Landscape lenses

[TheMrCheezy93]

gday guys, just curious on what lenses people use when capturing landscape shots

Thanks

[Milbs1]

I just purchased the Sigma 10-20mm specifically for landscape photography (on crop sensor camera). Wide angle generally works best.
Now to buy some filters too....

[mercho]

Hey mate, judging by your profile i'm guessing your using a 450d still??

As shirl said, an UWA lens would be your best bet like a 10-20mm, however I use a 17-40L and its a great landscape lens, even on a crop body!

[junqbox]

Generally us a a 10-24, but have used a nifty fifty, 24-85 and 70-210 at 210 on previous occassions depending subject and distance.
All Nikon, but as you didn't mention your brand I thought you were asking more generally.

[Allann]

I personally don't like UWA landscapes as the distortion ruins what could be a terrific shot. But even if you like that look, the UWA will make things in the distance look even further away and the things that are close, much larger, giving you a false sense of distance in the shot. To me a landscape needs to be compressed and therefore would recommend a slightly longer focal length (24-35 type range). Btw, a persons eye generally looks at a landscape with an approx 24mm focal length. I personally like my 70-200 for landscapes and generally like the compression this lens creates.
That said, I do like the 16-35 for some extreme situations and wouldn't discount the 24-70 either, both good for different reasons.

[Roosta]

Allan points out some very useful advice. Most of us, not all go straight for the UWA 10-20ish, what if you are shooting a mountain sceen and want more of the depth look and defination, rather than the longer panaramic look, with every thing you want too far back, try to pull it in PP and you loose IQ quickly.

So that said, do you want to shoot across the beach. I.E your on the sand and shooting the water to horizon, or do you want to sand at one end of the beach and shoot along the waters edge?

When you know what typical type of landscape shots you want, it will weight heavily on the decession you make on the lens. I use my 18-50 mm on a APS-C sensor body, and I believe it gives me great shots, I to want to get the UWA, and have narrowed it down to 2, The Tokina 12-24 (better for MF/AF selection and slightly longer) and the Canon 10-22mm (twice the price) but not to concerned about the price.

I shoot mainly sunsets, so the depth isn't as much of a problem, I can comfortable get away with the 18mm, but to grab a wider Pano style shot, the 12-24mm is very appealing, badly torn between the two.

Work out what you will mainly focus on (no pun intended) and buy acordingly, you can shoot landscape with 600mm if needed.

Hope this helps you in your quest for the holly grail of landscape lenses.

[Captured frame]

I mainly use a 17-40 or 70-200(also like Allann ,I like the compression this lens can give) dependant on the shot I am taking.But in all honesty what ever lens gives you the shot you want is the one to use. I will normally try the same shot with a couple of lenses to see which one gives me the shot I like best.

[TOM]

you can use whatever lens you like, from around a 10mm to a 500mm and beyond. Ansel Adam's favourite lens was a 150mm, and he's the greatest landscaper of them all! my favourite is the 35mm.

[arthurking83]

200mm


is my favoured focal length. Hard to do interesting stuff with 200mm(and I think that's why I favour it).

Most of my stuff is with the Sigma 10-20mm at 10mm, and usually for the reasons given by Allann. I like the distorted properties it produces.

[wmphoto]

Like others, I also have a 17-40 (with a 450D). I did look at the UWA but in the end decided on the 17 - 40 mainly because it works well on the crop sensor but will also allow me to upgrade to full frame later.