Best Lens for Grand Canyon Trip??? My husband and I are heading to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion the end of September on a photographic trip with NatHab. I have 2 Nikon D500 bodies...

Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

My husband and I are heading to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion the end of September on a photographic trip with NatHab. I have 2 Nikon D500 bodies I will be taking. What lenses do you recommend? I normally go on wildlife trips so I'm wondering what would be best for these landscapes. And also hope to get a few wildlife images too! Thanks for you help!

kcooke Loc: Alabama

Not sure what lenses you have but I would at least want to cover
12 to 400 mm with whatever lenses I had.

photostephen

When I travel, I like taking my 28-300 (full frame) plus a 50 f/1.8 lens (for low light).
Pretty much covers everything. Rarely have I missed a shot because I had the wrong lens.

Advantage is a 28-300 is that I have lots of focal lengths without having to change lens. So I can go from Wide Angle to Telephoto with a simple twist of the Zoom.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Terry in Indiana wrote:

My husband and I are heading to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion the end of September on a photographic trip with NatHab. I have 2 Nikon D500 bodies I will be taking. What lenses do you recommend? I normally go on wildlife trips so I'm wondering what would be best for these landscapes. And also hope to get a few wildlife images too! Thanks for you help!

You sound fairly serious about your work. As for landscapes and focal lengths, coverage from 16-150/200 using small ratio zooms or primes should do it. If I were going, I would be taking a full frame Sony and using the in camera HDR and sweep pano modes - so you might think along those lines and multiple exposures from tripod with the D500.
.

knessr

Having been to the Grand Canyon several times - both the North and South Rims, I take a 18mm - 150mm and a 100mm - 400mm. But in all honesty the 18 to 150 is the one I use the most. Most of the Grand Canyon shots are landscape, so a lens with a wide angle works the best. I use the 100 -400 occasionally for wildlife shot and for things that I want to bring up close.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Terry in Indiana wrote:

My husband and I are heading to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion the end of September on a photographic trip with NatHab. I have 2 Nikon D500 bodies I will be taking. What lenses do you recommend? I normally go on wildlife trips so I'm wondering what would be best for these landscapes. And also hope to get a few wildlife images too! Thanks for you help!

It's clear you will need a long lens. But the wider part will depend on whether you desire to capture the grand landscape or concentrate on small details. The former will require perhaps a 14-30mm zoom (or there about) while the latter might let you get buy with a 70-200mm zoom and then the long lens for wildlife. Just keep it simple.

If you take just two lenses you can keep them attached to camera bodies and avoid the sensor dust problem due to changing lenses in the field.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

If you're going to the South Rim, probably the only wild life you will find there is rude tourists. But I did get a lovely elk there once. I always use my 28-300 when there. It gets me what I want.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I bring two cameras, one has a tele, and the other has a wide angle. How wide and how tele depends on the situation. It's good that you have two identical bodies because that makes switching so easy.

Wasn't there a Twilight Zone episode about that - a man with two identical bodies?

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I used my Sigma 10-20 on my D7200 for our Utah canyons tour. Worked great.

srsincary Loc: Cary, NC

Terry in Indiana wrote:

My husband and I are heading to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion the end of September on a photographic trip with NatHab. I have 2 Nikon D500 bodies I will be taking. What lenses do you recommend? I normally go on wildlife trips so I'm wondering what would be best for these landscapes. And also hope to get a few wildlife images too! Thanks for you help!

I like the 16-80mm Nikon DX lens paired with my D7200 or D500 for non-wildlife shooting. E.g. : https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-744719-1.html and https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-744861-1.html

JD750 Loc: SoCal

imagemeister wrote:

You sound fairly serious about your work. As for landscapes and focal lengths, coverage from 16-150/200 using small ratio zooms or primes should do it. If I were going, I would be taking a full frame Sony and using the in camera HDR and sweep pano modes - so you might think along those lines and multiple exposures from tripod with the D500.
.

I wonder how helpful it is when a reader asks for advice on their camera and the reply suggests gear that they don’t have?

Arubalou

On my d7200 the 18-140 has found a home.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

JD750 wrote:

I wonder how helpful it is when a reader asks for advice on their camera and the reply suggests gear that they don’t have?

It can be quite helpful - IF - you keep an OPEN mind .....but I DID give my opinion on what they DID have .......

wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

Since you will be using crop sensor cameras, I would recommend at least 24mm at the wide end and 300mm at the telephoto. In these parks you will have a chance at elk and mule deer.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

kcooke wrote:

Not sure what lenses you have but I would at least want to cover
12 to 400 mm with whatever lenses I had.

Were I going on that trip with minimal gear I would take my 10-18mm, 24-105mm and 100-400mm and would use every one as I have been to all those places several times from when I lived in AZ.
If by car I would add a macro and a fisheye for fun.
Take a good flash as well.