Going Shopping for Disney Trip

when are you going to disneyland, harra? i will be there 6/24 - 6/27 with the wife and kid. rog will be there too.

 

also, i wouldn't worry about more lenses and external flashes until you are comfortable with what you are doing and secure in your hobby to justify the money (like you said). outlaying tons of money into something you aren't 100% ready to jump into will lead to frustration and that would cause the hobby to be doomed to fail.

 

Tim,

I'll be there between 6/26 - 6/30. We land at John Wayne airport at 11AM on the 26th. I'm hoping to be in the parks by early afternoon if I can help it. I already have my tickets in hand. They came by FedEx yesterday.

 

Sorry I won't be there on the 26th. Wife will be at the Burke Williams Spa at the Block at that time, plus that is our travel day back to San Diego. I'm either taking the kids to my old office to see my former coworkers, or maybe I can get back to parks for a few hours, but I'll be in dad mode with both kids. Plus it depends if we go to the park Saturday night or not.

(still think the 50/1.8 is a good second lens - $100ish)

 

I think I can swing the expense of a 50mm/1.8 Prime and it does seem like it would be useful.

I'm going to have to try and see what I can do with my kit lens. It only goes only goes down to a f/5.6 when zoomed in

 

I've just been playing around with the settings in 'M' mode and have found that I can get a big difference in exposure between Auto and 'M' if I adjust the shutter speed and F-Stop. Now if only I can figure out how to get it out of Auto ISO mode.

But, I guess, I'll see about getting the 50mm prime and play around with the walk-around night shots with that. If things go well, then I'll ask for a fixed-focal length zoom for my b-day which corresponds with my WDW trip in September

 

It appears that you have to select/de-select this in the Custom Settings Menu, #7.

(Okay, Nikon, I won't print your manual!)

 

Thanks Roger!

That was my plan....to read the manual. What is it that they say. If you don't know how to do it, RTFM (Read the F'n Manual).

So, is there anyone out there that has has any success with shooting the parks at night with a 5.6 f-stop and a tripod? I guess I need some reassurance that I'll be OK. I'm not expecting gold, just something that my wife can put in a scrapbook and maybe show off online

 

<img src="http://www.themeparkphotos.us/cpg140/albums/uploads/052507/WSH/IMG_4932.jpg" />

ISO 200, 4 sec, f/8, tripod, remote shutter release

Sometimes though you have to chimp, and adjust your settings. Which I couldn't do with this shot:

<img src="http://www.themeparkphotos.us/cpg140/albums/uploads/052707/B/DL041999106a.jpg" />

Konica Impresa 50 film, I know I stopped down and it was exposed for several seconds.

Chimping is what makes digital so great (apart from image quality - I like the way digital looks compared to film)

 

Ask and you shall receive. Roger just pulls proof out of his "back pocket"

Thanks man. That makes me feel a bit more comfortable that with some clicks of my settings dial, I might be able to "make do" with my kit lens and a tripod.

So, now, I just need to get myself to the "pro" shop and look for a:

• tripod
• remote
• 50mm/1.8 prime lens
• bag

 

Okay, just when it comes to a tripod, just be careful, they can be like bags - you think you've got the right one and next thing you know you need another one. I started with a very basic Slik model, but that was when cameras were light & kit lenses weighed less than a feather (is that plastic glass?). I think I spent about $100 on my current 'main' one. After using a geared center column one and discovering the main flaw of those.

And don't forget the dimensions of your suitcases re: tripods. Can't carry those on.

 

Roger,

Thanks for the tripod advice. I figured you couldn't carry-on a tripod. I don't know why, but I guess TSA deems them unsafe.

I'll make a note to measure the suitcase before going shopping. And I've made a mental note "geared center column = bad"

 

Because it's always easier to spend someone else's money.

 

more fun too

 

Especially if they take your advice and buy it

 

ok, i'll play along...

i have the velbon ultra luxif tripod and i use the manfrotto pistol grip head on top of it as a great lightweight yet stable travel tripod solution. a few of the members here use that config. as well and it's unanimously popular.

 

Well,

I made my trip to the camera store. Apparently, there is only one camera store in all of Oklahoma City...ugh...

Well, this is what I walked out with:

• Manfrotto 190XDB Mini Basic Tripod w/o Head
• Manfrotto 3265 Pistol Grip
• ML-L3 Remote for Nikon D80
• Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF
• Tiffen Haze-1 filter
• Tamrac Adventure 7 Photo Backpack

I've already started giving my new 50mm/1.8 lens a ride around the block and have been pleasantly impressed. I took some pictures of my wife in a room lit by cloudy daylight and it came out very well illuminated and crisp.