What focal length would you use for a beach with waves?

NotMyFatDog · 12-23-2019, 11:13 PM

I'll be coming back to this beach for Christmas and am wondering what others would use for focal length on a beach. The following photos were done with either the DA 50-200mm kit lens, or a Rokinon 16mm. I found the Rokinon really flattened the image (needs a close subject), and to get the waves I had to zoom in a lot with the 50-200 and lost the beach/curvature of the bay, but maybe this is where I was standing.

Now I also have the 18-55mm kit lens (not WR) and the DA* 300mm. But I'm not sure which to bring/which to leave home?

My notes to myself will be to use the CPL filter on my 50-200mm, and to bring a tripod for sunset. Would the 300mm be a useful lens to bring? I've only used it once so far, while whale watching.

Ideally I'd like to capture the waves in crest/get their length and height, seafoam and spray, and would like to do some timelapse to get some smoothing when I get into the rocky areas.
I've never really shot ocean, so what tips have you?

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Last edited by NotMyFatDog; 12-24-2019 at 12:37 AM.

**i_trax** · 12-24-2019, 12:50 AM

Sigma 17-70 or 31mm on cropped body,
24-75 or 43mm on FF

NotMyFatDog · 12-24-2019, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by i_trax

Sigma 17-70 or 31mm on cropped body,
24-75 or 43mm on FF

Interesting! I was just considering trading in my 18-55 for the Sigma 17-70.

**Madaboutpix** · 12-24-2019, 01:34 AM - **1 Like**

Personally, for APS-C, I would bring a sturdy tripod and the DA55-200, for some initial test shots. But you may well find that you want more reach for wave detail, which is where the DA*300 comes into play. Mounted on a sturdy tripod utilizing the tripod collar, it will also give you superior sharpness and detail. Feel free to experiment with your CPL (if you happen to have one that big), but watch the effect carefully because sometimes less is more, and water tends to look most natural when it does what it normally does, i.e. show reflections.

biz-engineer · 12-24-2019, 01:43 AM - **1 Like**

I always use 50mm FF equ. for beaches with waves so that to give sane as human eye perspective to my photographs. Very nice photos by the way, thanks for sharing.

**BigDave** · 12-24-2019, 03:31 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by NotMyFatDog

Ideally I'd like to capture the waves in crest/get their length and height, seafoam and spray,

To accentuate this, go a bit wider (say about 24-28mm) and shoot from a low angle. DO use a polarizer (to help protect the lens from the spray) and I would put a plastic covering around the camera and lens to protect it from the salt spray. Show is what you get!

nicolpa47 · 12-24-2019, 03:37 AM - **1 Like**

I usually go to a beach with two camera bodies, one fitted with my Tamron 10-24, the other with the Pentax 18-135. As the sun moves closer to the horizon, I replace the Tamron with a Pentax 55-300. I don't use a tripod, preferring to be able to quickly move as angles, clouds, the sun, change. Once the sun has dipped below the horizon, the Tamron often goes back on to the camera in order to maximise cloudscape opportunity.

The longer focal lengths allow for closing in on waves or their crests, and the zooms provide flexibility. I nearly always use cpl filters on all lenses.

Works for me.

**Bruce Clark** · 12-24-2019, 03:55 AM

The last time I visited a beach it was not planned and I only had my K5IIs fitted with a 105mm Sigma Macro. Most unsuitable. Too narrow for for any landscape work and not long enough either for picking out the surfers. So I would certainly prefer a zoom or two for my next visit. 18-55 and 55-200 would be a pretty good range. I would also endorse the idea of two bodies and alleviate the need to swap lenses.

biz-engineer · 12-24-2019, 04:15 AM - **1 Like**

There is no such thing as THE focal length for beaches with waves, as it all depends what kind of compositions the photographer want to make. Without knowing the photographic intent, 50mm is the default choice.

**sergysergy** · 12-24-2019, 06:19 AM

I think a wide angle would be too much. Something around 50mm would be fine and then you can out together some vertical pictures for a panorama if necessary.

**Digitalis** · 12-24-2019, 07:04 AM - **1 Like**

A good fast 50 always does well.

Having a wider [12~35mm range] lens doesn't hurt either

nicolpa47 · 12-24-2019, 07:17 AM - **3 Likes**

A few shots, all on aps-c:-

18mm Pentax 18-135

Cloudscape at Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall

260mm Pentax 55-300

"Waves against the Walls" at Church Cove, Gunwalloe, on The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall

300mm Pentax 55-300

Waves at Porthleven, Cornwall

53mm Pentax 18-135

"Afterglow" - Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives

135mm Pentax 18-135

At Dollar Cove, Gunwalloe

There is no perfect focal length, but the zooms give you great flexibility. Personally I'd always take a long - 300mm - lens to get close to the waves/surfers but it all depends on what you want to shoot, the geography of the beach, and what features provide framing for your images.

Plenty more on my Flickr account.

bertwert · 12-24-2019, 08:16 AM

I quite like the wider-angle one, however that's my taste.

If I were to recommend a focal length for it, it would be 21mm, mainly because the 21 Ltd is such an amazing lens and I use it for near everything!

Closest I could find to a 'beach with waves' right now, I'll see if I can find another later:

nicolpa47 · 12-24-2019, 08:33 AM - **1 Like**

A wide angle beach come coastal shot at Porthleven. Taken with the Tamron 10-24 at 10mm

Porthleven, on The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall - looking along the Loe Bar from the pier at Porthleven with the Bickford -Smith Institute building on the left edge of the frame. There is a plaque in the wall of the Institute building in honour of Guy Gibson VC who led the Dambusters raid during WWII

photoptimist · 12-24-2019, 08:53 AM - **2 Likes**

Every hour of every day at every beach is different -- how big are the waves, where are they breaking, what are they washing into? High tide, low tide, storms, and the shape of the beach all change the scene significantly.

Your vantage also changes the best focal length. If you can walk up to or into the water, then wider angle lenses can provide dramatic images. If you can look down on to the rolling swells (when the light is right), a normal lens or moderate telephoto can capture the inexorable march of the waves. If there's a background landscape, interesting structure or bit of geography, then the framing of that will determine the focal length. If there's a drammatic pattern of clouds, then wider angles can capture that. If there's a dramatic sunrise or sunset, then sometimes a long telephoto can catch the deep red disk of the sun, the march of the swells, and the colors of the backlit clouds.

In short, always bring all your lenses! You'll use everything from 12mm to 600mm.

P.S. For timelapse, you'll want some strong, detailed stationary features (a rocky shore, pier, or shipwreck) to anchor the image. Without something stationary and sharp, a time lapse just looks like a blurry picture.

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12-24-2019, 12:50 AM	#2
i_trax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,621	Sigma 17-70 or 31mm on cropped body, 24-75 or 43mm on FF

12-24-2019, 12:53 AM	#3
NotMyFatDog Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Beautiful British Columbia, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 143 Original Poster	Originally posted by i_trax Sigma 17-70 or 31mm on cropped body, 24-75 or 43mm on FF Interesting! I was just considering trading in my 18-55 for the Sigma 17-70.

12-24-2019, 01:34 AM - 1 Like	#4
Madaboutpix Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North Rhine-Westphalia Posts: 1,440	Personally, for APS-C, I would bring a sturdy tripod and the DA55-200, for some initial test shots. But you may well find that you want more reach for wave detail, which is where the DA*300 comes into play. Mounted on a sturdy tripod utilizing the tripod collar, it will also give you superior sharpness and detail. Feel free to experiment with your CPL (if you happen to have one that big), but watch the effect carefully because sometimes less is more, and water tends to look most natural when it does what it normally does, i.e. show reflections.

12-24-2019, 01:43 AM - 1 Like	#5
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	I always use 50mm FF equ. for beaches with waves so that to give sane as human eye perspective to my photographs. Very nice photos by the way, thanks for sharing.

12-24-2019, 03:31 AM - 1 Like	#6
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	Originally posted by NotMyFatDog Ideally I'd like to capture the waves in crest/get their length and height, seafoam and spray, To accentuate this, go a bit wider (say about 24-28mm) and shoot from a low angle. DO use a polarizer (to help protect the lens from the spray) and I would put a plastic covering around the camera and lens to protect it from the salt spray. Show is what you get!

12-24-2019, 03:37 AM - 1 Like	#7
nicolpa47 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,031	I usually go to a beach with two camera bodies, one fitted with my Tamron 10-24, the other with the Pentax 18-135. As the sun moves closer to the horizon, I replace the Tamron with a Pentax 55-300. I don't use a tripod, preferring to be able to quickly move as angles, clouds, the sun, change. Once the sun has dipped below the horizon, the Tamron often goes back on to the camera in order to maximise cloudscape opportunity. The longer focal lengths allow for closing in on waves or their crests, and the zooms provide flexibility. I nearly always use cpl filters on all lenses. Works for me.

12-24-2019, 03:55 AM	#8
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	The last time I visited a beach it was not planned and I only had my K5IIs fitted with a 105mm Sigma Macro. Most unsuitable. Too narrow for for any landscape work and not long enough either for picking out the surfers. So I would certainly prefer a zoom or two for my next visit. 18-55 and 55-200 would be a pretty good range. I would also endorse the idea of two bodies and alleviate the need to swap lenses.

12-24-2019, 04:15 AM - 1 Like	#9
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	There is no such thing as THE focal length for beaches with waves, as it all depends what kind of compositions the photographer want to make. Without knowing the photographic intent, 50mm is the default choice.

12-24-2019, 06:19 AM	#10
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,170	I think a wide angle would be too much. Something around 50mm would be fine and then you can out together some vertical pictures for a panorama if necessary.

12-24-2019, 07:04 AM - 1 Like	#11
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	A good fast 50 always does well. Having a wider [12~35mm range] lens doesn't hurt either

12-24-2019, 07:17 AM - 3 Likes	#12
nicolpa47 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,031	A few shots, all on aps-c:- 18mm Pentax 18-135 Cloudscape at Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall 260mm Pentax 55-300 "Waves against the Walls" at Church Cove, Gunwalloe, on The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall 300mm Pentax 55-300 Waves at Porthleven, Cornwall 53mm Pentax 18-135 "Afterglow" - Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives 135mm Pentax 18-135 At Dollar Cove, Gunwalloe There is no perfect focal length, but the zooms give you great flexibility. Personally I'd always take a long - 300mm - lens to get close to the waves/surfers but it all depends on what you want to shoot, the geography of the beach, and what features provide framing for your images. Plenty more on my Flickr account.

12-24-2019, 08:16 AM	#13
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,173	I quite like the wider-angle one, however that's my taste. If I were to recommend a focal length for it, it would be 21mm, mainly because the 21 Ltd is such an amazing lens and I use it for near everything! Closest I could find to a 'beach with waves' right now, I'll see if I can find another later:

12-24-2019, 08:33 AM - 1 Like	#14
nicolpa47 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,031	A wide angle beach come coastal shot at Porthleven. Taken with the Tamron 10-24 at 10mm Porthleven, on The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall - looking along the Loe Bar from the pier at Porthleven with the Bickford -Smith Institute building on the left edge of the frame. There is a plaque in the wall of the Institute building in honour of Guy Gibson VC who led the Dambusters raid during WWII

12-24-2019, 08:53 AM - 2 Likes	#15
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,125	Every hour of every day at every beach is different -- how big are the waves, where are they breaking, what are they washing into? High tide, low tide, storms, and the shape of the beach all change the scene significantly. Your vantage also changes the best focal length. If you can walk up to or into the water, then wider angle lenses can provide dramatic images. If you can look down on to the rolling swells (when the light is right), a normal lens or moderate telephoto can capture the inexorable march of the waves. If there's a background landscape, interesting structure or bit of geography, then the framing of that will determine the focal length. If there's a drammatic pattern of clouds, then wider angles can capture that. If there's a dramatic sunrise or sunset, then sometimes a long telephoto can catch the deep red disk of the sun, the march of the swells, and the colors of the backlit clouds. In short, always bring all your lenses! You'll use everything from 12mm to 600mm. P.S. For timelapse, you'll want some strong, detailed stationary features (a rocky shore, pier, or shipwreck) to anchor the image. Without something stationary and sharp, a time lapse just looks like a blurry picture.