Bringing DSLR on skiing holiday?

bovril

I'm going skiing soon and was wondering should I take the DSLR or is it more P&S territory?
I was thinking of maybe taking the 350D and the nifty fifty (backup camera and cheapest lens I have).
I am a complete beginner with skiing so I will be in ski school during the days.
Will there be ops to take shots with a DSLR or will it likely just get mashed into the ground with all the falls?

CabanSail

If you can, i would take both.

The P&S for on the slopes as the DSLR is likely to get damaged there.

The DSLR for the Apres SKi & some shots of the snow & ice when not on the slopes.

Rembember to put the Cameras into a sealed bag before bringing them in from the cold to minimise the condensation inside the body/lens

Thirdfox

50mm might be too long if you want wide panoramas of the slopes. If you are bringing one lens a zoom would be much better to give you flexibility (even if it was just the 18-55).

One thing to take of is moisture and condensation (when moving between a hot lodge and the cold slopes and vice versa). I brought my D40 to -15 to -25 degrees environments in Harbin, China for the ice sculpture festival and it survived the cold and a light sprinkling of snow. I didn't bring it with me on a ski slope since it was my first time skiing and I was concentrating more on not breaking my legs than photography

Be sure to have a bag for when you're skiing that you can put the camera in and protect it should you fall.

iamnothim

I brought mine to Austria last year and will be again in a few weeks. I brought it up on the slopes on the last day when i was a little more confident but had it very securely packed in my bag. Got some good shots definitely worth it.
I only brought the 18-55 stock with me, didnt want to risk any more expensive lenses (plus it's very light)

http://flickr.com/photos/daramunnis/sets/72157603877060640/

there's some of the shots in there

Borderfox

Have a look here, a little bit down the page. A fisheye to bring perhaps?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=263989&highlight=skiing&page=12

bovril

Thanks a mill for the replies guys. I don't have a kit lens as I gave it away to a friend:(.

Great advice on the heat/cold, I hadn't thought of that.

Those are cool shots borderfox but unless I win the lotto between now and then I don't have the cash for a fisheye

Wow Iamnothim, those are great shots. Definately reason enough to risk a DLSR and good idea about bringing it on the last day.

Fajitas!

I brought my 5D up the slopes before, I ended up not skiing though, but got some nice photos. Well worth bringing a camera up.

robinph

I have a small, flat P&S that I have easily accessible in a front pocket of my ski jacket at all times, but also have it strapped around me as well so I don't loose it if I drop it whilst taking pictures/ video whilst skiing along at the same time. Having a camera that does not have any protruding bits on it though is a good idea if you happen to be wearing it in such a way that you may land on it, and you will land on it.

I have also taken my DSLR up the mountains with me the last couple of times as well on clear days, but I'd advise against doing that until you are more confident in your skiing as you don't want anything else to be worrying about. Also if your only just starting out you may not get to the very top of the mountains anyway until later in the week, or at all depending on the resort and slopes they have back down from the top, so there may not be as much justification for the DSLR and the fancy lenses.

I'd say stick with the P&S until your more comfortable with the skiing.

Do as I say, not as I do:

...and that is a video camera on top of my helmet as well because I was falling over too much whilst trying to film my mates with the P&S whist skiing.

bovril

I like the bear too Robinph!

Trouble is I don't have a P&S.

The DSLR I am thinking of bringing is a backup. I don't want to get it mashed but I like the idea of bringing it up the slopes on the last day if I feel confident enough. I might try and pick up a cheap 2nd hand kit lens somewhere for the wideness of it.

Fajitas!

When are you going?

35mm rangefinders are you're man - Fit in your pocket, discreet, good glass, fully manual. You won't have to worry about getting snow on your sensor or ice in your AF either

bovril

Going beginning of Feb Faj.

The one you have is cool alright and I have a scanner that scans negs too so that could be an option. I don't have a whole pile of money to spend on anything though.

Fajitas!

Well, mine'd be at the upper end of the scale of fixed lens rangefinders, and I got it, recently serviced and all, in top nick, for 90 quid.

If you're spending that little money, it takes a lot off your mind too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Canonet-QL17-GIII-QL-17-f-1-7-Rangefinder-Ex-War_W0QQitemZ300284290383QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFilm_Cameras?hash=item300284290383&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

There's one with a warranty. And battery. The batteries can be a bit awkward to come by, but you shouldn't need a new one too often.

Edit, my apologies, this is better value http://cgi.ebay.com/Canonet-QL17-QL-rangefinder-40mm-F1-7-CANON-lens-CLEAN_W0QQitemZ190277905776QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFilm_Cameras?hash=item190277905776&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

bovril

You're a starbar Fajitas! I'll check them out tonight.

rahtkennades

My 2c, I brought mine last year, on the last day I took a trip up in one of the gondolas (without snowboard) and took a walk around to get some shots. I know it may be sacrilige to say in front of the snowlovers, but you actually can go up a mountain without your board/skis!!! :eek:

Burnt

bring batteries loads of spare batteries

bovril

Burnt wrote: »

bring batteries loads of spare batteries

I hear ya. Even in the cold weather the last few weeks, my camera battery runs down quicker than normal.

AnCatDubh

Burnt wrote: »

bring batteries loads of spare batteries

Cold effects batteries in cold weather.

Fajitas!

Good thing that Canonet dosn't need batteries, eh?

AnCatDubh

AnCatDubh wrote: »

Cold effects batteries in cold weather.

eh...... just reread. kinda doesn't make perfect sense but maybe enough to get the jist meh..... the link says it better than the text

robinph

rahtkennades wrote: »

My 2c, I brought mine last year, on the last day I took a trip up in one of the gondolas (without snowboard) and took a walk around to get some shots. I know it may be sacrilige to say in front of the snowlovers, but you actually can go up a mountain without your board/skis!!! :eek:

Go back down in the gondola, go up a snow covered mountain without skis. Sorry I don't understand what your on about?!? :eek:

Make sure that you ask a few people an check out before hand if you can actually get back down from the top of any lifts that you go up if there is not a handy obvious way to ski back down though as a lot of chair lifts won't be setup to let you get on to come back down. If you've got a more experienced skier in your group then send them off scouting for views that are accessible earlier in the week, either by lift back down or ski back down methods. Do not trust the opinion of any snowboarders that you come across though if they claim that a particular run is easy enough to get down. Boarders can get down much more difficult runs after less time on snow.

AnCatDubh

just thinking - check you travel / home insurance for that just in case moment when you've had a scoup or sixteen, or there eh *may* be icy conditions and you *could* fall flat on your a*se and your gear *could* be wrecked. If travel / home insurance covers it then as the old dire straits song says 'why worry'.

heh - dire straits = why worry ??????? OMG :cool:

Mycroft H

Keep yer batteries in a pocket ie so there warm..... The cold will kill any battery

bovril

Fajitas! wrote: »

Good thing that Canonet dosn't need batteries, eh?

hehehe yeah!

Due to peer pressure from Fajitas! I went and bought a Canonet. I just have to hope I get it in time and that the thing works and that I can use it.

I'll still bring my 350D with me for some shots while I am not on the slopes though.