Next spring I'm going to Alaska, but for the Christmas season I'm in the market for a new lens and I wanted it to be one I could use for the trip. For those of you who have been to Alaska or similar places, what's the best type of lens to get for there? I am shooting with the D100 and currently own the lenses in my profile. I am looking at either a super-wide angle so I can get good wide angle landscapes on the digital, something from 10-20mm, or I am looking for a fast telephoto going as high as 200-300 with a max aperature of f/4 though i'd prefer f/2.8. Which of these two should I go for? Also, in order to keep costs down, I think I will have to abandon my only Nikon Lenses rule and go for an off-brand like Sigma, anyone have any suggestions on what brands in particular are best? Or would it be best to save my dough and go whole-hog on a Nikkor?
Adam you should rent good glass for the trip. It would keep the cost down. Just my opinion.
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I'd opt for wide rather than zoom. For the landscape/scenery you'll be seeing at nearly every turn, you might never even take a good wide off your cam.
Renting is something I hadn't thought about. Do you have suggestions on where I can rent equipment? My local area is a bit deprived so far as photo stores go, I usually order everything through B&H. Is there anywhere on the web to rent?
Are you going on ship or by land? We went on a cruise on the inside passage. There you need 28-200 or so, e.g., normal to telephoto. Lots of scenery from the ship.
If you are going to do a lot ashore, where you can take advantage of wide angle perspective and depth of field, then absolutely 10mm! (10-20mm is fine, but I mostly find myself at 10mm so I wouldn't be afraid of a prime there!)
The downside of a 10-20mm wide, especially 10mm wide, is the perspective. Stuff soon looks too distant and small when you go that wide for a landscape, unless you have some seriously interesting things in your foreground. I'd stick with the 18-70 and 24 wides for the landscapes and get a decent tele for wildlife and landscape isolation with compressed perspective.
Lot of money: Nikon 70-200 VR (or the 80-200 f/2.8) + 1.4x TC.
Less money: Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 and a Sigma TC.
If you plan on doing landscape,
Perhaps the Nikon 12-24, Tokina 12-24, or Sigma 10-20.
If you plan on shooting animals/nature, a macro lens or a long zoom.
70-200 lenses from Nikon and Sigma both come in f2.8 (which I think you mentioned fast lens as a need), but I think these would be too short. I'd recommend looking at longer but slower lenses such as sigma 50-500 for this purpose.
It's going to be about 10 day trip to include land and sea. I'm guessing I'll want to take both wide-angle and telephoto shots, so I think i'll buy the Sigma 10-20 and rent a supertelephoto for nature shots.
It's going to be about 10 day trip to include land and sea. I'm guessing I'll want to take both wide-angle and telephoto shots, so I think i'll buy the Sigma 10-20 and rent a supertelephoto for nature shots.
I have a barely used 50-500 Sigma with a Nikon mount that I'd be willing to sell you.
This photo was taken by it up in Alaska.
Let me know if you're interested and we can work out some sort of deal.
I was in Alaska for 2 weeks last summer and I would recommend at least a 300mm telephoto lens. Wide angle won't be any use if you want to shoot grizzlies, caribou, wolves, etc. I would also highly recommend going to Denali National Park if that's not already on your list.
I've been to Alaska twice. Once in January for some dogsledding/photography and once in July for cruising the inside passage and photography. Both times my longest lens was a 300mm on a film body.
I am a great fan of my Sigma 50-500 and in Alaska it would be my first choice having been there. Coupled with a medium wide angle you would have the greatest range with the minimum of weight.
For Alaskan wildlife you simply need 500mm for decent frame filling captures. That translates to a 750mm on your D100. You will need the reach if eagles, otters, moose, blacktail dear, brown bear, or other marine/land animals are on your shooting list.
Edit...I'd contact Danny about his Sigma, take your Dx18-70 and your 50 f/1.8. You would have all bases covered with minimal cost and only have 1 non-Nikkor lense.
It's going to be about 10 day trip to include land and sea. I'm guessing I'll want to take both wide-angle and telephoto shots, so I think i'll buy the Sigma 10-20 and rent a supertelephoto for nature shots.
I have a barely used 50-500 Sigma with a Nikon mount that I'd be willing to sell you.
This photo was taken by it up in Alaska.
Let me know if you're interested and we can work out some sort of deal.
It's going to be about 10 day trip to include land and sea. I'm guessing I'll want to take both wide-angle and telephoto shots, so I think i'll buy the Sigma 10-20 and rent a supertelephoto for nature shots.
I have a barely used 50-500 Sigma with a Nikon mount that I'd be willing to sell you.
This photo was taken by it up in Alaska.
Let me know if you're interested and we can work out some sort of deal.
The days are long in the summer. I had a nice spot for some sunset pictures and set up my camera about 9PM. Gave up about 11 PM because the sun did not appear to be setting. Great place and the most scenic place for pictures. I would use a 200-400 Zoom.
The days are long in the summer. I had a nice spot for some sunset pictures and set up my camera about 9PM. Gave up about 11 PM because the sun did not appear to be setting. Great place and the most scenic place for pictures. I would use a 200-400 Zoom.
I was there in July, and the sun went down and the moon came up about 1-2 AM every morning.
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Originally posted by eaglebeck:
The days are long in the summer. I had a nice spot for some sunset pictures and set up my camera about 9PM. Gave up about 11 PM because the sun did not appear to be setting. Great place and the most scenic place for pictures. I would use a 200-400 Zoom.
Are you going inland at all or are you staying on the coast? I know the interior around Fairbanks pretty well. Dont know much about the coast, though Ive been to Kodiak, that was great, incredible coast and wildlife.
The trip hasn't been completely planned yet, but I wanted to cover some coastline at somepoint. Denali looks great too, so I may want to stop by there. The trip is only supposed to be 7-10 days, but with this kind of talking I may just never come back. Any more suggestions on where to go?
