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Home » Blog » Wanderlust » Disney » The perfect lens for your vacation

The perfect lens for your vacation

Jun 25, 2013 by Tiffany Dahle

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Everyone has different reasons for wanting to go on vacation.

For me, a huge part of the pleasure of travel is having new subjects to capture with my camera.

Family trips are filled with wonderful memories, everyone lets loose and gets a little bit silly. With everyone feeling more relaxed and happy the smiles come more naturally, the poses are less posed, and the moments are ones I want to remember forever.

There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted the most appropriate camera gear for our trip to Disney. I did tons of research on which lens might be the most helpful considering the  situation:

  • My camera would be constantly on my person, no camera bags to bother with.
  • I needed just one useful lens since there'd be no room for storing a spare.
  • I wanted something wide enough to capture the castle but that also allowed me to capture my kids at closer range.
  • I wanted to be able to capture some bokeh in the background.
  • I'm a prime lens girl so if I considered a zoom it had to be crisp enough to keep me happy.

After hours of research, it became pretty clear that the Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens was going to be just perfect on my Rebel.

The only problem? The $1,200 price tag!!

affiliate-linksAs much as I wanted to try this lens out, $1,200 is just simply NOT in our family budget.

That's when I decided to rent the gear instead! Did you know you can do this? It was news to me and the concept is awesome!

I went with BorrowLenses.com for our 2012 trip and rented that lens for 10 days. I gave myself a few days before the trip to practice with it and get to know it, and then sent it back the day after we returned from the trip.

My 10 day rental included:

  • Shipment to my house along with a pre-paid return label for sending it back
  • The professional L-series lens at my beck and call for 10 days
  • Insurance coverage, which I HIGHLY recommend if you're traveling!!!

For just $103. Compared to the $1,200 I'd need to buy it!

There was not one single souvenir from our trip that I valued more highly than the photos I'd be bringing home. Renting this lens was my gift purchase for ME for our vacation.

It was the single best decision I made for our entire 2012 trip. The photos I brought home are some of my favorites I've ever taken. Prints hang large and proud in our entryway gallery and they make me smile every time I look at them. You can see a sample of some of my favorites here on Flickr.

So when we booked our 2013 trip, the very first thing I thought to do was contact BorrowLenses.com to check out the current rates. I had such a wonderful experience with my rental last year and I couldn't imagine heading to FL without that 24-105 mm lens in my bag.

That's when I realized  they had the Canon 6D camera bodies available for rent. Well Hello Gorgeous!:

Here in 2013 I'm in a different place than I was in 2012. I know so much more about photography and my needs are changing. I have been toying with the idea of  upgrading my camera body to a full frame, but that is a big leap--and a story for another post. It's a decision that is weighing on me and will require a significant investment.

What better way to decide whether the Canon 6D is appropriate for me and my needs than to try it out? With our trip to Disney booked, it was the perfect time to take the 6D for a little spin.

And. Oh. you. guys. I'm in love:

This year I took just the 6D and my 50mm f/1.4 lens to Disney. Every photo from our trip is captured with that combo. I'll do a full review of both the lens and camera soon but know that the ISO capabilities on the 6D made me weep with joy.

This photo of my very favorite ride "It's a Small World" was taken without a flash. My t1i would have laughed at me for even attempting it.:

I took the Peanut to the Main Street Electric Parade and was able to capture amazing images of the floats and lights:

But more important than anything else?! I was able to get some very sweet pictures of my little ladies with ME in the photo!! (Image credit goes to Handyman Tim, didn't he do great?):

 

I know all the other moms out there know exactly what I'm talking about. It is a rare rare thing for me to be in any of our photos. I refuse to be the one missing from our family vacation albums. It is probably the one time I'm super conscious of handing over the camera to Tim. And if there are only going to be a handful of images with me in them, I want them to be great!

Our family splurges on new clothes for vacation, we get dressed up and enjoy our holiday. It's the perfect time to be capturing everyone looking their best. Especially since we spend so much time outside in beautiful natural light.

If you're not 100% thrilled with your own gear, I would highly recommend looking into a rental. Maybe all it takes is a new lens for greater flexibility or it could be the right time to test out some fancier gear you've always wondered about. Either way, the small investment compared to purchasing unnecessary or inappropriate gear makes it a fantastic deal.

What is your favorite vacation lens or camera? Leave me a note in the comments, I'd love to compare notes so I know what to rent next!!

P.S. Looking for more tips vacation photography? Check out my "How to Photograph Your Vacation" series here.

Be sure to keep in touch, follow me on Facebook for the latest updates!

____________________________________________________________

Thanks to BorrowLenses.com for sponsoring this post. I rented my 2012 gear out of my own pocket and enjoyed my experience so much that I approached them in 2013. They graciously leant me the 6D and the 24-105mm lens in exchange for sharing my thoughts with you. All opinions and gear advice are my own.

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Comments

  1. jackie

    June 26, 2013 at 8:40 am

    Love your article!! This is so timely for me as a full frame upgrade is weighing heavily on my mind as well. I now shoot with a Canon 50d and Canon 50mm 1.4. Renting the 6d for my upcoming trip to Captiva. Looking forward to your images! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Robert Greenwood

    June 26, 2013 at 9:42 am

    Thanks for sharing your amazing photos with us. I think I have taken more photos at Disney than anywhere else combined.

    Reply
  3. David Sharp

    June 26, 2013 at 9:47 am

    "Upgrading" from the 60d to the 6D w/24-105 was the scariest yet most rewarding investment I've made in my gear to date! I still love my 60d and it has a place in my bag but mostly it just sits there while the 6D takes me places I never dreamed possible with it's high ISO and low light focusing capabilities. I loved reading your enthusiasms in this post! I'm still in awe of what this "baby 5D mkiii" is capable of. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. xanis

    June 26, 2013 at 9:54 am

    great article. I was there last year and for most of the time, I only have my Sigma 17-70mm on a Pentax K-5. Though I have my 15m wide, but for theme parks vacation, a good walk around is just more than enough. Also, I would suggest that you look into a gorillapod, came in real handy for last time so I could get some fabulous group shot.

    Reply
  5. Jeff

    June 26, 2013 at 10:50 am

    I own the 24-105mm f/4 and its on my 7D about 95% of the time. Its a fantastic lens. I'm jealous of your 50mm f/1.4 however. I've got the f/1.8. I really want to get the f/1.4 soon.

    Reply
  6. Jose Chavarria

    June 26, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    Hi Tiffany,

    Loved your article, I wish we had the opportunity to rent equipment here in Costa Rica, anyway my vacation lens is the 24-105mm which I own (got it thru Amazon for less than 1200)and the 50mm f1.4 is also a lens worth having.

    Another awesome lens is the tokina 11-16mm f2.8 which beats in sharpness Canon's 17-40 f4

    Jose

    Reply
  7. Camerado

    June 26, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    I'd rent the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 the next time.

    Reply
  8. Rebecca

    June 26, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    Nice work! I just went to Disney this week. You did a great job of capturing its essence.

    Reply
  9. Ilu

    July 15, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    My husband and I just planned our first trip with our 2.5 for this thanksgiving...and I haven't been able to pull away from your site all morning, taking notes, jotting tips, like a school girl! Thank you so much for all your wonderful tips, especially this one! I own a Canon but I don't think my lens is gonna cut it! Thanks again!!!

    Reply
  10. Jennifer

    July 15, 2013 at 9:38 pm

    Beautiful photos! It is so important to take as many photos as possible during your family vacation. You always want to make sure you have a quality camera!

    Reply
  11. Crystal

    July 25, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    The outfits are adorable. Did you make them or buy them? I would love to dress my girls in outfits like these.

    Reply
    • Tiffany Dahle

      July 26, 2013 at 9:08 am

      Thanks, Crystal! I bought them. You can read more about the outfits in this post: http://www.peanutblossom.com/blog/2013/03/what-to-wear-to-disney-kids.html/ Hope that helps!

      Reply
  12. Ashley

    September 24, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    What are your thoughts about the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR w/18-55mm, 75-300mm? I am headed to Disney in a couple weeks and would like to have a nice camera for the trip. I am clueless about cameras...can you help?
    Thanks!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 12 crucial tips for photographing your Disney vacation - Kids Activities Blog says:
    February 19, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    […] Shooting with a DSLR? This is the perfect lens to take to Disney, complete with review and photo […]

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  2. I wish I had known about this photography gear for new moms says:
    January 10, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    […] to purchase for super special occasions like our daughter’s First Communion this spring, family trips to Disney, and family […]

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