Taking the camera on Rides About This Page:

[tinker_me_happy]

My DS has a Nikon D40 and is a bit of a high stress person. He doesn't want to take the camera on any rides for fear it will get broken/dropped etc... Can anyone give me some reasonable things to say to him to alleviate his concerns? He is 19 btw and loves photography - and when I say High stress, I mean it! Plus once he gets something into his head it's there! I told him we could take turns on the rides so he won't have to worry about it - will they let you child swap for a camera? (It is after all HIS baby!)

[muphoto]

I have taken my cameras on rides for several years. I usually carry a Nikon D2xs or D3. I have never had any problems. Of course I don't take them on any wet rides.

[chezp]

I've always taken my camera on the rides, although I don't do any of the rides that go upside down. I wouldn't take it on those.

[DVC_Increda_Man]

There is a real possiblity that a camera like the D40 could get damaged on some
of the rough rides especially the area of the camera lens and lens mounts.

I have thought about this myself. I am trying to video tape all the rides (extreme video taping) and have scratches, water spots and now a big ding in the lens, but I knew this would happen starting out so I am OK with it an I picked a camera that
had the best possiblity of surviving.

iamgrumpy has a picture of what looks like a great camera bag she has.
http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ed-5-25-a.html

Looks like a camera like the D40 would well protected in there.

Dave and LizardCop and WillCAD should be able to help you. I have seen their
gear in person and as much as they are at WDW they should have pointers on
protecting your camera.

[DawnDenise]

I have a Nikon D40 that I have taken on my past two trips. I have it protected in a case withn my bag, and it has survived without a bit of damage on RnRC, Everest, BTMMR, Splash, and ToT. While on Splash, I had it in a plastic bag as well to protect it even more. This is just my experience. I my camera and take care of it.

[tinker_me_happy]

By inside a case within a bag, do you mean a camera case inside a backpack?
And does anyone know how big those slingpro bags are? They look HUGE! I want him to have something comfortable to carry around the park with him, but don't want him to feel he can't go on rides because he has the camera.

[Dave Marx]

I have a padded, nylon SLR-sized bag for my camera, made by Quantaray (there are similar bags by several other companies). It's very well padded, and just a little larger than the camera itself (although it still has space for batteries, memory cards, and other small accessories). I usually stash the camera in its case, and the case goes inside my shoulder bag for rides. The bag also has belt loops, and hooks for a shoulder strap, so it's very versatile.
Here's a similar case at Amazon

Bigger bags can be a drag to carry, but it also depends on what gear your son has. If he just has one lens for the camera, the bag I described would be perfect. If he has more lenses, then he either needs a small padded bag for each additional lens (to stash in his backpack), or a camera bag with padded compartments for several lenses. He can find all of those at any decent camera store or electronics store like Best Buy or Circuit City.

I completely understand your son's concerns (I was a teen with a brand new camera, too - several, in fact), but as long as the camera is protected from bumps and jostling (which is pretty easy to do), then there's nothing a thrill ride can dish out (in terms of bumps, G-forces, acceleration, etc.) that's going to harm a decently made camera like a Nikon. If his camera bag is inside a day pack or shoulder bag, and he tucks that bag behind his legs or in the baggage carrier some rides provide, it won't be going anywhere. The nylon bags are also good enough to protect from light rain or a few water ride splashes, but for serious water ride action, he should have some zip bags big enough to hold the camera or camera case (preferably the case).

Using the Rider Swap is an option, but it'll seriously reduce the number of rides and attractions you'll be able to enjoy.

I know a digital SLR is a big investment, especially for a young person, but eventually we all have to come to grips with reality... If you use a camera, it's going to get bumped around. And if you don't use the camera, you'll never have any photos to show. Further, to get good at it, you have to take a whole lot of photos, so the camera is going to have to spend most of its life out of the case. Wear-and-tear is part of the price of getting good photos.

In most circumstances, the damage is going to happen when the camera is out of its bag, not in it. Let's say, you've got the camera hanging from your neck on a very sturdy strap. You bend over, the camera swings forward, and whacks a fence, light pole, rock, curb....

[tinker_me_happy]

Thanks Dave! I am going to have him read your post!

[Tonichelle]

I have a Canon Rebel XT DSLR and I normally have my 28-200mm lens on it when I'm at the parks... I have a UV filter on it at all times - your photography obsessed son probably has one on his too, it's just smart photography - to give the glass on the lens that little extra bit of protection.

most of the time I'm hugging that camera to my body on rides like Matterhorn/BTMRR... for Everest it was in my backpack which was in the little catch all bag they have in the seats AND the backpack was tied to my leg and shoe. Basically if IT fell out of the car I was falling out to (the thought nearly kills me lol)

I'm not overly protective or careful with my camera (I know I'm bad) but I've hiked with it and gone to WDW twice with it, and Disney Land, and fishing on the ocean...

for water rides get a ziplock bag and put it in that... you can even do that and make a semi waterproof camera out of it that way, just make a whole for the lense to come out... it's the poor man's version anyway, this is what I do for rides like Splash MT. and Kali River.

keep a dry rag/small towel in a ziplock to dry off the camera

[bradk]

with exception to MaliBoomer at DCA (their idea, not mine), there's not an attraction I've been on that my camera hasn't. And I've invested thousands into my setup. if it's not going to have an adventure, why did I bother?



that said, I did lose a $500 flash to kali river rapids which was my fault since it wasn't even necessary anyway.

otherwise my bag is fairly standard, I think it's a dual body, ran me around $150 and sadly I've outgrown it. at the time, I had the camera, flash, battery pack and 3 lenses. I've since added a 4th and the bag isn't holding up all that well.

[DVC_Increda_Man]

Originally Posted by bradk

if it's not going to have an adventure, why did I bother?

So true: Each scratch, every dent, a piece of memory to bring back the whole story!

[Pax]

Originally Posted by DVC_Increda_Man

So true: Each scratch, every dent, a piece of memory to bring back the whole story!

I intend, at least on non-inversion rides, to have my camera out and at the ready for pictures - or video-taping, even. And sure, MY setup is just a bridge camera, little more than an over-glorified point-and-shoot. It still cost me half a month's income between it, rechargable batteries, memory cards, etc, etc. And I've got yet MORE to buy (tripod, some books to help get me started at more than point-and-click photography, etc).

But by all that's holy, I bought the thing BECAUSE of our impending Disney trip ... and I'm gonna get me some mid-ride photos and footage if it KILLS me!

[disneyfan2000]

I've taken my camera on space mountain and made a bad recording of the ride.
I also took it on Rockin Roller Coaster....although after a few seconds, my sunglasses started to feel like they were going to fall off my head, so I had to put my camera in my pocket and take my glasses off my head.

[bradk]

inversions aren't any worse. mine's been on CA Screamin multiple times. the only obstacle is holding onto the camera with added gforces, but if you have some sort of strap in place, it's almost a non-issue.

as it is, i've seen it argued that seat restraints are only necessary in coasters as a safety technique in case you are caught upside down and even moreso that shoulder restraints are more of a mental security blanket than physical.

[jimmymac]

My camera has been on every ride at WDW and is still ticking. As long as he has a good case, the camera will be fine