Rineal Loc: Copake NY

Dear Hoggers,
I will be going out to the Grand Canyon in August for a course on Lightning/Landscape photography. I will be using my D500 but am wondering about my lenses. I have a Nikon 18 - 300 1.3.5 - 5.6 and 18 - 105 1.3.5 - 5.6. Any better ideas what lens I should possibly acquire for this trip?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Richard

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Doesn't the course organizer recommend lenses? I would bring both. You never know.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

The 18-300 completely covers the range of the 18-105 plus a lot more on the long end. That being said, the long end will probably not be useful for lightning/landscape work. So it would come down to IQ for me. which lens is sharper in the range you'll be using. I would probably plan on using the 18-105, but I would travel with both lenses because you never know what else you'll see outside of your workshop.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Why August? Very hot in August in the S-W deserts.

Machinedoc Loc: Yorktown Heights, NY

I was at the canyon last November - I used my Nikkor 18 - 140 on my D7200 for 99% of my photographs. As for lightning, (see my profile photo), anything with a wider angle is better and a fast lens is not needed - lightning is the original electronic flash! Enjoy your trip and make sure to keep hydrated.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Better and more lightning!

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Might consider a very solid tripod... Note when taking images without your eye in the viewfinder be certain to close the viewfinder eyepiece shutter...

I certainly wouldn't choose zoom optics for landscape... Why? A very serious want of edge to edge acuity...
I've assisted many commercial architectural shooters and they ALL use primes and massive tripods when doing building exteriors...
No exceptions...

VR is virtually useless on tripod imagery...

My choice for building exteriors? AF 60mm f/2.8D micro Nikkor on an FX body.
I would not consider using a DX crop body for this scenario however if you are limited to a D500 then there is likely only one choice of considerable merit... the AF-S 40mm f/2.8G micro DX Nikkor, this lens is the only DX optic from Nikon (besides the excellent AF-S 35mm f/1.8) that I've found to yield stellar results across the entire frame... albeit the 35mm can't match the 40mm in acuity or edge to edge sharpness...

Enjoy your trip... and as mentioned above stay well hydrated...

Hope this helps Rineal or is at least food for thought...
All the best on your journey...

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Use the long focal length to get detailed landscapes or panoramas. I used to get hung up at 28 mm for landscape shots, but lately, most of my images are in the 100 - 105 range.

JohnDaly24 Loc: Nevada City, CA

Someone asked why August. This is the GC monsoon time and lots of lightning. Do not forget a lightning trigger.

SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED...it is one of the highest DXO rated lenses for the D500...



quote=Rineal]Dear Hoggers,
I will be going out to the Grand Canyon in August for a course on Lightning/Landscape photography. I will be using my D500 but am wondering about my lenses. I have a Nikon 18 - 300 1.3.5 - 5.6 and 18 - 105 1.3.5 - 5.6. Any better ideas what lens I should possibly acquire for this trip?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Richard[/quote]

ELNikkor

18-105

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I vote the 18-300.
Sweet range of focal lengths and is a good lens.
Other lenses require you carry more than one.
The 18-105 is redundant to your 18-300 and they have the same aperture range and most likely it is faster at 105 than the lens that ends at 105.

Rineal Loc: Copake NY

Thanks everybody, your replies are helpful!
Richard

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Lots of atmospheric distortion on hot desert with tele lens. August in SW desert nearly always >100F. I can remember days in the Mojave when it was 120 in the shade!

water falls Loc: Green Bay,Wi

18-300