Travel + Photography (Caribbean)

[Stock R]

I'm going on a short vacation soon so I was hoping to see if anyone had any tips/comments on my particular situation.

I'll be going on a cruise that makes a stop in Grand Cayman Island and Ocho Rios. Normally I take my dslr kit + p&s with me. However, since these 2 stops are water intensive I'm reconsidering my approach. I don't have an underwater housing so I'm not sure if I should even bother w/the dslr. I will have an Olympus 770SW so I will have access to a waterproof camera. But as a P&S, the pictures aren't always the best, the lens is rather wide, etc...

SENSEI!?! (I think you've stopped by these places).

GCI - I'm signed up for the Stingray City, snorkeling, and Rum Point. Should I bother bringing the dslr w/ me? Will I get enough opportunities to take pics w/ the dslr? Is it safe for me to leave my camera bag lying around while I snorkel?

OR - I signed up for the Dunn River Falls, River tubing excursion w/ Phil Lafayette based on recommendations. I've heard I can leave my camera bag on the bus safely w/ Phil guarding it... but is it really worth it? Same as before, will I get opportunities to justify bringing it?

I'm not a hardcore photographer, I only use my dslr now about 3 times a year. I'm more a snapshot kinda guy.

TIA.

[SENSEI]

LOL!!! First time I've been called out in a post! :cool:

Yes I've been to all those places.

I bought the Canon G9 with the underwater casing specifically for these shots and vacations.

There were 30 of us on our last cruise and 8 people had DSLRs. I only brought my G9 since a) there were so many with DSLR b) this was my 10+ cruise.

Otherwise, outdoors, on the ship during the day, my G9 shots turned out just as good as all the DSLR. You really can't tell the diff on the website. PLUS I was able to take my camera with me in the water while swimming snorkeling. The only time I missed the DSLR was low light shots on the ship...but honestly...would i bring my DSLR with an external flash to the dining room? Prolly not.

You'll be fine with your Olympus by itself. If you're a snapshooter, it'll be easier to carry, easier to hand off for others to take pics with you and you NEVER have to leave it in a tour bus, on the beach, in the room...you can keep it with you all the time.

[Stock R]

LOL!!! First time I've been called out in a post! :cool:

Yes I've been to all those places.

I bought the Canon G9 with the underwater casing specifically for these shots and vacations.

There were 30 of us on our last cruise and 8 people had DSLRs. I only brought my G9 since a) there were so many with DSLR b) this was my 10+ cruise.

Otherwise, outdoors, on the ship during the day, my G9 shots turned out just as good as all the DSLR. You really can't tell the diff on the website. PLUS I was able to take my camera with me in the water while swimming snorkeling. The only time I missed the DSLR was low light shots on the ship...but honestly...would i bring my DSLR with an external flash to the dining room? Prolly not.

You'll be fine with your Olympus by itself. If you're a snapshooter, it'll be easier to carry, easier to hand off for others to take pics with you and you NEVER have to leave it in a tour bus, on the beach, in the room...you can keep it with you all the time.

There's a first for everything :) Btw, I'm taking your word that Phil is the guy to tour w/ in Jamaica. I booked him a few weeks ago. If it doesn't work out, I'm hunting you down :evil:

Hmm. Makes enough sense to me. Although I won't have any friends w/ dslrs on my trip. I'll make do w/ the olympus. I'll also have my SD1100IS w/ me.

It'll just be so weird w/o my big camera slug over my shoulder!

But I'll make sure to carry the dslr w/ me everywhere on the ship. I had no problems taking pics at the dinner table w/ grip + external flash on all my other cruises. :D

[SENSEI]

There's a first for everything :) Btw, I'm taking your word that Phil is the guy to tour w/ in Jamaica. I booked him a few weeks ago. If it doesn't work out, I'm hunting you down :evil:

Hmm. Makes enough sense to me. Although I won't have any friends w/ dslrs on my trip. I'll make do w/ the olympus. I'll also have my SD1100IS w/ me.

It'll just be so weird w/o my big camera slug over my shoulder!

But I'll make sure to carry the dslr w/ me everywhere on the ship. I had no problems taking pics at the dinner table w/ grip + external flash on all my other cruises. :D

Trust me if I didn't have my friends with me, I'd be lugging everything around myself. One year I actually all my gear, just me and my gf on the cruise. 30D, 17-55IS, 35 f/2. I was so stubborn, had to bring it to beach...

Where do you leave that much gear when it's just 2 of you and you want to snorkel? Stuff it in a DRYZONE ROVER and snorkel...I snorkeled at Princess Cays with it on my back...I felt really uneasy doing it, but I put all the gear in a locker at Xel-Ha as well while we snorkeled there...

Now I know, if I'm planning on getting wet at all on any island, I'll just keep my DSLR locked in the safe in the cabin. It may no be big enough to fit everything, but I have yet to have any thefts on any cruise in the past 30 years.

BTW, you'll love PHIL...He'll have you saying YAH MON with the thickest Jamaican accent in no time...;)

[s1301950]

Just got a d80 as my first dslr. Going on a southern caribbean in february. Wondering about the same thing - which lens to bring. For sure i'll bring my p&s panny fz5 along. In terms of lens, i'm not sure if 18-200mm will be enough for all situation. I'm really tempted to bring the 50mm 1.4g for the low lighting dinner setting pics.

As for the beach, i'm gonna really feel the "heat" from wife when i have to bring along my camera bag along with a huge bag of sun block and stuff. Security and theft is definitely a concern, but oh well, this is gonna be a relax + photography vacation anyway.

[SENSEI]

Just got a d80 as my first dslr. Going on a southern caribbean in february. Wondering about the same thing - which lens to bring. For sure i'll bring my p&s panny fz5 along. In terms of lens, i'm not sure if 18-200mm will be enough for all situation. I'm really tempted to bring the 50mm 1.4g for the low lighting dinner setting pics.

As for the beach, i'm gonna really feel the "heat" from wife when i have to bring along my camera bag along with a huge bag of sun block and stuff. Security and theft is definitely a concern, but oh well, this is gonna be a relax + photography vacation anyway.

You may not need anything else...

Take a look at these; taken 4 years ago with just a FZ5.
http://shaneho.smugmug.com/gallery/870372_T8nZC#39298792_D3HmH

Nothing spectacular, but hey, it beat lugging around the DSLR...

[Stock R]

Back from the trip. Post some after.

[SENSEI]

Welcome back...hope you had fun!

Can't wait to see pics...

Hope my "recommendations" lived up to the hype ;)