Skopperl Loc: Coral Springs FL

Hi All,
I'm going to Yellowstone for the first time this summer. Since I understand the best way to see things is driving and walking, I don't want to carry too much equipment. I shoot mostly with my Nikon d7100. I also sometimes carry a Nikon D5300. If you were to put one go to lens for the trip would you use, the 12MM-24mm, the 28MM-300MM, the 18mm-200MM( VR1) or the 17MM-55M. I'd rather no be changing the lens much. Would you bring both cameras and if so, which lens would you put on each. My thoughts are the 17MM-55MM on the D 7100 and the 28MM-300M on the other. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

It all depends on what you want for a finished product. If your just looking for some FB memories then 1 body with the 28-300 would cover it. If you're looking for some dynamic shots you can print and sell then 2 bodies and all lenses and an alarm clock to get you up before sunrise. It all depends on what you want and what you're willing to settle for.

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

At a minimum, I'd bring both of those lenses. Personally, since the scenery is so spectacular, I think I'd bring everything I own.

Skopperl Loc: Coral Springs FL

Thanks, all good except the alarm clock!!!!!! I want to print and keep.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I'd bring it all.
Carry in the trunk.
Pull out what you need. When you need it.
I'd also bring the binoculars.
Have a great trip and post images!!!
Pat

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I would put the widest lens on one camera for the vistas and the longest lens on the other camera for the wildlife. I would also bring a tripod. Make sure you have a car with a trunk where gear you are not carrying can be locked out of sight.

Bring patience! When animals show themselves, there will be a traffic jam of city proportions. You'll see more $20,000 camera/lens combos come out than you thought could exist. The owners of those cameras line the road! Even their tripods are amazing! One had a camera storage locker built into the back of her Suburban and brought an assistant/boyfriend/husband to lug the heavy gear! Sometimes it is more interesting to watch the photographers and their gear! One year I camped next to a film crew working for National Geographic that had a half million dollars worth of gear!

You will also need patience to keep from getting frustrated by the amazing number of smartphone owners taking selfies in the places you want to stand for your shot.

More patience may be required when you see the tourists crowd the wildlife. The Park does everything they can to keep people from approaching the animals. But, way to many tourists don't read, listen or pay attention.

My best recent experience was pulling into an empty "pullout" parking area with a single bull elk in the distance. Our plan was to have dinner there with some friends. Over the next few hours, the bull elk's herd came out of the woods to join him. The "parade" and light were rewarding. I would have seen none of it if we had been driving from spot to spot.

Don't get me wrong! I love Yellowstone and try to go every year. It may be that the trick is to try hard to not drive around to all the famous places and instead look for the lonely spots. It is well known that the vast majority of tourists stay withing a hundred yards of the road. Read up on bears and bear spray. Then, get off the road by at least 10 minute walk. (Bear spray is expensive if you buy it in the Park).

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Your 2 camera/lens choice is all around excellent coverage.

Fred Harwood Loc: Sheffield, Mass.

I bring it all. Otherwise, your two choices sound best.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Skopperl if you driving from home I would take it all. I always do. My wife and I were there in November over the holiday. I had three bodies and glass from 10-600mm and redundant. One day I shot only with 16-28 on FF. My wife mostly used 15-85 on crop. Used long glass for super moon and some big game but also had some get very close.

J. R.

Mundj Loc: Richmond TX

You may want to send a Note to MTshooter. He has a camera store in Billings. He is a good source of information about Yellowstone and also has a good equipment rental business.

I also agree with the comment about seeing so much really expensive equipment in one place.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

YES.

wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

You'll need at least the 300mm reach and the 17-55 for landscapes. Depending upon the time of your visit in the summer, the bull elk will not have antlers or they will not have fully developed. Of course, this is of no consequence since the wolves have eaten all of the elk.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The 28-300mm is always on my D750. It's an FX lens, so it's like a 42-300mm on your DX bodies. I'd bring the 18-200mm. When I went, I brought a compact. I wasn't interested in animals 300 yards away. My interest was in the thermal features, so I didn't want an extreme zoom. You're going to be close to the thermals, so a W/A would be better. My compact camera could do in-camera panoramas, and that came in handy. Most cell phones can also shoot panos.

I look forward to your posted images.

EDIT: I was with a group, and we kept moving, so standing still to change setting and adjust the shooting angle indefinitely wasn't an option. Even if you're on your own, there will be lots of people there, and you don't want to be an obstruction.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

I agree with most posters, Skopperl. Bring them all. After all you did purchase them each with specifics in mind, didn't you. There is so much to Yellowstone. Don't take the chance of not having the right lens at the right time. But - having said that - if it is to be only one lens, then I would select the 28-300 for the one camera.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

You might want to plan on doing more walking the you have ever done before. We attended a Canon workshop there in 2015 and averaged about 8.5 miles a day. Those miles were logged only from the parking lots to the shooting subjects. "Old Faithful" by itself (and it really isn't the only attraction at that stop) could present 5-7 miles. The Canyon is a day's walking at least. The park is so vast that something in sight that appears to be "near by" can actually be a mile or two from you. Drinking water and wide-brimmed hats are very valuable commodities in Yellowstone. Bus tours can eliminate your own driving, but you will then ride instead of drive. There are pros and cons for the bus tours. In fall of 2015 cell phone service was limited to the lake area only, this might be going through a change today. The park rangers are your best friends. Listen to what they tell you, they are the park's information service. If all of a sudden you see ranger vehicles all start to converge on one area you will know a bear has been spotted. Bear sightings are BIG news and command lots of attention. Bear spray is available (get it before you arrive at the park) as is information about bears. Learn as much as possible about bears. Do not try to pet the bison. If it didn't happen frequently I would not mention it. The rangers have very little tolerance with bad conduct around the beasts. They are big, dirty, smelly, and usually carry their own armadas of flies on them. They also love to destroy the sheet metal on the ranger's cruisers, and most cruisers show their battle scars prominently. Bison jams are very frequent, they seem to think they own the roads. 25, 35, and 45 MPH are the speed limits on the bison-paths. Rarely will you be able to exceed them. This could be the trip of a life time for you, hope you enjoy it. Don't try to do too much, rest is critical in a place that big. Ration your time wisely.