“I’m going to visit [X]. What lens should I bring?”

[Heroique]

“I’m traveling to [any destination here]. What lens is best?”

If I could eliminate one type of thread from the universe, this would be it.

If it never existed, Oh, what a wonderful online world it would be.

Never do I click-in anymore – but what’s still unavoidable is sacrificing a few split seconds reading & passing over this type of subject line. And I always want those split seconds back. The lost time might add-up to, say, an hour or so per year, but who knows for sure? Maybe it’s more.

Straight to the point – how has this type of thread ever helped anyone?

I mean, come on – what LF lens (or lens kit) would you advise someone to take to Yosemite? Even if they shared their itinerary & a detailed set of photographic objectives, could you ever offer more than the illusion of help?

Okay, I’m overstating the case – but I don’t think by much. Not by much at all. Let’s just say it’s the type of thread that, I suspect, misleads photographers more often than it helps. (And that’s being very generous, for I’m trying to remember if it has ever informed me.)

Have exceptions already come to mind? If so, please share them with us... ;)

[cdholden]

Agreed.
GPS coordinates of photogenic places and views would be of more value.

[Kirk Gittings]

GPS coordinates of photogenic places and views would be of more value.

Generally speaking "popular" photogenic places are what I avoid.

[Robert Hall]

That's why I've never seen you Kirk! :)

[BradS]

I loath threads that ask:
"What is the best....(camera, film, developer, lens, shutter, flavor of ice cream, etc....you name it) ".

It is the dumbest question anybody could ever ask and generally leads to everybody pridefully chiming in with whatever they have in the category...all are a useless waste of time and space.

[Brian C. Miller]

Pinhole.
When someone asks, just answer, "pinhole." Then suggest that they sell all of their spare lenses to you for $1. They have more than they can use, and they don't know what to do with them.

[Mark Sawyer]

"What lens should I bring?”

All of them.

[Drew Wiley]

I'd love to operate a very popular photographic destination website linked to GPS.
That way I could send everyone a different direction than I am going.

[Richard M. Coda]

Actually I think it can be helpful... if the right questions are asked. For instance, I'm going to Chicago soon and plan on bringing my 4x5. I'm flying so I would prefer to keep the kit small. It will be winter and I will only have a day, maybe a day and a half in between college visits with my daughter. I have never been to Chicago and I would like to do some building shots, It's hard to judge (from TV, from other photographs) how much distance I would actually have. I have a 75, 150, 210, 240, 300, 450 and 600. If I could bring just two, which would they be? I think that's a fair question.

[jonreid]

direct them to Photo.net, or, increasingly, APUG...

[rdenney]

"What lens should I bring?”

All of them.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Rick "we have a winner!" Denney

[Heroique]

When I was last in Alaska, I reached for my 240 more often than my 110 – and that surprised me. Your landscape interests & travel plans may be different than mine, but you may quickly discover just how useful the long end of your convertible lens will be.

If I could do it again, I’d consider exchanging my 110/240 travel kit for a 180/300 kit! That’s just how my eye worked on lonely, unimproved roads in Alaska. Below is one example from the “Trains” thread. Many times I came across middle-distance landscape details – like these abandoned tracks – w/ mountains serving as a back-drop. A “near-far” shot of a different sort.

Have a great time – and look forward to seeing your photos when you return...

Tachi 4x5
Fuji A 240mm/9
Old Fuji Pro 160s
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

BTW, before someone reminds me about this old contribution to a thread titled “Lens for Landscape in Alaska” – I plead guilty & admit that I learn from my mistakes, and I’m a different (and better) person today. :rolleyes: (To better understand the OP’s needs, just click the blue arrow and you’ll be taken to the thread.)

I think the advice I offered is fairly representative of “the illusion of help” mentioned above.

We never heard back from the enthusiastic, Alaskan-bound forum member. Well, at least not in that particular thread. Maybe it’s because our lens advice disappointed him – maybe it frustrated his personal picture taking efforts. Maybe he realized our guidance had little or no relationship with what he wanted to do after his arrival in Alaska & exploration of the terrain. And in the end, perhaps he was too kind to tell us about the unhappy results.

In any case, I’m certain he now knows which lenses to bring for future visits!

[cdholden]

Generally speaking "popular" photogenic places are what I avoid.

I'm not a fan of tourist places either. Photogenic places don't have to be "popular" to be shared or enjoyed.
As part of my responsibilities at work, I do a lot of driving around middle and eastern Tennessee some times. In the past week, I've started marking GPS coordinates of places I want to go back to photograph later when my 12x20 is functional (soon!). I figure if I continue on this trend, as well as marking a few points when I go hiking, I'll have a hefty set of GPS points to refer to. That set of points would keep me and the camera busy in off hours for a time filler wherever I am throughout the state in the future.
As long as I don't stop, I'm getting paid to scout my future photos. :)

[Louie Powell]

I loath threads that ask:
"What is the best....(camera, film, developer, lens, shutter, flavor of ice cream, etc....you name it) ".

It is the dumbest question anybody could ever ask and generally leads to everybody pridefully chiming in with whatever they have in the category...all are a useless waste of time and space.

I totally agree.

My response is usually "the plaid one".

[Brian C. Miller]

Here's the obvious flip side: bring one lens, and use it well.

My SuperGraphic came with a 135mm. And what did I do? I learned how to use that one lens well. For years I used my Pentax 6x7 with only a 90mm lens. How many people have used a Rollei or other TLR? Lots of people, and lots of fine images. An 80mm lens has sufficed for all of those images.

Or if someone must have many choices, find the convertible lenses. Lots of excellent images have been made from those.

Asking what lens to bring is like asking what film to bring. Make a choice. Go for it!

[Brian Ellis]

Actually I think it can be helpful... if the right questions are asked. For instance, I'm going to Chicago soon and plan on bringing my 4x5. I'm flying so I would prefer to keep the kit small. It will be winter and I will only have a day, maybe a day and a half in between college visits with my daughter. I have never been to Chicago and I would like to do some building shots, It's hard to judge (from TV, from other photographs) how much distance I would actually have. I have a 75, 150, 210, 240, 300, 450 and 600. If I could bring just two, which would they be? I think that's a fair question.

My rule of thumb is if you can't bring them all bring the widest. You can always crop. It's hard to add what isn't there.

[jcoldslabs]

Advice threads such as these are often problematic at best. The two likely outcomes would seem to be:

A) You take others' advice and bring the lenses/gear they recommend. This may or may not turn out to be the best choice, and it may leave you wondering why you did what someone else suggested.

or

B) You reject the advice given in favor of your own.

Either way it doesn't seem to do much good. I say bring the equipment that suits you and if it turns out it wasn't suitable, change up next time around.

[r.e.]

This whole discussion is bogus.

Do a search in the sub-forum "Location and Travel" in the title line for the word lens.

You will get two meaningful hits.

The first is for a guy who started a thread last August, apparently with the intent of being amusing, about what lenses he should take on a road trip.

The second is for a guy in the year 2000 who wanted views on which of two lenses he should take to Norway.

Try a few related search terms, and you'll get the same results.

[Heroique]

Bring one lens, and use it well ... Make a choice. Go for it!

When it comes to “Which lens for a specific destination?” – here’s the reply I like best.

If only the forum software could sense the dreaded thread when it appears, automatically make this the first reply, then lock the thread for all time.

PM sent to forum designers.

[Heroique]

And let’s not forget the all-too-common variation! ;^)

“I have a lot of lenses & can’t bring them all to [Y], which lens should I leave at home?”

Below is the typical reply, exaggerated for emphasis – but just slightly! – discouraging someone from bringing [X] lens to [Y] location:

“I’ve been to [Y] (ed. note: “Y” for Yosemite, of course) several times, and I’ve never used my 180mm,” says the expert advice giver. “Well, maybe once or twice, but the shots were lacking,” he admits. “Usually, the 180mm sits in my bag. Just dead weight! For Yosemite, you need a longer or shorter lens – better, you need a longer and shorter lens. For example, a 135mm and 300mm would be an ideal two lens kit. Long story short: Yosemite just doesn’t mix well w/ a 180mm lens. You’ll either be missing one shot because you need wider, or cropping another because you need longer. If you have other lenses, bring them, and leave the 180mm at home. Have a great trip! :) ”

(Satire is so much fun.) In other words, “don’t take that lens” advice is akin to “take this lens” advice – give either a moment of critical attention, and you’ll see through the soothing illusion.

-----
Hmm. My personal reply would be:
“Bring one lens, any lens, and use it well ... Make a choice. Go for it!”
(Source: Brian Miller, post #16)

[Colin Graham]

I'm going to the proctologist. Can I leave my pinhole at home?

Seriously, I've been here a few years and don't remember seeing many if any such threads.

[jp]

There's no need to ask the question.

Before traveling, I go poke around on Flickr and see what other people have shot of the destination and look at their exif data.

Answered very specific questions for me such as "is there enough light in Boston Gardens stadium for using a TLR with 400 film?"

it's also useful to observe how people photograph a particular place with one lens.

Or "what's been overdone for photos" at location [X].

[Mark Sawyer]

There's no need to ask the question...

There's a big need to ask the question. If you don't ask it, you may end up wishing you'd brought a different lens, and you'll have no one to blame but yourself.

I think the best approach is to have the person asking the question list all the lenses he or she owns, explain the strong and weak points of each lens, and what each one weighs. Then no matter what lenses they have, recommend they buy something else. :)

[Vaughn]

Questions, all questions, generate discussion; which is why we are here. So don't take it all too seriously and allow yourself to be amused, entertained and perhaps even enlightened!

[Heroique]

If you don’t ask [which lens to bring], you may end up wishing you’d brought a different lens, and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.

This was too funny for my own good! :p

It changes everything:

I will now post the dreaded question before each and every trip – and remain forever blameless for any unfortunate choice of lens!

[Steve Smith]

What is the best sort of question to ask on a forum?


Steve.

[Ed Kelsey]

Lens X

[Drew Wiley]

People really have such distinct differences in perception and composition that choice
of focal lengths is more related to disposition than subject matter, unless you're doing
a commercial shoot where the angle of view is mandated by the client. I tend to like
a very narrow perspective and travel virtually everywhere which a choice of long lenses, and maybe only one token "normal" or wide-angle option. But another photographer who sometimes backpacks with me sees the world completely differently,
and his ideal kit contains only wide and extreme-wide lenses relative to format. Even
aiming at the same "scene" we each automatically gravitate toward completely
different lenses. For the younger generation, choice of lenses will almost be an
unknown concept. Looking at those BB-lens cell phone shots, the closeup of a human
face looks just as much cute big-nosed as the closeup portrait of our pet squirrel!

[BrianShaw]

Have exceptions already come to mind? If so, please share them with us... ;)

Nope.

[E. von Hoegh]

"I'm going to visit [X]. What lens should I bring?"

Which. :)

[BrianShaw]

Which LENSE should I bring?

[E. von Hoegh]

Which LENSE should I bring?




No, it's lens. :)

[BrianShaw]

Noun 1. lense - a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images

[E. von Hoegh]

Noun 1. lense - a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images

My dictionary leaves the "e" off. All my dictionaries leave the "e" off.

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/lense.html

That free online dictionary is worth just what you pay for it.

[Heroique]

People really have such distinct differences in perception and composition that choice of focal lengths is more related to disposition than subject matter. ...Even aiming at the same “scene” we each automatically gravitate toward completely different lenses.

I wanted to include this in post #1, but I thought the topic was already too broad.

“I want to make trees look lonely & forlorn. What lens should I bring?”

As Brian says, pick a lens, any lens, make a choice, go for it!

[Brian C. Miller]

“I want to make trees look lonely & forlorn. What lens should I bring?”

Never mind the lens, bring a gas can and a chain saw. Burn and/or cut down all of the other trees, and leave that one standing, untouched, all by itself. After it really is lonely and forlorn, photograph it. Repeat until you get caught.

"I want to photograph urban decay. What lens should I bring?"
Good running shoes! And make sure your sprinting and 10K times are seriously down. Those guys in the 'hood can run! Drop a wallet with $20 in it and somebody else's credit cards so they'll have something to paw through while you get a lead.

"I want to photograph Alaskan Kodiak bears. What lens should I bring?"
You should be photographing Kodak bears instead. But while you're at it, spray yourself in "bear repellent" and wrap yourself in a mixture of honey and cookie dough. You will guarantee yourself of a closeup with the bears.

[E. von Hoegh]

"Does this lens make my ass look fat?" :eek:

[BrianShaw]

phat

[Ed Kelsey]

This thread is going dumber and dumber real fast.

[E. von Hoegh]

Well, consider the premise.

[BrianShaw]

Seriously, I've been here a few years and don't remember seeing many if any such threads.

That kind of question seems to be asked more by folks using rangefinder cameras for "street", and in my experience is asked frequently on other sites rather than this one.

Asking somebody what camera, lens, film, etc I should use is the LAST question I'd ask. It's akin to asking you guys to tell me whether I should wear boxers or briefs. It is a very personal decision.

[BrianShaw]

But I must admit... I marvel at the associated question (again, which tends to get asked elsewhere) of "should I use a protective filter or a lenscap?"

[E. von Hoegh]

But I must admit... I marvel at the associated question (again, which tends to get asked elsewhere) of "should I use a protective filter or a lenscap?"

And the answer, of course, is "both". The cap protects the filter.;)

[BrianShaw]

Of course. You are so very correct, Emil!

[E. von Hoegh]

Danke sehr.

[Drew Wiley]

"Of course a filter and cap"... Attended a wedding where there was one of these budget "pro" digital photographers using a non-DLSR, snapping away thru the viewfinder with the lenscap still on.

[BrianShaw]

Actually I think it can be helpful... if the right questions are asked. For instance, I'm going to Chicago soon and plan on bringing my 4x5. I'm flying so I would prefer to keep the kit small. It will be winter and I will only have a day, maybe a day and a half in between college visits with my daughter. I have never been to Chicago and I would like to do some building shots, It's hard to judge (from TV, from other photographs) how much distance I would actually have. I have a 75, 150, 210, 240, 300, 450 and 600. If I could bring just two, which would they be? I think that's a fair question.

Bring your 150 and 75.

[Jim Graves]

There is only one correct answer to such a thread ... you take a Universal lens, of course.

[Jim Galli]

"What lens should I bring?”

All of them.

oops. Can I borrow your truck?

[Mark Sawyer]

oops. Can I borrow your truck?

Sorry, Jim, it's full of lenses...

[tedw6]

Many years ago, i took a workshop with Charles Harbutt of Magnum. He said there are really one two decisions involved in a photograph - where to stand and when to push the button. Use the lens you have and concentrate on camera location and timing.:)
my $0.02