davidp

I'm going to the Grand Canyon next month. My camera is the Sony RX10 IV. Are there any recommendations that I may not be aware of i.e. filters, tripod, etc? You know how it is you go some place you've never been and start taking pictures and you wish you brought something that you didn't think of or you wish you think of something that you wish you did after you leave. I'm staying at the south rime any hotel recommendations?
Thanks!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

In the photo gallery are some pictures I captured in Dec 2017, you can find them from clicking my name and then my topic posts. I stayed at the Bright Angel Lodge in a dorm-style room. It was a nice queen bed and sink in the room, but shared toilets & showers down the hall. I've stayed in a cabin there too, but that was 20+ years ago. Bring a tripod if you want to shoot at sunrise and / or sunset.

nhastings Loc: Telluride, CO

Anywhere in the Southwest I believe you should have a circular polarizer filter. Regarding hotels, depends on your taste and budget. Plenty of rooms this time of year at the Grand Canyon. Stay in the South Rim. Do not stay in Williams a good hour from the canyon. Be prepared to be up early for the sunrise as it can be spectacular. Same with sunset. If you are lucky, it will snow. Nothing more beautiful than the Grand Canyon with snow and good light.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

David,
The El Tovar Lodge is a hotel on the south rim. You may get better rates just outside the canyon in Tusayan, Az. Just google hotels in The Grand Canyon and hotels in Tusayan, Az. The distance is about 5-6 miles.

A tripod is always a good thing to have. It's always a bit crowded, but I've never had a problem with a large tripod and a 4x5. A UV filter is always a good choice to have on the lens, for about 99% of what you shoot. A polarizer is also good, but not with wide angle lenses.
--Bob

Curve_in Loc: Virginia

Extra battery because it will be cold. We went in May and it snowed at the south rim. You will have some very dark skies, so you may want a tripod for some night sky pictures. I took a ton of pictures during the day, but sun rise and sunset were the best. Here is a link to my post from the visit:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-460053-1.html

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Tripod, polarizer and lens hood. If you have the ability to hang a ND Grad on your Sony, do that.

davidp

I've never used a ND GRAD before. So you think it is worth the $. Any brand recommendations?

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

we stayed at Bright angel Lodge also a year ago in Sept.
The beauty of staying inside is you can walk out at sunrise and be there...
the rim is right outside the cabins.

there is a shuttle system also to bring you to numerous points up the canyon.

(Download)

jhowman

Hi There, I just bought the same camera for Grand Canyon pictures, but haven’t taken it out of the box yet! Please share images when you do.

We have a home in Prescott AZ that we rent through VRBO/AirBnB. I hope you decide to visit Prescott. It’s a wonderful town, lot’s of fun, music, photos to take and things to do. Good luck.

John Howman
262-389-8000

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Singh Ray neutral grads are great. Lots of configurations to choose from.

National Park

Take a polarizer and ND grad. Shoot with everything from wide angle to telephoto lenses. Be sure to shoot around sunrise and sunset-watch the colors of the canyon change. Like everywhere else, fewer people are out and about early in the morning and late in the day. If you are physically fit enough and trail conditions allow, be sure to hike to Ooh-Aah point on the South Kaibab trail.

twowindsbear

Splurge - stay at the El Tovar. Take the sunrise photo op tour! Take the mule ride. Travel along the rim road, stop at all of the overlooks. If you don't take the mule ride, at least walk down the Bright Angel trail far enough to get below the canyon's rim. Make pano pix with a longer lens. Make time lapse vids of the sunrise & sunset. Be prepared to be awed & amazed by the views, words do not give it justice, neither do the photos you see. It is truly spectacular! Have a great trip

LEO74 Loc: Bronx, New York

Hi,

Been to the Canyon a couple of times, going back in April. I use a nikon d750, but any camera will get you great pictures. First, if you don't have reservation at a hotel yet, you won't be able to stay on the rim. El Tovar is closed for renovations, but even if it were open, you have to make reservations well in advance. That being said, where ever you stay be prepared to be amazed with the canyon. As far as suggestions for lenses. If you want to take photos of stars (you'll be able to see millions) bring a tripod and expect to be cold while taking pictures (well worth it). Use the widest aperture on your camera and expect to take 15-30 second exposures. For the Canyon, lens choice is wide. I used a 35mm for pano shots, a 24-70 at 24mm wide enough for singles. Going back this time I'll be using a tamron 15-30mm for night shots, and probably a 45mm for pano shots. Sorry I couldn't address your camera, but since this is your first trip, I envy you. Please don't miss the night sky. I come from New York where if you see a dozen stars, you're lucky. At the canyon you will be amazed at how many stars you can see.

reguli Loc: Uruguay

I have been at Grand Canyon in september 2015 and stayed in a hotel in Tusayan, because you have all facilities nearby and it is very close to the Canyon entrance. Keep in mind the weather that can change several times in the day and it is a good idea to get a plastic bag to wrap the camera when it is raining. You can get this plastic bag at any photo supplier. UV, polarizing and tripod are important. If your pocket allow ND 6 stops or 10 stops would be nice but not absolutely necessary. I shot with a Canon 7D, 24mm f2.8 and 70-200mm f4 L.

gunflint Loc: Rocky Mountain High, Colorado

I was there in January and did not use a polarizing filter or ND filters. I am not saying they might not come in handy in certain situations. Definitely a tripod, wide angle lens, and up to a 200 or 300mm lens. It can be very cold on the rim before sunrise especially if you are getting out early for star photos. They are a few shots I got...