Lens Choices
Sep 7, 2021 16:05:08 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
I will be enjoying a two week driving tour of the Southwest (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico) this month. I have to shrink and lighten my load as much as feasible so I'm leaving my DSLR at home and will be taking my Fuji X-E2S and some lenses. I have recently added a 12mm wide angle to my Fuji kit to widen my view on the APS-C frame. So, I have the 12mm, a 18-55mm and a 55-200mm. I'm weighing whether to take the 55-200mm. I'm not looking to do wildlife photography, but will focus on landscapes, plants, nature, and city scenes. Do any UHHers familiar with that part of the country think I will have enough focal length in the 12mm and 18-55mm to cover 95% of my needs? Thanks for your advise.
Stan
Stan
Sep 7, 2021 16:13:53 #
Stan, if you are limiting your photography to landscape your choice of 12mm and 18~55 should do the trick. If you intend to try for some wildlife, then the 55~200 should be part of your kit.
--Bob
--Bob
StanMac wrote:
I will be enjoying a two week driving tour of the ... (show quote)
Sep 7, 2021 16:17:35 #
If you are driving, why don’t you take all three? You will be going thru some of the most beautiful areas in our country.
Sep 7, 2021 16:23:44 #
If I was driving a car or SUV, I think I would find room for one or two longer lenses with appropriate body.
I spent some time driving around Arizona years ago. If not too much has changed there is a good chance you will run into some live subjects.
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I spent some time driving around Arizona years ago. If not too much has changed there is a good chance you will run into some live subjects.
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Sep 7, 2021 17:20:10 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
Thanks, folks. But I'm trying to reduce the size of my camera kit as I will have another carryon to deal with. I'll go back to the bag I was planning to use and see if I can get the 55-200 in there with enough padding to make me feel it's safe.
Stan
Stan
Sep 7, 2021 17:27:14 #
StanMac wrote:
Thanks, folks. But I'm trying to reduce the size of my camera kit as I will have another carryon to deal with. I'll go back to the bag I was planning to use and see if I can get the 55-200 in there with enough padding to make me feel it's safe.
Stan
Stan
You mention carryon. Does that mean that this is a fly/drive trip, not 100% driving?
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Sep 7, 2021 17:34:33 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
Bill_de wrote:
You mention carryon. Does that mean that this is a fly/drive trip, not 100% driving?
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Yep. Flying to Denver, then driving the ~1800 mile loop, then returning there by car to fly back East.
Stan
Sep 7, 2021 18:33:51 #
StanMac wrote:
Yep. Flying to Denver, then driving the ~1800 mile loop, then returning there by car to fly back East.
Stan
Stan
I was wondering how small your car was that you couldn't fit one more lens. 
Have a great trip!
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Sep 7, 2021 20:19:54 #
rmalarz wrote:
Stan, if you are limiting your photography to landscape your choice of 12mm and 18~55 should do the trick. If you intend to try for some wildlife, then the 55~200 should be part of your kit.
--Bob
--Bob
I agree with Bob. Same answer.
Sep 7, 2021 20:26:10 #
As NMgal said... take all three. My wife and I did a SW western tour and I was so anal I had 3 bodies with attached lenses and Arca Swiss plates ready to go with extended tripod with Acratech ball head ready, willing and able in rear of rented Jeep Cherokee. Best decision EVER. NO changing lenses and proper focal length always ready.
Sep 7, 2021 22:41:39 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
Bill_de wrote: I was wondering how small your car was that you couldn't fit one more lens.
Have a great trip!
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I was wondering how small your car was that you couldn't fit one more lens. Have a great trip!
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With the price of rentals these days we’ll probably be driving a subcompact!
Stan
Sep 8, 2021 06:18:17 #
I'd have been fine with just the 18-55, but since you got the 12, must take it! My 55-200 always came in handy for scenes the 18-55 wouldn't reach. It is light-weight, and doesn't take up much space. Let us know what you take, and how the trip goes! (We did that trip last year, and most of my shooting was with the 24-120 on the D750.)
Sep 8, 2021 06:21:27 #
pdsilen
Loc: Roswell, New Mexico
StanMac wrote:
I will be enjoying a two week driving tour of the ... (show quote)
I live in New Mexico and I've lived in Arizona for 18 years. For your purposes I think you've made a good choice of lenses.
Sep 8, 2021 06:56:32 #
Definitely the 12mm. I bet the 18-55mm will serve you well. It's smaller and lighter than the 200mm, and you can always zoom by cropping when you get home. I think the 18-55mm will get the most use. Remember when SLRs all came with a 50mm lens?
Sep 8, 2021 07:15:54 #
Nddave01
Loc: Bismarck, ND
My Fuji kit is similar to yours. I have a sling bag for my photowalks and it usually will have my 12mm, 16-80 and 70-300. If I know I will only be doing landscape leaving behind the 70-300 does lighten the load. I'm sure you can get some great landscapes with just the 2 lenses but if you can squeeze the 200mm in it does allow a different vantage for landscapes.
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