Advice for Lens Selection for Trip: Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It...

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It weighs 4.5 pounds, so there is a significant weight difference to leaving it home.

What would you do, take the Bigma or leave it at home?

Thanks

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

MarkintheHV wrote:

Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It weighs 4.5 pounds, so there is a significant weight difference to leaving it home.

What would you do, take the Bigma or leave it at home?

Thanks

If you really like that lens, then it would not be a question to me, of course I would take it. And hey 4.5 pounds is not any weight anyway.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

You probably don't absolutely have to have the long lens but you might want it in case you see some wildlife in the park. I would take it if you can.

Dennis

amehta Loc: Boston

MarkintheHV wrote:

Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It weighs 4.5 pounds, so there is a significant weight difference to leaving it home.

What would you do, take the Bigma or leave it at home?

Thanks

For Yellowstone, it would not be a question, you want the Bigma. For Yosemite, I think I would leave the lens behind. When you see the wild animals, they will be pretty close, because the forest is so thick. My encounter with a bear family was right on one of the trails, so 200mm was more than long enough on a full frame camera.

MtnMan Loc: ID

amehta wrote:

For Yellowstone, it would not be a question, you want the Bigma. For Yosemite, I think I would leave the lens behind. When you see the wild animals, they will be pretty close, because the forest is so thick. My encounter with a bear family was right on one of the trails, so 200mm was more than long enough on a full frame camera.

I agree. I visit both parks. Yellowstone much more.

Here's some Yosemite deer in February with an 18-55.

dleaoh Loc: Dayton, OH

MarkintheHV wrote:

Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It weighs 4.5 pounds, so there is a significant weight difference to leaving it home.

What would you do, take the Bigma or leave it at home?

Thanks

I have been taking pictures in Yosemite since the mid-1950s and will be going back again next month. Since we're driving from Ohio I will take the backpack with all my glass, but frankly I don't expect to use anything other than my basic 18-105 "normal" lens. If we were flying that's the only lens I would have in my small travel bag.

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

Thanks for the input. I am leaning towards leaving it behind partially due to the temperature is supposed to be in the mid 90's and since I will be doing quite a bit of hiking, ditching the extra 4.5 pounds is significant in that weather.

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

MarkintheHV wrote:

Currently, I have a 14mm, 18-270, and a 50-500 lens. I am heading to Yosemite this weekend, and am debating on weather to take the 50-500 or not. It weighs 4.5 pounds, so there is a significant weight difference to leaving it home.

What would you do, take the Bigma or leave it at home?

Thanks

I have the 18-270 and the 50-500 and would definitely take both

amehta Loc: Boston

MarkintheHV wrote:

Thanks for the input. I am leaning towards leaving it behind partially due to the temperature is supposed to be in the mid 90's and since I will be doing quite a bit of hiking, ditching the extra 4.5 pounds is significant in that weather.

Think about what your main photographic goals will be for this trip. For me, Yosemite is about the landscapes so I was more interested in wide angle than telephoto.

sumo Loc: Houston suburb

no brainer IMHO,,,,,, outdoors in Yosemite must have a 500mm reach... and you can always back off to 50mm.... doubt you use the 18 to to 50mm on that other lens.
I just went to Alaska...had to 50-500 and the 24 to 85..... used my 50-500 most of the time in the wild....in a town, I would switch to the 24-85...
not many towns in Yosemite

amehta Loc: Boston

sumo wrote:

no brainer IMHO,,,,,, outdoors in Yosemite must have a 500mm reach... and you can always back off to 50mm.... doubt you use the 18 to to 50mm on that other lens.
I just went to Alaska...had to 50-500 and the 24 to 85..... used my 50-500 most of the time in the wild....in a town, I would switch to the 24-85...
not many towns in Yosemite

Are we thinking of the same park? You don't need "500mm reach" for a great picture of Half Dome, you climb it! You don't need "500mm reach" for El Capitan, you drive right by it. I think it is a "get close and shoot wide" kind of park.

dleaoh Loc: Dayton, OH

amehta wrote:

Think about what your main photographic goals will be for this trip. For me, Yosemite is about the landscapes so I was more interested in wide angle than telephoto.

Good point about knowing your goals. For most of us Yosemite is about magnificent landscapes. I have been there about every other year since 1973. I don't think I have ever used a long lens in the park.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

amehta wrote:

Are we thinking of the same park? You don't need "500mm reach" for a great picture of Half Dome, you climb it! You don't need "500mm reach" for El Capitan, you drive right by it. I think it is a "get close and shoot wide" kind of park.

I agree. I've been to Yosemite many times. You will be close to everything you want to photograph. You can probably do it all with the 18-270mm lens (at 35-50mm). The only reason you would need a 500mm is to see what kind of sandwich a climber 3/4 of the way up El Capitan is eating.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Travel light - leave the bigma behind - If I were going to Yosemite with a 7D I would definitely want a a very good wide to normal lens and would consider purchase or rental of the new Tokina 12-28mm F4 lens or similar.

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

jackpinoh wrote:

The only reason you would need a 500mm is to see what kind of sandwich a climber 3/4 of the way up El Capitan is eating.

LOL. Good one!