Going to North Rim, what lenses should I bring: I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit...

jmarazzi Loc: Moving around to stay out of the HEAT

I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit lenses, plus the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I thought I'd rent a better quality wide-angle lens - but which one?
Thanks

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

jmarazzi wrote:

I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit lenses, plus the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I thought I'd rent a better quality wide-angle lens - but which one?
Thanks

Those all seem to cover quite a focal range....from 18mm to 270....what else do you need?

jmarazzi Loc: Moving around to stay out of the HEAT

I was thinking maybe something like a 10-25mm? Not sure if that's the right one. I use the Tamron as my walk-around lens, but I don't think it's the sharpest lens - maybe I just haven't found that "sweet spot" that many here talk about.
I clearly need to make myself go out and do some exercises with each lens - test them at all the different f/stop shutter speed combos.
Could definitely help my photography, and then I wouldn't be here, looking for a different lens - lol
thanks

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

jmarazzi wrote:

I was thinking maybe something like a 10-25mm? No... (show quote)

It sounds like you need to practice with a lens or two. I wouldn't test them...I'd shoot them...real shots....landscapes...sunsets....everything..pretend you are already at the Grand Canyon.

Make sure you are using a low ISO and a high shutter speed; at least 1/250 on that Tamron. I'd even go as high as 1/1000 if I could.

THEN you'd see if you are just having shake issues or if your lens isn't what it could be.

I know that frequently, my focus issues are me...not my lenses.

jmarazzi Loc: Moving around to stay out of the HEAT

Yep - I know what you mean....

So tomorrow - I shoot!

thanks for the encouragement

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

If you need any others, check into renting. Have fun and enjoy.

GC likes NIKON Loc: East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Shoot the Tamron out at 270mm with a tripod so your images are tacks sharp !!!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Actually, your 18-270mm should cover you pretty good. I have the Nikkor 28-300mm and the Tamron 10-24mm and was switching between them quite a bit at Grand Canyon, Bryce and Monument Valley. I noticed that when I used the wide angle, I used it quite often in the 20+mm focal length.

marvin Klein Loc: upstate NY

Best time for shooting early morning and late late afternoon,
You almost can't shoot a bad photo at those time of the days and sunrise an sunset.

jadeast Loc: Virginia

jmarazzi wrote:

I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit lenses, plus the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I thought I'd rent a better quality wide-angle lens - but which one?
Thanks

Rather than another lens, bring along a haze filter, seems to be more of an issue on the north rim shooting south.

ephraim Imperio

jmarazzi wrote:

I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit lenses, plus the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I thought I'd rent a better quality wide-angle lens - but which one?
Thanks

Rent the NIkon 14-24 f2.8 nano crystal coated AFS lens. The best ultra wide zoom lens in the market.

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

jmarazzi wrote:

I'm going to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for 3 days and think I need another lens. I have a Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm & 55-200mm kit lenses, plus the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I thought I'd rent a better quality wide-angle lens - but which one?
Thanks

One of the most striking features of the Grand Canyon is its great expanse; you will need the widest lens you can get your hands on. During my visit last year I took a prime Nikon 14mm, f/2.8 lens and even then I felt I wanted wider shots. The inherent depth-of-field characteristics of a short focal length lens will allow you to photograph the magnificent panoramic view while including foreground objectstrees, rocks, guard rails, etcto enhance the depth perception. At f/22, my 14mm lens produces an acceptable focusing range from 0.75ft to infinity. Telephoto lenses didnt seem to have much use during my trip, either while standing at the rim or down at river level.

The most dramatic shots are produced during the early day or late afternoon hours when colors and shadows are most pronounced. A tripod is essential in order to capture the greatest DOF with a stopped down lens and longer exposure times.

Have fun and bring back some of your pictures.

billwassmann Loc: Emerson, NJ

Do you expect to make normal size prints(8x10, 11x14) or fill up a wall? Don't expect everything in the shot to be tack sharp. The human eye doesn't do that, it simply refocuses quickly.
I think using a wide angle at the GC is the wrong way to go; you'll get pretty much the same shots as everyone else. Use the longer lengths to pick out unique bits. And use a tripod, or a least a monopod. Every lens has an optimum point, usually a couple stops down so use that.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Use the lenses that you have. If you need want a very wide panorama, take several shots and stitch them together.

sontog Loc: S. California

Looks to me like you have the lenses covered. Make sure you take a tripod of you want the sharp pictures.