Recommended lense for d7100 landscape/nature

[meajuly5]

Heading to Alaska. I am a hobbyist breaking into nikon.

 

[meajuly5]

Heading to Alaska. I am a hobbyist breaking into nikon.

I don't have much experience with tripods. I was gifted the above camera and am determined to learn how to use it well.

 

[Visitante]

The nikon D7100 is a great camera, mine should arrive by monday 22.

To your trip to Alaska you may need an weather sealed lens. I think that the inexpensive 35mm 1.8 G is a one of those.

For landscape you could look into the UWA Nikon 10-24 3.5-4.5f.

 

[havoc315]

"Landscape" is often very different than "nature."
Landscape implies stunning vistas, for which a wide angle, or even ultra wide angle, is helpful.
Nature often implies wildlife -- which may be rather far from the camera, so a good telephoto lens.

I don't shoot with Nikon, but I do use the Tamron 17-50 2.8, which is also made for Nikon. I know Nikon users recommend it as well. That would be a good camera for landscapes. It would generally be wide enough, though some people would want to go ultra wide.

For wildlife, you want as much reach as you can get for a reasonable price, in a lens without it getting toooo heavy. I love the Tamron 70-300 usd, which gives you the equivalent of 450mm reach.

 

[meajuly5]

Thank you! I do have a super zoom that goes to 200. Probably too short?

 

[Visitante]

Maybe not.

The D7100 has a especial 1.3x crop (16mp) that your 200mm will be closer to 400mm.

 

[havoc315]

Maybe not.

The D7100 has a especial 1.3x crop (16mp) that your 200mm will be closer to 400mm.

Eh, that's a gimmick. You already have the 1.5 crop sensor -- Which makes the 200 equivalent to 300.
The 1.3 crop mode --- Literally just crops out the center of the photo. While it gives the appearance of 390mm equivalent -- You are really just getting a lower resolution photo. No different than cropping the picture yourself in post-processing. It's just a form of digital zoom.

And for wildlife.. the More reach the better.
If you went with a 300mm lens -- You'd have the equivalent of 450. If you then did use the special 1.3 crop mode, you'd have 585mm!

And remember in general, a super zoom like the 18-200 makes major compromises in lens weight, distortion, lens speed, and image quality -- You'll get better performance out of a lens dedicated to telephoto. There is a reason why dSLRs use "interchangeable" lenses. Because a lens built for a specific job, performs far better than a "do it all lens."

 

[Visitante]

You´re right. But everything comes down to the OP budget and to what he wants to shoot.

I had the Tamron 70-300 VC (Canon mount) that i loved, but had to sell as i moved to nikon.

I took a lot of good photos with it. It´s a great lens for the money.

meajuly5 what do you expect to shoot in Alaska?

 

[meajuly5]

I truly appreciate all of the input. Thank you for taking the time. I hope to capture the beautiful vistas-- the mountains, glaciers etc. We are going to a bear viewing site. I've read that many of the pro photag used a 400 zoom there with great success but were satisfied with the 200 range as you are actually quite close. We are dog sledding one day and whale watching-- no closer than 100 feet from the whales but will be a small boat so hopefully not terribly far. Weather will be a concern and I probably won't have the luxury of carrying more than two lenses at any given time due to space and weight limits on heli and float plane.

 

[YesDear]

For a once in a lifetime trip I would consider renting a 70-200 2.8 or the new 85-400 for the trip. I would rather have the best glass I can get. There is a difference!

 

[meajuly5]

For a once in a lifetime trip I would consider renting a 70-200 2.8 or the new 85-400 for the trip. I would rather have the best glass I can get. There is a difference!

Thank you