Lenses needed while hiking in Yellowstone: My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My...

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My question is will I need that lens as we hike around the park or is my 16-80 mm lens sufficient (along with bear spray of course!!). I would rather not hike around with the big lens but I will if those that have been there before think it will be advantageous to have. Thanks for any insight!!

tomcat

Revet wrote:

My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My question is will I need that lens as we hike around the park or is my 16-80 mm lens sufficient (along with bear spray of course!!). I would rather not hike around with the big lens but I will if those that have been there before think it will be advantageous to have. Thanks for any insight!!

I'm curious to know what brand of lens is that 16-80mm? It's a combo I've not seen before, but sounds perfect for a walking around lens. Thanks

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Have you considered renting? You do not want to be hauling around your mothah lens when hiking but renting a more portable / comfortable lens might be a good idea, like the Tamron 18-400 that’s getting such good reviews. Wildlife is everywhere, sometime quite close, sometimes not. In addition, the landscape is fabulous. Yellowstone is magical, don’t get so bogged down with the equipment that you miss the show. I envy your trip.

Bird Dawg Loc: Georgia

I may run into you next week... I’ll be carrying my Fujifilm X-T2 with 18-135 or 55-200. We are excited about our first trip to YS & GT. Enjoy!

grandpaw

My wife and I went there in May and other than the Bison most animals were at a pretty good distance away from us. Grandpaw

JayemCO Loc: Colorado @ 9000 feet

Revet wrote:

My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My question is will I need that lens as we hike around the park or is my 16-80 mm lens sufficient (along with bear spray of course!!). I would rather not hike around with the big lens but I will if those that have been there before think it will be advantageous to have. Thanks for any insight!!

Trust me you don't want a close up picture of a Grizzly Bear through an 80mm lens.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Revet wrote:

My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My question is will I need that lens as we hike around the park or is my 16-80 mm lens sufficient (along with bear spray of course!!). I would rather not hike around with the big lens but I will if those that have been there before think it will be advantageous to have. Thanks for any insight!!

Your 16-80mm Nikon will leave you wanting more lens while hiking for sure. Since your camera is DX I would suggest Nikons 18-300mm, or Sigmas 18-300mm, or either of Tamrons long zooms, the 16-300mm or their newest 18-400mm. The 150-600 is just too much lens to be hiking around with but is perfect for shooting from the road.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

tomcat wrote:

I'm curious to know what brand of lens is that 16-80mm? It's a combo I've not seen before, but sounds perfect for a walking around lens. Thanks

The Nikon 16-80mm F2.8-4 DX VR lens was designed as a kit lens for their D500 camera. It gives the D500 user the same field of view capability as the 24-120mm F4 VR Nano full frame lens gives the full frame camera user.

tomcat

MT Shooter wrote:

The Nikon 16-80mm F2.8-4 DX VR lens was designed as a kit lens for their D500 camera. It gives the D500 user the same field of view capability as the 24-120mm F4 VR Nano full frame lens gives the full frame camera user.

Thanks. When I bought my D500, I only took it as a body-only. But I wish now I had included that lens. I have a 10-24mm, which is great for grandkids at the park and the 24-85mm for a walking around lens. These 2 do very well for me, but 1 lens is easier to carry than 2.

grandpaw

I have heard the statement that you will always want a longer lens than what you have so take the longest lens you can manage to carry. I would have the 150-600mm with you in the car regardless whether you take it on your hikes or not. I used my 150-600mm most of the time on my Nikon D500 and several times wished it was longer while in Yellowstone.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

The Tamron 18-400 on a D7100 was quite pleasing in Oct for my wife. I have a backpack and carry a camera with a 24-70 on it and I'll carry the other camera on a shoulder strap with a 150-600 and switch back and forth as appropriate. Wooded or longer hikes I ditch the 150-600 for a 70-200 or 200-500.

Dossile

Taking a panoramic of a Bison herd is a real possibility in the Lamar Valley, as well as shots too close for a 150-600. Many of my shots there have been from my car with a Nikkor 200-500, but many have been with a 80-200 and a 24 mm prime. For hiking, I use a 28-300 or, sometimes, heaven forbid, nothing. It is a beautiful place at my favorite time of year in Yellowstone. Have fun.

Drip Dry McFleye

I have been to Yellowstone 3 times as well as 36 other national parks. 16-80mm is woefully inadequate for wildlife in Yellowstone. I had 300mm and would consider that the absolute bare minimum. But a 150-600 is going to get really heavy and bulky on hikes. Wife and I do a lot of hiking. We are age 72. I highly recommend the Cotton Carrier Vest for hiking. It keeps the camera safe and prevents the whole works from swinging around, transfers the weight to your shoulders while leaving both hands free to save yourself if you slip or need to grab on to trees, etc. for balance. Absolutely love mine. If the 600 zoom is what you have and budget is a consideration then take what you have and hike with it. If $ is not a major issue there is the 300 PF w/1.4 TC. I have an 80-400 now a days that I have lugged around all day for days at a time. I bought it because it only weighs a few more ounces than my 70-200 2.8.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Your 16-80 should cover most of your shots. The 150-600 will be invaluable if you encounter wildlife.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Revet wrote:

My wife and I are off to Yellowstone next week. I plan on doing some wildlife photography up in Lamar Valley with my 150-600 mm lens. My question is will I need that lens as we hike around the park or is my 16-80 mm lens sufficient (along with bear spray of course!!). I would rather not hike around with the big lens but I will if those that have been there before think it will be advantageous to have. Thanks for any insight!!

I would take the 150-600 mm lens so you can get "close ups" of the animals. You could use a monopod or even a tripod. If you don't want to carry that, check out the Cotton Carrier web site. They have a device which attaches to their vest that's used like a tripod.