What lenses to buy for landscape photography?

[@nickshepherd8377]

Whole heartedly agree with the difficulties and disappointment you can get from a wide angle. In my experience the most common is that the foreground element becomes too dominant to the principal subject in the distance with the latter seeming to shrink when you look at it on the computer😂 At the time everything through the viewfinder looks in perfect harmony! I have noted that often you make the foreground the main subject…very sensible 👍

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks as always Nick, I appreciate. I’ve made next weeks video already and I’m excited to share it ❤️

[@ASMPHOTO]

Thank You for sharing! Your suggestion is spot on! Very helpful for me, because I have one lens that I need to use more!

[@lightsandtones]

"Images that are so much more me.." I love this. I don't think it matters what we use, important is to enjoy it. The road is usually quite long until we can clearly see what satisfies us the most in this regard. The video is very useful and highlights some of the key aspects of certain lens types.

[@tomniblick7365]

It is so good to see you back to your normal self. Living in the Hebrides must agree. And, yes, I find myself using similar lenses in my landscape photography. But sometimes I just like to mount a little 35 or 50 and go for a walk. It’s easier to enjoy nature that way.

[@TLM823]

Thank you, Alister for this explanation on the optimum landscape lenses to get, in the best order for learning how to use them! Early on I struggled with a Nikon 12-24mm wide angle lens for the reasons you outline. As a result, for a long while it sat on my shelf unused. Finally, as my skills grew, I began to use it when the situation called for wide angle. I've since switched camera brand but find today 75% of my photos are taken with mid-range, 15% taken with telephoto and less than 10% with wide angle.

[@cmeluzzi]

Thank you for the thorough explanation. I agree that the focal length choices say a lot about ourselves as photographers and how we view the world. Cheers!

[@martinoberstein8431]

Thank you ever so much, Alister. Good advice for beginners - and THESE images: a perfect pair.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks mate, always appreciate your comments ❤️

[@martinoberstein8431]

@@Alister_Benn Always appreciate your content, Alister.

[@lisajoseph5817]

Earlier this year I picked up the Nikon 18-300mm VR DX AF-S G ED to pair with my D7000 and it's a beast! It was superseded by a smaller, lighter version but the older one is a terrific piece of glass for the DX system when you want a good all-arounder.

[@davidgillespie6604]

Thank you for this Alister! As usual, informative, educational and thought-provoking. You seem to have saved me a fair amount of money! When I switched from my old Nikon D7100 to a full-frame Nikon Z5, I decided I would make-do with a Z 24-200mm as the primary lens and use my older full-frame glass on an FTZ adapter. So far this year, the overwhelming majority (70%) of my images have been on the Z 24-200, and 20% on my 105mm macro. I have picked up my 200-500 mm lens only for some shoots dedicated to birds. Of the images on the 24-200 mm, 23% were from 24-35 mm (wide-ish angle), 20% were from 36-75 mm (normal-ish), 13% were from 76-120 mm and 37% were from 120-200 mm, and 23% overall at 200 mm. I have had an urge to switch to a more conventional suite of lenses, but for the types of shooting that I do, it seems that the one lens covers most of my needs. Plus, it is light, and I am not switching lenses all the time.

[@cristianogiani702]

...thanks Alister. I love how you express concepts very clearly, and how you also approach photography from a ''philosophical'' point of view. I follow you from Italy with real pleasure and also with great attention....

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much

[@Ruscombephotos]

Thanks Alister! That’s sound advice. It’s only in the last couple of years that I have discovered the joys of the longer focal lengths, using a crop sensor and a kit 85-250 (136-400 full frame). I still hope to buy a full-frame system later this year, or early next. The better lenses that I get compared with my kit lenses will probably be the biggest contributor to improved image quality, rather than the camera. I’ve been a bit wary of super wide angle lenses. I often see photographs made with them where the foreground becomes the dominant feature and occupies most of the frame and the big mountain in the background looks more of an afterthought compared with the focal point the photographer intended it to be.

[@williampetersen2899]

Great content Alister. I rarely travel and live in an area that would never be confused with a "grand landscape" location. I find I take 80% of my photographs with my Nikon Z system 100-400mm. I think George Lepp called it "Optical Extraction" when using a telephoto for landscapes. It's an awesome creative solution when there are no "sweeping vistas" around!

[@Narsuitus]

Over the decades, I have used a variety of lenses for landscape photography. My favorites were: 28mm f/2.8 full-frame prime 28-70mm 2.8 full-frame zoom 16-55mm f/2.8 APS-C zoom 14mm f/2.5 micro 4/3 prime 65mm f/5.6 6x9cm medium format prime 90mm f/5.6 4x5 inch large format prime

[@DennisBater]

It is always interesting to hear the journey of lenses that other people have taken for their photography. I have always been cautious in my purchases because I always tried to buy the best I could with the budget I had and only made one or two wrong decisions for myself. I shot Nikon for 20 years, a Canon R5 for 1.5 years and finally switched to a GFX 100s when they came out. I also have the same three lenses that you have for the Fuji. I wish there was a 100-300 or 200-500 in the GF mount but I understand the logistics of creating a lightweight medium format zoom in that range. Thanks for putting out thought-provoking videos.

[@flyingfinn7909]

How very timely for me to find this video! Only yesterday I was looking at wide(r) angle lenses for my trip to Lapland this coming winter and found the choice so enormous that I shut down the computer, none the wiser. Well now I am much wiser, thanks to you Alister. Excellent advice, thank you.

[@pauldarville3843]

Informative, thanks Alister!!

[@dronepilotcontractors4094]

Thank you Alister! Confirmed my choices for a Tokina 11-20mm and Sigma's 24-70mm, 70-200mm and 60-600mm! Everything are 2.8's except the 60-60m which variable.

[@michaelmacmorran8787]

Excellent video Allister. Thank you for sharing your insight on lenses and landscape photography lens selection. I'm looking forward to seeing your upcoming video on wide angle photography. While I loved the images produced by the Fujifilm GFX system, I found myself wishing for more focal length time and time again. While the 100MP sensor gives plenty of room to crop, I personally struggled with creating a composition that expressed what I hoped to express with an image through cropping, versus composing the image on location in full using a longer focal length. I am curious as to how you've found the transition in having the flexibility of shooting up to 400mm with your Nikon gear to now shooting with a shorter maximum focal length with the GFX. Best, Mike.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much. I agree 💯 and do miss the longer focal lengths as well. I do still have a D850 and still have the 89-400 and a newly acquired 300-800.

[@marcusnz232]

I’m moving to Hasselblad X2D and there is only one Zoom that is way too heavy to hand hold really. However, I love the colour and I love the portability of it compared to the GFX system that I did have for a while.

[@esanford]

Good discussion.....

[@dmiller9786]

Few experience landscape photogs. would recommend f2.8. The 70-200 f2.8 may make sense with a 1.4 TC. But not combined with the 80-400. There's a lot of extra weight and expense in the recommended lenses.

[@Alister_Benn]

Well, I’ve never had a 24-70/4, so I couldn’t recommend one

[@harmenvanwelbergen4224]

I see that you have used the D850. I have not yet found a DSLR as good for landscapes yet. Is fujifilm so much better?

[@warrenswales5693]

Agree. Wish I had not bought a wide angle 16-35mm at the beginning if my photography and the mid range 24-120/f4 for woodland and 80-400mm is my sole simple combo.

[@bergis65]

Fun fact; for my first years into photography I only had a 50 mm lens (Nikon FM & 50/ f 1.8). I never felt that I needed anything more; but perhaps I just wasn’t any good at it ;) rgds Kjell

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, excellent...

[@SpaklesDr]

24-120 f/4 is a good choice.

[@Alister_Benn]

Indeed, the new f4’s are in many ways better than the older 2.8’s

[@davidwalker2402]

So the medium format 20mm-35mm at f4 should be equivalent on FF at f2.8 or f3.5 or somewhere in between ? Great job on the video very helpful.

[@Alister_Benn]

In terms of DOF, yes.

[@nevvanclarke9225]

20-35 35-70 100-200 200-500 5.6 I have it covered in 4 lenses GFX and yes I shoot professionally

[@swissheartydogs]

Same evolution, away from wide angles so close to common smartphones photos… FujiX 50-140mm (76-213eq) or 150-600mm (229-914eq): extension of my brain, heart, eyes!

[@colintraveller]

I have 3 WAL's 10mm F2.8 , 12mm F2.8 FE , 8mm F3.5 FE ..all Samyangs and the 135mm F2 Samyang and 24-70 F4 Canon and a Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art lense I use them for LS , SSets Clouds , NightSky ...though as i have no car the only issue i have is weight ..I carry whatever i use in my bag and travel by bike. Am happy with what i get .. I use canon 90d and 5DSR

[@pascalthiebaud]

Quiz - 10-18 or 24-70 or 70-200mm. Which lens Alister do you think I'm using the most ? 😀 I'm waiting for the video about wide lens. Is there any other situation then the most common ones where we can use this lens?