Lens for Disney Land?

[Gaerek]

My family goes to Disney (either Disneyland or Disney World) at least once a year. We actually went three times last year..heh. :blushing:

I got a really good deal ($75) on a Tamron 28-300mm that I bring there. IQ isn't great, but the focal range is so verstile. Not only that, they lens, even new is pretty cheap. The great part is, you don't have to worry about bringing a bunch of lenses and gear in the park, so you can keep it light weight (very important for 10+ hour days in the park) and you have the same focal range as 2 or 3 lenses will typically give. If I had cared, I would actually have gotten the 18-270, because the wide end is more important (for Disney, anyway) than the long end.

As has been said, Disney is snapshot city. It's very difficult to shoot anything that doesn't scream "Disney" (though, it's a fun challenge to take shots that don't look like Disney). Image Quality is secondary to weight, versatility, and convenience, at least for Disneyland, in my book.

 

[12sndsgood]

some good info i was looking at the same type of lenses. thought it would be good for disney but maybe i'll just wait and stay with my kit lenses. just not sure when i'll get back there, this will be my first time. i head there in 17 days, pretty excited.

 

[Scatterbrained]

We are taking our 4 daughters to Disney Land for Christmas. I just bought a Canon T1i this last week and it came with the 18-55mm and 50-250mm kit lens. I have been reading A LOT the last month or so (started before I bought my camera) and since getting the camera, I have been playing and learning a lot with it.

So far I am happy with the 2 kit lenses. Even though they are lower end, they are taking WAY better photos than my old point and shoot digital.

What I am looking for is a lens that will serve me well at Disney Land for the evening times / lower light situations (and also for general lower light situations at home.)

After reading a lot, it looks like I want a prime lens with a low f# (for more light)

I will not have a tripod when I am there.

Right now I am looking at the -

Canon 50mm F1.8 - $100

Canon 50mm F1.4 - $350

or Canon 35mm F2 - $315


Truthfully, I am leaning towards the 50mm f1.8 as it is less than 1/3rd the price of the f1.4. I figure once I master this lens and learn a lot more, I will upgrade to something else.

Everything I've read about this lens is very positive for a $100 lens. I figured with my VERY limited experience, I won't / can't tell the difference between the 2 at this point.


My question(s) are -

Is the 50mm f1.8 a decent choice for evening shots at Disneyland (outside and inside)?

Will the f1.4 make that much difference to me to justify the 3x+ price tag?

Is the 50mm the best choice, or would the 35mm be a better choice?

Should I be looking at something else completely? (There is a 28mm Canon lens too)

Or will my 2 current lens be ok and I shouldn't worry about a new lens right now.

Keep in mind, I am VERY new to DLSR's so I don't want to drop $500+ on a lens at this point (I know I will in the future though). That said, if the 50mm f1.4 or 35mm f2 are that much of a better choice, I would consider them.

Others have suggested that with the crop factor, a 50mm might not be a good choice at Disney Land.

Take the two lenses you have. Canon includes those focal lengths in the kit for a reason, it's because they are very useful. If you are taking 4 kids with you there will without doubt be a need for quick focal length changes that cannot be facilitated with primes. Bear in mind too that the faster lenses have a much shallower depth of field so you keeper rate will drop, not something you want to worry about on a family vacation. Let the IS in you kit lens do it's thing.
Right now you have everything from 18-200 covered. Just keep track of which focal lengths you use most often and that will tell you which way to go with lenses. My personal recommendation would be the 17-55Is2.8 for a crop body as it is the crop sister to the 24-70f2.8L. I personally feel like you'd be better served by purchasing a tripod and head than a lens at this stage.
This video might be helpful as well......
To the poster who thinks fast glass is a waste, I and just about every event photog would disagree.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Disneyland is basically snapshot city. There's really almost nothing you can do that's artistic there without it screaming "OHMIGODDISNEY!". With that in mind, the 18-55 or whatever may be the way to go. Just be prepared to be up close and personal. Honestly a range more like 28-100 would be ideal.

........

I have plenty of shots that don't scream "OMGWTFBBQDISNEY!"

 

[sobolik]

We are taking our 4 daughters to Disney Land for Christmas. I just bought a Canon T1i this last week and it came with the 18-55mm .......
To the poster who thinks fast glass is a waste, I and just about every event photog would disagree.

"To the poster who thinks fast glass is a waste, I and just about every event photog would disagree."

I shoot weddings which I say as classified as "events" When you presume speak for "just about every event photog" you best be prepared to back it up. So where are your statistics and sources of all these people and the equipment they simply can't live without? i.e. fast glass.

 

[Scatterbrained]

We are taking our 4 daughters to Disney Land for Christmas. I just bought a Canon T1i this last week and it came with the 18-55mm .......
To the poster who thinks fast glass is a waste, I and just about every event photog would disagree.

"To the poster who thinks fast glass is a waste, I and just about every event photog would disagree."

I shoot weddings which I say as classified as "events" When you presume speak for "just about every event photog" you best be prepared to back it up. So where are your statistics and sources of all these people and the equipment they simply can't live without? i.e. fast glass.

Google is your friend. Rather than sit here and try to compile a list of everyone I know or have met or even spoken with over the net and their lens choices, simply putting "lens for wedding photography" into Google will give you page after page of blogs, tutorials, editorials and yes, forums, that make the same point over and over again.

 

[Geaux]

some of them have great style and class (T. Bricker's) but others do feel more like well composed snap shots (make sense? lol)...i think one thing about disney is that there is an orgasm of colors all round, some make the shot, others dont, most of the pictures i liked from his stream were the ones with a limited number of colors available. like the one of the rabbit with the clock. then you have some of his sunsets which look really pp-ed...

must say the best shot that really is awesome, is of him (assuming its him) reaching out to the fire works with what i assume is a mickey mouse statue he is pretending to hold hands with...that is something you'd see from a disney ad on a mag. that was brilliant...

lol, that's an actual statue of Walt and Mickey. Not Tom

 

[rpm]

some of them have great style and class (T. Bricker's) but others do feel more like well composed snap shots (make sense? lol)...i think one thing about disney is that there is an orgasm of colors all round, some make the shot, others dont, most of the pictures i liked from his stream were the ones with a limited number of colors available. like the one of the rabbit with the clock. then you have some of his sunsets which look really pp-ed...

must say the best shot that really is awesome, is of him (assuming its him) reaching out to the fire works with what i assume is a mickey mouse statue he is pretending to hold hands with...that is something you'd see from a disney ad on a mag. that was brilliant...

lol, that's an actual statue of Walt and Mickey. Not Tom

errrr hehe never been >_< *embarrassed* well...let me retract my statement and amend it....that is a very well composed image and that def has artistic merit

 

[manaheim]

Disneyland is basically snapshot city. There's really almost nothing you can do that's artistic there without it screaming "OHMIGODDISNEY!". With that in mind, the 18-55 or whatever may be the way to go. Just be prepared to be up close and personal. Honestly a range more like 28-100 would be ideal.

A 50mm is going to be fine but you may have issues getting the stereotypical castle and main street picture that has been taking 80 billion times.

The 50mm 1.4 is a hell of a lens but most people pass it up for the 1.8 since it's so much cheaper and nearly as epic.

BTW, an awesome lens for disney is the 18-200 VRish lens. It's not amazing, but it's insanely versatile. It's the only lens I bring to Disney. Might be worth a rental.

I beg to differ about your 'nothing you can do artistic there' statement. Check out Tom Bricker's photostream on flickr. Flickr: Tom Bricker (WDWFigment)'s Photostream

mmmm...I guess. The problem is that Disney is SO iconic that you can't get away from the "oh its a shot at disney". To me, that makes the shots mostly uninteresting.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Disneyland is basically snapshot city. There's really almost nothing you can do that's artistic there without it screaming "OHMIGODDISNEY!". With that in mind, the 18-55 or whatever may be the way to go. Just be prepared to be up close and personal. Honestly a range more like 28-100 would be ideal.

A 50mm is going to be fine but you may have issues getting the stereotypical castle and main street picture that has been taking 80 billion times.

The 50mm 1.4 is a hell of a lens but most people pass it up for the 1.8 since it's so much cheaper and nearly as epic.

BTW, an awesome lens for disney is the 18-200 VRish lens. It's not amazing, but it's insanely versatile. It's the only lens I bring to Disney. Might be worth a rental.

I beg to differ about your 'nothing you can do artistic there' statement. Check out Tom Bricker's photostream on flickr. Flickr: Tom Bricker (WDWFigment)'s Photostream

mmmm...I guess. The problem is that Disney is SO iconic that you can't get away from the "oh its a shot at disney". To me, that makes the shots mostly uninteresting.

You have to get creative with your angles and work the close ups.

 

[mostly sunny]

Whatever you decide I just want to add this..

I got to Disneyland often. Take only what you plan on using. I should REALLY follow my own advice. I take EVERYTHING I have and carry my camera bag around with my until around 3 pm when I put it in a locker cause my back is killing me.

I am going to Disneyland tomorrow. I will be there when they open the gates. My kids LOVE that = )