Going to Sedona and Grand Canyon in the Spring and trying to pack as little as possible. I’ll be with my family so not much dedicated time for photography.
I’m planning to take one lens (24-70 2.8) due to weight (arthritis) and dust concerns. My main concern is if I’ll significantly miss out without a wide angle or telephoto zoom?
1-2 nights of Astro: 24mm f2.8 is decent, hard to justify a specialty lens
Family pics: 24-70 is perfect Canyons/hikes: is 24mm with pano enough?
Lookouts: Is 70mm significantly limiting reach?
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24mm with pano enough?
Exactly. You don’t really need wide angle lenses when you can just as easily make a quick 4 shot pano. Higher resolution as well.
The Grand Canyon can look nice with some telephoto compression, but for 90%, that focal range should be okay. I’m assuming you’re on full frame. If not, I think you’ll want wider than 24.
I have a nice little 16mm f/2.8 that is pocketable so I used that occasionally. But part of the time I used it because I had it, more so than because I felt it was needed.
If you get up to Page, AZ and Horseshoe Bend, wider than 24 is needed. And there are nesting California Condors at Navajo Bridge in that area so you’d want at least 400mm’s.
Thanks for the tips. Not sure if I’ll make it to Horseshoe bend, but that alone would be reason to get an UWA. I hear you have to handhold your camera over the edge to get the shot, so panning may not be feasible.
You don’t have to handhold, I just got back from there and a 15-35/2.8 with tripod was perfectly fine. With a 24 you can get most of the rock structure but you won’t get much sky in the shot. I’ve been there several times over the years and everytime I forget how huge it is.
For a full Southwest trip I’d take a 15-35 and a 70-200 and leave the 24-70. Everything’s either super far away or broad and expansive.
I used a 16-35 for the entirety of my trip out west including Horseshoe Bend. 16 was almost not wide enough by itself for the Bend. A two-shot pano would do it, though, just a bit to the left and another a bit to the right. There is a spot directly in front as you walk down that has a good view without fences and such to impair a good shot. Sun sets directly in front of you most of the year so time it to suit what you want, if you go. Which I do, because it’s a fantastic view!
I couldn’t time the sunset, but we had an awesome weather pattern with sun over the bend and a storm at the horizon. It was as amazing as we could hope for given our timing for midday light.
Sounds more scary then it is. Attach your camera to your tripod and hold it over the edge. The spot where you do this is easy to find. You won’t be alone.
Thanks for the advice. It’s hard to be the right level of prepared - my days of carrying 75 lbs of just-in-case gear are gone
The answer is Yes.
I’ve been to South Rim four times in my life. Always found 24mm wide enough.
I once brought 14 and 17mms and fonud them too wide.
Though for astro the 14 is ideal – I just always had bad luck with the weather.
24-70 is perfect for the lookouts.
I traveled with one lens recently and had to weigh similar decisions.
More than anything I’d recommend viewing this as a creative opportunity/challenge rather than a technical compromise. Otherwise you’re not going to have any fun.
Also don’t be afraid of cropping! You can even use the built-in 1.6x crop if you want to fake a longer lens.
My main concern is if I’ll significantly miss out without a wide angle or telephoto zoom?
Do you need to take every possible photo? You’ll never run out of great photos, and you’ll never be able to capture them all. You miss out on thousands of great photos every day on a trip simply because you aren’t taking photos 24/7!
I highly suggest shifting your mindset from “how do I take every picture” to distilling what you actually want out of your trip. What photos will actually matter to you?
Like, for me, I find I don’t value photos at highly photographed overlooks unless I plan on doing them really well. If I want to see a picture of the grand canyon, I can find some great ones online.
Instead, I like finding unique photos that show a place in a way not typically seen, so I would just sit back and enjoy the view rather than snapping some photos.
And for family pics, I’d probably just use my phone. Easier for sharing.
So I might just end up bringing a 100 mm macro or something and shooting compressed landscapes, cool rock formations, add to my leaf photo collection, and other interesting details.
But, that’s just me. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with wanting photos from overlooks if that’s what you value! My point is you should think about what will bring you the most joy and don’t stress about the photos you could take.
This.
The last thing anybody needs to be doing is taking yet another set of “snapshots” of the Grand Canyon, or anything else. It’s all been done to death and is all over the Internet if you need one. Nobody has said anything interesting in a GC picture for decades. Think of something interesting to show. And family.
My family lives in Flagstaff, so I go to Sedona and the Grand Canyon three or four times a year when I visit them. I used to lug around a bag full of lenses but now I only bring a 24-70. It pretty much covers everything and is easier to hike with. Rarely do I ever wish I had anything wider or longer with me.
You need wider, set the lens to 35 or 50 mm and do a panorama.
You don’t have the long lens, set to 70mm, do a panorama for the detail and crop at home.
I would not do panos at the 24mm setting. Zoom out to what looks equivalent to your eye perspective.