Seeking advice from travel/vacation shooters

Terrence

I have a family trip to Disney planned in March (our first) and I want to capture the trip but don't want to lug my 7D/24-105 or 7D/17-55 combo around for the long days I hear I am in for. In my experience, the weight gets to me after a few hours and I shudder to think about the potential for knocking it around on rides.

For those of you that like to capture your vacations but opt to leave the SLR at home, what P&S cameras have you liked the most? On the flip side, if you carry your SLR all day, what tips do you have for keeping your kit to the bare minimum and keeping it safe.

If I buy a P&S, I want to stay under $500 and the Canon S90 and G11 look quite nice to me. The reviews of them look good, but I haven't seen any comparisons. I am leaning to the G11 purely for the manual control I am used to and the option to use my Canon flashes and wireless triggers.

I am willing to compromise low light and the annoyance of shutter lag if I can get pictures that are good enough for the family album and keep me from seeing my vacation through the viewfinder and obsessing over getting the shot versus having fun.

Any advice or tips you have are greatly appreciated.

Zerodog

I have had this same problem. My solution was a Black Rapid R strap and a wide prime lens. I tried a 50mm and ended up settling on a 20mm. Wide is just better for walking around and travel type shots. This is about as small and light my 300s gets. I often stuff this in my girlfiend's purse. And the strap makes even my big lenses no problem. All of this will be had for a lot less than a really nice P&S. It also takes way better pictures. The other thing to remember is you have a pretty tough camera. It will take rides no problem. I ride my dirtbike with mine in a backpack.

ChatKat

SLR vs PnS
It doesn't matter what you bring. When you start shooting you always wish you had taken the other kit. I bring both a 5d and 28-300 vr Tamron lens I bought just for travel. The lens is $550 and it works well. I also take a 50 1.2 but the 50 1.8 is light and cheap. Then for good measure I have the Canon s80 when only shoots jpg when I don't want to lug the bigger stuff. I used to travel with the 24-70 70-200 and a 50 so for me I have lightened up and I have the best of all worlds. I also use an Optech Binoculars Strap when I travel on the body so it goes on like a pair of suspenders and I am hands free. There are two models - one is stretchy and one is woven - I use the woven one and then I don't have a camera on my neck. It sits just above the waist on me.

colourbox

Terrence wrote:

If I buy a P&S, I want to stay under $500 and the Canon S90 and G11 look quite nice to me...I am leaning to the G11 purely for the manual control I am used to and the option to use my Canon flashes and wireless triggers.

I have not used them but those should both be great choices. An alternative to the G11 would be the Panasonic LX3, which is a little more compact body but still has manual, raw, hot shoe and a slightly faster lens.

catspaw

if you go for the dslr, look into the Crumpler Million Dollar homes. Their website (google it) will show you the different sizes and how much you can fit. Good wide straps with optional padded straps. A good way to inconspicuously carry around a camera without it being an obvious 'camera bag'.

Photoskipper

I used the Tarmac Velocity for the 300D with Sigma 18-200 zoom many years ago, it works for me well.

Recently, I got the Lowepro Topload AW for the 5D with 24-105. It is a bit bulky but serve the purpose.

It really depends on what you want to enjoy - family, fun or photography. The PnS may be easier to handle and meet most of the situation in the theme park.

I am planning to get a water-proof small camera for all occassion shooting - water, snow and outdoor games.

TomCollins

Go Light
We're lucky (my family and I) and get to go to Disneyland quite a bit. It can be hot, it will be crowded, there are lots of lines, lots of things to juggle around in your hands, water splashing on you on some rides, tight turns at high speeds slamming you around on other rides and lots of walking and lots of waiting. There are lots and lots of great photo opportunities to catch of the kids and family having fun and laughing. But as a photographic outing there just isn't an opportunity to set up a tripod and get some great captures. Maybe if you separate from the family for a couple of hours, here and there, you may be able to concentrate on some shots. From my experience at Disneyland a good quality point and shoot is the ticket. I'm a Canon 5DMKII shooter so I'm partial to Canon and my P&S of choice is the G11 (I've had several of the G Series and like them all). It's handy because it can easily slip into your pocket (albeit a little bulky), you can hang it around your neck (it's not very heavy), it's relatively fast, it shoots raw and takes great .jpg captures. The G11 has the vari-angle lcd which can be really handy in a place like Disneyland.

So to sum up, I really don't like carrying a big (or small) bag when I'm walking around, standing in line, waiting in the hot sun, when I want to be having fun, going crazy with my kids, so a small easy to handle, familar menu camera that takes photos decent enough for the family album is the ticket for me. The G11, by the way, takes photo's that will far surpass the family album snapshot. Good luck and have fun. All of this, is of course, IMHO.

Internaut

How about thinking in terms of same system/smaller kit? The Canon 500D (or perhaps even a second user 450D) is a fair bit smaller than the 7D and the latest 18-55 kit lens is much improved; or you may even find that the smaller body plus your existing lenses is good enough. Either way, the photos you'll get will be light years ahead of any P&S. (Perhaps someone can translate the model's I've mentioned into their US Rebel names...)

ole doc

on usual travel, ie, not crowded amusement parks, I carry my D60 with one of the kit lenses on it and the other in a generic lens case over my shoulder (I cross the strap completely across my chest to avoid constantly having to reposition it.) If I did go to Disney World I would only take my G9. I don't notice a shutter delay although I know from the stats it is there. It is an incredibly sharp shooting camera and very forgiving. I presume the G10 and G11 are only better.
Nick

Terrence

I'm settled on taking my Canon 7D with 17-55/2.8 and getting a Canon G11. I figure I'll use the 7D for the fireworks and I'll see if I can put up with carrying it all day. I have plenty of lenses and really don't want another, as I spent the better part of four years and a mortgage payment or three getting to the lineup I have now.

I went to my local shop today and inspected the Canon G11 and S90 today and I'm sold on the G11. It has a very nice feel to it and the IQ and shutter lag are good enough for a walkaround and family snap camera...heck they are way more than good enough.

Plus, I have enough AMEX points to get the G11 with no out-of-pocket money AND my wife actually agreed to let me get another camera!

Thanks for all the tips folks. It really helped me think this through and get comfortable with my choice.

colourbox

I just upgraded from a Rebel to a 7D with a 17-55 I already had, and man, what a beast of a package compared to the Rebel. If I was going to be on my feet in an amusement park all day, I wouldn't even bring the 7D and heavy glass, I'd just take the G11. In that environment, especially in daylight, I would think that the significant added weight and bulk of a 7D would provide only marginal benefits vs the very competent G11.

(By heavy glass, what I mean is that I noticed how much more massive a pro body and fast lens is compared to the smaller body and slower lens that you get with a Rebel kit, or even a Rebel + 17-55.)

Photoskipper

colourbox wrote:

I just upgraded from a Rebel to a 7D with a 17-55 I already had, and man, what a beast of a package compared to the Rebel. If I was going to be on my feet in an amusement park all day, I wouldn't even bring the 7D and heavy glass, I'd just take the G11. In that environment, especially in daylight, I would think that the significant added weight and bulk of a 7D would provide only marginal benefits vs the very competent G11.

(By heavy glass, what I mean is that I noticed how much more massive a pro body and fast lens is compared to the smaller body and slower lens that you get with a Rebel kit, or even a Rebel + 17-55.)

That is the reason I am keeping the 6 years old Rebel as back up and usually put inside a dry box in the car boot. It is less than half the weight of 5D with 24-105 (or 17-40). The plus point is that it comes with built-in flash, save me another 500 gm. Most important, it will not cause me chest pain if I drop it or soak it with water.

Seamus

My travel kit is a Canon 30d and the Canon 18-200 lens. I really like the 18-200 as a travel lens. It is fine in good light and the built in flash on the 30d helps out in low light / indoors shots. It is very compact when retracted and fits in a small camera case and can be stowed in a tankbag or in a rucksack.

I used a p&s on motorbike trips for years and wanted better quality camera equipment which wouldn't take up too much room.

Shay.

Photoskipper

Seamus wrote:

My travel kit is a Canon 30d and the Canon 18-200 lens. I really like the 18-200 as a travel lens. It is fine in good light and the built in flash on the 30d helps out in low light / indoors shots. It is very compact when retracted and fits in a small camera case and can be stowed in a tankbag or in a rucksack.

I used a p&s on motorbike trips for years and wanted better quality camera equipment which wouldn't take up too much room.

Shay.

Currently, there are couple of camera + mobile phone package. My daughter got a Samsung 8 MP camera phone and very handly. I used to have HTC 5 MP, SonyEriccson 3.2 MP and now Blackberry 9000 with 3 MP. All works but definitely cannot compare to FF DSLR and L lens.

I am looking at the all weather handly good IQ camera but not yet happy with any model currently in the market. Seems has to wait for another year or two.

waygard33

Canon S90
I got a Canon S90 just before Christmas and took it out skiing over new years. I've posted an Animoto vid containing lots of pics and some video, over in the video section if you're interested.

Wayne in Oregon

BradfordBenn

Just a couple of comments, and they might be late but might be useful for future users:

1. At most parks (I know Disney for a fact) the cast members (associattes) are expected to help you take pictures so you can get in there with your family. The P&S might be the easiest for this.
2. There are often lockers/check locations that you can place your bigger cameras into if you don't want to lug it around.
3. Often the more exciting rides are either dark (bad for pictures) or rapidly moving, so I would not to use my "big boy" camera (still just a Rebel XTi).
4. Don't forget to have fun, and at times the P&S is easier for that as you can do it quickly and easily without overly thinking about the photos.
5. Don't forget to be on the lookout for the "Photospot" markers, they are often quite good.

If you are trying to get the fireworks, you may have to setup as much as 30 minutes ahead of time to get unobstructed views.

drdrb

I prefer a true shirt pocket camera for any kind of activities such as Disneyland. Here is a recent photo from the Cable Car Museum in San Francisco using the S90 to show the equipment in motion. Shutter priority mode, 1/4 second, ISO 200, ambient light, hand held but braced against the railing above. I'd really like to see a thread dedicated to S90 photos.

skysailor

I do quite a lot of riding. Motorcycle and road race bike. On the Cervelo, the DSLR just has no place to live. On the motorcycle, I really like "live view" so I can shoot with the helmet on (full face) so, my G9 "lives" with me. The thing goes everywhere with me.