Hiking Inca Trail in Peru: 19mm Prime or 14-42 Zoom?

zijincheng wrote:

I'm going to Peru to hike the Inca trail in September, and want to bring a camera to take pictures of the breathtaking views (with myself or my friends in the shot), mostly in the daytime. I've been using my G7 for videography for 3 years now, so I know what I'm doing for the most part, the area that needs the most work for photography is framing (I suck really bad at it).

We have to pack light, so I'm stuck with basically just the camera with whatever lens I have on it. So 2 questions:

• First, which lens that I own is best for landscape shots (most of the time with people in the shots)
• Second, how do I practice framing shots for landscape photography with my friends in it?

I have a Panasonic G7 and a Xiaoyi M1 camera, and 4 lenses:

• 19mm f2.8 Sigma EX Prime
• 14-42mm f3.5 Lumix G Vario Zoom
• 12-40mm f3.5 Xiaoyi Zoom (rebranded Kodak Pixpro 12-45mm)
• 42.5mm f1.8 Xiaomi Prime

I'll always prefer having a wider field of view so **IF** you're happy with the image quality produced by the 12-40 and its size/weight, then use that.  Otherwise use the 14-42.

If you want to learn to improve your composition, there are several Youtube landscape photographers who have decent content or you can peruse various landscape photography books at the library.  Besides just looking at the photos, analyze them and write down WHY you like each photo.  I'll tell you this, though: shooting in the early morning and around sunset is usually when the light is best and that makes a huge difference.  Learn to appreciate the effects of different types of light and how to take advantage of it.  Overcast days can be blah for landscapes but they can be great for photographing plants.  Stormy weather can produce dramatic skies and interesting patches of lights.

For Youtube, perhaps have a look at Thomas Heaton's videos.  I also enjoy James Popsys's videos.

Nice! I am just surprised with a high CA (on the left side of the first picture). Well, even the most expensive zoom lens is not so great when (almost) fully open. The primes are usually different (better).

Take the 19mm and enjoy your trip.

Interesting thanks.

I'm ambivalent between the two zoom lens I own, I have lots of time to test them both out.

And thanks for the info on framing, I need to get the basic rule of thirds down first then apply that to landscape shots.

Rich K wrote:

We hiked the nearby Salkantay a couple of years ago. I used my 12-35 Panny almost exclusively. You'll appreciate having the wide end just so you can capture the scale of the mountains, but that's not always the best for good landscape shots. And you will definitely find use for the rest of the zoom range if you were take either of your zooms.

Here's one where my widest lens @ 12 mm was useful:

Lake Braies - Dolomites

And for people shots, a little tighter framing @ 19mm:

Dolomites - don't tell my wife I posted this!

And finally, from the Salkantay trail @ 22mm:

Salkantay - just over the Salkantay pass

I'm guessing this might be a "once in a lifetime" trip? If so, and considering what it's costing you to get there, why not think about an upgrade to your lens collection? The panny 12-35/2.8 is compact and at a constant 2.8 it will be a bit more useful for morning/evening work. I would think you might find a used, version 1, copy for a reasonable price.

And, although I'm one to be pretty concerned about extra weight, taking along one extra lens is worth the weight IMHO. I always carry the Oly 17/1.8 for evening, low light situations. It weighs next to nothing.

Have fun and hope you have good weather!

Thanks for the feedback, and nice pictures by the way! I looked up the 12-35/2.8, and it costs about $700CAD new which is a lot, I'm not used to spending so much money. I'll think about it before I make any impulse purchases.

Mike Gunter wrote:

Hi,

I agree. A zoom will be more versatile. A faster zoom more versatile. Many who walk to the village to the Paek take a 15-mile route, I didn't walk it but saw it from the train. Several camp enroute. Frequent showers can happen and certainly will happen in season.

Another poster suggested the 12-35mm a f2.8, a nice choice. I have it and like it. The 12-100mm f2.8 also. Neither would be cheap, both would be sharp.

Bring extra batteries and keep them charged.

I was thinking that too, the zoom is more versatile. That being said, is that extra 1 stop on my Sigma prime worth it over either of my zooms?

eques wrote:

If you are happy with your zoom lenses, use one of these.

However, if you consider buying another lens, I'd recommend these:

• Panasonic 1.7/20mm. It is better than the Sigma, faster, focusses closer and weighs less (100g!). You will certainly see a difference in IQ to your other lenses.
  I used it as my only lens for hikes in the mountains and was very happy with the results. It won't cost much if you get a used one.
  I also find the wider field of view of the 1.7/15mm extremely useful as an only lens and and the lens is faster to focus than the 20mm, but it is more expensive.
• The old Panasonic 3.5-5.6/14-45 is still an excellent lens and quite cheap second hand.
  Some people love the 3.5-5.6/12-32, which is smaller and lighter, but probably more expensive. I don't have any experience with this lens.

Prime or Zoom:
When I had my Ricoh GR (with 14mm M43 equivalent fixed lens) I took about 2/3 of my photos with it, even when I had my M43 gear with me. This camera would also be a good choice, because of it's excellent lens and a weight of 240g, but my experience is, that is very prone to issues if not used in dry and dust free environments, Mine died from dust that got into the lens and blocked the aperture.
For my shooting style my first choice would be the 1.7/15, the second the 1.7/20, the third the 14-45.

Peter

Thanks, some of these have prices that are more reasonable for someone of my camera expertise. One more thing, since the G7 isn't weather sealed, do you think it could be a problem on the trail?

eques wrote:

Mike Gunter wrote:

Hi,

I agree. A zoom will be more versatile. A faster zoom more versatile. Many who walk to the village to the Paek take a 15-mile route, I didn't walk it but saw it from the train. Several camp enroute. Frequent showers can happen and certainly will happen in season.

Another poster suggested the 12-35mm a f2.8, a nice choice. I have it and like it. The 12-100mm f2.8 also.

You probably mean the 12-100 f/4: I have it, but it is heavy at 560g and quite big; but yes it is very sharp.

And, like the 12-35, it is weather sealed!

Neither would be cheap, both would be sharp.

Bring extra batteries and keep them charged.

By all means!

Peter

Right, faster zooms are expensive though, I'm probably considered quite a miser on cameras (at least on dpreview) so I balk even at $500(CAD, which is approx $350USD) lens.

Weather is always an issue , but I think you'll be fine. And isn't September considered part of the "dry season" ?

Lens wise, I'd just bring your panasonic zoom.

Last week I watched this $5,750 vs $500 video on youtube. Some photographer, Henbu, who traded cameras with his brother and made a fun little video about the results. Predictable, but even so, it stopped me from bidding on something on ebay