Two lenses: which gets the best picture quality? 1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM 2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM RMNP trip next week. Seven days. Canon T31. I will be...

illininitt

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

MtnMan Loc: ID

illininitt wrote:

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

The Canon lens is likely to make sharper images because of the lower zoom range.

CP is often useful for Landscape images...particularly with water and the blue skies you will get in RMNP. Be sure to rotate the CP each time you point or rotate the camera and use the darkest setting.

You won't want the CP for wildlife shots because you want high shutter speed.

Lens hoods are good for several reasons but can make working the CP awkward. The one for the 10-18 should be petal shaped and thus easier to use with CP.

Use the camera mode you are most comfortable with. I mostly use aperture mode in the National Parks.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

"Lanscape" isn't really a shooting mode. For mostly landscape photography on this RMNP trip, I would suggest using either Auto, Program or Aperture mode. With Aperture mode, you specify the aperture and the ISO for best depth of field while letting the camera select the shutter speed. In order to better understand how Aperture (and all other modes) work I strongly suggest buying a copy of Bryan Peterson's excellent paperback book, "Understanding Exposure" ASAP and start reading it avidly before (and during) the trip. It will become your bible. /Ralph

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Lens hoods will minimize flare in the bright Colorado sun. A circular polarizer can be a great help to darken the sky and bring 'pop' to colors and scenes which include a water feature. Your lens hood should allow you to use the polarizer and the hood together, but it may not - test that as soon as possible so you know in advance if that works. The park is supremely beautiful, but is often crowded from Spring thru Fall. Best time in my opinion is Fall, but Spring/early Summer should be okay. Have a great trip. /Ralph, UofColorado grad

Leitz Loc: Solms

illininitt wrote:

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

The Canon will be better at 10mm, the Sigma will be better at 250mm.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

10-18 would be my choice.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

illininitt wrote:

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

Judge for yourself:

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/874-canon_1018_4556is?start=1

http://www.photozone.de/reviews/321-sigma-af-18-200mm-f35-63-dc-os-canon-test-report--review?start=1

I rarely use a very wide lens for landscape. On a full frame camera, my go to focal length is 45 mm or longer.

I just did this yesterday - 5 frame pano, 62mm focal length.

To answer your question, I would take the Canon over the Sigma hands down. I have yet to see a superzoom that fulfills the promise of good image quality across the focal length range.

(Download)

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

illininitt wrote:

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

I am not sure what RMNP stands for and I believe CP stands for polarizer, but I'm not sure of that either. Anyway, IMO, leave the sigma at home and take the Canon. But, on the other hand, IMO, the Sigma gives you much more reach that the Canon. And I don't shoot in Program or Landscape. I shoot in Aperture Priority 99% of the time. If I knew what RMNP stood for maybe I could be more help.

FotoPhreak Loc: Whittier, CA

RMNP probably is Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

Plieku69 Loc: The Gopher State, south end

I would take the Sigma. Better range, you want that and image quality is as good as that Canon, or better. I have three Sigma's so I know my opinion is not biased. :)
I was in RMNP last year and the telephoto will be appreciated a lot. Wanted to go again this year but got snowed out. Maybe next year.
Ken

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

The wide angle lens will be great for the grand views, and the polarizer will be very useful for that. The telephoto will be useful for the photos of the elk, chipmunks, etc.!

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

illininitt wrote:

1- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
2-Sigma 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 MACRO HSM

RMNP trip next week. Seven days.
Canon T31. I will be shooting mostly landscapes. Is it best to leave camera in Program or landscape most of the time? I have never used a lens hood....but have bought one for each lens. Have a CP for each lens...are they a must to use or not?

Take them both. The Canon will probably give sharper images in its range but a week in the Rockies could easily beg the use of the Sigma's reach. IMO. Don't use Landscape mode use manual mode and spot metering and make the appropriate camera settings.

ozdude Loc: Brisbane Australia

Have not used the Canon but I did own the Sigma. Outstanding lens and I found it super sharp

wteffey Loc: Ocala, FL USA

I have the same Sigma lens for my Pentax and it actually does quite well when stopped down. F8 if possible. Manual is OK if you are comfortable with it because you have lots of time to check your results. Afterwards set the camera on automatic in case you see a good opportunity and do not have time for manual adjustments. You can go back to manual when you find a good landscape, but take one in auto first to have a backup. If you use spot metering for landscapes be careful you do not center on a small portion either too bright or too dim for good overall exposure. I personally do not recommend it for landscapes. Take a tripod for landscapes. Use PP to eliminate pesky tourists.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

wteffey wrote:

I have the same Sigma lens for my Pentax and it ac... (show quote)

All good advice :) For sure using a tripod or some means to get clear long exposurs on the landscapes. And yes I do use auto for the same reason you mentioned. maybe I use spot too much, it is probably a habit from hand held light meter days. ;)