Landscape: I’m travel this year to Utah. I have a nearly 10 year old D3100 with a Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 and an AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1:8G lenses. My question: Can I get quality...

Jwa

I’m travel this year to Utah. I have a nearly 10 year old D3100 with a Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 and an AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1:8G lenses. My question: Can I get quality, sharply focused, photos; ( photography skills not withstanding), or do I need to spend $$$ to increase my chances at some photos I’ll cherish?

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Jwa wrote:

I’m travel this year to Utah. I have a nearly 10 year old D3100 with a Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 and an AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1:8G lenses. My question: Can I get quality, sharply focused, photos; ( photography skills not withstanding), or do I need to spend $$$ to increase my chances at some photos I’ll cherish?

If you have been getting quality, sharply focused photos for the past nearly 10 years why would you expect any change just because you are going to a different state? Is there anything noticeably wrong with your camera or lenses at the moment?

Have a great trip,

Dennis

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Easy answer. Take a lot of landscape pictures with that combo before you go, and examine them carefully, looking for an excuse to upgrade. If they are acceptable, you don't have to spend a cent. If they're not very good, you need better equipment or a better shooting technique. : )

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/sharpness.htm
https://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/17-tips-for-taking-tack-sharp-photos
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/21-tips-getting-sharper-photos
https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-take-sharp-digital-images/
https://photographylife.com/how-to-take-sharp-photos
http://digital-photography-school.com/5-steps-to-increase-the-sharpness-of-your-photographs/
https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-ensuring-get-sharp-photos-every-time/
https://www.wikihow.com/Focus-a-Camera
https://www.lightstalking.com/bite-size-tips-nail-focus-every-time/
http://www.lightstalking.com/these-steps-will-help-you-nail-focus-every-time/
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2015/03/28/how-to-get-the-best-autofocus-performance-from-your-camera/
http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/index.php/why/about-focal/

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Your skills will determine the quality of your results. Your lenses and camera are more than capable for superior landscapes.

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

I would think you'll be fine.

willaim Loc: Sunny Southern California

You've been shooting with that camera for 10 years. It's your skills that determine the quality of your pictures. Don't see why you would have trouble shooting landscapes with that camera and lenses.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

What you have should work just fine. HOWEVER, if you’re hoping we here at UHH can provide you with the justification to go buy that new equipment you really secretly WANT, I’m more than happy to help you out. You own crap. Go get new stuff. You need it. You deserve it. 😈

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Jwa wrote:

I’m travel this year to Utah. I have a nearly 10 year old D3100 with a Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 and an AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1:8G lenses. My question: Can I get quality, sharply focused, photos; ( photography skills not withstanding), or do I need to spend $$$ to increase my chances at some photos I’ll cherish?

Why are you worried about quality... Have you been getting sharp images? ..... If it's not broken, don't fix it, unless you have gas, let it ride.

Have a great trip.

jrmwash

That is a fine kit for what you are planning. Have fun!

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Owing to the fact I live (and photograph) in Utah, I can state unequivocally that the equipment you currently own IS eminently capable of making quality, sharply focused images in the surrounding states of Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona --Nevada comes close, but imposes its own set of photographic challenges, especially when you find yourself in Las Vegas, and its 4 o'clock in the morning, and you started drinking at 8 am the previous day-- but it will NOT suffice in Utah. Utah's a little strange in that regard, but I'm not sure I quite know why. That said, I suggest you purchase all new equipment. Preferably very expensive new equipment. (And when you arrive here, remember to set your watch back fifty years, too.)

<added cautionary note: I left Idaho out for a reason. Idaho 'belongs' to (fellow) Utahn jederick --and one or two Idaho-istic others-- and if he (or any of the others) sees you with a camera of any sort, he'll/they'll just shoot you and leave your body in a ditch. Which would likely preclude you getting any quality, nicely focused --much less memorable-- shots.>

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

I think the OP has a GAS attack. Grin.

CO

You've got to do some testing before you go on your trip. A big issue with DSLR cameras is front or back focusing issues. I use the DataColor SpyderLensCal to check mine.

Are you using the .jpeg files out of the camera or shooting RAW and processing later? Nikon sets the default sharpening for the Picture Controls very low at level 3. Nikon expert, Ken Rockwell, recommends to go through all of the Picture Controls and increasing the sharpening to level 6.

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

Jwa wrote:

I’m travel this year to Utah. I have a nearly 10 year old D3100 with a Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 and an AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1:8G lenses. My question: Can I get quality, sharply focused, photos; ( photography skills not withstanding), or do I need to spend $$$ to increase my chances at some photos I’ll cherish?

If you stick to F8 you will see your sharpest results with Tamron - very good but not excellent. If you are looking for excellent, then the 35 F1.8 will deliver that. Another lens worth considering that will not break the bank, but would only be manual focus on your camera body would be an 18-70 F3.5-F4.5 - which are fairly common on the used market - expect to pay around $120 for one. It will be closer in sharpness to the 35mm and better than the 18-270 throughout the common focal length range.

ELNikkor

The 35 will give the sharpest photos, and be sure to take a polarizer to neutralize reflections. The 18-270 will give you much more flexibility with composition, and I would use it on a tripod at f8 or f11, ISO 100 RAW for best sharpness. I have a 25 year old Tamron 70-300 that takes excellent sharp photos at f11.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Dennis, depending on the photon tax rate, various locations have better light than others.
--Bob

dennis2146 wrote:

If you have been getting quality, sharply focused photos for the past nearly 10 years why would you expect any change just because you are going to a different state? Is there anything noticeably wrong with your camera or lenses at the moment?

Have a great trip,

Dennis