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Archive 2017 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking

  
 
leejy2
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


I am planning just day hikes with wife and eleven year old son. During the hike I am planning to carry nikon d7100 and 17-55/2.8 and one telephoto. Should I carry the 80-200/2.8 or the 300/4? I don't think I can carry both.


Apr 13, 2017 at 09:09 PM
Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


What's your son carrying for you? ;-)

Depending on where you hike, both teles can be useful. You never know when/where wildlife will pop up. Also, I've gotten some wonderful landscape images with my 100-400 on hikes. It really depends on what you want to capture. I've got a lot of lenses and always make a conscious decision on what to take and what not to—and always realize that I'll likely miss something no matter what I carry, so plan wisely.

If I had your kit, for what I shoot I'd be taking both telephotos. I'd carry them in something like my Tamrac Apache 6.2 shoulder bag (leaves 1 slot for a water bottle, btw). Not terribly uncomfortable, very versatile, and allows quick access to the gear. In fact, I'm on an outing now and will be carrying an 11-24, 180 macro and 100-400 in my Apache 6.2.



Apr 14, 2017 at 09:01 AM
leejy2
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


I am indeed going to have to find a way to put my son to work! I'm thinking of having him carry the older D200 with kit lens. Maybe I should give him the 80-200/2.8 to carry!

Am also thinking about a chest harness for easier access.



Apr 15, 2017 at 01:18 PM
Scott Stoness
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


I have often hiked with my 100-400 at and near yellowstone and generally have found:
- shooting mid day rarely works and my family generally refuses to start or end in the dark
- when I find a grizzly on a hike I generally am too nervous to get good shots and too far due to nervousness. Plus its really not fair to approach the bears where you disturb them. My level of nervousness goes down if I have lots of buddies along and goes up when I have my children with me.
- unless you also take a tripod or like chipmunks or squirrels you are not likely to get great long shots
- There are bighorn sheep and mountains goats in yellowstone area but I have had more luck finding them in the bozeman area. If you want suggests for mountain goats I know where to send you and family in Bozeman.

In other words when I am with children, I usually only carry a long lens when I think I am going to see mountain goats. Which in Yellowstone is never. So I carry my M with 22 around my neck and 18-55 in my pocket.

So you can leave the long lens behind and carry more water and snacks and smell the roses. Ensuring that wife and son are happy ensure that they will continue to hike with you - focus on snap shots and family and scouting for when the family is not with you- not iq.

But if you are determined - go as long as you can (300/f4) and bring a tripod.



Apr 15, 2017 at 02:53 PM
leejy2
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


This is very helpful. I was planning to carry gitzo 1228 with markins ballhead.

So far it seems that the 80-200 will stay in the car.

I definitely have to balance family and photography, so 17-55 for family shots in environment. If there is any large wildlife hopefully the 300 and tripod will give me something usable.



Apr 15, 2017 at 03:42 PM
Scott Stoness
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


leejy2 wrote:
This is very helpful. I was planning to carry gitzo 1228 with markins ballhead.

So far it seems that the 80-200 will stay in the car.

I definitely have to balance family and photography, so 17-55 for family shots in environment. If there is any large wildlife hopefully the 300 and tripod will give me something usable.


80-200 is too short for most everything in yellowstone. Leave it behind.

Bozeman Camera and Repair http://bozemancamera.com/rentals/

has lens rentals. I have rented from them and have no complaints.

I have also rented from lens rentals and they have been very good, but I getting them to deliver a hotel in Yellowstone area sounds stressful.

The reason I say this is:
- my view is that yellowstone is more attractive for wildlife than landscape. And Grand Teton the opposite. Not saying that yellowstone is not good for landscape. And not saying GT is not good for wildlife. Just telling you that wildlife will attract you away from landscape because it is great.
- Generally I have found animals like bison, fox, are close in opportunities but wolves/grizzlies are really long
- When i go to yellowstone I find a zoom for close in and the longest thing I can get (7dii, 1.4x, 600) is the right combination.
- Just not for hiking

Anyway my point is the best opportunity you will have are driving for wildlife. But if you want wolves and bears, rent a 600 and a 1.4x or just get binoculars and enjoy with your family.

Anyway I know its off topic but just pointing out you might want long for driving around for wildlife.

P.S. again, my kids are mostly grown up now - my retrospective advice is - yellowstone will always be there but your son will soon not want to go with you. Enjoy his company while you can. I miss my kids.



Apr 16, 2017 at 04:59 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


The presence of your son should allow you to get really close to the bear. At 11 years he probably runs slower than you, which means that you are safe :-)

On a more serious note, I never carry a "serious" camera when I travel with family. You never have the time to really explore an area in depth, and my wife is not comfortable if I leave her alone at dusk/night for extended time. G7x + jobu or similar is all I do with her. Except at night you can get fully serviceable photos from that, especially when shooting raw.

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Apr 16, 2017 at 07:35 PM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


My favorite Yellowstone lens is the 80-400mm VR II zoom. It has enough reach or image magnification for small critters or for dangerous ones, like the bears, and can be zoomed when animals are closer. I would go with the 80-200mm and a TC-20 III teleconverter.


Apr 17, 2017 at 03:17 PM
leejy2
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


Lots of good advice here. I appreciate everybody's input.


Apr 18, 2017 at 01:15 PM
nugeny
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


is your 300/4 a new one? if so take it and you won't need a tripod. don't forget tc 0.4.


Apr 26, 2017 at 03:20 PM
pompeio
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


My wife and I went to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons four years ago. The longest lens I took was the 80-400. We did see wolves, two grizzlies and bighorn sheep in Lamar Valley where I wished I had taken my 500 which may have been too short without a teleconverter as, even when zooming to 400, the images were not worth printing. I did use a tripod (which I recommend you take) and most of my keepers were landscapes where I enjoyed the Tetons more than Yellowstone.


Apr 26, 2017 at 07:33 PM
Cheryle Sytsma
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


Scott Stoness wrote:
P.S. again, my kids are mostly grown up now - my retrospective advice is - yellowstone will always be there but your son will soon not want to go with you. Enjoy his company while you can. I miss my kids.


I hope you tell them...




Apr 27, 2017 at 07:47 AM
Cheryle Sytsma
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


leejy2 wrote:
I am planning just day hikes with wife and eleven year old son. During the hike I am planning to carry nikon d7100 and 17-55/2.8 and one telephoto. Should I carry the 80-200/2.8 or the 300/4? I don't think I can carry both.


My D7200 and 300 f4 VR version with the 1.7 TC all have a wonderful love affair...
I get great pictures, and I have a wonderful handholdable telly...

My 1.7 TC has an almost permanent home on this lens

Edited on Apr 30, 2017 at 06:46 AM · View previous versions



Apr 27, 2017 at 07:52 AM
jdc562
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


I'd rent an 80-400 and leave the other teles at home.


Apr 27, 2017 at 09:12 PM
dalite
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


Take the 17-55mm lens for landscape and people shots and the 300mm (plus 1.4x Tc if you have one) for telephoto shots. You can never get a long enough lens for Yellowstone's wolves and some critters in the Lamar Valley (I assume you will go see that part of the park)


Apr 30, 2017 at 01:14 AM
leejy2
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


Just as a follow-up. I just returned and am looking at my shots.

I used the 300/f4 with 1.4x TC on the D7100 all the time. This lens stayed in my daypack and went with me everywhere.

I kept a 18-55 AF-P kit lens on the D7100 as I was hiking attached to op-tech strap on my daypack out and ready for family shots.

I left the 17-55mm lens in the car, but I used it when I wanted tripod shots and great scenery shots as it is definitely a better lens than the kit lens, but at the expense of being supremely heavy.

I never even touched the 80-200/2.8 which stayed in the car. As dalite said, you need long long lenses for Yellowstone.



Jun 12, 2017 at 08:08 PM
jakepfaster
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


Scott Stoness is spot on (including Tetons too, we went there also) . I was there last week of May, and researched this to death. Flying from Charlotte, I didn't want to take the big guns, so I opted to purchase a 400, 5.6 (canon shooter, now have lens I don't really need), light, good IQ, and a 1.4x....I'd have preferred in retrospect to have rented a 600 in Bozeman, and couple with the 1.4, or 2.0. If not hiking you need the reach. 24-70 for what landscape you do take, and load up for the critters, including wolf dens.


Jun 23, 2017 at 01:53 PM
cohenfive
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Yellowstone in June - telephoto lens choice for hiking


While I believe you can never have too much reach for wildlife shooting, if hiking your options are limited..but still, take the longest lens you can. I'd also suggest the 80-400 or the new light 300mm with 1.4x. We were in YS twice last year and Tetons once, loved both spots. While the wildlife dominates at YS there are some really pretty spots for landscapes, and we saw lots of wildlife in and around the Tetons..but the landscapes there are spectacular. Have fun!


Jul 10, 2017 at 04:51 PM





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