Dolphinaris and your own Camera?

[beachman727]

We are going to book the Dolphinaris interactive program and are 2 adults/2 kids but i see a lot of posts saying the picture upsell and cost is really obnoxiously high. I'm fine to be just an observer if I could take pictures from the viewing platform with a good zoom lens on a SLR. My camera is probably as good as they are going to use so i'm not worried about quality.

 

The website says that no cameras are allowed in the swim areas, but I'm assuming as an observer you are in some sort of viewing platform so I wouldn't have to be on the deck or in the water.

 

Has anyone done this - be an observer and used a decent camera to take pictures..? If they are going to make me put the camera in the locker i might as well do the program

[ginjam70]

We tried in the Caymans but were not allowed as we "could hurt the dolphins". I understand...but the main thing is about them taking the pictures and sell them to you lol

[stkdog]

and yes, the pics are expensive...oh and for the girls in the group, you might want to wear a one piece suit unless you want to show off your assets on the dolphin ride

[mitsugirly]

Unless you are booked with them and actually doing the swim, they will not let you on the platform. You will have to stay back at the land portion. If you have a good zoom, it might be possible to get a few, but I wouldn't count on it too much. It would also depend on which section they are in for the swim. There's quite a bit of distance from the land out to the actual swimming area.

 

If you are doing a swim and have a water camera, they do allow you to take them with you and take pictures. Our trainer would have us look up at the photographer for a picture and then let us take a picture. :)

 

This will give you an idea of the place where you will be standing if not participating and the sectioned off places are where they do the swims (and can end up in any of them):

 

[BillOh]

Unless you are booked with them and actually doing the swim, they will not let you on the platform. You will have to stay back at the land portion. If you have a good zoom, it might be possible to get a few, but I wouldn't count on it too much. It would also depend on which section they are in for the swim. There's quite a bit of distance from the land out to the actual swimming area.

 

If you are doing a swim and have a water camera, they do allow you to take them with you and take pictures. Our trainer would have us look up at the photographer for a picture and then let us take a picture. :)

 

This will give you an idea of the place where you will be standing if not participating and the sectioned off places are where they do the swims (and can end up in any of them):

 

 

 

Thanks for that and to the OP for the question. If I can get a picture great, if not, I'm ok with that too, I'll deal with the photo upsell only if its a good picture. We are two couples going and the ladies want to do this excursion (we are booked) and the guys have no interest in it. I was worried about if you have to take a bus to get there and have to pay a fee as an observer. (worried from the point of having to make a reservation. )

[beachman727]

Just returned from the cruise and i was able to use my camera as a paying observer. It cost $25 but well worth it since I took over 250 pictures using my zoom lens on my SLR and saved buying the $30 a picture official ones. I didn't ask permission but no one stopped me taking shots of my wife and kids doing the actual experience. There were other observers taking pictures as well.

 

Just to clarify the picture posted isn't the dolphinaris location, it must be the marine park since it didn't look like that but both are on the waterfront.

 

Dolphinaris has a restaurant at the highest level, then a lower observation area where paying observers go, then lower walkways where the staff photographers take shots from and then the water level.

 

Unless you have a SLR with a zoomlens like a 75-200mm though you won't be able to zoom in close enough for most of the interactive locations (there are three main areas with about 10 groups can go at once). I shot in RAW for highest quality and on continuous burst.

[chipmaster]

I think this is totally YMMV. I've seen several swim programs and done one. The one that I did was very strict and viewing areas was either by design or accident horrible. The several that I just went to watch the dolphins for the joy of watching seemed to be variable as well. Since it is private property the owners have full say about photography, at least that is the case where I live. So sometimes camera matters but the most important thing as with all photography is right place right time, regardless of camera :D

 

We are going to book the Dolphinaris interactive program and are 2 adults/2 kids but i see a lot of posts saying the picture upsell and cost is really obnoxiously high. I'm fine to be just an observer if I could take pictures from the viewing platform with a good zoom lens on a SLR. My camera is probably as good as they are going to use so i'm not worried about quality.

 

The website says that no cameras are allowed in the swim areas, but I'm assuming as an observer you are in some sort of viewing platform so I wouldn't have to be on the deck or in the water.

 

Has anyone done this - be an observer and used a decent camera to take pictures..? If they are going to make me put the camera in the locker i might as well do the program

 

Burst and raw debatable if that is highest quality but no question most memory usage and flexibility in post shot editing :D

 

 

Just returned from the cruise and i was able to use my camera as a paying observer. It cost $25 but well worth it since I took over 250 pictures using my zoom lens on my SLR and saved buying the $30 a picture official ones. I didn't ask permission but no one stopped me taking shots of my wife and kids doing the actual experience. There were other observers taking pictures as well.

 

Just to clarify the picture posted isn't the dolphinaris location, it must be the marine park since it didn't look like that but both are on the waterfront.

 

Dolphinaris has a restaurant at the highest level, then a lower observation area where paying observers go, then lower walkways where the staff photographers take shots from and then the water level.

 

Unless you have a SLR with a zoomlens like a 75-200mm though you won't be able to zoom in close enough for most of the interactive locations (there are three main areas with about 10 groups can go at once). I shot in RAW for highest quality and on continuous burst.

[beachman727]

At least at the Cozumel dolphinaris the paying observer area you are well positioned to take pictures if you have a zoom lens. For the marine park it looks like the water area coud be too far away even with a zoom.

 

If you only have a SLR with the lens that came with it or a point and shoot there are only about two locations you will be close enough out of 10 so don't count on this being a potential substitute for buying the expensive official ones.

 

Another tip is I told my party to find me in the observer area and to look at me vs the official photographer when they did the "pose"moments so I have nice smiling shots straight on. After each part of the interactive session the trainer moves back to allow the still photo guy to get his shot and that is when I started firing since the background was cleaner.