Long lens for AZ trip?

GlennG · 08-05-2015, 08:16 PM

I will soon be taking a general tour of Arizona seeing sights from Tucson on the south to the Grand Canyon on the north, and places in between. I'll take a standard zoom, but will I need the DA 55-300 for anything? I've read a few of the other threads here on Az photography tips. I'll also check in with the Az Highways magazine for any other suggestions they have. We also plan to take a family photo somewhere, and any tips you have will be welcome. Thanks. Glenn

MadMathMind · 08-05-2015, 08:35 PM

Your #1 accessory will be a polarizer. Remember that you can't shoot a lens you don't have. The DA55-300 isn't too burdensome to carry, so ask yourself this: do you risk missing a few awesome shots (think rafters at the bottom of the canyon, although 300mm won't quite be enough for awesome shots) to drop 3/4s a pound of gear?

**UncleVanya** · 08-05-2015, 09:13 PM

Honestly I'd be more worried about the wide end than the tele end if you have the Grand Canyon on your trip but I agree with the advice to take the lens - it isn't too heavy and you might need it.

chiepapi · 08-05-2015, 09:33 PM

+1 for the polarizer.

I've always taken my UWA for visits to the Grand Canyon. There are times I wish I brought something longer than my 135 but I didn't really miss much as far as my preference is concerned. When needed, I can settle with cropping since I don't really plan on doing big prints.

**UncleVanya** · 08-05-2015, 09:47 PM

Also - please please please go below the rim. If you do you join the 1% club like me. Even if all you do is step a few feet down and come back it is worth it. I also highly recommend the Kaibab trail over the more traveled trails. Kaibab offers better views for photography and if you want a rational day hike you can walk down to Ooo-Ah point and look over the vastness and then hike back up in a few hours total. I'm a prisoner of gravity and I did it. Take plenty of water - don't forget to drink it on the way back. Figure time in times 3 for the time out.

Take your widest lens for that view... oh my!

SpecialK · 08-05-2015, 09:55 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Honestly I'd be more worried about the wide end than the tele end if you have the Grand Canyon on your trip but I agree with the advice to take the lens - it isn't too heavy and you might need it.

Wide-normal all the way :-)

There is almost no river to see from the rim at the Grand Canyon. Yavapai lookout at the west end. 300mm. Possible some cropping, too.

Casa Grande ruins. 21mm.

BioSphere. 48mm.

Sabino Canyon. 17mm.

Musical Instrument Museum is huge. 17mm.

Tombstone. 15mm.

Titan missile museum. About 16mm equivalent (was a P&S).

Kitt Peak observatory. 15mm.

Bright Angel trail at Grand Canyon. 33mm. The little building on the peak about 1/3 the way down the trail is "3-mile" rest area. It's 6 hours to there and back (20 minutes lingering). The green stretch is Cottonwood campground. If you go further you need to go all the way down and stay at Phantom Ranch across the river.

Meteor Crater. 11mm fisheye.

300mm. Possibly some cropping.

The corner in Winslow Arizona...24mm.

**Lowell Goudge** · 08-06-2015, 04:25 AM

I did a trip around the Grand Canyon several years ago, shooting with an *istD and PZ1

I had a 17-35 on the PZ1 and tell on the *istD. Should have taken more than 300 for wildlife

**UncleVanya** · 08-06-2015, 06:07 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

I did a trip around the Grand Canyon several years ago, shooting with an *istD and PZ1

I had a 17-35 on the PZ1 and tell on the *istD. Should have taken more than 300 for wildlife

And tell????? Not sure what you meant here.

**interested_observer** · 08-06-2015, 06:43 AM

Yes, I would take it. There are times that you might want to shoot over the foreground, or do panoramas of far off ridge sets (Grand Canyon). There is both the Montezuma's Castle and well (two different locations) along with Walnut Canyon - all Indian ruins (cliff houses). Some you can walk in, others are across a canyon or small lake, or up on a hill side. It all depends on the situation at hand and how you want to shoot it. There is a lot of wide angle in here in Aridzona, but telephotos do come in handy.

GlennG · 08-06-2015, 04:30 PM

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Very helpful. I will take the 55-300, and I have a circ. polarizer for it. The standard zoom is the 16-50 with a circ polarizer for it also. I don't have a UWA, regrettably, but do plan to take a tripod, so if 16 is not wide enough, I can maybe stitch or something.

Thanks for sharing the photos. I've been to the Grand Canyon a long time ago, and did go below the rim for an hour or so, then back out. We'll likely do a little more this time. I've been to Biosphere 2 - does anyone know what Biosphere 1 is? I've seen a number of sights and have photos from Tucson already. Lots of dramatic scenery in Arizona, so I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Thanks again, all!

Cheers,

Glenn

**UncleVanya** · 08-06-2015, 06:26 PM

16mm should do a good job for UWA - you can always get crazy and do vertical shots at 50 and stitch those.

08-05-2015, 09:55 PM	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	Originally posted by UncleVanya Honestly I'd be more worried about the wide end than the tele end if you have the Grand Canyon on your trip but I agree with the advice to take the lens - it isn't too heavy and you might need it. Wide-normal all the way :-) There is almost no river to see from the rim at the Grand Canyon. Yavapai lookout at the west end. 300mm. Possible some cropping, too. Casa Grande ruins. 21mm. BioSphere. 48mm. Sabino Canyon. 17mm. Musical Instrument Museum is huge. 17mm. Tombstone. 15mm. Titan missile museum. About 16mm equivalent (was a P&S). Kitt Peak observatory. 15mm. Bright Angel trail at Grand Canyon. 33mm. The little building on the peak about 1/3 the way down the trail is "3-mile" rest area. It's 6 hours to there and back (20 minutes lingering). The green stretch is Cottonwood campground. If you go further you need to go all the way down and stay at Phantom Ranch across the river. Meteor Crater. 11mm fisheye. 300mm. Possibly some cropping. The corner in Winslow Arizona...24mm. Last edited by SpecialK; 08-05-2015 at 10:18 PM.

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08-05-2015, 08:16 PM	#1
GlennG Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 824	Long lens for AZ trip? I will soon be taking a general tour of Arizona seeing sights from Tucson on the south to the Grand Canyon on the north, and places in between. I'll take a standard zoom, but will I need the DA 55-300 for anything? I've read a few of the other threads here on Az photography tips. I'll also check in with the Az Highways magazine for any other suggestions they have. We also plan to take a family photo somewhere, and any tips you have will be welcome. Thanks. Glenn

08-05-2015, 08:35 PM	#2
MadMathMind Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,717	Your #1 accessory will be a polarizer. Remember that you can't shoot a lens you don't have. The DA55-300 isn't too burdensome to carry, so ask yourself this: do you risk missing a few awesome shots (think rafters at the bottom of the canyon, although 300mm won't quite be enough for awesome shots) to drop 3/4s a pound of gear?

08-05-2015, 09:13 PM	#3
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,407	Honestly I'd be more worried about the wide end than the tele end if you have the Grand Canyon on your trip but I agree with the advice to take the lens - it isn't too heavy and you might need it.

08-05-2015, 09:33 PM	#4
chiepapi Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: AZ Posts: 308	+1 for the polarizer. I've always taken my UWA for visits to the Grand Canyon. There are times I wish I brought something longer than my 135 but I didn't really miss much as far as my preference is concerned. When needed, I can settle with cropping since I don't really plan on doing big prints.

08-05-2015, 09:47 PM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,407	Also - please please please go below the rim. If you do you join the 1% club like me. Even if all you do is step a few feet down and come back it is worth it. I also highly recommend the Kaibab trail over the more traveled trails. Kaibab offers better views for photography and if you want a rational day hike you can walk down to Ooo-Ah point and look over the vastness and then hike back up in a few hours total. I'm a prisoner of gravity and I did it. Take plenty of water - don't forget to drink it on the way back. Figure time in times 3 for the time out. Take your widest lens for that view... oh my!

08-06-2015, 04:25 AM	#7
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I did a trip around the Grand Canyon several years ago, shooting with an istD and PZ1 I had a 17-35 on the PZ1 and tell on the istD. Should have taken more than 300 for wildlife

08-06-2015, 06:07 AM	#8
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,407	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge I did a trip around the Grand Canyon several years ago, shooting with an istD and PZ1 I had a 17-35 on the PZ1 and tell on the istD. Should have taken more than 300 for wildlife And tell????? Not sure what you meant here.

08-06-2015, 06:43 AM	#9
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	Yes, I would take it. There are times that you might want to shoot over the foreground, or do panoramas of far off ridge sets (Grand Canyon). There is both the Montezuma's Castle and well (two different locations) along with Walnut Canyon - all Indian ruins (cliff houses). Some you can walk in, others are across a canyon or small lake, or up on a hill side. It all depends on the situation at hand and how you want to shoot it. There is a lot of wide angle in here in Aridzona, but telephotos do come in handy.

08-06-2015, 04:30 PM	#10
GlennG Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 824 Original Poster	Thanks for the replies, everyone. Very helpful. I will take the 55-300, and I have a circ. polarizer for it. The standard zoom is the 16-50 with a circ polarizer for it also. I don't have a UWA, regrettably, but do plan to take a tripod, so if 16 is not wide enough, I can maybe stitch or something. Thanks for sharing the photos. I've been to the Grand Canyon a long time ago, and did go below the rim for an hour or so, then back out. We'll likely do a little more this time. I've been to Biosphere 2 - does anyone know what Biosphere 1 is? I've seen a number of sights and have photos from Tucson already. Lots of dramatic scenery in Arizona, so I'm looking forward to seeing more. Thanks again, all! Cheers, Glenn

08-06-2015, 06:26 PM	#11
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,407	16mm should do a good job for UWA - you can always get crazy and do vertical shots at 50 and stitch those.