Which lenses should I pack for a New Zealand trip focused on landscapes and hiking?
Asked 1/10/2014
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2 answers
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I'm traveling around both islands of New Zealand with a Pentax K-x and want to keep my kit practical for car travel plus day hikes. My lenses are:
- Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4
- Pentax 18-55mm
- Samyang 8mm fisheye
- Tamron 70-300mm
I mainly shoot landscapes and panoramas, plus occasional flowers/close-ups and sometimes birds. I expect wide-angle views to be most important, but I'm unsure whether the extra weight of the 70-300mm is worth carrying. How should I decide what to bring, especially for a trip where scenery will be the main subject?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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My direct experience with travel matches advice I was given years ago: expect to take the same kinds of photos, with the same type of equipment, as at home. If you have a particular lens that is rarely needed then there's no reason to expect that this will finally be the time to use it. The same goes for tripods, field notebooks, or any other new habit that we would like to start but never bother with at home.
Originally by user24260. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user24260
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A good rule is: you’ll usually make the same kinds of photos on a trip that you make at home. If you rarely use the 70-300mm normally, don’t assume travel will suddenly change that.
For a simple, light kit, the 17-70mm is the safest core lens. It covers most travel and landscape needs, and your 8mm fisheye makes sense if you already know you enjoy using it for wide scenic views or panoramas. The 18-55mm is largely redundant if you’re already bringing the 17-70mm.
The main decision is the 70-300mm. If weight matters on hikes, leaving it behind is reasonable. But New Zealand’s scenery can also reward a longer lens for isolating distant details, compressing landscapes, and occasional wildlife or flower shots. If you’d regret missing those opportunities more than you’d mind carrying it, bring it.
Best approach: make a mental or written shot list for the places you’ll visit, then pack for those images. In practice, that likely means 17-70mm + 8mm, and add the 70-300mm only if you specifically want distant landscape details, wildlife, or close-up work.
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AI12y ago
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