Traveling to Yosemite near end of May - Best Lens?
May 9, 2021 14:53:02 #
worldcycle
Loc: Stateline, Nevada
Most of your shots will be wide angle to take in the grandure. That being said, your 24-70, If you are driving and want to see Sequoias without the crowds, hassles, parking etc..... Go to Calaveras Big Trees California State Park. 21 miles up Highway 4 from Angels Camp. Well worth the detour. Much better than Yosemite. While you are at it, check out the town of Murphys. If 4 is open over Ebbetts Pass it is another worthwhile detour.
Personally I just returned home to Lake Tahoe from a 5 week Arizona trip. 12 National Parks/Monuments and 9 state parks. Took a D5M3 and D5M4. A 8mm fisheye, 16-55, 24-105, Nifty 50, 70-200, 70-300 and a 100 macro. Also a Canon G5X pocket camera. Used every single thing I took and was glad I had it with me.
Personally I just returned home to Lake Tahoe from a 5 week Arizona trip. 12 National Parks/Monuments and 9 state parks. Took a D5M3 and D5M4. A 8mm fisheye, 16-55, 24-105, Nifty 50, 70-200, 70-300 and a 100 macro. Also a Canon G5X pocket camera. Used every single thing I took and was glad I had it with me.
May 9, 2021 15:20:57 #
May 9, 2021 17:33:56 #
With all due respect, why are you limiting yourself to a single lens? Yosemite is one of the most photogenic places in the world, with pictures waiting be taken all around you all the time everywhere. If I were you I would take both the 24-70, the 70-200 and rent an 11-24.
Honestly, the bulk of my pictures were taken with an ultrawide, second with wide (~24mm) and the least with any kind of telephoto. I would definitely recommend the 24-70, which will give you the opportunity to at least get a reasonable image in the most situations. Leave the prime at home in any case, unless you plan to do portraits in the forest setting.
Honestly, the bulk of my pictures were taken with an ultrawide, second with wide (~24mm) and the least with any kind of telephoto. I would definitely recommend the 24-70, which will give you the opportunity to at least get a reasonable image in the most situations. Leave the prime at home in any case, unless you plan to do portraits in the forest setting.
May 9, 2021 18:34:47 #
I agree. My bag easily accommodates a 10-20mm, a 35mm prime and an 18-200mm.
May 9, 2021 20:54:18 #
kymarto wrote:
With all due respect, why are you limiting yoursel... (show quote)
You've done some magnificent, incredible shooting
May 10, 2021 12:42:10 #
I can not even imagine going to Yosemite with only 1 camera, much less 1 lens. Are you only going for a very short time? If going for a single outing, where weight is critical, I might try to trek with a light body and my Nikon 24-120f4 G. I'm not sure what Canon might have that is close to that.
May 10, 2021 12:46:39 #
kymarto wrote:
With all due respect, why are you limiting yoursel... (show quote)
Outstanding set of the Park!
May 10, 2021 14:15:53 #
RichieC
Loc: Adirondacks
I would take my Milvus 21 Prime if only one lens. I don't like the compressed distances of telephotos in landscapes. Wide angle lenses, when properly composed , can give the impression you are looking out a window, like you could stick your head into the frame and look around... like you are really there. But you do need to understand the lens, and sometimes get on your belly, etc.. My two cents for what it is worth.
Mariposa Grove. There is a tram/tour, it isn't a super cheap ride, but it will take you up to the cabin. You could opt to then walk back down- down is easier :) But you can take your time. I have done it both ways.
Remember you will be at a high elevation there, and the air is bone dry. The dirt is powder fine and will stick to sweaty legs- my brother lives near there, was married at the Ahwahnee lodge in fact, with half dome to their side and glacier point directly behind - he says they call it moon dust. Bring lots of water and drink often, the air sucks moisture out of you, leaving nasal passages painfully dry and you dehydrated. And it will get cold when the sun dips!
Anyways, the climb will tire you out, and frankly, unless you are spending a week in the valley and grove, you won't be able to see it all- but will really want to see as much as you can- the entire park is simply unbelievably beautiful at every turn... so I imagine moving along will be important.
Get to glacier point for the sunset! It gets crowded.
Mariposa Grove. There is a tram/tour, it isn't a super cheap ride, but it will take you up to the cabin. You could opt to then walk back down- down is easier :) But you can take your time. I have done it both ways.
Remember you will be at a high elevation there, and the air is bone dry. The dirt is powder fine and will stick to sweaty legs- my brother lives near there, was married at the Ahwahnee lodge in fact, with half dome to their side and glacier point directly behind - he says they call it moon dust. Bring lots of water and drink often, the air sucks moisture out of you, leaving nasal passages painfully dry and you dehydrated. And it will get cold when the sun dips!
Anyways, the climb will tire you out, and frankly, unless you are spending a week in the valley and grove, you won't be able to see it all- but will really want to see as much as you can- the entire park is simply unbelievably beautiful at every turn... so I imagine moving along will be important.
Get to glacier point for the sunset! It gets crowded.
May 10, 2021 16:19:42 #
I live in No. California and knw Yosemite well. As a result of covid, park access is limited to those with reservations, and I think parking will not be a problem. I always have a small bottle of mosquito repellant but have never used it. Mosquitoes need pools of standing water to breed, and most Yosemite water is running, except for a few small melted snow pools (not now). If only one lens I would use the 24-70. There is a good inexpensive paperback guide by Michael Frye to 'Photographing Yosemite ' that was sold in the gift shops. It is extremely helpful.
There was a huge storm earlier this year that hit the Mariposa grove and knocked down many trees, damaging the recently rebuilt walkways, trails, and parking areas. It is now a very long 2+ mile hike each way from the new parking area to the grove. The very large redwoods are intact. I am told that the hike itself is easy, but long. There was an article in my local paper today that Yosemite administration is reconsidering operation of the local bus within the valley(you will still have to hike to the Sequoia grove).
There was a huge storm earlier this year that hit the Mariposa grove and knocked down many trees, damaging the recently rebuilt walkways, trails, and parking areas. It is now a very long 2+ mile hike each way from the new parking area to the grove. The very large redwoods are intact. I am told that the hike itself is easy, but long. There was an article in my local paper today that Yosemite administration is reconsidering operation of the local bus within the valley(you will still have to hike to the Sequoia grove).
May 10, 2021 19:07:38 #
lightyear wrote:
I live in No. California and knw Yosemite well. A... (show quote)
People are loving these National Parks to death. In the 70's there were few people in the parks. Those were the days.
May 11, 2021 09:20:14 #
toast wrote:
Our family is traveling to Yosemite National Park ... (show quote)
We were in Yosemite last week. It was my first time at Yosemite. The photos I've seen are awe-inspiring. The reality is much more that awe-inspiring! I used my 24-70mm 90% of the time. No problems with mosquitos (at least last week we didn't see any). It was busy, but not overly crowded. Parking spots were occasionally full, but we always found a spot nearby where we wanted to stop. The hike from the parking lot to Mariposa Grove is 1.9 miles each way. It's not very difficult, but it's in the forest and some elevation change. Be sure to take water with you. Keep in mind that once you hike to the grove (parking lot where the shuttle previously went to), then you begin your walk through the grove which can easily take several hours...or a quick pass through in 30-45 minutes. The Tioga road was still closed last week for snow removal, but I would think it will be open soon (perhaps this week). Yosemite is an amazing place! Enjoy the experience!
May 11, 2021 09:55:41 #
kymarto wrote:
With all due respect, why are you limiting yoursel... (show quote)
Love your shots. I agree take more than one lens. My shot here of the tunnel view was shot with a Sony A7RIV and Sigma Art 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN lens, but I made other shots with my Sony 135mm f1.8 GM lens, and my Sony 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 lens, and had my Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 along also.
Due to time constraints and having an urgent appointment in San Francisco, I only had one hour in Yosemite, (really, I know very sad).
May 11, 2021 14:37:01 #
Ed Chu
Loc: Las Vegas NV
quixdraw wrote:
If you are 62 or older, buy the Senior Pass - good for a lifetime and you can bring your vehicle's occupants into National Parks for free.
If you are disabled, NPS Pass is free
May 11, 2021 15:20:02 #
Blaster34 wrote:
Do you already have your park entrance reservations toast? NPS is using CA county guidelines and will require a day use reservation unless you are staying on site, If not, better hurry....Cheers, have a great trip.
After 21 May you will need a day-use pass reservation to get in unless you have reservations at one of the facilities there. They go really fast.
A wide angle is really required for the views, but you can get some very nice photos with a telephoto. If you are taking only one lens, make it wide-angle.
No worry about bugs, and don't expect the waterfalls to be really majestic, with the serious drought in CA.
May 12, 2021 05:53:52 #
With only a single lens, I would opt for the 24-70mm. But I suspect there will be times you would want the longer reach. If I could walk better, I'd volunteer to tag along and carry the 70-200mm lens for you. Hope you have a spectacular trip.
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