Lense Recommendation

[Scott Brady]

Landscapes are an interesting challenge, and not always solved with a wide angle. In fact, I have moved away from wide angle for landscape and am working with longer focal lengths to compress the interesting subjects.

This was shot at 70mm- Namib Desert

28mm- Afghanistan / Tajikistan

200mm - Canning Stock Route, Australia

 

[Scott Brady]

35mm

 

[photo_i]

I was looking at B&H and would like to pick up a wide-angle for landscapes.

What kind of landscapes do you have in mind? Unless it's something very textural at close range with panoramic shot growing out of it or over the shallow water w/polarizer shots I personally wouldn't even use a wide angle.

P.S. I see that Scott already gave few examples

 

[Scott Brady]

I suppose the gist of my recommendation is that you are way better off having one great lens than three or four marginal ones. Something fast and sharp, and with good construction, dust and water resistance, etc. Think used 24-105mm L (about $800 used), or the 24-70mm 2.8L if you can stomach the expense.

 

[Scott Brady]

I will also say that wides do have their place, and I have a 16-35mm F2.8 bolted to the front of a MKIII. The wide is critical in tight spaces, like the cab of trucks, inside that ice cave or a beautiful church. Inside a tent, etc.

17mm - Siberia

 

[Rattler]

Those shots are excellent Scott! I really like the Afghan one. I think I need to do the exercise again where I go out with just one lens to get to know them better. I had too many interruptions before trying it.

Costs should get a little easier now that I am back to work. Plus cleaning a lot of stuff out of here would help with the expenses!

 

[Sirocco]

Shoot with the stock lens until you find the direction you need to go. I shot with a stock 18~70 for a long time. When you look at my photos I'm usually at the 18 end. So i bought a Sigma 10~20 which has been great! Highly recommend for a cheap UW.

Sent from my GT-I8262 using Tapatalk

 

[Lost Canadian]

I would echo what Scott and Oksana said, landscapes aren't just the domain of wides, it's all about perspective and what you're trying to convey to the viewer. Wides are great when trying to exagerate near far relationships, and the further up the tele range you go the more it's about compressing a scene.

I actually love using wides to tell stories, I live at 35mm and wider for weddings and travel because they allow me to get close and they're perspective helps me bring the viewer into the scene, and feel like they're there. The same is said when using them for landscape.
These are all 35mm and wider.

On the flip side, tele's can really help to simplify a scene; bring shape, line and texture together, and when seen properly can make for magical almost painterly looking images. These were all shot above 70mm.

 

[photo_i]

Trevor, is it Cuba? Great textures!

 

[Scott Brady]

Dig it

 

[Rattler]

I would echo what Scott and Oksana said, landscapes aren't just the domain of wides, it's all about perspective and what you're trying to convey to the viewer. Wides are great when trying to exagerate near far relationships, and the further up the tele range you go the more it's about compressing a scene.

I actually love using wides to tell stories, I live at 35mm and wider for weddings and travel because they allow me to get close and they're perspective helps me bring the viewer into the scene, and feel like they're there. The same is said when using them for landscape.
These are all 35mm and wider.

On the flip side, tele's can really help to simplify a scene; bring shape, line and texture together, and when seen properly can make for magical almost painterly looking images. These were all shot above 70mm.

Those are all spectacular photos. I do know what you are saying. I rented that 11-16 and it was neat to shoot with something different I guess. My arsenal is lmited to the 18-55, 70-250 and 50 prime right now.

 

[photo_i]

I, personally, see no use in 50mm as a "shoot as you go" photographer. Or any other fixed lens however fast they are. My working horse is 70-200mm zoom. I also have 17-40 and 24-70, but don't use them as much.

 

[Rattler]

I, personally, see no use in 50mm as a "shoot as you go" photographer. Or any other fixed lens however fast they are. My working horse is 70-200mm zoom. I also have 17-40 and 24-70, but don't use them as much.

I sometimes will use it for darker lit concerts at a small venue we go to often. It works pretty good for that.

 

[photo_i]

I sometimes will use it for darker lit concerts at a small venue we go to often. It works pretty good for that.

Sure, but if I'd have to chose "one lens" it would be a zoom.

 

[Ryanmb21]

Sure, but if I'd have to chose "one lens" it would be a zoom.

Nope.