p.1 #1 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
So going to Utah for specifically a photo expedition for a week. Going to start in Goblin Valley SP and work way south and west. My current gear is as follows all Z mount lenses:
My concern is do i have a wide enough lens in the 20mm? I used to have the 14-30 f4 but sold it. I wasnt 100% happy with it, and it always vignetted with my kase magnetic 82mm filters. Obviously my choices seem fairly limited when it comes to wide angle with Nikon. I see that Viltrox has a 16mm f1.8 and a 14mm f4. Just dont want to end up on this trip and realize i need something wider than my 20mm. Any thoughts?
p.1 #2 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
I've gone to Utah/Moab with only a 24-105 and came back happy. If I were you, I'd probably rent the 14-24, take the 24-120 and 100-400 and maybe the 20 if you want to specifically do astro, though the 14-24 would cover you there too.
Utah has some very open spaces. It was rare to want to shoot wider than 24mm for me personally.
Here's a shot at 46mm in an enclosed canyon, about as "narrow" as it gets, and it still feels expansive
That said, I was happy to have the 20 as an option at times when I took it:
p.1 #3 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
draacor wrote:
So going to Utah for specifically a photo expedition for a week. Going to start in Goblin Valley SP and work way south and west. My current gear is as follows all Z mount lenses:
My concern is do i have a wide enough lens in the 20mm? I used to have the 14-30 f4 but sold it. I wasnt 100% happy with it, and it always vignetted with my kase magnetic 82mm filters. Obviously my choices seem fairly limited when it comes to wide angle with Nikon. I see that Viltrox has a 16mm f1.8 and a 14mm f4. Just dont want to end up on this trip and realize i need something wider than my 20mm. Any thoughts? ...Show more →
I’ve been fortunate to make many long shooting trips to the Utah region the last 26 years, most recently for 3 months last fall, and I made images with focal lengths ranging from 14mm to 500mm. But your 24-120/100-400 combo would be the workhorse lenses for me. There are quite a few well-known Southwest shooters who regularly make use of as wide as 11mm, but successfully composing with such a wide field of view is not easy and not to everyone’s taste, so it really boils down to personal vision and preference.
Your Z 20/1.8 should be very nice for astro. You might check out the thread on the Viltrox 14mm f/4 and consider that as a just-in-case option for the superwide scenarios. I tested one a couple weeks ago and optically is qute excellent (shockingly so for a mere $199) and I’d have no problem using one for my work including making large prints, but you may need to try 2 or 3 copies to get a well-centered one. Also, I have an excellent copy of the Viltrox 16/1.8, wide open it’s sharp corner to corner, but much bulkier and heavier than the small, light 14/4.
The majority of my favorite Utah images were in the 50-400mm range, but I’ll add a few wide-angle images here to give an idea of what worked for me in that range (focal lengths noted in captions).
Most important thing is, have a fantastic time! I would love to see your posted images when you are done.
20mm at f/1.8 worked well for me for star shots (this one with moon rising)
Slot canyons can be a good place for wide, this was at 14mm
The 15mm perspective worked well for emphasizing the sandstone striations
p.1 #4 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
Good point about the slot canyons, though interestingly I went back and looked at my favorite shots from inside Antelope and only one was wider than 20mm oddly must just be how I see things.
p.1 #5 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
draacor wrote:
So going to Utah for specifically a photo expedition for a week. Going to start in Goblin Valley SP and work way south and west. My current gear is as follows all Z mount lenses:
My concern is do i have a wide enough lens in the 20mm? I used to have the 14-30 f4 but sold it. I wasnt 100% happy with it, and it always vignetted with my kase magnetic 82mm filters. Obviously my choices seem fairly limited when it comes to wide angle with Nikon. I see that Viltrox has a 16mm f1.8 and a 14mm f4. Just dont want to end up on this trip and realize i need something wider than my 20mm. Any thoughts? ...Show more →
I visitated various places in UT 10 times or more each. A lot depends on whether you are a single frame shooter or you pan and stitch for high-res images. I would skip the fast primes and start at 14/15/16mm for wide. If you have the 19PCe that could be a good lens also. I've used Canon 17 and/or 24 tilt shifts in Goblin Valley, Arches, Zions, Capitol Reefetc for example. I dropped my 24TS II once in monumental valley and it was never so clean again.
I don't use the Nikkor 100-400, but if IQ is good it would be great for panos and details of spires and small arches, etc.
You can rent gear for 10 days or whatever at reasonable prices.
Unfortunately the weather can often be a problem so keep an eye out and be prepared.
p.1 #6 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
RoamingScott wrote:
Good point about the slot canyons, though interestingly I went back and looked at my favorite shots from inside Antelope and only one was wider than 20mm oddly must just be how I see things.
Absolutely, focal lengths are so highly personal, no right or wrong but rather what suits each individual. I think our FM member Mark Metternich is one who can use 11mm masterfully, whereas I would find that really difficult, I have more telephoto eyes than anything.
p.1 #7 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
RoamingScott wrote:
I've gone to Utah/Moab with only a 24-105 and came back happy. If I were you, I'd probably rent the 14-24, take the 24-120 and 100-400 and maybe the 20 if you want to specifically do astro, though the 14-24 would cover you there too.
Utah has some very open spaces. It was rare to want to shoot wider than 24mm for me personally.
Here's a shot at 46mm in an enclosed canyon, about as "narrow" as it gets, and it still feels expansive
p.1 #8 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
thanks for the input guys! Ya i think the trap I always find myself is, do i have everything i need for every situation? I feel like maybe my setup is pretty well rounded for most situations. In fact having 20mm as my widest might put a constraint on me and Ill get better shots out of it? lol thats what I'm hoping anyway.
p.1 #9 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
draacor wrote:
thanks for the input guys! Ya i think the trap I always find myself is, do i have everything i need for every situation? I feel like maybe my setup is pretty well rounded for most situations. In fact having 20mm as my widest might put a constraint on me and Ill get better shots out of it? lol thats what I'm hoping anyway.
If 20mm isn't wide enough, set your 24-120 at 35-40mm and pano it up.
p.1 #10 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
Looking briefly at some trips to the area, the only places I recall definitely using my Tokina 12-24/4 - aps-c was Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Antelope Canyon is (for most of us) a "one lens - no swapping" environment and with a glance to my old PBase gallery, used from 12mm to 24mm. The Horseshoe Bends was late afternoon, mostly into the sun and not good. I'd try stitching if trying that spot again.
My current usual "travel" lens for Southern California/western US is the Tamron 28-200. I've had and seldom used the 17-28/2.8 Tamron. I've added the Sony 20-70/4 but more more for urban, still prefferring the 28-200 on recent trips to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc. II want longer than 70mm more frequently than wanting wider than 28mm.
p.1 #12 · Trip to Utah - do I have the right lenses?
I went to Death valley last week and only took the 14-24 f2.8 and the 24-70 f2.8. I only used the 14-24 for the duration of my trip.
I think i got some decent shots which i need to process.
Part of the challenge i like to throw at myself is to only use one lens per day.
This time it actually came true
