What Kind of Camera Do You Use at Disney?

[PacMan2006]

Hey guys,

I go through all these photos threads, and am SHOCKED at some of the picture quality. Some of it is just incredible.

I have a Canon SD630, and it's nice and takes good pics, but no where near the quality of some of these photos--especially at night.

So what kind of cameras do people use, where did you buy them from, how much do they cost, are they fairly user friendly, etc...

Some photos likes these have me seriously considering a new camera three days before I leave for WDW...

 

[DocAudio]

I have been using a Canon Rebel XTi. I love the camera and the pics have come out very well. I have been to WDW twice this year and left with nearly 4000 pics. You may check some of the picures out at http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x306/DrofAudio/. I have been using one of two lenses: the standard 17-55mm and a Tamron 70-300mm.

 

[Peaches Magee]

I use a Canon Powershot for now...
that is till I get my Rebel for Christmas!

(( fingers crossed!! ))

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

My current digital camera is a Nikon Coolpix 5700. I will have changed it before our next visit - aiming towards a Nikon D80

 

[aaron2525]

canon EOS 20D, incredible camera around 1400$

 

[duck_daddy]

Sony DSC-H2. It takes good pictures for the ameture. The camera could probably do better, alas I hinder it! It is very user friendly and has enough manual settings to do what I want. It is my learner camera, my step-up to a DSLR if you will. I'm hoping within the next year to upgrade it to a H-9, and within 2 years be able to master SLR photography. I highly suggest trying Sony!

 

[UltimtMickeyFan]

I use a Nikon D50.

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

I have been using a Canon Rebel XTi. I love the camera and the pics have come out very well. I have been to WDW twice this year and left with nearly 4000 pics. You may check some of the picures out at http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x306/DrofAudio/. I have been using one of two lenses: the standard 17-55mm and a Tamron 70-300mm.

Your pictures are nice. I just got a Canon Rebel XTI with 2 different lenses (the one that came with it and one marked Canon Zoom EF 28-135) however I still don't know how to use it for night shots. I am trying to find a place to take a photography class before our next visit in Feb 08. I need to get educated on the lenses too becase I can't even describe them other than to tell you what is printed on them. :ROFLOL. Two years in a row I took pictures at MHSSHP (parade) and they came out bad.

 

[scorp111]

Your pictures are nice. I just got a Canon Rebel XTI with 2 different lenses (the one that came with it and one marked Canon Zoom EF 28-135) however I still don't know how to use it for night shots. I am trying to find a place to take a photography class before our next visit in Feb 08. I need to get educated on the lenses too becase I can't even describe them other than to tell you what is printed on them. :ROFLOL. Two years in a row I took pictures at MHSSHP (parade) and they came out bad.

National Geographic's "Field Guide to Photography" is an excellent book to assist in taking better photographs. (Not that classes are a bad thing at all!) The book really helped me when I was just starting to try to improve my picture-taking skills.

I shoot with the Rebel XTi as well (next year I am going to the 5D). I have 3 lenses right now: 17-85mm IS, 50mm/1.4, and my telephoto 70-300mm IS. The Image Stabilizer does assist with some hand-held nightshots, but you still need a tripod for any type of longer exposure.

Some of my photos can be seen at smugmug.com. Anything pre-2007 was with the Canon S3-IS point and shoot. Some of my favorite shots were with that camera.

 

[peemagg]

I carry a 35mm Minolta with a 28-300mm lens. I am hoping to switch to the Sony Alpha soon so that I can go digital. The only thing stopping me right now is the $700 for the camera body alone. Oh well maybe Santa will get it for me for Christmas.

 

[wbt06]

i dont post pictures here but for my next trip i will be takeing my olympous stylous 1000. I have not gotten many chances to use it yet but the pictures i have taken have come out great. It is a good camera for someone that does not know how to use a camera well. I dont know the price becouse i got it as a present last year.

 

[Gorjus]

It isn't usually the camera. It is the photographer. Once I ran into a woman who made her husband buy her a new digital camera every year because she said they never took good photos. She would always put the camera on automatic and be upset that it took bad photos. Once I explained to her husband a couple of photo tips for different types of photography, he wanted to kiss me. I'd just saved him $500 per year.

I have a very expensive digital single lens reflex camera/dslr (a fancy looking camera). There are people with $500 point and shoots that take as good or better pics than I do. It has a little to do with the camera and a lot to do with knowing how to use ALL aspects of your camera.

PacMan, Judging from your photos, I'd say you are using a flash when you shouldn't. By adding a flash to night time photography, you are shortening the amount of time the lens is open. That can reduce the effects of the photo. At night, the only time you should use a flash is for night portraits. That is when you want, for example, a photo of your family with the beautifully lit castle behind you. The flash will capture your family, but the lens will stay open longer to capture the castle as well.

For night time photography, try setting your camera to firework settings. It will eliminate the flash and leave the lens open a bit to capture night lighting. However ALWAYS HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON A TRIPOD OR TRASHCAN OR FENCE. This will ensure the camera stays steady.

The photo of the show is just fine. The parades are difficult because you want the great colors, but the darn floats are moving.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

 

[nolatron]

I have a Canon Powershot S410 and Canon Digital Rebel XT. I always bring both on my trips, but typically caarry the S410 to the parks cause it can fit in my pocket. This year I plan on bringing the XT with me, along with my Sony Hi-Def video camera.

Nights shots are tough, you really do need a tripod for them. I was considering bringing a tripod, but didn't wanna deal with the hassle of the bulk of one.

So instead I bought me one of these, a Gorillapod SLR Zoom, with a wired remote shutter controller. This way I can just use any surface I can find to set the camera on, be it a trash-can, a table, the ground, and ledge, railing, even small poles and trees. You can beat the size and weight of it either.

The SLR zoom supports it, so picked up a compact ball head for mounting the camera on, mainly for taking landscape shots.

Also, the benefit to going to digital is not having film. Take a lot pics, *A LOT*. I'll sit there and take 4,5,6 pics of the same thing (especially low light shots) using different settings sometimes. At least one will come out good enough for me. Then just delete the rest.

 

[Master Yoda]

It isn't usually the camera. It is the photographer. Once I ran into a woman who made her husband buy her a new digital camera every year because she said they never took good photos. She would always put the camera on automatic and be upset that it took bad photos. Once I explained to her husband a couple of photo tips for different types of photography, he wanted to kiss me. I'd just saved him $500 per year.

I have a very expensive digital single lens reflex camera/dslr (a fancy looking camera). There are people with $500 point and shoots that take as good or better pics than I do. It has a little to do with the camera and a lot to do with knowing how to use ALL aspects of your camera.

PacMan, Judging from your photos, I'd say you are using a flash when you shouldn't. By adding a flash to night time photography, you are shortening the amount of time the lens is open. That can reduce the effects of the photo. At night, the only time you should use a flash is for night portraits. That is when you want, for example, a photo of your family with the beautifully lit castle behind you. The flash will capture your family, but the lens will stay open longer to capture the castle as well.

For night time photography, try setting your camera to firework settings. It will eliminate the flash and leave the lens open a bit to capture night lighting. However ALWAYS HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON A TRIPOD OR TRASHCAN OR FENCE. This will ensure the camera stays steady.

The photo of the show is just fine. The parades are difficult because you want the great colors, but the darn floats are moving.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

No truer words have ever been spoken. I have seen pictures taken by a professional photographer with a disposable 35mm that look better than pictures taken by a novice with a $3000 DSLR set up.

 

[SonicRuin]

I used a Canon...ummm...I think a S05 or something like that. We bought it a few months ago pretty much specifically for the trip to Disney last week. Well that and I also do a music 'zine and I wanted a good camera for shows.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It isn't usually the camera. It is the photographer. Once I ran into a woman who made her husband buy her a new digital camera every year because she said they never took good photos. She would always put the camera on automatic and be upset that it took bad photos. Once I explained to her husband a couple of photo tips for different types of photography, he wanted to kiss me. I'd just saved him $500 per year.

I have a very expensive digital single lens reflex camera/dslr (a fancy looking camera). There are people with $500 point and shoots that take as good or better pics than I do. It has a little to do with the camera and a lot to do with knowing how to use ALL aspects of your camera.

PacMan, Judging from your photos, I'd say you are using a flash when you shouldn't. By adding a flash to night time photography, you are shortening the amount of time the lens is open. That can reduce the effects of the photo. At night, the only time you should use a flash is for night portraits. That is when you want, for example, a photo of your family with the beautifully lit castle behind you. The flash will capture your family, but the lens will stay open longer to capture the castle as well.

For night time photography, try setting your camera to firework settings. It will eliminate the flash and leave the lens open a bit to capture night lighting. However ALWAYS HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON A TRIPOD OR TRASHCAN OR FENCE. This will ensure the camera stays steady.

The photo of the show is just fine. The parades are difficult because you want the great colors, but the darn floats are moving.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

Heh... someone around here has listened to what i say. Cool.

Anyways, these days at Disney i run around with a little Canon Powershot A510. Occasionally i will bust out the high end stuff when i want something special/cool but otherwise a little camera does me well.

 

[MattBoom]

I agree with Gorjus for the most part. Knowing how to work your camera is more important that what camera you have - although I do think the digital SLRs, for the most part, take better pics than non-SLRs.

I've gotten some really great shots with my Canon Digital Rebel XT. But because I needed more megapixels for taking shots for my magazine, I have the Rebel on eBay right now and I've upgraded to a Sony a700. So far I love it.

 

[DizWiz]

Just echoing what Gorjus said: Knowledge is the most important ingredient in taking good pictures.

Digital point-and-shoot cameras from the big companies (Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Fuji) have gotten to a point where they are all very similar in quality and have most of the same features. But, as you know, you can look at pictures from the same model camera taken by different people, and the quality will vary wildly. The difference is the technique of the photographer. Buy some books (and read them) and experiment at home until you are able to take the shots you want and know what your camera is capable of.

And, for taking night shots, a tripod is ESSENTIAL. No, it doesn't have to be a full sized tripod--in fact, I rarely lug my big tripod to the parks. I usually just carry a mini tripod and my Gorilla Pod with me and use trash cans, railings or whatever else I can find to sit the small tripods on. And, if your camera has one, use a remote shutter release at night. This will make sure your shots aren't blurry from moving the camera while taking the picture. If you don't have a remote, then use the self-timer.

If you want to compare cameras, check out dpreview.com.

Good luck!

 

[PacMan2006]

Well, I'm the OP and like I said, this is the kind of camera I use (Canon SD630):

I personally like the camera, and think I take good photos with it. Here are some I took in Vegas a few months ago (night shots below). My concern is just that I don't know if I could get very good motion shots, or fireworks, and such. Certainly something is always going to be better than what you have, but this will be my first time to WDW for Christmas, and I know that a lot of the special moments happen at night, and I don't want the photos to come out less than ideal.

 

[MattBoom]

Well, I'm the OP and like I said, this is the kind of camera I use (Canon SD630):

I personally like the camera, and think I take good photos with it. Here are some I took in Vegas a few months ago (night shots below). My concern is just that I don't know if I could get very good motion shots, or fireworks, and such. Certainly something is always going to be better than what you have, but this will be my first time to WDW for Christmas, and I know that a lot of the special moments happen at night, and I don't want the photos to come out less than ideal.

Most of those shots look awesome.