Heading to Yellowstone with a nikon d7100. Asking for opinions on what lens to take.

[Texas Dave]

I've got the opportunity to go to yellowstone this fall and was wondering if some of you folks could give me your opinions on what lens I should get for the trip.

As of now I'm considering either the new Tamron 16-300 or the Nikon 18-300 f/3.5-5.6 for an "all rounder".

...or any other suggestions on different lens would be appreciated as well.

I'm at that point of about to pull the trigger on buying a lens but with that somewhat apprehensive feeling of letting go of a grand on the tool I will use to capture a trip of a life time for me. This will be the first time I've ever been in the mountains. I may be back but not sure yet.

[FrankMi]

I've got the opportunity to go to yellowstone this fall and was wondering if some of you folks could give me your opinions on what lens I should get for the trip.

As of now I'm considering either the new Tamron 16-300 or the Nikon 18-300 f/3.5-5.6 for an "all rounder".

...or any other suggestions on different lens would be appreciated as well.

I'm at that point of about to pull the trigger on buying a lens but with that somewhat apprehensive feeling of letting go of a grand on the tool I will use to capture a trip of a life time for me. This will be the first time I've ever been in the mountains. I may be back but not sure yet.

Hi Dave! This looks like an excellent 'all around' lens for situations like Yellowstone where you might want a wide zoom range without having to swap lenses. I have the 18-55 and 55-300 pair and although they are each half the weight and total half the cost of the 18-300, you don't need to swap lenses to get the zoom range with the 18-300.

On your D7100 you'll get 28-450mm FFE with that lens. When I really want to zoom, I have a Canon SX-50 at under $400 that can reach from 24-1,200mm FFE, all in one relatively light package.

[Dr Bob]

I was in Yellowstone last September and took several lenses. However, I used my 18-135 mm lens 95% of the time. An 18 - 300mm should work great. I thought about renting a 400mm lens before I went, but did not. I never thought about it once I was there. If you are focused on wildlife beyond bison or elk shots, you may want a longer lens. The other lenses I used a few times was the Tokina 11-16mm and a 70 - 300mm. Just a reference, I am a Canon user and other than the Tokina lens, these are Canon lenses.

Dr Bob

[pnodrog]

Dave what lenses do you already have available?

[Texas Dave]

Thanks guys.

As of right now I have the nikkor 55-300 f/4.5-5.6 which I'm sure will be on my girlfriend's d5100.
I have a nikkor 50mm f/1.8
...and at the moment a sigma 150-500mm that I'm trading back to my camera shop for whichever new lens I choose to get.
The sigma 150-500mm is to big to tote and I still haven't figured out how to get a truly crisp shot with it yet. I've been ranging around it's supposedly sweet spot of 300-450mm at around f/8 but I'm not happy with the results for that kind of investment.

[inkista]

Have you considered renting instead of buying for the trip? If it's a lens you think you'll only need for Yellowstone? That way, you could get much higher-end stuff than a superzoom if you wanted. A superzoom can't be beat for convenience, but it will be slow, and, as with most superzooms, there will be distortion at the extreme ends (barrel at 18; pincushion at 300), and you'll probably be around kit level image quality.

Just my personal druthers, but maybe renting an 80-400 VR for the wildlife and an ultrawide (10-24) or walkaround zoom (16-85) for the landscapes, and throwing in your 50 for low-light, campfire/companion shooting sounds good to me.

[Polar01]

I used two lens when I was in Yellowstone with my D7000, the 16-85 which I think is just a great lens and a Nikkor 70-300mm, also in the bag was a Sigma 10-20mm which I just loved using.

Cheers: Allan

[Shadowman]

Thanks guys.

As of right now I have the nikkor 55-300 f/4.5-5.6 which I'm sure will be on my girlfriend's d5100.
I have a nikkor 50mm f/1.8
...and at the moment a sigma 150-500mm that I'm trading back to my camera shop for whichever new lens I choose to get.
The sigma 150-500mm is to big to tote and I still haven't figured out how to get a truly crisp shot with it yet. I've been ranging around it's supposedly sweet spot of 300-450mm at around f/8 but I'm not happy with the results for that kind of investment.

You gave away your kit lens (18-55) didn't you? The kit and one of your tele zoom lenses, plus the 50mm are all you need.

[pnodrog]

If you ever plan to move to full frame FX in the future you could get a Nikon 28-300 and also a second hand wide angle either zoom or fixed that is at least 15mm but preferable wider. The Nikon DX 28-300 is probably a bit better than the FX 18-300 but also a bit heavier.

[Texas Dave]

pnodrog, that does make a good point...and the way I'm going, I most likely will be behind a full frame someday. I do have a 18-55mm that I forgot to mention that came with the d5100.

I guess it's time to rethink this as a what's first list.

Thanks for the input guys, you've brought up some good points for me to ponder.

[Texas Dave]

Guys, excuse me for my apparent ignorance but in comparison of the Nikkor 28-300mm FX and the Nikkor 18-300mm DX I noticed in the Minimum Focus Distance comparison the 28-300FX says 1.6 ft. throughout the entire zoom range whereas the 18-300DX says 1.48 ft. only at the 300mm zoom setting.

Would this be a somewhat big advantage for the FX lens as well? I do like close ups of the little things.

I'm really starting to think I should budget for this FX lens that pnodrog mentioned AND a good wide angle, ( that may be a tokina or sigma).

[Polar01]

Dave: a FX lens plays well on a DX camera as well as a FX camera, the DX lens does not play well on a FX camera. The difference between 1.48ft and 1.6ft is 1.2 inches really a big advantage? If you want to shoot close up at that distance get a macro, 105mm or larger.

Cheers: Allan

[pnodrog]

I only mentioned the migration to FX and buying a 28-300 as it is exactly what I did when I had my D200 knowing that my next camera would be full frame. It is a decision I have never regretted.

P.S. At the time I already had a FX compatible second hand Sigma 15-30 which is no longer made but performs well.

P.S.S Here is a close up taken with the 28-300mm hand held and the flower was waving in the breeze so do not blame the lens for any softness.

[Texas Dave]

I like that aspect of it, (good close-ups) and have to admit I am wanting a FX camera soon. Nikon Df to be specific. Here are some shots with our 55-300mm dx that my girlfriend will have mounted to her d5100. I took it out for a photo hunt Sunday just to get re-aquanted with the range.

[Texas Dave]

[Texas Dave]

I think I'm going to like that 28-300mm. What is the closest detail you've got so far with it?

[nimitzbenedicto]

How about a general purpose 18-200mm.

[pnodrog]

I think I'm going to like that 28-300mm. What is the closest detail you've got so far with it?

I think the above flower shot is about as close as you can get. What I like about the 28-300 is that it is a good wide range zoom with reasonable performance. If I had not been moving to FX I would probably have gone for something a bit wider. Check them out on the http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Ratings on the D7100 the 18-300 to my surprise gets a higher score 15 compared to 12 for the 28-300. On a D800 the 28-300 scores 17 so I am not sure what is exactly going on but I am very happy with my one.

[nimitzbenedicto]

I like that aspect of it, (good close-ups) and have to admit I am wanting a FX camera soon. Nikon Df to be specific. Here are some shots with our 55-300mm dx that my girlfriend will have mounted to her d5100. I took it out for a photo hunt Sunday just to get re-aquanted with the range.

seems ok.

Btw, I'm not a native English speaker , I can't seem to understand

" re-aquanted with the range"

Thanks

[Texas Dave]

I only suppose the 28-300 scored lower on the d7100 because of the narrow field on the dx sensor. Therein lies my conundrum of what to do now for this trip. Not having the funds for a dx but wanting the best lens for a trip of a lifetime. (for me anyway).

nimi- I'm an East Texan with a backwoods vocabulary. Thanks for reacquainting me with my spell check.