What lens would you rent for trip to Oregon for waterfall pics?

[dickelfan]

Leave Thursday morning to take wife to Portland for her 40th. Hoping to get a few shots of some of the waterfalls, and maybe even get out to the coast....this trip is for her though, not me...HA!

I was going to rent a lens to take but can't make my mind up. Not sure if the ultra wides would be to wide to get a good shot of the waterfalls.

For any of you that have been, maybe you can take a look at these and give me recommendation. I'm leaning toward the Nikon 14-24, but not sure its worth paying double over the others. Also like the Nikon 24-70 but think it might be to close on my DX camera.

Tokina 11-16 ($47)
Nikon 10-24 ($49)
Sigma 10-20 ($41)
Nikon 14-24 ($88)
Nikon 24-70 ($76)
Tamron 24-70 ($61)

Thanks for any input.

 

[jay_dean]

Admittedly, I don't know what Portland Falls look like and I'm not sure how wide you'll need to go, but the Nikon 10-24, or the 14-24 gets the vote from me if you need to go ultra wide. If it's a one off event, then why not spend a little bit more?

 

[hark]

Part of it will depend on how close you can stand to the waterfalls. If you are far away, a wide or ultra-wide angle lens may not be enough. Have you considered Nikon's 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5? It shouldn't be nearly as expensive to rent. I'd suggest an ND filter which will allow you to slow down the shutter speed to create the silky water effect so a tripod would then be essential. And if you do use a tripod, you won't need to worry much about having a fast lens.

Here are a couple of mine taken on FX at 46mm and 44mm. I was standing relatively close for these. If shooting from this point with a DX, I'd need a wider lens. At the time, I didn't own an ND filter so had to resort to using ISO 50 and a CP filter. Would have been even nicer with an ND filter to smooth the water even more.


Neshaminy Creek Waterfalls - Autumn by *Hark*, on Flickr


Neshaminy Creek Waterfalls by *Hark*, on Flickr

 

[hark]

Oh wait...you own a Nikon 18-105mm lens. That may work fine. As I said, to get the gorgeous images with silky water, an ND filter and a tripod are really essential. They are more important than fast glass.

 

[Moab Man]

I have the Tokina 11-16m and used it a lot when I did my Oregon photography trip last year. Make sure you have circular polarizers. Great colors to capture.

 

[nikonpup]

check "POST YOUR WATERFALLS". I DID SOME WATERFALLS IN THE GORGE WITH FX 24-85MM. THE 18-105MM IS A NICE LENS, YOU COULD DO A VERTICAL STITCH IF NEEDED.

 

[nikonpup]

the lens rental would be a small cost for your trip. If flying into portland i would check on picking up and dropping off lens there. Per moab man, check that the lens will take a cp filter. check "flickr" for lens data for "multnomah falls".

 

[Bill16]

If I were going back home to southern Oregon, I'd want a wide lens, since there were as lot of mountains and such making a wide angle lens very handy! If I was using a DX, then I would buy a Tokina 11-16! For a FX I'd either buy a Nikkor af-d 20mm like I have now, or I would rent or buy if possible a nikkor 14-24mm! They would work great for shots of Crater lake I would think!

But for renting, I would rent the best I could find for my camera! A Nikkor 14-24 for FX! I'm not sure which is best for the DX!

 

[Blacktop]

If you're talking about the waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge , then you will be taking a lot of portrait oriented shots. I think the 18-105 will serve you well enough. If you are also going to take a lot of mountain and big sky sunset/ sunrise shots, then a Tokina 11-16mm would be a great choice of lens to rent. Take the 18-105 as well.

 

[dickelfan]

Ok....thanks for all the input. I'm taking my 18-105, it isn't the sharpest but I have gotten some good shots from it before. I'll probably be going with the Tokina 11-16, I've rented it before and it is pretty good. Thanks again.