixel camera and it was good for long shots and medium short, not too good for close ups.
Then we got the Easy Share C653 (6 MP I think) and it is great for all types of pictures. At AK I got a very close up of one of the unusual flowers on the Jungle Trek walk and when I blow it up on IPhoto, you can clearly see the veins in the petals. Very nice. You can also take panoramic photos (great for EPCOT around the lake).
It also takes pretty good video and sound. It is not a video camera, but it is not bad.
Costs about $120 and takes SD cards for storage.

Love this camera!!

 

[PhotoDave219]

We have an entire forum on these forums dedicated to these camera/video/audio/etc type questions here -> Photo and Video Questions

There's a bunch of us on here that are actual professional photographer and videographers as well as amateur and hobbists. Generally, we can field most any tech question.

That being said, you're asking about fireworks - the shot EVERYONE wants. I've done fireworks on film, point and shoots, pro DSLRs and video cameras. What matters is the technique and how you do it; the camera that you use really doesn't matter.

Point and shoot from my hotel room in the Dolphin back in May.

Nikon D700 in August.

There are a couple of ways to do this, and it can be done with a point and shoot. (*** Technical notations and exposure data here is mainly intended for MK & Wishes. Your Milage May Vary ***)

Starting with a point and shoot, the best way to do it is to flip it to the "fireworks" setting and stabilize it somehow, be it the top of a trashcan or railing or whatever, in lieu of a tripod. Better than that, you can try setting it to the manual settings. If you want to do it hand-held, you're going to want to boost the iso to 800 (or as high as it will go), open the lens as wide as it will go, preferably around f/2.8 and set the shutter speed to around 1/20th. You will Its a short shutter but will get a good burst. Its not my preferred settings but assuming you can hold still and minimize camera shake, you can get some good shots.

To do it right, you need a tripod. You need a camera that you can set things manually, or trick your P&S into doing what you want it to.

What i do is to put my camera on a tripod, use a shutter release and go for 5-10 second exposures, letting the light of the fireworks paint in the spots. ISO 100, f/11-14 and a manual shutter release using the bulb setting. I know the shows inside and out, i know what shells will open when. I open the shutter, a few shells go off - usually mixing in the upper shells and castle effects - and closing the shutter after a few seconds.

My biggest problem is keeping the shutter open too long, trying to get too many bursts in the shot. Gotta keep it under 15 seconds. (The white magnesium shells at the end of wishes and illuminations will completely blow out your shots.)

So anyways, its not the camera. Its the technique. You can do it with the camera you already own. Although if you are insistent on spending some money in the quest for good photos, i will continue to recommend the National Geographic Field Guide to Photography as a great book that helps you learn how to use the camera you already own. Costs about $20 new.

 

[LVROFDSNY]

The current camera I have is a Sony SuperSteady Shot DSC-T70, 8.1 Megapixles, but only a 3X optical zoom.

 

[scpergj]

That's taking the aggie thing a little too far.

Good luck with the camera.
Get one of the latest point and shoot types, for around $200.
Otherwise you'll really have to jump up in price and carry around a big DSLR with extra lenses.

Yeah...DSLR's are kind of like a disease. I bought mine a year ago, and now have three lenses (my main carry lens is an 18-200mm lens, and with it my camera weight a couple of pounds), and have not only carried all three into the park with me at once, I have carried a tripod (and used it!) around EPCOT for an entire evening!

Shooting in the dark, or fireworks, is difficult with any camera - even a high dollar DSLR. I know that there are a few of us here that belong to a Disney photography web site - they are a great resource for finding a good camera. Good luck finding one that will work for you!

 

[Senderella]

Disney photography web site

Link please?

 

[EpcoTim]

Like Dave said, it's all technique. If you take the time to learn and understand your camera, you can do wonders with it, whether its a $150 P&S or an $8,000 dollar pro body. It's all about understanding your camera, it's controls and how you want to use them.

 

[happymom52003]

The current camera I have is a Sony SuperSteady Shot DSC-T70, 8.1 Megapixles, but only a 3X optical zoom.

I have the same camera.

(Edit: Actually, i checked and it is not exactly the same....mine is the Sony SuperSteady Shot DSC-T9)

I understand that alot of problems with pics not turning out are due to the user not understanding the camera, etc. as many people on these forums like to point out. I'm not at all questioning that fact.

However....I also believe that some point and shoots are better than others, and my Sony camera is not a great camera in my opinion. I've read the guide over and over and spent hours experimenting with the settings. I've read websites and articles about how to get good pictures with point and shoots over and over.

And yet no matter what I do or how much I learn, I can't get this camera to take even half way decent photos in low light most of the time. And I'm not just talking about at night....I'm talking about inside my house. And unless there is bright sunlight, the outdoor pics are not even all that great. The only pics that really turn out great are the ones taken in bright light, fairly close to the subject.

And I am not at all expecting proffesional looking pictures from my point and shoot. This is not a situation where I have my expectations set too high.

Again, I'm not questioning the fact that the user can play a large part in pictures turning out badly. I just wanted to point out that not 100% of all problems with pics not turning out are related to technique or the user not understanding the camera. The camera can play a part in it.

I should also mention that my very first digital camera (I think I bought it around 2000 or 2001) was a Sony Cybershot and I always got amazing pics with it...and here is the shocker....I never once read the manual. I just always kept it on auto. The only reason I got a new one a couple of years ago was because the Cybershot was larger and heavy, and I wanted a smaller camera.


Oh and by the way.......















Hook Em Horns!

 

[Senderella]

However....I also believe that some point and shoots are better than others, and my Sony camera is not a great camera in my opinion. I've read the guide over and over and spent hours experimenting with the settings. I've read websites and articles about how to get good pictures with point and shoots over and over.

And yet no matter what I do or how much I learn, I can't get this camera to take even half way decent photos in low light most of the time. And I'm not just talking about at night....I'm talking about inside my house. And unless there is bright sunlight, the outdoor pics are not even all that great. The only pics that really turn out great are the ones taken in bright light, fairly close to the subject.

And I am not at all expecting proffesional looking pictures from my point and shoot. This is not a situation where I have my expectations set too high.

Again, I'm not questioning the fact that the user can play a large part in pictures turning out badly. I just wanted to point out that not 100% of all problems with pics not turning out are related to technique or the user not understanding the camera. The camera can play a part in it.

I should also mention that my very first digital camera (I think I bought it around 2000 or 2001) was a Sony Cybershot and I always got amazing pics with it...and here is the shocker....I never once read the manual. I just always kept it on auto. The only reason I got a new one a couple of years ago was because the Cybershot was larger and heavy, and I wanted a smaller camera.


Oh and by the way.......

Hook Em Horns!

Most definitely. My old Olympus (camera before my current) was a POS and no picture ever came out worth a darn. I think though, back when digital cameras were first coming out not too long ago (I'm thinking of my first digi), they were much more basic. They were what? 2mp at best?

Digital cameras now are so much more advanced. If you do your homework before you buy and make sure you're getting a quality piece of equipment for your budget, pretty much anyone can have great pictures now. I guess people expect as the technology advances so does the quality of their pics. Granted, there are cameras out there that no matter how many bells and whistles you put on it, it'll still be a POS (like my not-so-old Olympus). My picture taking methods hadn't changed between my Olympus and my Canon and the Canon won as far as quality pics.

With this Canon I've got, I saw how great the pictures could be and figured I could learn more and make them better. I'm holding out on buying that Nikon lol no matter how badly I want it. I figure if I can make my pictures better and I know the technical aspects of it, I can justify the nicer camera. I don't want to spend a ton of money on a camera that I don't understand how it functions. The book I've found super useful is Kodak's Guide to Digital Photography. It's really easy to follow.