Disney Trip + Gear: Leaving in 4 days

Well time for another Disney trip. This will be my 3rd. Both trips prior I trucked along with the SLR and backpacks. Very eventful to say the least.

I'm thinking my phone this time. The wife will be taking her XT20 and most likely the 35/56/18-135. I also picked up a 12mm rokinon too for any wider shot needs.

My thing is... Ok so let her take some photos thats fine. I always take different photos and such and I love taking photos. But I'm big on my video too. But we both now have the Iphone 8 Plus phones with plenty of space (256gb). The video quality is fine for our needs and really at that 28mm equiv it does it would be fine for those photos too.

I don't want to go empty handed. I have a Gopro 4 but wasn't really happy with the videos from it.... not stabilized. Thought about just buying the gopro 6 because it has stibilization now and that would get me wider video than what the phone could give me.

I'm thinking at the minimum take the 5D and 16-35 2.8 III. Should handle anything I would want. No prime but eh... who cares.

...just endless thinking with only 3 days left before we leave I haven't thought about what to take this trip... was just going to take my phone now I'm thinking I should take something.

Overthinking a trip that is not a photography-based-trip is always hard. What to take!?

I think you're doing the right thing focusing on the phones for most of the fun. Just be there with the kids. Have fun. Keep it simple. But still maybe have something for you to enjoy too (being into gear, gotta play with it to enjoy it right?).

I think the Fuji & 18 F2 would be the sidekick I'd roll if doing phone + small camera approach (or a fisheye!).

Otherwise, the 5D & 16-35 is exactly what I'd take if I wanted to shoot the whole time and get it all with a big camera. Though, having lugged around the weight, I'm all for the smaller package these days when its not a photography-trip. I'm used to lugging my 5D, 17-40 and a flash everywhere these days. I'm starting to stop doing that and taking a smaller package with on-camera flash and frankly I enjoy it more (though I miss certainly aspects of my other system). Quiet inconspicuous shooting with a small camera has really been a pleasure to me lately.

I'm 100% wide or ultrawide when it comes to going somewhere with the family for fun & memories. No need for shallow depth of field there. You won't remember the blurry backgrounds, you will remember the architecture, location, etc. I leave all my fast glass at the house for family outings where we want to remember where we were. I'm far more interested in having a flash than a fast prime for going out with the family.

But for you, depends on what you want out of the trip, from a photography stand point. Certainly cannot argue with how easy and effect the latest smartphones are!

Very best,

Florida or CA? I will be down to Anaheim next week. Thinking of renting Sony RX100 for video and easy shots as I have no zoom for my XT1. Was also thinking of picking up a stabilizer for my phone but wife won't be happy.

We go pretty often (once or twice a year) and tbh if I were to bring camera set up it would be a fast 35. The FOV is great for environment portraits a documentary shorts as the ba background is really pulled into the frame, but the parks are so packed with people at times that you want to separate your subjects so they don't get lost in the crowd so to speak. If you want to photograph The parks themselves, 35mm works well there too because the normalish FOV works well with the forced perspectives they use in the architecture around the parks.

But of course whenever we go I gear up because that's just how I roll.

I agree on taking just the 35mm. It's (in my opinion) the best single focal length there is. It has a fast aperture so you'll be good in low-light, and good for blurring out the background. It's wide enough to get all that is needed into the scene, but tight enough that you don't get crazy distortion on people shots. I'm not sure what the weight differences are between the 35mm and the 16-35mm, but I would advise to go as light as possible. I carried my Canon 7D, 24-105mm L, 35mm f2, and 24mm STM everyday for a two week vacation where we were typically walking 15+ miles a day. That was a bummer.

You guys are basically saying buy the XE3/23 F2 and call it quits and just use her bag

She will more than likely be shooting the 35 on her fuji. She just likes those images more and she literally says she hates the 18/2 because it looks like cell phone photos. I'd probably take the XE3 and use the 12 and 23 for me. I been wanting the XE3 for awhile now. Would make sense... taking my big hunking camera would not make sense.

That and my cell phone I should be fine. I'd probably have the shoulder strap w/ the XE3 and get a neoprene cover for it that can be slipped on or off quickly.

Well... I'm keeping it light and simple. I did purchase:

XE3 w/ 23 F2
Turnstyle 5 sling bag
Flashpoint zoom li-ion R2 for Fuji

I will also take the 12mm Rokinon as well. My wife will use her XT20 and 35 1.4 and she says she wants to take the 56 too.

Should be geared up enough but light enough not to make a significant impact.

My plan is I'll wear the turnstyle so I have access to my camera, batteries, 12mm and flash. She will use her think tank urban approach 5 which will fit everything she needs. Both bags will fit in our stroller with room to spare.

For video I'll have my phone and my gopro 4.

Should be a much lighter trip than last time (5d3 & tamron 15-30/24-70 and 35 1.4) That bag was like 13lbs... This bag should be under 5lbs with accessories.

XT20 and 18-135. Done.

I dunno... I don't like the balance of that combo. She does but I don't. I'm more of a 18 or 12 or 35 liking to that body. Keep it light.

I also have my black rapid strap so I may just use it with the Xe3 and 23 and call it good. Who needs more. Sheesh. Maybe get a neoprene cover to protect it like that.

I think gear choice is depending on the subjects of photography, then the place.
My subjects of photography are family and people. In amusement parks I take family picture with Télé, if they are on the rides. If not, wide is preferable for environmental photos.
I also do street like photos in amusement parks and 50mm FOV works for it best.
OP should think what is going to be phographed for third time.
But going for third time was good excuse to buy more gear, already . Instead of same rides, new menus.

You DO realize there are children at Disney, right? Lots of them. Just thought you'd like to know.

Where I'm or where I'm going lot of children on the street and else. Just like it was for HCB, GW, VM and so on.

What is your problem with children on pictures?

I don't mind people in my photos. I just want them blurred enough to not be a huge distraction. Subtle blur is ok but I do not need major blur... it's nice to have memories of where you were at.

In my mind I'm a die hard trooper and want to take my good camera... because I like using it... I like taking photos and I like the output it gives. But having 16-18hr days previous at the parks I'm just not very fond of carrying it a third time. Going from 13lbs to 4.5lbs of gear will make a significant impact on my fun factor. It will also fit under our stroller where previously it would not due to bag being too big.

I would be just as fine with a phone... but again... the gear junky photo obsession in my head likes to take over at times.

Talley wrote in post #18495567
I don't mind people in my photos. I just want them blurred enough to not be a huge distraction. Subtle blur is ok but I do not need major blur... it's nice to have memories of where you were at.

In my mind I'm a die hard trooper and want to take my good camera... because I like using it... I like taking photos and I like the output it gives. But having 16-18hr days previous at the parks I'm just not very fond of carrying it a third time. Going from 13lbs to 4.5lbs of gear will make a significant impact on my fun factor. It will also fit under our stroller where previously it would not due to bag being too big.

I would be just as fine with a phone... but again... the gear junky photo obsession in my head likes to take over at times.

When it comes to blur, there's a difference between using a wide FOV and fast aperture and using a really long lens to compress the background. I like 35 @ f1.4 because it pulls the background into the frame so you have context for documenting and storytelling, but the fast aperture defocuses the background a lot so you get more subject isolation.

The next time we go, I will bring all my gear, because different events will allow me to bring the better gear. However for the park itself, I would only take the SL2 and a pancake lens or very small zoom lens. I have taken the 1D4 before, and won't do that again, both from a worry standpoint, and the fact the 1D and lenses are boat anchors.