Going to Tetons-Yellowstone-lens suggestions

Hi,

I have a D50 and the kit lens. I'll be headed out to Wyoming this summer and want to get forum suggestions for telephoto lens to take along. I want to concentrate on wildlife, nature and landscape shots. Looking forward to hearing your answers. Thanks.
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David Berkham
[email protected]

I had a thread running a week or so back with the same topic. Check it out here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1030&message=16563927

I just received my 10-20 2 night ago and plan to try it out this weekend.

As for telephoto, I have my eye on the Sigma 80-400OS.

-Suntan

We head over every summer and this last summer was the first time I had a wide angle (the Tokina 12-24). Each year I've regretted not having enough of a wide angle to get the hot springs in a shot, and it was great having it. I also take my 70-200 VR with a 1.4 teleconverter. A little more telephoto would be nice, but this combo does pretty well.

My methodology since I only have one camera body: Keep the telephoto on the camera. You never know when you'll see animals. Get up early, before the crowds hit, and you'll be sure to see bear and wolves. Change to your kit lens only when you are taking landscape pictures such as at the canyon or the various geyser basins, then immediately put back on the telephoto. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a wolf 10 feet from you and having your wide angle on the camera. (Yes, I know from experience.)

View the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone in the morning, not the evening, as that is when the lighting is best. We always hike down Uncle Tom's Trail to the overlook (leave around 6:30 to get good light), then head on up to artists point. Hayden Valley between Canyon and Fishing Bridge is gorgeous is the evening. Beyond Old Faithful are more pools and geysers which are every bit as spectacular, if a little less predictable. Ask the park rangers where bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, etc., have been spotted recently. Last year they told us bear had been spotted around Mammoth and the northeast park entrance, and we saw plenty.

Enjoy your trip

Thanks for your input. I'm thinking of getting a 28-200 Nikon. While it is not as full a range as I would like, I think it will make a good walk around lens for the park. I haven't been too impressed with the 70-300 ED reviews and really can't afford a high end lens.
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David Berkham
[email protected]

I will say that my Sigma 70-300APO does a good job, and is very much worth $200 (imo), but I wouldn't say that it is better than getting a walkaround lens in the range of28-200 (more as a good low cost complement to the 18-70.)

One thing I would say, 28 would not be wide enough. If you have an additional WA lens, you should be good.

-Suntan

Suntan,

I also have a 18-55 kit lens. Now you got me thinking about the additional range but my understanding about the Nikon 70-300 ED and Sigma lens is they are both soft in the 200-300 range. What's does your experience tell you? Do you have any sample images? Thanks.

--
David Berkham
[email protected]

You can easily use all the lenses.
12-24 zoom
29-70 zoom
70-200 zoom
300 or 400 or 500 mm tele
macro
tripod

Wonderful parks,
maljo

Head on over to eBay and pick you up one or all of the following:

A Nikon 12-24 .....I got mine for about $600
A Tamron 28-75 DI 2.8 ...... should be able to get for the mid 200's.
A 80-200 2.8 zoom .... I love my Tokina
A Nikon 300 f 4 ..... should be able to get one for about $400 + -
A Kenko 1.4 teleconverter
Tripod

Must have items imho
--
Johnny
Austin, Republic of Texas

My Photos: http://johnny.smugmug.com

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How I get the EXTRA money for my camera gear!
http://simonsays.makemoreathome.com/

dberkham said:

I have a D50 and the kit lens. I'll be headed out to Wyoming this
summer and want to get forum suggestions for telephoto lens to take
along. I want to concentrate on wildlife, nature and landscape
shots. Looking forward to hearing your answers. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Hi, David,

The thread Suntan mentioned is a good disccussion of these issues and the respones here are good but here's some additional thoughts.

To me, two essential lenses would be extra wide and telephoto zooms. The 18-55 kit lens is a 'tweener' and certainly could be useful, but the magnificence of Yellowstone can be best captured with wide lenses for the landscapes and to get the whole geyser or pool in the scene. Telephoto is a must for the wildlife but they can be very close as well as farther away so you need something versatile.

I spent several days there in '04, before getting my D70, and used two digicams; Olympus C-5050Z with 35-105mm zoom; and Olympus C-2100UZ with 38-380 image-stabilized zoom plus a 1.7x teleconverter. 35mm was not near wide enough and even 646mm wasn't long enough sometimes!!! ) You can, of course, take panoramas for the really wide landscapes. Here's a gallery of some of my snapshots from that trip. You can easily see the need for a wider lens!

http://www.pbase.com/richardr/yellowstone&page=all

I'll be going back again next year and plan to add two more lenses, probably a 12-24 and a longer zoom. What I have now are Nikkors: 18-70; 70-200VR with 1.7x TCE; 80-200 f2.8 with 1.4x TC; 70-300 ED (which can also use the 1.4x TC); and a Tamron 90 Macro. The two of that group I'll take for sure are the 18-70 and 70-200VR with 1.7x TC. If my budget permits, I would love to have a second body.

I haven't decided on the wide lens yet but am leaning toward the Tokina 12-24. For a longer zoom, my choices would be between Nikon 80-400 (which can use the 1.4x TC); Sigma 80-400 OS; or Sigma 50-500 "Bigma".

A Nikon 300 f4 AFS is also a possibility. The more expensive 200-400VR or 300 f2.8's are way out of my price range.

My Nikon 70-300 ED isn't a bad lens. In fact, it's pretty good with good light though it does get soft towards the long end. I used that lens with the Tamron 14x TC for some decent wildlife shots in the Smokies. Here's one as an example in very low light, full zoom with 1.4x TC, ISO 800, f5.6, 1/80th sec., on a monopod:



With a medium budget for a wide lens, the Tokina 12-24 or Sigma 10-20 would be good choices from the reviews and all I've read. Here's a really good comparison of the super wide zooms:

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/nikkor/af/wide_angles_shootout/index.html

For a pro quality telephoto, a used 80-200 f2.8 in Excellent condition can be had from KEH for around $700. Their ratings are very conservative and I've bought from them before. A Kenko or Tamron 1.4x TC runs around $180. I really like my 80-200 and would still be quite satisfied with it if I hadn't been given the 70-200.

Here's a sample with that combo, full zoom, f2.8, 1/320th sec., on a monopod:



A Sigma 80-400 OS or 50-500 will each run about $1,000.

I can't comment on other budget telephotos as the 70-300 ED is the only one I have used in that category.

Don't forget a circular polarizer. That can dramatically enhance the colors and contrast in your images. A tripod or at least a monopod is a must have.

The choices are almost endless but your budget will be the big factor in making your lens choices.

Regards,

****

--
http://www.pbase.com/richardr
D70&C-2100UZ&C-5050Z&C-7000Z&C-3000Z

One very important item that I forgot to mention in my earlier post was a polarizer. That was invaluable for the pools. The difference it makes is amazing, as it cuts the glare on the water and allows the deep colors to really show. I used a thin uv-polarizer filter (both in one filter) which I kept on the wide angle lens.

Once again, thanks to all who have written to this thread. I'm now looking at a 70-300 zoom-I can pick up a used Nikkor ED for about $219.00 locally or go with a Sigma 7-0-300APO with macro for about $170. Any thoughts on those choices? I will be getting a polarizer for the trip.

--
David Berkham
[email protected]

David, we went last summer. Great trip.

There is a camera shop in Jackson Hole where you can rent a nice long lens, like the 300 2.8 or so. I will look up my info and see if I can find their info

Sorry for the link of a link, but check out these threads for samples taken with the Sigma APO version.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1030&message=16755902

I would say it is fully usable up to 220mm. After that it is still usable (at F8 to F11) up to 300mm, you just will not get 'razor' sharp shots. The Macro function does work, however, it is not as easy to use as a dedicated Macro lens. I don't do macro so I can't comment further.

You can get the Sigma 70-300 for $200, the Nikon 28-200 is about 100 bucks more. I don't think 28mm is anywhere near wide enough for outdoors scenes, so I don't think it would work as an all-in-one. Personally, If I was looking at the Nikon 28-200, I would also look at the Tamaron or Sigma 18-200 for a few dollars more.

-Suntan

dberkham said:

Suntan,
I also have a 18-55 kit lens. Now you got me thinking about the
additional range but my understanding about the Nikon 70-300 ED and
Sigma lens is they are both soft in the 200-300 range. What's does
your experience tell you? Do you have any sample images? Thanks.

--
David Berkham
[email protected]

Click to expand...