Nikon D750: The Best Camera for Disney Photography
This post features my real-world impression and photos taken with the Nikon D750, my opinion on it as compared to the Nikon D810 (including why I think it’s the better all-around camera–and the absolute best camera for those who are serious about Disney photography), the pros and cons of the D750, and other assorted thoughts about why I think this is the best all-around DSLR for photography at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or other Disney Parks. To that end, this isn’t a Nikon D750 review, as it’s mostly confined to how I think the camera lends itself to theme park photography.
This post has been a long time coming. I think I promised it back when I first got the camera to supplement (I think I said potentially replace at the time–that has not happened) my Nikon D810, over which I had previously gushed in my review of that camera. I originally planned a Nikon D750 review, but the camera has been out for nearly a year at this point, so that doesn’t seem necessary. There are countless reviews of it out there, many of which are far superior to what I could write.
Rather, I want to cover my impressions of the camera as they pertain to my style of photography, why I would even consider this camera replacing my Nikon D810, and why I think it’s the absolute best camera on the market for Disney photography, regardless of price.
As far as the sample photos go, I’ll scatter those throughout the post. Clicking on any of them will take you to the photo’s SmugMug page, where you can see EXIF data and that sort of thing.
I won’t bury the lede. Let’s cut right to the chase with why I think this is the best camera on the market for Disney photography…
For starters, this article discusses professional-grade DSLRs that are going to be overkill for the vast majority of Disney guests. If you’re stumbling upon this article while planning your Walt Disney World trip and are thinking maybe you’ll supplement your iPhone with a “real” camera for your next trip, this article probably isn’t for you–unless you have a lot of money and need to dispose of it quickly.
That would be the equivalent of buying a set of precision Wusthof knives just to butter some toast. (I’ll be honest, I had to Google, “really expensive cooking knives” just to find the name of that brand so I could make the analogy.)
I realize “best” is a subjective thing, and each person’s needs will be different. The assumption I’m making with my determination of best is that photographers will be using the camera for “normal” Disney subjects, like the architecture, parades, dark rides, and their families. I’m assuming that the parks aren’t going to be a backdrop for modeling shoots in a makeshift studio.
Given that, I think there are really only two categories of possibilities for best all-around Disney camera: the mirrorless Sony a7 line for those wanting to travel lighter or the latest generation of Nikon full frame DSLRs for the pack mules among us. Sorry, Canon shooters. (Hey, at least you finally got a killer ultra wide with the 11-24mm f/4 lens!)
I’m a pack mule, and the Sony lens lineup isn’t quite there for me yet, so for now that leaves me heading down the Nikon path, with the question becoming Nikon D810 or Nikon D750? While I own and regularly use both cameras, for me the Nikon D750 offers better versatility in the parks.
The biggest reason for this is its superior autofocus. The best illustration of its snappy autofocus I have is when shooting night parades. There have been a few occasions during which I have shot parades at night with both the Nikon D810 and the Nikon D750, using my Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR on one body and my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens on the other.
Now, I realize this is hardly a controlled experiment, as the lens also greatly impacts the autofocus speed and accuracy, but the Nikon D750 has always been the champ in these situations regardless of which lens I’ve had mounted to it, and its accuracy has been scary good.
My first time doing this, for Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, I never once had the D750 hunt for focus, and it was so quick that about halfway through the parade I began worrying that it wasn’t focusing at all since I wasn’t having any issues.
My batch of photos from the Nikon D750 had accurate focus in over 90% of the images, which is absurdly good. Likewise, my first time on Peter Pan’s Flight with the camera, I came away with something like 10+ keepers. Normally, I’m pretty happy to have 1 keeper from that attraction per ride through.
The Nikon D810 is no slouch in terms of autofocus, but as a camera built for landscapes, it doesn’t do the job as well as the Nikon D750. For Disney, this is an issue since dark rides, parades, and live entertainment all test a camera’s autofocus abilities. These 3 things probably account for just under half of my photos in a given day in the parks.
On the flip side of this, for me at least, is landscapes. The Nikon D810 is better in this regard. When it comes to shooting a colorful sunset or deep blue night sky, the Nikon D810 is the best camera for the job. It has a lower base ISO for cleaner images, it captures more dynamic range, and it has better color depth.
All of this is most noticeable in post processing (especially of sunset or sunrise shots), and you have a bit more latitude with the D810 files. The Nikon D750 sensor is also excellent, but the D810 is better.
There are other differences between the two cameras (I’ll get to those), but these are the two major considerations when determining which is “best.” In weighing these two factors, I view the autofocus as more important. If I miss focus or miss a shot because I can’t grab focus quickly-enough, I don’t have a shot to use, period.
If I get a shot with slightly less post processing potential, I still have the photo, it’s just not as good as a photo I could have had. In most cases, that “lower potential” shot still has a lot of potential, and I would use that additional latitude maybe 5% of the time–at most.
While it would be nice to capture the range I need in a single raw file, these “5% shots” are easily addressed by bracketing on the D750 and using HDR.
So really, at the end of the day, there’s almost no practical disadvantage to the D750’s raw files because I can proactively compensate for the disadvantage by bracketing my exposures when photographing sunrises and sunsets.
Let’s turn to some of the other objective differences. The biggest for me is the tilt screen on the D750. I love attempting creative composition by getting low or holding the camera high, and the tilt screen makes this so much easier. When I was shooting exclusively with the D810, I found myself with my face pressed to the ground as I tried to compose shots from the pavement.
Good thing Disney Cast Members scrub the ground with magical cleaner that prevents dirt and germs…right? Otherwise, that would be pretty disgusting. 😉
Megapixel count is another big difference, with the D810 having 36 MP and the D750 having 24 MP. Although that is an objective stat, your view of those numbers will be subjective. Personally, I do not want a ton of 36 MP files (many of which are over double the size of similar shots taken at 24 MP) from Disney.
I take photos of all sorts of random junk, from cool signage to delicious cupcakes. While the ability to print a photo of a cupcake at 5′ wide is intriguing, I probably won’t be doing that anytime soon.
I’ll admit that the 36 MP is nice in theory for a huge print of that killer sunset shot of a monorail passing by Spaceship Earth as the sky lights up in colors never before seen by the human eye and a rainbow appears and Figment himself dances on that rainbow.
However, the reality is that I’ve never actually printed a single photo at a size that needed more than 24 MP. So for me, saving hard drive space is the better option.
Beyond that, there is camera size and size of the credit card bill you’ll have after purchasing the camera. The D750 is smaller in both regards, costing $2,000 as compared to $3,000 for the D810. Quite frankly, I don’t think the D750 has $1,000 less worth of features or quality than the D810.
Rather, I think it’s priced lower because it’s not a specialty tool that a specific group is willing to pay a premium for, so Nikon knows the camera simply won’t sell for $3,000. In other words, I think the D750 is a better value, and I’ll bet Nikon’s profit margin on it is lower. Not that this should be the basis for purchasing it over the D810, but it’s interesting food for thought.
There are certainly other differences from the viewfinders to WiFi to buffers to flash sync and more, but these are what I view to be the outcome determinative ones when it comes to choosing a single DSLR for photographing the Disney Parks.
Overall, I think you really cannot go wrong either way. If you choose the D81o and don’t have the D750 for comparison, you’re probably not going to think anything of the autofocus–it’s still good. If you choose the D750, you’re still buying a camera with one heck of a Sony sensor that trounces almost every other DSLR. Most of the time, I have both cameras in my bag, and call on whichever is appropriate for the situation. With this mindset, the Nikon D750 sees the vast majority of the action. The Nikon D810 is a brilliant landscape camera, and I use it almost exclusively when in National Parks or for other landscapes, but the D750 is the versatile, workhorse camera. However, if I could only choose one of the two–even if money were no issue–I would choose the Nikon D750 in an instant. I think that says it all, really.
If you do want to purchase anything photography equipment from Amazon, please use the links here (like this one). You can also find equipment at B&H Photography by clicking here. Using the links here help support this blog at no cost to you, and help us continue to provide you with great good okay content.
If you’re looking for other photography equipment recommendations or photography tips in general check out a few of my top photography blog posts. The best place to start is my Ultimate Disney Parks Photography Guide. Some additional posts you might enjoy:
Best Books for Improving Your Photography
5 Indispensable Tips for Better Vacation Photos
Choosing the Best Travel Tripod
Choosing the Best Camera Bag for Travel
Your Thoughts…
Do you own the Nikon D750 or D810? What do you like and dislike about the camera? Any other considerations you might add? Any other recommendations? Share any thoughts or questions you have in the comments!
When the D750 came out I jumped from Canon after 20 years. My photography interests have changed in that 20 years and I’m now doing a lot more travel and wildlife photography. The focusing system on the D750 was the single biggest purchasing factor I took into account when making my decision. A LOT of people thought I was crazy selling up 20 years of Canon kit but I was completely justified in my faith in the D750 the very first time I took it out for spin. I’m travelling from Australia in 2016 to Disney World and am so excited to have the D750 + 28-300mm + 20mm f1.8 lens kit onboard with me. I considered bringing the smaller, lighter Olympus M10 kit with me (yes I’m camera crazy) but I’d never forgive myself for choosing a micro 4/3 kit over a full frame. I’ve made that mistake before.
Hi Tom, great review of the D750! My wife and I were going to Disneyland in two weeks and your blog has been very helpful in planning the trip (well actually we are in the area for a wedding but lets face it, Disneyland will be the bulk of the trip). Do you have any advice for carrying your camera equipment onto the rides? I normally travel with a D7000 and a trio of lenses, one being an 80-200 f2.8, but am thinking of using a lighter pack without the big zoom just for ease of taking the pack on rides. I am mostly concerned with rides like Matterhorn, Space Mountain and the like. What is your method of securing your backpack on the faster rides is I guess my question…
Also, do you recommend any apps for an iPhone that you find helpful for Dinseyland / DCA?
Thanks again for doing the blog!
The only app I use for photo editing is Snapseed. That’s true regardless of whether I’m editing DSLR or iPhone photos.
Thanks for the heads up about Snapseed! I will give it a shot (pun intended). Do you recommend any app for like queue times and stuff like that for Dinseyland / DCA?
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Stunning work! I’m new to your site & am amazed out how “crowd-less” so many of your pictures are. What is your secret? Incredible timing & patience? 🙂
Thanks for the nice post and great site!
How much of an upgrade from the D600 is this one, in your opinion, for what you shoot? Is the low light auto focus that big a difference between those two? Is it worth the upgrade (assuming one doesn’t want a closet full of gear or has a budget)? What advice can you share on selling or trading in used gear?
Ps. Your restaurant reviews are tremendous!
It’s a substantial upgrade. Not in terms of image quality, but in terms of enabling you to get the shot in the first place. It really feels like the D750 is the second generation of the D600, with all of the kinks ironed out, and all the features that should be there, there. I think it’s well worth the upgrade.
I typically try to sell used gear on Craigslist, get frustrated when all I get are spam/scam emails, and then end up selling it on eBay. I know others use FredMiranda and various forums, though.
Tom – I’m pleased to see that you are back to doing equipment reviews and their application to Disney. I’ve missed them. We are planning to get a fast lens for our next trip due to previous reviews by you. We also expect to move from cropped DX to fullframe FX cameras but that is a more expensive move, of course, with the necessity to buy new lenses.
I would love to see some posts with detailed commentary about how you do your Disney post processing. It would be attractive for a certain niche of your readers – it might even be competitive for traffic counts with your niche readership for your Tokyo, HK and Paris related posts (Gotta through in that competition since I know that both you and Sarah are the competitive types.) 🙂
Finally, since you are spending so much time these days at DL, perhaps you can get some of the characters to sprinkle that Disney Magic onto the exchange rate for Canadian to US dollars? We are at a 10 year low and its bad. Ouch. It is hitting us left, right, center and behind.
“[I]t might even be competitive for traffic counts with your niche readership for your Tokyo, HK and Paris related posts.”
Haha, you hit the nail on the head, as very few people read those international park posts. The difference, though, is that posts about those Disney parks are on topic for this blog. Photography stuff arguably is based on my “mission statement” of sorts, but for random people who stumble upon this site, it makes no sense. I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve seen a link to the site posted on a photography-centric website with the caveat along the lines of, “this is oddly on a Disney blog, but…”
As for the post processing tips, you can already find some of those on TravelCaffeine.com in my “Technique Tuesday” posts: http://www.travelcaffeine.com/category/reviews/ I need to get back to doing those regularly.
Great review! It’s great to read a review that makes you chuckle while giving the facts. I’m a Nikon gal looking to upgrade my equipment. I graduated with a degree in Commercial Photography 10 years ago and haven’t purchased a new camera since! YIKES! I’m not sure that my hubs will be ok spending that kind of money, but I can dream right? Any opinion on the Nikon D5 series? I like having a lot of control over how I shoot and I’m afraid any series lower wont give me that same control.
What do you mean by the D5 series? I assume you’re not talking about the upcoming D5 that replaces the D4, as you talk about money, and that camera is going to be waaaaay more expensive than this.
Did you mean something else?
Yes, sorry. The D5300. The body alone is less than $1,000 making it more affordable than others {that I droll over}.
Interesting article and lovely photos (fwiw, my favorite from this post is either the fireworks burs over the castle from main street or the sunset shot from Japan).
As with all of the photography posts, I will now repeat my mantra: “my camera is good enough for what I want… I don’t need to upgrade…” 🙂
BTW, I cannot think of a great photography analogy but Wusthof is overpriced for the quality, IMO. They get by on name recognition. I think, in general, the Japanese knives are better than their German counterparts. I love my Akifusa gyuto! /knifenerd
Haha, good to know about the knives. I found a page with some crazy-expensive Japanese knives…I had no idea knives could cost so much. For that amount, they had better spawn a steak, not just cut one! 😉
Even though I’m a Canon shooter… this is good stuff. 🙂 I like hearing your considerations for what makes a camera better for theme park photography. Unfortunately I don’t think I can justify a system switch right now with the expectation that mirrorless is the wave of the future. Give it a year or two to mature and I imagine I’ll make a switch over to mirrorless.
I think you hit the nail on the head with that timeframe. Granted, I hoped Sony would be a little quicker to develop killer lenses for the system. It’s a bit surprising that they are taking so long, given that they are moving at lightning speed with tech for cameras themselves.
I jumped from the amazing D7100 to a D750 a few months ago and was blown away by the massive performance boost. Is the D750 perfect? Not at all. There are a few things I have been having to deal with such as the LCD turning on whenever you switch ISO unless you are using easyISO in A or S mode, or how Adobe natively handles the Raw files (in my experience they import very poorly compared to other programs). BUT, nothing MAJOR at all, and every day I shoot with it I find more reasons to love it. Any negatives I have come across I was able to find an easy enough workaround.
I may have missed it but I didn’t see you mention how well it handles higher ISOs. In my opinion its even better with noise than the D810 (although not a completely fair comparison due to different megapixel values) with images VERY useable past ISO 6400.
As I have used mostly 3rd party lenses on this body, I can say that it works well with non Nikon glass even with the incredible autofocusing. I am even using a discontinued sigma 24-70 and its super fast without any issues.
Glad that I am not the only one impressed with this body…it helps me self justify the cost it took for my upgrade 🙂
I’ve heard about that issue with changing the ISO, but as someone who uses either base ISO or auto ISO (with a minimum shutter speed and ISO ceiling), that has never been an issue for me.
I think both cameras handle high ISO pretty well. You’re right, the D750 is better, but I think it’s not by a wide margin. I’m pretty satisfied with the images that both produce at around ISO 6400. I wouldn’t print them large and frame them, but they are good for web use.
Good to know about the D750 autofocus with a variety of lenses. The speed and accuracy of that camera’s autofocus system really amazes me. For so long, I thought the *lens* is what made the bigger difference in AF, but the D750 proves otherwise.
Great photos! Any experience or input on mirror-less cameras and disney photography? We’re considering a sony or olympus.
I tested the Olympus OM-D EM-5 a couple of years and was not at all impressed. However, mirrorless technology has come a long, long way since then.
I really like the Sony a7 line and its performance, but my hang-up with those cameras is the lens line-up. For me, it just isn’t quite there yet. I think in maybe 2 years, it will be solid. For now, the choices are either really basic or really expensive (or using an adapter).
Great review! I’ve got a Nikon D3100…certainly an older model, but still going strong. I mostly use a 55-200mm lens, and i have several filters, plus a fisheye attachment for more fun shots. I prefer the “portrait” look…clear subject with blurry background.
Also, i sent you an email about a week ago, asking if you’d be at WDW when I’d be going (9/12-9/19)…any chance you got it?
Tom,
So glad to see this write up , ive awaited a photography centered review for a little while now on the site and this was a welcome surprise today. I have long been comparing the D750 and in my case the D610 and weighing each out. While the D810 is out of my reach the article does confirm what i have already convinced my self of, that the D750 is the way to go when i do take that step. I’m also letting the hype of 4k cloud my opinion and hoping the the next go around something full frame Nikon will have 4k video capability.
I would love a write up on some of your post processing with regards to Disney photos, but i know i am in the minority of a lot of readers here on that but one can dream.
Hope to see some more photography centric write ups in the future.
I think the D750 is a significant upgrade over the D610. In terms of image quality, they are very similar, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s almost as if Nikon fixed every little issue with the D610 and really rounded out the feature set.
I am planning on doing occasional photography posts on here, but probably not every Friday like I used to do.
If you want to see more, share this with your friends! /shamelessplug 😉
Yeah, I like subject isolation portraiture, too, and have actually been using my 70-200 and prime lenses more, but I love epic landscapes.
Sorry, I did not see your email. I will not be at Walt Disney World during that timeframe. Have a great trip, though! 🙂