Family Disney trip, 2020 edition

After searching multiple forums and reading so many 2011-2013 threads chatting up the 20/1.7 as the ultimate, thought I would start up a more current thread to discuss. 

Priorities:  enjoy trip with twin 5 year old boys.  Maybe 1 or 2 more Disney trips in their future, so more trips to round out photo ops in mask-free future to follow.

My current gear is pretty good, as lets say up until 6 years ago I could easily roll a new lens purchase into the travel budget.  Not any more, as last year's G9 splurge must be it for awhile.

Show stopper:  I was thinking selfie stick with phones for uber-light, but Disney says no-selfies.

Current thoughts:  Do the photo-package (all you can eat), so my shots are bonus-round but not needed.  Old threads were quite valuable, and have me thinking 9-18mm Oly during the day and 50/1.7 for dark.  I do have the 20mm, but its slow focus speed is a non-starter IMO.  I would like to shoot some video, along with some pictures. Other lenses include 7.5 FE, 12-35/35-100 2.8s, 45/1.8.  Think single body, 2 lenses max.

Question 1:  take the weight penalty of G9, right?  Other options are G7, or GX1?  G7 youtube videos seem its okay for 4k, but its focus drove me to G9.  I like the GX-1 form factor (have EVF), but its quite dated and worst video of the bunch.

Question 2: Anyone gotten Gorilla tripods in w/o grief?

Question 3: Am I thinking of this right?

Many thanks

Steve

If your priorities are to enjoy the time with kids, it's really easier not to lug around a camera. I take a Sony RX100-series camera, which was the best camera I could find that still fits in my pocket. You'll probably want to go on rides and lift the kids on your shoulders to watch the parades (this was pre-covid). These days, a phone may give you 95% of the shots you'd want. The PhotoPass was really convenient - it gives you the family pictures and photos on rides so you don't need to worry about not having enough group shots.

I'm almost 65 years old, don't think I'm particularly strong, and yet I never think the G9 is a burden.  I carry it around with the 14-140 II in daylight whenever I might need to take a picture.  The lens probably weighs as much as the camera.  To go lighter, mount the 15mm f/1.7 or the 25mm  or even the incredibly light and small 42.5mm f/1.7.

It's really not a "burden".  Take a small camera bag that just fits the camera.

I used the G7 extensively for photos and video at WDW when I visited in 2016, and used a GX1 when I visited in 2012.

I thought the G7 was the perfect WDW camera, TBH.  I took the 12-35 f/2.8 and the 14-140 f/3.5-5.6, plus a Rode VideoMicro and a Sunpak 4200XL tripod in an Ape Case insert inside my backpack.  This setup was flexible, lightweight, and gave me great video/audio from the trip in addition to much better stills than I could have gotten from my cell phone.  No hassle bringing in the tripod, and I saw other people in the parks with much heavier duty tripods than mine.

So my recommendation is to take the G7 with the 12-35, and spring for a super lightweight tripod.

No text.

I used a 20mm on an Oly PEN for a Disney trip several years ago.  The snall size of the PEN+20mm was awesome, and I got some shots I was very happy with.  However, you are correct it was way too slow and I missed shots because of it.  I also had an E30 and used it with a larger lens on other days, to get shots I couldn't / didn't with the 20mm.

Take the G9. It's not that heavy!

When my kids were small we made a few trips to Disneyland. This was before digital cameras. I lugged around a Nikon F90x camera with two lenses - a 28-70mm and a 70-200mm. I also had a speedlight in the bag and rolls of film. And the camera and speedlight were each powered by a bunch of AA batteries so it wasn't light.

But I was young. Picking up one of the kids from time to time was a lot more weight than the camera.

As for lenses, I reckon the two Pany f/2.8 zooms would be ideal - the 12-35mm and 35-100mm.

I have used everyone from the first Canon D30 to Olympus EM1m3.  I would recommend as bright of a 24-70 equivalent zoom that you have.  Also I have used the 7-14 2.8 and loved it.  However the iPhone 12 has been a great choice as well and if you are just planning 8x10 images its sufficient.

Also look for an instagram photographer ipadcameradisney he has some good photos.

I can relate to your question. My wife and I have been to the parks many times, both on our own and with adult kids & grandkids in tow. I have taken both my FF Sony kit as well as my G9 with Panasonic zooms. In fact, we're heading back to Disney World in May.

I tend to like wide, and I'd prioritize my Panasonic 8-18, but I understand that many people don't need wider than 12mm in m43, roughly equivalent to 24mm in FF. So for your situation, I'd suggest that the 12-35/2.8 could live on the camera most of the time, with the 35-100/2.8 coming out when you felt that you needed it. Or, travel to the hotel with the two zooms & your wide prime, and choose two to take to the parks on a given outing.

With two little ones, the idea of many lens changes will go out the window pretty quickly, I'd think. An option would be just to take the G9 with the standard zoom, which would be light, convenient and cover a lot of possibilities.

Brian

In the past the Photopass photographers were willing to also use your camera to take photos.  Currently under covid they will take photos only with the Disney equipment and not your gear.

This is an another reason to purchase the photopass package.

Barry

An amusement park might be the only place I can think of where I probably wouldn't take camera gear with interchangeable lenses unless you don't plan on going on the rides.    Aside from limiting it to something you can fit into a fanny pack, you would have to rent a locker or leave it unattended on the ride platforms.

During my college years (which were many, many years ago) I was an area host supervisor at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  One of my responsibilities was seeing that lost articles were sent to guest relations.  Camera equipment topped the list of things that made the trip.

Also, while crime was rare in the park, when it did happen, the most common occurrence was unattended items taken from the ride platforms.  I wouldn't want to leave my equipment there.

MEDISN wrote:

Highgrovemanor wrote:

After searching multiple forums and reading so many 2011-2013 threads chatting up the 20/1.7 as the ultimate, thought I would start up a more current thread to discuss.

Priorities: enjoy trip with twin 5 year old boys. Maybe 1 or 2 more Disney trips in their future, so more trips to round out photo ops in mask-free future to follow.

My current gear is pretty good, as lets say up until 6 years ago I could easily roll a new lens purchase into the travel budget. Not any more, as last year's G9 splurge must be it for awhile.

Show stopper: I was thinking selfie stick with phones for uber-light, but Disney says no-selfies.

Current thoughts: Do the photo-package (all you can eat), so my shots are bonus-round but not needed. Old threads were quite valuable, and have me thinking 9-18mm Oly during the day and 50/1.7 for dark. I do have the 20mm, but its slow focus speed is a non-starter IMO. I would like to shoot some video, along with some pictures. Other lenses include 7.5 FE, 12-35/35-100 2.8s, 45/1.8. Think single body, 2 lenses max.

Question 1: take the weight penalty of G9, right? Other options are G7, or GX1? G7 youtube videos seem its okay for 4k, but its focus drove me to G9. I like the GX-1 form factor (have EVF), but its quite dated and worst video of the bunch.

Question 2: Anyone gotten Gorilla tripods in w/o grief?

Question 3: Am I thinking of this right?

Many thanks

Steve

Hey Steve,

We are season pass holders at Disneyland here in OC and have made several cross-country flights to Disney World with our kids.

Everyone has different "acceptability" for weight and convenience. When our kids were stroller size, I brought along too much stuff and didn't use most of it. Now I bring what I can carry at the ready. When carrying a camera on my body for the day, I tend to go pretty light - one body, one lens. The thing is, if you're climbing in and out of rides, navigating food areas, bathrooms, chasing kids in general, having a larger camera banging into your ribs and rides all day isn't fun.

What I ultimately settled on was my smallest ILC body and a 14-17mm prime (28-35mm FOV). For everything else the iPhone. Video is just plain easier with an iPhone.

I will say I was reluctant to buy the photo packages but they are such a convenience I 100% recommend, especially if you ever want to be in the photos with your family. Trying to get the kids to stay still and smile 100 times a day with sugar coursing through their veins is enough of a challenge. Let the Disney photogs do their thing so you can enjoy being in the moment.

Enough words!

So much of the day is spent waiting...waiting for rides, waiting for food, waiting for someone in the bathroom. It's a good opportunity to make some fun photos.

Some of the lighting is wretched - either too dark or strong colors. Make the most of it.

For rides, the wider FOV is really helpful. Ideally a 28-35mm is flexible enough to get some fun perspectives and selfies.

Other advice for photographing kids - I tend to get down on their level when I'm shooting. Lots of "lunges" lol to get eye-level but makes the environment/perspective from their view more interesting.

Final advice - don't let photography get in the way of time with your family. Those moments are fleeting. Be quick and efficient but not distracting. If Mrs MEDISN rolls her eyes when I reach for camera, I put it back and enjoy the moment

I'm surprised Disneyland lets you take a camera hanging from a strap on the rides.  When I worked at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, that wasn't allowed as it could become a projectile.

My wife and I have been to Disneyworld dozens of times. I haven't always brought a camera but when I have, the ride attendants always made me put the camera either in my bag or in the little mesh storage at your feet on the ride. Some rides/attractions are not an issue for carrying your camera either in your hands or on a strap. Slow moving rides like Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and others are great to get photos or videos of.