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Archive 2013 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry

  
 
Sagar
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I am planning to visit Smokey Mountain around end of October and wondering what lenses I should carry. Ideally want to keep it a 3 lens kit.

Currently I only have 35mm/1.4 (got camera just few days back). So I am wondering about following combinations

Option I: 14/35/60

Option II: 18-55/35/60

Option III: 14/35/55-200

Or open to any other suggestions.

Please share your thoughts



Sep 07, 2013 at 09:07 PM
dbsdaddy
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


In Fuji-land I carry Option 3.


Sep 07, 2013 at 09:09 PM
Jman13
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I'd go 3 unless you really want minimal weight, in which case 1. The 14mm is a must.


Sep 07, 2013 at 09:12 PM
kosmoskatten
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I am not really a zoom guy but I would opt for #3 if I had the zoom. Otherwise #1.
I agree the 14mm is a must.



Sep 09, 2013 at 01:13 AM
naturephoto1
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I don't think that options 1 and 2 give you enough long end of the spectrum. I would go with option 3 and if you already have a 70-200 range zoom lens that can be adapted to the Fujifilm X camera try that option to save yourself some money particularly if you can get by using manual focus only. Additionally, 14mm is excellent and I would not leave it home.

I have have had excellent success using my Leica 80-200mm f4 Vario Elmar (and other Leica R manual focus lenses) with my Fujifilm X-E1 camera. If you need more information, and/or photos ask.

Rich



Sep 09, 2013 at 06:28 AM
Sagar
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Thank you for the feedback. Looks like 14mm is must have and will be more or less picking it up before leaving.

On 55-200, though the lens seem to be good (based on reviews including Jordan's) I am bit concerned about its size and handling wrt X-E1. Anyone who have used it on X-E1, what is your experience about the combo?

Rich, I have never tried manual lenses per say so I am not too sure I will be able to adapt it quickly. Any experience/images you can share would be helpful.



Sep 09, 2013 at 07:49 AM
Jman13
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


It's a big lens for a mirrorless cam, but it's not horrifically unwieldy. It handles a little better on the X-E1 if you have a grip for it, but if you're supporting the lens with your left hand it's not a big deal. I was very concerned about the size when I got my review sample, but after seeing the images out of it, I pretty much stopped caring about the size.

It's a little too big to be a daily carry for me, just because it would take up so much space in my bag, but if I needed a telephoto zoom, I wouldn't hesitate to grab it. It's roughly the same size and weight as a typical SLR 70-300mm f/5.6 lens (such as the Sigma 70-300), to give you an idea. I think for a three lens kit, the versatility and image quality you'd get out of that combo would be outstanding. I'm going to probably get one for myself sometime in the next month or two, as soon as I can sell off a bunch of gear that I'm not using.



Sep 09, 2013 at 07:56 AM
naturephoto1
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Sagar wrote:
Thank you for the feedback. Looks like 14mm is must have and will be more or less picking it up before leaving.

On 55-200, though the lens seem to be good (based on reviews including Jordan's) I am bit concerned about its size and handling wrt X-E1. Anyone who have used it on X-E1, what is your experience about the combo?

Rich, I have never tried manual lenses per say so I am not too sure I will be able to adapt it quickly. Any experience/images you can share would be helpful.


Here are some examples taken with my tripod mounted Leica R 80-200mm f4 Vario Elmar lens and my Fujifilm X-E1 (I use a Novoflex adapter along with their Rotating Collar for the lens).

Rich






















Sep 09, 2013 at 08:27 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


If you're in the park and have the fortune of seeing the wildlife ... black bear, coyote, elk, you'll certainly rue the absence of some long glass.

While the 14 is the widest, another option could be:

18-55
60
55-200

Having the zoom for comp without changing lens will become a joy vs. the perpetual switchback as you move through the twisty, turny ever changing view. A couple quick snaps @ 18 and you can easily stitch to make up the diff @ 14 when you feel the need. Since it sounds like you've never been there before, the zooms will be pretty valuable as you really won't be able to anticipate things as well on your first trip there.

The macro will be handy for flora/fauna.

There is more to the Smokies that just the grand vistas. The streams/rivers/wildlife/waterfalls/flora/fauna.



Are you hiking/backpacking or car/walking/tourist viewing? If you aren't carrying the weight over miles of terrain, take all your glass (you car serves as your extended camera bag) and pick/choose what to carry at each location. Even if you decide to make a quick jaunt back to the car for a lens change, it's not a big deal in many instances. But, it really sucks to run across some elk or black bear and have your long glass at home.






Edited on Sep 09, 2013 at 10:32 AM · View previous versions



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:01 AM
Krosavcheg
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


The little fella is adorable!!!
Though, I would evacuate masonry through the rear passage at the thought of his mum nearby..

Apparently, we got black bears in Kamikochi valley (I was planning to head there last weekend but weather thwarted my cunning plans). I was advised that sleeping in the woods in a sleeping bag might result in me being a main course for the teddies....



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:11 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Krosavcheg wrote:
The little fella is adorable!!!
Though, I would evacuate masonry through the rear passage at the thought of his mum nearby..


Yeah, it gets a bit tense when momma strolls toward you as you're looking through the lens. This trip I had my long glass with me. On another trip, I was only carrying 1/2 this focal length with me @ elk.

FYI, this was shot from roadside viewing in Cades Cove so I only had to drag the tripod and long glass about a 100 yards from where I was parked (along with about 100 other folks who stopped to watch).






Edited on Sep 09, 2013 at 10:21 AM · View previous versions



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:15 AM
Krosavcheg
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Yeah, it gets a bit tense when momma strolls toward you as you're looking through the lens. This trip I had my long glass with me. On another trip, I was only carrying 1/2 this focal length with me @ elk.

Thanks god for 1.6 factor, eh?..


There was a story about a hunter in Russia who got his hands skinned by two adorable teddies. They ran up to him and licked his hands over and over - he knew mum was about so he didn't even flinch a muscle out of fear of being mauled.
That went on for some time and as teddies finally sauntered off, the skin on his hands was hanging peeled like a pair of gloves.....



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:18 AM
GCasey
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


While you're in Tennessee, take a look at some of the 350 waterfalls. A friend loaned me a book, "Waterfalls in Tennessee,' which shows the locations, describes the difficulty of getting to them, and tells how far you need to hike to photograph them. He found it on Amazon. Yes, this is off-subject, so consider it a bonus.


Sep 09, 2013 at 10:24 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Actually, this was on FF @ 5D classic and my trusty old Vivitar 120-600.

Vivitar 120-600 @ 550
5D (RAW + PP)
ISO 1600
1/40 (yup, that slow)
f8



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:25 AM
Sagar
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


That's a scary story, Krosavcheg

Thanks for all the photos, looks like Tele is also necessary. This is the time I am *really* missing m4/3 specially thought of Olympus IBIS with 75-300, aha may be I should rent that instead of purchasing 55-200. Oh God, its so difficult to conclude



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:27 AM
Krosavcheg
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Happened nearly 100 years back - was written down by one of Russia's prominent nature novellist and avid outdoor man. Bianki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaly_Bianki
Those were brown bears though, you will be ok!..



Sep 09, 2013 at 10:35 AM
SouthShot
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I agree with GCasey "WaterFalls of Tennessee" by Gregory Plumb is a good resource. I have it and use it all the time searching out new waterfalls that I have not been to yet. Good luck in the park and go as early in the mornings as you can. It gets crowded pretty quick when the trees start changing. Happy Trails.



Sep 09, 2013 at 11:00 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


+1 @ waterfalls book and early to the park.

You should plan to be in Cades Cove (if you go there) when it opens. When you start packing a million cars on two lane mountain roads ... it takes no time at all for things to start backing up, so getting ahead of it (wherever you decide to go) is strategically necessary, unless you want to spend a lot of time stopped while viewing the car in front of you.

Here's a link that updates the weekly status of the fall colors changing at different locations in the area. Looks like they haven't started the annual update yet (next week maybe) for 2013, but depending on elevation, the changes will occur at different times, so you might want to be watchful of this relative to when you are making your trip.

http://discoverpigeonforgecabins.com/fc2012/fall-colors-2012.htm



Sep 09, 2013 at 11:08 AM
itai195
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


I'd go with #3 and maybe pick up some closeup filters or extension tubes. That's basically my setup for landscapes these days.


Sep 09, 2013 at 02:54 PM
MagicNikon
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Visiting Great Smokey Mountains, Help with Fuji Lenses to carry


Option 3. Yes, you need the 14mm it's just soooooo awesome. Maybe get a Raynox 250 for close ups on the 55-200.


Sep 09, 2013 at 09:39 PM
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