A hindrance?

Matt Charlton

Matt Charlton

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Over the last few weeks, well really if I'm honest, since I started with the DSLR route back in July 2006 I've had a few hangups about it.

Its something we've talked about quite a bit in the last few days, what with people not being allowed to take a DSLR into a football ground, not being able to take them to concerts, various other places.

Even where photography isn't allowed you have people with their camera phones :razz: Point and shooters getting away with it too.

The problem with having the whole kit and kaboodle is that you know what it can do and what you're capable of doing with it. If you've got a range of focal lengths and you've got your bag with you, you know that you've got most things covered. You also know that the image quality you get combined with focal length is pretty much impossible to achieve with a normal consumer point and shoot.

Knowing what your stuff can do means that if you're going to take photos, you want to use the best of your kit - people telling you that you can't yet letting other people using P+S and camera phones is upsetting - at the end of the day, we're both taking a photo, capturing an image, its just we look more obvious with it. We get asked if we're terrorists, we're carrying around thousands of pounds worth of kit in some not so nice places.

Now we're going to Florida next year and I want to take all of my kit with me - part of me wonders if its really worth all the hassle though. The photos that I take for the most part are going to be holiday snaps. The Fuji p+s that we have is a million times better than the Nikon Coolpix 885 we took back in 2002, theres hardly any shutter lag and its tiny.

Now this is in no way a detrimental post to anyone here with a point and shoot - please don't take it as such (camera phone users can just :razz: )

So, does anyone else feel the same way about their DSLR? Do you see it as a pain in the bum sometimes?
 
I suppose the question to ask yourself is will you regret not taking it? Will you look at the pictures afterwards and be constantly thinking "if I had taken that with....it would be so much better"?

Yes, carrying kit is hard work sometimes, it does sometimes feel like the 'authorities' have failed to realise that as dslr photography becomes more accessible, the larger the majority becomes of people using them being amateurs just wanting a good pic for their own personal use, not to sell on and god forbid, lose them a bob or two in the process and have tightened the laws to misrepresent what most people are doing.
On the other hand, I can see that a lot of money is put into marketing 'brand image' and if the 'image' is freely available on the internet from a keen amateur with good kit, that money doesn't get recouped.

trouble is, few of us are about to back down and give it up, we still love it too much and will carry on 'fighting the good fight' for our freedom to take pics! ;)
 
I'm not so much bothered about carrying it - if I know I can use it I'll take it with me. Its being somewhere, or planning to go somewhere and knowing I can't.

I'm not about to give it up, but I dunno if I'll take more than the 350d/10-20 with me to florida just in case.

Thanks for taking the time to reinforce what I was trying to say anyway ;)
 
I dont worry about being asked questions, I dont like it but it wouldn't stop me taking a camera with me.
Holiday shooting and I dont mean the genre, I mean the situation should be the time when you care least about those distractions, especially in touristy areas, your surrounded by peeps taking photos and nobody bats an eyelid, soon as you break out the big glass, your obviously up to something sinister, its quite ridiculous.
Buy a nice rangefinder, shoot film, leave your slr woes behind.
Better still shoot M/F or L/F film, you'll look stupid but nobody will take you seriously.
Works for me, I like looking stupid:cuckoo:
 
look at my hat - I'm not bothered about looking stupid ;)

Yeah, loads of people with point and shoots, pull out the glass and its like OMG!

We need cloaking devices.
 
I think you've got a good point about taking all your kit on holiday Matt. I took everything with me to Florida earlier in the year, I used hardly any of it, basically just the 30D and 24-105 with a few shots from the 10-20 and found the camera quite cumbersome to carry around with me. It's the only time I've felt that way about my gear but I guess it was because I was on holiday, not on a photo shoot. I think I could and would have got just as good shots if I'd had a good quality P&S with me. How I'd have felt about leaving all my SLR gear at home though is another matter ;)
 
I asked similar questions on a visit to rome, I'd taken on board the request of the people at the door way into the Sistine chapel and put my camera away.

I managed less than 3 steps inside the door and tripped over someone lying on the floor photographing the ceiling with a P+S

rather annoying !!! but I made sure I had an extra bit of a stumble over him :naughty:
 
Occasionally, I get bogged down by not being able to blend into the background with the dslr.
Sometimes it bugs me that theres places Im not allowed to shoot but, also I find that I put a kind of pressure on myself to 'perform' with the dslr, that I never felt with the p&s.

But having said that, having used a dslr for a year now, I couldnt go back to using my p&s when faced with once in a lifetime opportunities.
For instance, how many times have you looked back through your snaps of stunning scenery and said 'oh if only Id had the dslr back then'.

So for Florida, perhaps take both, if you decide the dslr is too cumbersome.. stick it in the safe but you'll only regret it if you dont take it.
 
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Glooooooooo :(

I was hoping you wouldn't say that.

I have said that exact phrase myself. If only......

Poo

I've got to take it now ;)

I understand completely about the pressure too.
 
I've found that if I take the 20D sans battery grip and just a 50mm or wide angle lens, it's quite a small package and attracts a lot less attention. Obviously it limits your choices but at least you can still get on with it. Sometimes too, I don't think it's just the camera, it's the huge bag and the stupid neckstrap with silly logos screaming "serious tog."
 
CT said:
I don't think it's just the camera, it's the huge bag and the stupid neckstrap with silly logos screaming "serious tog."
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Yep - Although not always. I had the utter misfortune of walking my then girlfriend to a James Blunt concert in some park across the bridge. The concert was as expected utter tripe, but even her cybershot was refushed entry, it has less range that half the p&c there :)

Matt - Take it 100% !
 
Took mine to Florida earlier this year. Found the best way that suited me was to hang the 400D around my neck and keep the 70-200L glass in a fanny pack. (sorry - bum bag)
 
There's two sides to the argument. I was photographing a Dutch flower parade earlier this year and there were, as you would expect lots of people with P&S . Could have been a real problem with them getting in the way.

Canon 5D with 24 -105 lens, seemed to have a bit of authority as many waited for me to finish taking my picture before taking their's. Giving me a clear shot of the subject..Naturally I smiled and said "Thank You", but in this case a big camera worked..doesn't always though

Other times the big camera makes you stand out and people can get a bit self conscious, even when they are not really being photographed, just simply "extras" in the picture.

I might just get a G9 and "blend in " when the needs arise
 
If I was going on holiday I would take my 1ds, 24-105mm and 550ex flash + a good camera phone. Put the SLR kit in the hotel safe and take it with you when there is a photo opportunity beyond "holiday photos" - rest of the time carry the phone and snap as necessary. Why does anyone need 10Mp+ for “home use snaps” at a football match or gig anyway???
 
digitalfailure said:
I asked similar questions on a visit to rome, I'd taken on board the request of the people at the door way into the Sistine chapel and put my camera away.

I managed less than 3 steps inside the door and tripped over someone lying on the floor photographing the ceiling with a P+S

rather annoying !!! but I made sure I had an extra bit of a stumble over him :naughty:
Click to expand...

But HE got the picture...!

:woot:
 
I dont see the point in buying a point and shoot, if your allowed to take photography just go for it,doesnt matter what others around you think.. i will setup camera on tripod in middle of the street if i think i need to, when you get home and see the fantastic shot the looks on other peoples faces and reactions means nothing, ive done the tripod thing on the underground carriages..
 
Matt, CT has a good point, lose the grip, have you got a 24-70/105 as I always take the 24-105 and also stick in the 50mm and the 10-20, but always end up just using the 24-105 for pretty much everything. Although the 50mm is very handy for low light situations as you know.
 
I take my camera out anywhere I want to take it out. I've walked around with the 20d + BG and the 300mm attached around cities and it does get you quite a number of strange looks. I've been stopped only very occasionally.
 
It depends on what kind of holiday I'd have thought. If it's for the photography then take the whole kit.

If it's a family holiday take the fuji as you will either annoy the rest by constantly keeping them waiting while you set up, or you will be annoyed that you can't take the time to set up a shot because the family don't want to hang around, thussly leading to family rifts, expensive counseling and eventually divorce! :)
 
sportysnaps said:
Why does anyone need 10Mp+ for “home use snaps” at a football match or gig anyway???
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Why settle for camera phone images when you have the kit to take better pics? I want my "home use snaps" to be the best I can get.

Glen said:
Matt, CT has a good point, lose the grip, have you got a 24-70/105 as I always take the 24-105 and also stick in the 50mm and the 10-20, but always end up just using the 24-105 for pretty much everything. Although the 50mm is very handy for low light situations as you know.
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We've got a 28-105, wasn't that expensive so might look to a better general use lens because we need one anyway. The 24-70/105 are both worth looking at, cheers Glen :)

Steep said:
It depends on what kind of holiday I'd have thought. If it's for the photography then take the whole kit.

If it's a family holiday take the fuji as you will either annoy the rest by constantly keeping them waiting while you set up, or you will be annoyed that you can't take the time to set up a shot because the family don't want to hang around, thussly leading to family rifts, expensive counseling and eventually divorce! :)
Click to expand...

Theres only me and Sue so the only annoyance would be if we took the one body and both wanted to use it ;)

Although if it came to divorce, she has her 400d and her own 100-400, I have my 30d and a 100-400. We'd just have a custody battle over the spare 350d :p
 
Matt Charlton said:
Although if it came to divorce, she has her 400d and her own 100-400, I have my 30d and a 100-400. We'd just have a custody battle over the spare 350d :p
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Matt......350 + 30 is still less than 400 so it's yours....simple!
 
Canon Bob said:
Matt......350 + 30 is still less than 400 so it's yours....simple!
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Hmmmm excuse me the 350 is my camera, sorry :)

I get custody of the the 350, no way he is having that. He sold his 350, I kept mine.

I suggest you take a body and a couple of lens, I take the p&s and my phone, covered every possibility then there havent we. Dont have to take kit every day, but set aside a couple of days to get the photos we want, swap between parks and such if needed.
 
Don't even talk to me about Tripods and the National Trust! :naughty:


Take the lot Matt.... I think the UK and parts of Europe are worse than the US.... you'll only regret it if you don't!

Of course, take a little of what you want then buy some more (cheaply) of what you NEED when you're over there ... even more :naughty:
 
Ha Barry, we joined the National Trust and after the fiasco with organising that meet that never got off the ground we never went to a single NT park.

I think I'll take it all, bar the 100-400, which I still might take :p
 
I was only stopped once in the month I was over in Canada and that was by a guy who decided it was his duty to tell me I cant take pictures and even called a security guard over who told him there was nothing stopping me taking pictures, unless its off the front of the building. (I was in the building taking pictures of an airplane hanging in the lobby)

I didnt mention I had been taking pictures of the exterior earlier.
 
I've been stopped by the Police in the UK for taking pictures with a tripod & long lens. Once while taking photos of a sunset over Devonport Docks which (as the Military Policeman pointed out) was also a Naval base. Fair enough- that's for security reasons but I was standing in a public park at the time!

The other ocasion was a dawn photo shoot in Penzance harbour. Again it was a public area & they never gave me a satisfactory reasons as to why I couldn't take pictures there?

I was also asked to cease shooting pictures of a landfill site by the site manger and his heavies. But being as I was on a public footpath bordering the site they didn't really have a leg to stand on.

Yet another occasion I was told to stop taking pictures of some bridge repair work by the site foreman. Again I was on the public Highway- but I probably wouldn't have been spotted if I had a more discreet camera!

I don't think the point & shoot camera of that era (20 years ago) would have given me the shots I was after- but there seemed to be many places then where people didn't want me to take pictures!
 
W.Smith said:
But HE got the picture...!

:woot:
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Aye, he did.....he also got a size nine to the inside of his thigh :D

If i'd have had more time to position myself, i'm sure I could have got his gonads :D
 
Matt Charlton said:
Ha Barry, we joined the National Trust and after the fiasco with organising that meet that never got off the ground we never went to a single NT park.

I think I'll take it all, bar the 100-400, which I still might take :p
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I haven't been to an NT property since then I don't think (Except Formby, but they have squidgers, so that's allowed :D)
 
I've never been asked not to take pictures anywhere in the US, if that helps you any.

I always take my medium format camera with me on trips. It's a pain and it means I have to have all my film hand-checked (except in the UK where they are totally unreasonable and insist on ruining film in the X-ray) but it's still worth it. The inconvenience is worth not having regrets about the shots I missed.

- CJ
 
cjnicolai said:
I've never been asked not to take pictures anywhere in the US, if that helps you any.
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That's what I thought about the US and photography ... plus I guess you're better looking than Matt! ;)
 
Grendel said:
I think you've got a good point about taking all your kit on holiday Matt. I took everything with me to Florida earlier in the year, I used hardly any of it,
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I am with Grendel. I do around 30 flights a year with my company, and always take a camera. At first I used to take the whole shooting match, but after a while I realised that I hardly used any of it.

I guess it depends what you are in to, but if you think about it, most of your holiday shots will be of interesting buildings/city or landscapes/group shots.

For the most part you can rule out needing the following:

Macro
Telephoto (300 or 400 etc)
Fast lenses

In fact if you think about it, you can probably get away with one, maybe (and I mean maybe) two lenses.

I generally take my 17-40 F4 L now, thats it. If I was lucky enough to be able to photogarph something really amazing, like a show or a gig then I'd just go buy a 50mm F1.8 locally.

The exeption is if you are doing something specific like a Safari, then yea a long lens is gonna be pretty handy.

I bet if you really thought about it you could condense your kit down a lot.

Or, you buy a prosumer camera and have done with it, for a couple of hundred you can get a banging camera with 10x zoom, and as you said, mostly they are gonna be snapshots.
 
I'll add a different slant to this thread.

Having had a DSLR for about a year, I took it on a holiday to Skye in the summer with my girlfriend. The shutter packed up after a day and refused to work thereafter. I also had a Sony P&S with me as a back up - but I hadn't used it for ages.

To be forced to swap from the relative ease (in the sense that you pretty much know what the pic will look like when its downloaded) of a DSLR to the less certain world of the P&S was an interesting exercise. It forced me to think more and look at things differently. Shots that would have been great - landscapes mostly - with the DSLR now became obvious pants with the P&S. It also made for a better holiday in the end, because although I didn't get lots of great pics, I had a happier partner and a few really good shots I was happy with too.

I repeated the exercise (ie the P&S) in London a while back and it was good fun.

So, take both. If you're going for a drive out into the country, or to a special event, for sure take the full kit. Walking around town, think differently.

But most of all have a good holiday.
 
I went on hoilday last month to Lanzarote (Ok, not quite the same as Florida!) and decided to leave my DSLR at home and take a point n shoot with me instead as I didn't want to lug my kit around with me. There were a few moments when I wished I'd had my DSLR with me, but in all honesty, I hardly used the camera. I think I returned with about 18 shots, and I haven't even looked at them on the PC yet :eek: - they're still on the memory card. Maybe it's because I didn't have my full kit that I hardly took any photographs, but it was quite liberating having days out with a little p+s shoot tucked into my bag, rather than having to lug my full kit around.

I suppose it all depends on what you want to achieve with your holiday snaps, but if you get a decent p+s camera, you should be ok.
 
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