[seventysixersfan]

My 5-year old daughter has gotten her Christmas wish and my family is going to Disney World for the first time ever this coming weekend. Short trip overall, just two nights and three days.

What camera equipment to take?

Context: I am traveling with my wife, 2 year old son and 5 year old daughter. Will have a stroller and diaper bag in tow. Flying down to Orlando with no rental car. Staying at a resort hotel.

Must take: Pentax K-30

But what lenses?

DA 18-135? Da 20-40? Tamron 28-75? Tamron 10-24?

Any primes? Sigma 30 f/1.4? DA 15, 40, 70?

And should I take my external flash? I have Metz 52 AF-1 and Pentax AF201FG

Or for portability, should I skip DSLR and just take my Pentax MX-1?

Thanks for any advice on this!!

[wibbly]

i'm going to disneyland on the 24, i've been there before and this time i'm only going to take the 15ltd and the 31ltd. i'll take the grip off my k3 and bring a small gorillapod for night shots.

you don't need any reach at all for these places. you'll either want to get the big picture (ie some of the massive installations there), or take photos of family. and the place is so congested that trying to take family photos with a telephoto is going to make you crazy.

i'll have the 31 on the camera all day for taking pics of people, and the 15 at night for taking night scenes.

it'll all fit in a lowepro toploader where i can tuck it away for the rides that you may get a bit wet on.



if you don't plan on setting up and trying to take much more than snaps to remember the trip, then take the mx-1. having an slr at an amusement park can be a huge pain in the neck.

[lmd91343]

A two year old and a five year old that you are managing in a crowded public space? And you expect to change lenses?

Take the 18-135 and forget the rest. Enjoy the trip. Stay on good terms with your wife!

Enjoy!

[BigMackCam]

A two year old and a five year old that you are managing in a crowded public space? And you expect to change lenses?

Take the 18-135 and forget the rest.

I'm with Lance on this one. Go with the 18-135. I have the DA18-270 for when I won't have time to change lenses or I'll be concentrating on other things. IQ isn't as good as my Limiteds, but it covers most situations.

I think your primes would be frustrating to swap out, and the MX-1 could do with a bit more reach, perhaps?

Plus, with your 18-135, you can keep shooting if you get showers

Enjoy your trip!

[Fcsnt54]

I had the same dilemma when going to disneyland. I decided to go for portability especially when going on rides, it didnt weigh a ton when walking all day, and something that was not as flashy. My vote is with taking the mx-1.

If you are set on taking the k30, my vote is on the da 18-135 lens.

[pathdoc]

DA18-135 will do you fine. You don't want to be fiddling with lenses. Really. Trust me. You don't.

If you want an external flash for extra light indoors, late afternoons, etc, take the smallest, most compact unit you can and trust to its auto functions. Also, leave the camera on program and trust it to do the right thing. With two kids of that age, you have more than enough to contend with already. This is a time when fine art goes out the window and practicality rules.

Make quadruply sure you have more than enough batteries and memory cards with you.

Next time you go back, the kids will be older and you'll know from the pictures you took which, if any, of your primes would have been useful. In the meantime, unleash the full capacity of the 18-135. Some of these moments will be the greatest in your kids' lives so far, Miss Five especially, so show them the good time they deserve. It's their holiday, not the K30's, so concentrate on capturing the magic, and don't be ashamed of the fact that you went full-auto with a superzoom to do it.

[timb64]

Take the mx1 and concentrate on having fun with your wife and children.The p&s will be more than adequate for taking a record of your adventures and you'll earn plenty of brownie points for playing the good guy!

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Last edited by timb64; 01-11-2016 at 12:56 PM.

[From1980]

If your must have the K30 along I vote for the 18-135 too for the same reasons given. But Disney, two small children, crowds? There will be little time and opportunity for other than quick snapshots - the MX-1 could be the most practical.

[bertwert]

I'd say just take the 18-135 and have fun.

[Scintilla]

you don't need any reach at all for these places. you'll either want to get the big picture (ie some of the massive installations there), or take photos of family.

I can think of one exception: Animal Kingdom. Riding the Kilimanjaro Safaris, it wasn't long before I found myself wishing I had a telephoto zoom of any kind.

I'll also mention that the Rokinon (Samyang) 35/1.4 really came in handy for indoor shots of my own preschooler, like when she met Minnie/Daisy/Donald/Goofy in the big tent in Toontown Fair or Mickey in the Main St. theatre. Or even for this outdoor portrait, which is now hanging on our wall.

Of course, that was with only one child to worry about. I don't know if having more than one makes it that much more difficult to change lenses.

[geomez]

I've been to Disneyland and a lot of other theme parks. I would take the 18-135 and maybe a fast prime like your 30mm 1.4. 18-135 will be good for most everything outside during the day and has the added benefit of being WR. Water is often times a surprise at theme parks. The fast prime will be good for indoors/night.

I have three kids around the same age and know what it's like. You won't have the time nor the hands to be dealing with a lot of gear, and switching lenses. Keeping it simple is key when at a theme park where photography is second to family enjoyment.

[skierd]

An unpopular suggestion given that this is a camera site, but leave the DSLR at home. For the family photos, sign up for Disney PhotoPass
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/photo-pass-service/

They're all over the parks, usually in front of stuff that you want pictures of, on the rides, etc



How Memory Maker works | WDW Prep School

My mom and brothers go to Disney almost every year for the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot, this is how we got our family shots and it worked a lot easier than carrying a DSLR all day.

For a point and shoot, I'd just use my iPhone. If I were going to bring a bigger camera, I'd take my k-30 with the 20-40. Realistically, trips like this are what I love having an Olympus XA for. Easy to carry, easy to shoot, stops me from chimping and worrying about photos the whole trip.

[percy]

Keep it light and simple - you'll have enough to do with two young children in tow. Just take the MX-1.
If you're determined to take the K-30 then just stick on the 18-135. As others have said, you're not likely to have much time to swap lenses.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

I personally don't have any trouble carrying around my camera, bag & extra lenses whenever I go to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. I think it's all still fairly lightweight & I don't have any issues riding with them on any ride, even the fast ones.

I'll take my K-50 with the Pentax 35mm f/2.4 attached to it, but I do take a small camera bag with the 50mm f/1.8, 18-55, & 50-200 lenses. There are times where I swap out the 35mm for one of the other lenses for a specific shot, but I shoot with the 35mm about 70% of the time.

Florida weather can be crazy, though. One minute it's sunny & the next minute it can be pouring. For that reason alone, I'd probably just take the 18-135 & the DA 30 f/1.4 for indoor low light If I were in your shoes.

[david94903]

Take the DA18-135. With two kids, you'll never have a chance to change lenses. And with a good chance of rain occurring at somepoint, always rains when I go to DW, you'll want the added water resistance that the DA18-135 offers.