# Need Help Choosing Lenses for Walt Disney World & Cruise..



## Respinder (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi everyone.. I just wanted to get your advice on figuring out what are the best lenses for me to take for a trip on a Disney cruise followed by a trip to Walt Disney World.

Right now, I only have the following three lenses for a Canon 5D Mark III:
- 70-200 f2.8 II
- 24-105 f4
- 50 f1.4

Right now, my plan was to take all three lenses with me, but doing so would mean having to take a big backpack to fit the 70-200. I figure that even though the 70-200 is a heavy lens, it would still be reasonable to carry around on a cruise ship, whereas I can switchover to the 50 f1.4 as a walkaround lens while I'm at the parks, and maybe use the 24-105 where I need the extra zoom..

What I'm really debating right now is whether I should leave the 70-200 at home and just take the other two lenses, or take all three. I also have a 1 year old, and I always seem to get my best and sharpest shots with the 70-200.. so I'm hesistant on leaving it behind. I find that the 24-105 is somewhat limited unless you have perfect daylight, leaving me with the 50.. which is a great lens, but of course cannot provide you with reach when you need it.

So I wanted to get all your thoughts on this.. have any of you taken a 70-200 on board a cruise ship let alone to the parks? Is all that weight really worth the amazing shots I'm sure to get? Or should I leave it and just rely on the other lenses?

Thanks!!


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## ajfotofilmagem (Feb 17, 2014)

I think carry much weight on a trip can cause a lot of fatigue. Maybe something like 200mm F2.8, or 70-300mm is more suitable for fun.


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## Mharwood16 (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi,
I have a lot of experience shoot in the Disney parks and on all four of their cruise ships. In the past If have taken most of my "Main" gear, which includes, Canon 50d, Canon 70-200mm f/4 +1.4, Canon 10-22mm, Sigma 50mm f/1.4 and 430ex. Some of my better shots have come from lugging this gear around the decks of the ships and around the parks. All the gear that you listed sounds great to me for the ship, and maybe the parks. Personally, on my next upcoming trip, I'll only take the Canon eos-m due to the locations that the cruise is going to. So In summary I'd say take the 70-200, You don't want to miss a great shot because you left the lens at home!
-Mharwood16


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## No Mayo (Feb 17, 2014)

I am imagining carrying a full camera backpack, a front pack with a toddler in it, and a diaper bag with so much more than diapers in it. So the most important question is how much help will you have?


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## Random Orbits (Feb 18, 2014)

I brought a 70-200 II to WDW. It was useful for the shows and parades, but that was about it. A fast prime is nice at night.


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## jhaces (Feb 18, 2014)

If you are comfortable with it, just take the 50. And a ziplock bag  I did just that last summer and was very happy. No weight, no worrying about other lenses getting bumped/lifted/flooded/whatever


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## Halfrack (Feb 18, 2014)

Consider leaving the 70-200 at home - unless you have a specific print you're gonna blow up, it's better to not be swaping gear around and lugging things that aren't needed. Enjoy the trip, shoot come fun stuff.


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## pdirestajr (Feb 18, 2014)

Traveling with less gear will allow you to have a more enjoyable time while focusing on what really matters- the experience. It will also force you to be more creative in documenting the trip. Not having gear that covers every focal length and situation shouldn't be an excuse. Enjoy your trip!


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## jdramirez (Feb 18, 2014)

I'd vote for the 50mm... or maybe a get a 35prime for indoors and then the 24-105 for outdoors. F/4 isn't going to cut it for the it's a small world after all ride...


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## jdramirez (Feb 18, 2014)

Random Orbits said:


> I brought a 70-200 II to WDW. It was useful for the shows and parades, but that was about it. A fast prime is nice at night.



The fireworks @ night... helps to have a fast prime... something like a sigma 35 art or a 24 f/1.4 would be really nice... but in conjunction with a flash... maybe some 2nd shutter flash...


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## East Wind Photography (Feb 18, 2014)

Depends largely on what you want to shoot. I took a 24-70 and my 300 2.8l with extenders and two bodies, 5d3 and a 7d. My goal was to photograph animals at animal kingdom and ak lodge, fireworks, and the kids expressions while riding roller coasters. My best shots came out with the 300 + 1.4x extender but fireworks required 24mm.

I packed it all into a street walker pro and attached the camera strap to the bp shoulder strap. I can carry the 300 all day like that. A previous trip i took my 70-200 but it was generally not long enough to capture what i wanted.


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## East Wind Photography (Feb 18, 2014)

Respinder said:


> Hi everyone.. I just wanted to get your advice on figuring out what are the best lenses for me to take for a trip on a Disney cruise followed by a trip to Walt Disney World.
> 
> Right now, I only have the following three lenses for a Canon 5D Mark III:
> - 70-200 f2.8 II
> ...



So my next question is why are you taking a 1 yo to disney world? Its simply torture for the baby . Best to go when they are in preschool or kindergarten.


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## Skywise (Feb 18, 2014)

24-105.

I took a 16-35 f2.8 II with me last year (which was all I could afford after selling all my T4i equipment to upgrade to a 6D.) which was fantastic for what I wanted to use it with - Fireworks and the castle projection show and some great shots of main street during Christmas. It did a good job but fell down on its face when I was trying to shoot things like the Castle Lighting ceremony... great shots of the castle... But Mickey et al stayed far, far away. .

Now I also had a 70-300 that I took with me and got some good shots with it but only when I was far, far away... I had wanted to use it to shoot the castle lighting ceremony but, from the hub, I was too close to get the entire castle in the shot) (I was videoing it so swapping back and forth was out of the question).

The 24-105 should give you great reach to get zooms of your child plus wide angle for scenery shots. I'd use that as the main and maybe carry the 70-200 to get shots of your child on the various rides.


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## Hjalmarg1 (Feb 18, 2014)

Respinder said:


> Hi everyone.. I just wanted to get your advice on figuring out what are the best lenses for me to take for a trip on a Disney cruise followed by a trip to Walt Disney World.
> 
> Right now, I only have the following three lenses for a Canon 5D Mark III:
> - 70-200 f2.8 II
> ...



Carrying a stroller, diaper bags and the baby is already difficult. I suggest carry the least and focus on picture composition and enjoy the trip. I own the 70-200mm 2.8L IS II and I don't normally take it with me in family trips because of the weight and I found myself using it very little to justify carrying with me the whole trip, in fact I have thought to change it to the 70-200mm f4IS because is more suitable for trips.
If you have full frame your 24-105mm should work well for most situations from wide to medium tele + 50mm f1.4 but, if you have APSC camera I suggest adding a UWA lens like EFS 10-22mm to your current 24-105mm+50mm.


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## Sella174 (Feb 18, 2014)

jhaces said:



> If you are comfortable with it, just take the 50. And a ziplock bag  I did just that last summer and was very happy. No weight, no worrying about other lenses getting bumped/lifted/flooded/whatever



Yip. Perfect.


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## jdramirez (Feb 18, 2014)

Sella174 said:


> jhaces said:
> 
> 
> > If you are comfortable with it, just take the 50. And a ziplock bag  I did just that last summer and was very happy. No weight, no worrying about other lenses getting bumped/lifted/flooded/whatever
> ...



It is very humid in Florida... so you may want to read up on switching lenses and waiting for the temperature to normalize before switching.


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## Bruce 101 (Feb 20, 2014)

Wow. I'd rent an Sl-1 and the 18-135 STM. If I thought I might need a fast lens, I'd also take that 50 f/1.4.

Otherwise, if you take the heavy set, you'll be leaving them in the room on day two and thereafter.


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