Your current GAS list? (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

You guys make my head spin. I keep trying to get into these kinds of situational outfits, but when I try it, I always end up wishing I just had my general, chosen gear instead. No matter how I want to justify other lenses, the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 always ends up being the best choice for general, walking around use. It's really big and freaking heavy, but no lens matches it for function, versatility and how I tend to shoot. The fact is, even though I'm startled by how heavy it is every time I pick it up, once I start walking around, it stops feeling heavy. Once I start shooting with it, I'm glad I decided to go with it.


That doesn't mean it replaces specialized lenses, like an 85mm f/1.8 Nikon, 50-150 f/2.8 Sigma and macros when they're needed, but I can't imagine being glad I took a fixed, pancake lens in place of it.


Currently I'm tempted by the new Tokina 11-20 f/2.8, which would completely round out the whole lens system. I have a (original version) Tokina 12-24 f/4 that's passable, but has less than thrilling image quality. It was perfectly fine on the D200 but it really doesn't measure up with the D7100.

 

[Citizen87645]

Well, more often than not I am using my 17-55 for the sheer versatility. Everything else is just sort of noodling around, in part to justify ownership.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Well, more often than not I am using my 17-55 for the sheer versatility. Everything else is just sort of noodling around, in part to justify ownership.

I use the 24-105L on my full frame 5D3 similarly as a general purpose walk around. It's just that the 40mm pancake is so small and light that it works well in situations where you may not want a big lens sticking out, and the focal length works well for me. I can barely feel the weight of the 5D3 when I carry it around with this lens. For price of the lens (I paid under $120 for a refurbished unit), it's a nice option to have, and it takes up virtually zero space in the camera bag. I can also stick it in my pocket in case I need something wider when we go to the zoo, where I usually just bring my dSLR with the 100-400L mounted and no camera bag.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My 7D2 arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty crappy today. I took a few shots with the new body & 100-400L II lens in the backyard between rain showers, though.

...and with a 1.4x TC:

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Here are a few more, taken at a local park this morning. I used a 1.4x teleconverter on each of these.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I took my new Canon 7D Mark II to the zoo today -- I posted some shots in the zoo thread. The auto focus performance of this camera with the new 100-400L IS II is very impressive. It's very quick and accurate. I think this body & lens combo is going to make for a great wildlife setup.


Here are a couple shots of the flowers around the zoo. The 100-400L IS II has a pretty impressive minimum focus distance of 3 feet.

 

[Sam Posten]

Scotts crappy weather shots > Sam's best lit ones =)

 

[JohnRice]

Just to ramble some thoughts. It's pretty obvious that I don't *think* in terms of long lenses very often. I keep being tempted by the new Tamron 150-600, but I don't know how often I'd use it. The problem is, that lens is so stinking big that I'm not sure how practical it is to carry any other lenses along with it. I don't want to load myself down. Of course, 150-600 on a crop sensor camera is some serious focal length. Like I said, just some rambling.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

John,


If you are considering the Tamron 150-600mm, I would seriously look at the new Sigma 150-600 Contemporary as an alternative. It's almost the identical price, has a better image stabilization system for panning shots, and is compatible with Sigma's dock to adjust the lens and install firmware updates. It seems like you are getting more for your money.


The Sigma and Tamron tempted me with their additional focal length, but the sizes of those lenses (and the even bigger and more expensive Sigma 150-600mm Sport) are just too much for my travel kit. I need to fit my entire "serious" travel kit into a backpack small enough to fit underneath an airline seat if necessary, as I never want to be in a situation where an airline insists I check my camera bag. Lowepro's Flipside 400AW is about the biggest pack that fits that criteria, and it can just barely fit my two camera bodies and three zoom lenses -- including the 100-400L II -- along with essential accessories. For additional reach, at least now I have the option of adding a 1.4x teleconvertor to the 100-400L II if I am starved for focal length. The original version of the 100-400L that I owned for several years did not work well with a TC -- I got better results just by cropping in post processing. I lose 2/3 of a stop over the Tamron or Sigma (f/8 vs. f/6.3), but I gain portability and a better overall lens when the TC is removed -- which is most of the time.


I love to shoot wildlife when we travel, so a quality longer telephoto is very important to me. Carrying around a big, heavy telephoto can be a burden, though. Whenever we go to Yellowstone, I always drool over all those 500mm and 600mm prime lenses I see, but along with the high cost of the lens comes the difficulty of traveling by air with one, and carrying it around the park, too! I have hiked to the top of Mount Washburn in Yellowstone with my old 100-400L, but I couldn't imagine doing that with a 500mm f/4 prime.

 

[JohnRice]

Scott, thanks for telling me about the Sigma 150-600. I didn't even know those had come out. I'm sure the Sport is great, but even the cost of the Contemporary is pushing it for how little I'd use it. I have 3 Sigma lenses, and I'd prefer a Sigma, now that it's available. Except, it appears the Nikon mount is impossible to get. Canon is easy, which seems backward. I thought Canon bodies were far more popular these days. The upside is, I ordered a Lowe-Pro sling to try out as a larger option to the Case Logic I have now, which I really like. It's actually too big and clearly designed for large, full-frame bodies, so the D7100 actually rattles aroud in it, but it might actually let me put the 150-600 in it. The Case Logic just barely holds my Sigma 50-150 (which is enormous for a 50-150) so no way the 150-600 would fit.

 

[JohnRice]

I guess the Nikon mount of the Contemporary lens hasn't been released yet.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

John,


I did not realize the Sigma Contemporary wasn't available yet in a Nikon mount. The Canon version has been getting very good reviews -- it looks like the optics and auto focus performance is comparable to the heavier, more expensive Sport version. Several Tamron 150-600mm owners on POTN have sold that lens for the Sigma Contemporary due to a little better AF performance and the ability to pan with the image stabilization system, so it appears that the Sigma is the winner at that price point.


Unless you plan on shooting a lot of wildlife, though, you may be better off with something smaller and less expensive. The Tamron 70-300 VC gets very good reviews in its Canon mount, and blows away the Canon offering at that price point -- their old 70-300 IS (the non-L version), which I owned many years ago and was not impressed with. On the Canon side, you need to step up to their 70-300L IS at about twice the price of the Tamron to get something better. I am not sure what Nikon offers in the 70-300 area. From what little I've read, the Nikon 400mm zooms are not as good as the new Canon 100-400L II, but I'm not sure how much worse they are -- the new Canon is an extraordinary lens, and I am really enjoying it.

 

[JohnRice]

Scott, I actually have the Tamron 70-300, and it's surprisingly good.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

If you already have the Tamron 70-300 and are desiring something longer, John, than the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary is probably your best next step, once the Nikon version is available. Sigma made a 50-500mm OS and 150-500mm OS, but those are probably close in price to the new lens, which should be better -- unless you can find a used one for a killer price.


I do not consider having both a 70-300 and longer telephoto as redundant. Even owning a Canon 100-400L, I still kept my old 70-200L f/4 IS as a smaller, lighter weight telephoto for those times I want to travel lighter. In my case, the 70-200 also works well for shooting ice hockey at our local arena, where we have season tickets to watch the U.S. National Development Team of the USHL (and previously had season tickets to the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, who just were sold and are moving to Flint, MI).

 

[JohnRice]

Scott, you got me thinking and looking into things again. One problem is, the Nikon mount Sigma 150-600 isn't out yet, and based on recent history, it will probably be very difficult for get for several months. Especially if people are selling their Tamrons to replace with the Sigma. This is a distinctly "summer" lens for me, so a year would be lost. The Sigma 150-500 has dropped significantly in price on remaining stock. Amazon had a few left for only $30 more than a used LN- from KEH, and $360 less than the 150-600, once it's finally available. Plus, they have 12 month interest free financing.


I'll probably keep the Tamron 70-300 because it's a nicer size and it's probably not worth much used anyway. It's just a bad focal length to go with the significantly better Sigma 50-150 2.8. I have the most recent, best and enormous version of that one. So far, Sigma hasn't replaced it and they're now impossible to get used.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

John, I am the same way with a longer telephoto -- it's mostly a spring through fall lens for me, as there are not many wildlife opportunities around here in the winter, and we rarely travel to a wildlife destination then, either. I sold my old 100-400L early last winter and then waited until spring to buy the new version for that reason.


I am not sure how the old Sigma 150-500 compares with the Tamron 150-600, though. It seems to me that a few people were upgrading from the old Sigma to the Tamron on POTN, but it could have been mostly for the extra focal length.


One difference in your kit is you have a f/2.8 telephoto zoom. My shorter telephoto is the Canon 70-200 f/4 IS, and I supplement that with a Canon 135L f/2 prime. These are smaller, lighter options than the big Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS II, and combined cost was about the same as the single big Canon. I can add a 1.4x TC to the 135L to get me a 200mm f/2.8 prime, too (yes, it's really 189mm, but that's close enough). I am finding with the improvements in high ISO performance of the newer bodies, though, that f/4 is not that limiting anymore. I can actually use that f/4 telephoto to shoot ice hockey now, where in the past with my older bodies I needed a faster prime lens. So my 135L does not get used much now, but I cannot bring myself to sell such a great lens (and I got it for a great price).


Oh, and Sam, you were right about the Black Rapid strap vs. the Optech. I tried the Optech shoulder sling with my 7D2 + 100-400L II, and the strap mechanism gets in the way of the camera controls at times. So, I am sending it back to Amazon for a refund and just ordered a Black Rapid Curve. Giving up the tripod mount on this body is not a big deal for me, since I will be using it exclusively with the 100-400L (which has a separate tripod mount) and the 70-200 f/4 IS, which I always shoot handheld.


I also ordered a Spider Holster Black Widow Holster for lightweight DSLRs and point & shoot cameras. I plan on using it with my Canon EOS M and will see if it will also work with my 5D3 + 16-35 f/4 as an added bonus (not a big deal if it doesn't). This way on some of our longer hikes in Yellowstone, I can carry the 7D2 + 100-400L across my shoulder for wildlife and just take the EOS M + 18-55mm on the belt for landscapes. Carrying two full sized DSLRs on long hikes can get heavy sometimes. This should be a more nimble solution, and I can live without taking my 5D3 on some of the longer hikes -- especially up Mount Washburn.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My Black Rapid Curve strap arrived today. I already like it better than the Optech shoulder strap I just returned. The camera hangs better on my hip, and the strap does not get in the way of the camera controls. This should work well with my 7D2 and telephoto lenses. I love the Optech neck straps (still am using one on my 5D3), but their shoulder strap just wasn't for me.

 

[JohnRice]

Scott, when I started thinking about going with the Sigma 150-500 instead, I did a little looking around and the feedback and reviews seemed pretty good. I know that the long lens people were very excited about gaining 100mm when the Tamron came out, and I wonder if that wasn't the main motivation for switching to it. In the end, being able to save almost $400, get a lens now and only drop from 600mm to 500mm were deciding factors for me. The lens arrived today and it's a solid lens. Maybe I'll give it a try tomorrow.


Has anyone here experimented with extreme ND to do things like daylight time exposures? In all these years, I've never done that. I was looking at the 9 stop Hoya.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

John,


Enjoy the new Sigma telephoto, and share some photos when you get a chance to try it out.


I have a 10 stop Hi-Tech ND filter -- the Lee Big Stopper was almost impossible to get at the time I purchased it. I have used it more around sunset to create some very long exposures. I think the Hoya has a pretty severe red color cast -- at least it did when I was shopping for this filter a couple of years ago.


Here are a couple of examples -- both were stacked with Lee grad ND filters:


Mackinac Bridge taken from Mackinac Island (notice the moon in the upper left corner of the frame)

From our condo in Myrtle Beach. I was amazed the egret stayed still for this 90+ second exposure -- one of those accidents that turns out good!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Mmmmm...


http://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera/bigstopper


I don't have any particular lens lust at the moment, but thanks for reminding me of these -- certainly much more affordable (and intriguing) than any lens I'd consider getting at this point...


_Man_