Asking for some advice

**Dma110** · 07-13-2011, 04:25 PM

The wife and I are going to Yosemite N P next week. This will be our first time there, so I don't know what to expect.
I am taking the K-5, K-x, Sigma 10-20, Tamron 28-300, and the 18-135 in case of bad weather.
My question is would the Bigma be useful or simply xtra weight? Will I really need those xtra 200mm?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Dennis

MRRiley · 07-13-2011, 05:02 PM

Yosemite calls out for wide angle, but there could be some situations where the BIGMA would prove useful... climbers on the big walls, wildlife, moon over whatever... I wouldn't leave it at home.

Mike

twitch · 07-13-2011, 05:07 PM

I would leave the Bigma at home, I bet you will hardly use a focal length over 50mm much less over 300mm.

Docrwm · 07-13-2011, 05:36 PM

I used to guide on some National Wild and Scenic Rivers a LONG time ago. Most shots are done with lenses <100mm in my experience in parks and such. However, as Mr Riley said - there will be shots that only a telephoto can possibly capture because of the distances involved and the sweeping vistas. I'd love to take my 10-24 to Yosemite but I'd also pack my 300mm too. I might not hike with all the lenses but I'd have it with me on the trip - but of course I'd take a tripod too for some of those amazing natural beauties!

Have a great time.

**dadipentak** · 07-13-2011, 05:41 PM

There's wildlife: if you want to photograph it, take the Bigma.

SpecialK · 07-13-2011, 05:46 PM

I was just there. Definitely wider (15mm or less) is better, but out to the 70mm range is needed as well. I was a bit underwhelmed by the small quantity of wildlife, so the 150-500 I toted was not used that much but I'm glad I had it. Most of the bison were on the road, so you don't need a telephoto for that :-)

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-13-2011, 08:14 PM

Wide is better for sure.

I shot there last year and I'm no stranger to the place as I used to rock climb there etc. I have my images from the trip on my flickr site here:
Yosemite, California - a set on Flickr

I actually took my DA 55-300 and used it a bit on a tripod at Bridalveil Falls. Didn't much care for the results. Oddly some of the best shots I had was with my DFA 100 macro.

One tip though, depending on your time, is to check the weekly schedule. I did a free morning photographer's workshop with a good photographer in residence from the main Ranger station at Yosemite Village. It was worth getting his perspective on landscape shooting there. Check it out.

Note: some of my images come the Hetch Hetchy Valley - the 'other' Yosemite Valley. It's a long drive from Yosemite Valley but it's worth the drive. Check that out too.

**Dma110** · 07-14-2011, 12:18 AM

Thanks for all the advice. Since this trip is going to be more about scenery than wildlife, I think I will leave the Bigma home. I'll probably regret this as soon as I get there, but I depend on telephoto too much. Not having a big lens may force me to see landscapes better.
Blackcloudbrew, loved your pics. Hope I can come close to what you did.
Again, my thanks to all

Dennis

**BigDave** · 07-15-2011, 07:26 AM

One area that you may want to try shooting is the cliff climbers. From the main road they look like flees on the side of the cliff. A long lens will bring them in some and can add to a nice composition. Bring the bigun, you will find you wanted it, and really, how much weight are we talking about???

vrrattko · 07-15-2011, 01:16 PM

I always take telephoto lens when hiking, but mostly either 50-135 or 105mm prime.....they're sufficient for most of my landscape photography and can compress quite long distances. I think lens over 200mm would require really vast spaces to work...

abmj · 07-15-2011, 09:06 PM

Originally posted by SpecialK

I was just there. ... ... Most of the bison were on the road, so you don't need a telephoto for that :-)

I live a couple of hours from the Park, practically growing up there and in the nearby Sierra National Forest. As others have suggested, wider is better in most cases for Yosemite. I rarely use my longer lenses there unless there are climbers on El Cap. Don't just stay in the Valley. Some of the best shots are to be had along Highway 120 to Tuolumne Meadows and along the Glacier Point road. You can also get some interesting shots among the big trees in Mariposa Grove.

RioRico · 07-17-2011, 12:31 AM

I'm a very few hours north of Yosemite on the Kit Carson Pass road, in similar terrain. I shoot the mountains mostly with a small set of manual primes. My most-used focal lengths are 28-50-16-100 in that order, and I keep a 500/8 mirror for rare extremities. When using AF zooms, the DA18-250 and Tamron 10-24 predominate, but there's always the FA50/1.4 for dim situations.

**Dma110** · 07-20-2011, 08:07 AM

Thanks everybody for your input. I am going to leave the Bigma home this trip and concentrate on exploring the 10-20. Any tele shots I need, the 28-300 and cropping will have to do. Besides the Bigma will get a workout in Sept when we go to Knight inlet in B C to shoot bears.
If I get anything decent in Yosemite, I'll post them.
Thanks again

Dennis

MRRiley · 07-20-2011, 08:27 AM

You mean you're not going to use the 10-20mm on the bears? LOL

Have fun in Yosemite...

Mike

SpecialK · 07-20-2011, 09:46 AM

Oops, I was not just there. That was the previous vacation :-) Still, wide is where it's at at Yosemite (or Yellowstone).

07-13-2011, 04:25 PM	#1
Dma110 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Gilbert Arizona Posts: 559	Asking for some advice The wife and I are going to Yosemite N P next week. This will be our first time there, so I don't know what to expect. I am taking the K-5, K-x, Sigma 10-20, Tamron 28-300, and the 18-135 in case of bad weather. My question is would the Bigma be useful or simply xtra weight? Will I really need those xtra 200mm? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Dennis

07-15-2011, 01:16 PM	#10
vrrattko Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 753	re: I always take telephoto lens when hiking, but mostly either 50-135 or 105mm prime.....they're sufficient for most of my landscape photography and can compress quite long distances. I think lens over 200mm would require really vast spaces to work...

07-15-2011, 09:06 PM	#11
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Originally posted by SpecialK I was just there. ... ... Most of the bison were on the road, so you don't need a telephoto for that :-) I live a couple of hours from the Park, practically growing up there and in the nearby Sierra National Forest. As others have suggested, wider is better in most cases for Yosemite. I rarely use my longer lenses there unless there are climbers on El Cap. Don't just stay in the Valley. Some of the best shots are to be had along Highway 120 to Tuolumne Meadows and along the Glacier Point road. You can also get some interesting shots among the big trees in Mariposa Grove. Last edited by abmj; 07-15-2011 at 09:13 PM.

07-17-2011, 12:31 AM	#12
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	I'm a very few hours north of Yosemite on the Kit Carson Pass road, in similar terrain. I shoot the mountains mostly with a small set of manual primes. My most-used focal lengths are 28-50-16-100 in that order, and I keep a 500/8 mirror for rare extremities. When using AF zooms, the DA18-250 and Tamron 10-24 predominate, but there's always the FA50/1.4 for dim situations. Last edited by RioRico; 07-17-2011 at 12:37 AM.

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07-13-2011, 05:02 PM	#2
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Yosemite calls out for wide angle, but there could be some situations where the BIGMA would prove useful... climbers on the big walls, wildlife, moon over whatever... I wouldn't leave it at home. Mike

07-13-2011, 05:07 PM	#3
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	I would leave the Bigma at home, I bet you will hardly use a focal length over 50mm much less over 300mm.

07-13-2011, 05:36 PM	#4
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	I used to guide on some National Wild and Scenic Rivers a LONG time ago. Most shots are done with lenses <100mm in my experience in parks and such. However, as Mr Riley said - there will be shots that only a telephoto can possibly capture because of the distances involved and the sweeping vistas. I'd love to take my 10-24 to Yosemite but I'd also pack my 300mm too. I might not hike with all the lenses but I'd have it with me on the trip - but of course I'd take a tripod too for some of those amazing natural beauties! Have a great time.

07-13-2011, 05:41 PM	#5
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	There's wildlife: if you want to photograph it, take the Bigma.

07-13-2011, 05:46 PM	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	I was just there. Definitely wider (15mm or less) is better, but out to the 70mm range is needed as well. I was a bit underwhelmed by the small quantity of wildlife, so the 150-500 I toted was not used that much but I'm glad I had it. Most of the bison were on the road, so you don't need a telephoto for that :-)

07-13-2011, 08:14 PM	#7
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	Wide is better for sure. I shot there last year and I'm no stranger to the place as I used to rock climb there etc. I have my images from the trip on my flickr site here: Yosemite, California - a set on Flickr I actually took my DA 55-300 and used it a bit on a tripod at Bridalveil Falls. Didn't much care for the results. Oddly some of the best shots I had was with my DFA 100 macro. One tip though, depending on your time, is to check the weekly schedule. I did a free morning photographer's workshop with a good photographer in residence from the main Ranger station at Yosemite Village. It was worth getting his perspective on landscape shooting there. Check it out. Note: some of my images come the Hetch Hetchy Valley - the 'other' Yosemite Valley. It's a long drive from Yosemite Valley but it's worth the drive. Check that out too.

07-14-2011, 12:18 AM	#8
Dma110 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Gilbert Arizona Posts: 559 Original Poster	Thanks for all the advice. Since this trip is going to be more about scenery than wildlife, I think I will leave the Bigma home. I'll probably regret this as soon as I get there, but I depend on telephoto too much. Not having a big lens may force me to see landscapes better. Blackcloudbrew, loved your pics. Hope I can come close to what you did. Again, my thanks to all Dennis

07-15-2011, 07:26 AM	#9
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	One area that you may want to try shooting is the cliff climbers. From the main road they look like flees on the side of the cliff. A long lens will bring them in some and can add to a nice composition. Bring the bigun, you will find you wanted it, and really, how much weight are we talking about???

07-20-2011, 08:07 AM	#13
Dma110 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Gilbert Arizona Posts: 559 Original Poster	Thanks everybody for your input. I am going to leave the Bigma home this trip and concentrate on exploring the 10-20. Any tele shots I need, the 28-300 and cropping will have to do. Besides the Bigma will get a workout in Sept when we go to Knight inlet in B C to shoot bears. If I get anything decent in Yosemite, I'll post them. Thanks again Dennis

07-20-2011, 08:27 AM	#14
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	You mean you're not going to use the 10-20mm on the bears? LOL Have fun in Yosemite... Mike

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07-20-2011, 09:46 AM	#15
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Oops, I was not just there. That was the previous vacation :-) Still, wide is where it's at at Yosemite (or Yellowstone).