Equipment for Landscape photos

DrPips

DrPips

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Dom
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Hi,

I got my Canon 30D about a year ago, and I'm really getting into it. I've taken some decent photos, but really like getting landscape shots. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some new equipement for me to get. I have my 18-55 kit lens, and a 70-300, UV filters, tripod. I borrowed a friends wide angle lens but didn't get on with it very well. It didn't seem to draw me into the photo like a telephoto lens can.

I've been looking at the landscape shots that the winner of the 2010 photographer of the year took. Amazing! Any tips on how to take photos like that would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dom
 
An UWA will let you capture so much more in a scene.

Telephotos are great for picking out details in a landscape, but when you are trying to capture a whole landscape, you do want to go really wide.
The 10-22mm or sigma 8-16mm are the two lenses I would be looking at.
The sigma is crazy wide, but doesn't allow filters. Or if you really don't want to go wider, a 17-55mm f/2.8 IS gives you the same range as your kitlens but sharper.

Other then that, try getting out early in the morning or late in the evening.
Sunrise and sunset light make ordinary landscapes very photogenic.
 
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Practice, practice, practice . :)

All joking aside its not the kit that gets the shot, its the person taking it. You've got most of what you need but a set of ND grad filters, a decent tripod, a polarizing filter and a remote shutter release will all help.

The ND grass will help balance out the brighter light in the sky, the polarizing filter will help give deeper blues to your skies and remove reflections and the tripod and shutter release, wired or wireless, will eliminate camera shake giving nice crisp shots.

Then just get out and take as many photos as you can. You will begin to learn what works and what doesn't in your shots, how different exposure settings affect your images and what, for you, makes a pleasing image.

Post your best ones up for others to give feedback and learn from what they suggest. There is no right or wrong way and no right or wrong equipment, its all about what you like :)

Good luck, and most of all, enjoy.

Sent from my HTC HD2 using TP Forums
 
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Ok, thanks for the tips, I've got a good tripod, and small enough to pack into my hiking bag. Need to get a shutter release thingy for waterfall shots and stuff. With the filters, can you attach the ND one and the polarising one at the same time, or not?

Thanks,

Dom
 
DrPips said:
I've been looking at the landscape shots that the winner of the 2010 photographer of the year took. Amazing! Any tips on how to take photos like that would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dom
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Do you mean Antony Spencer? I guess he would recommend Lee graduated filters for a start and possibly the B+W Kasemann 105mm CPL. Secondly, I think getting up very early and finding your spot and wait for the sunrise is meat in the recipe.

Oh, and CS5.

Rgds
 
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Don't think it was Anthony Spencer, Marie someone possibly? Can't find the thread again now! I have CS2, but not really sure how to use it to it's full potential yet. I'm assuming that the camera you mentioned above is a lot of money? :)

Thanks,

Dom
 
DrPips said:
Don't think it was Anthony Spencer, Marie someone possibly? Can't find the thread again now! I have CS2, but not really sure how to use it to it's full potential yet. I'm assuming that the camera you mentioned above is a lot of money? :)

Thanks,

Dom
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Ah, I don't know of Marie. I think if you are prepared to get up when it's still dark and find a good spot & composition, given a good sky I think you can take a great landscape shot like the best of them, no matter what the camera.

Graduated ND filters are important tho. A cheaper workaround would be to blend 2 exposures of the same scene in CS2.
When I do this I use the Gradient Tool with a Layer Mask. Gavin Hoey gives a tutorial on Youtube, a slightly different method (he uses the paint brush opposed to the Gradient Tool) but the result is the same...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMBQUXYNqPs

and as for lenses it does depend on the scene. I think a wide angle is essential for most typical scenes and a decent zoom would be a nice accompanyment.

You can attach a polarizer to the lens in the normal way but using a graduated ND with a polarizer may not work on a wide angle. Well, it will work but you'll probably get a horrible dark V in the sky. I'm not sure about this but I think light has to pass through the polarizer before it passes through the graduated filter. I might get corrected on this.

The Kasemann 105 polarizer fits on the Lee filter holder.

I hope this helps.
 
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Yes, this is the TP winner http://www.mariekerrphotography.com/index.html

I find UWAs draw me more into the photo, however you can't really use one the same way as a telezoom and vice versa with regards to angle of view and subject distance. Each to their own I guess ;)

You should be able to get great photos from your 30D. Having slot in filters and circular polarisers are highly recommended. As mentioned above, the light is the biggest factor in landscapes, more than the camera.

If you wanted to have a best Canon setup you would want to build it around for 5DmkII at the moment.
 
I feel like a complete numpty asking this, but I really have no idea when it comes to filters. I think the polariser makes the sky a bit bluer, and the ND blocks a bit of light so you can have longer exposures, but apart from that I'm clueless.

Can anyone give me an idea of how they fit to the camera, the makes and models I should look for, and what types I need to get first. I can probably stretch to £40 before I go shooting next.
 
In a nutshell there are two types, screw in and slot in

The screw in ones screw onto the thread on the front of the lens. These fit the specific diameter only however you can use a 'stepping ring' to fit the filter to another lens width. In this situation you want to try and buy the biggest filter you will ever use so you can easily use a stepup ring on smaller diameter lens. You don't want to buy a step down ring to go the other way. Another costly solution is to buy the same filter for each lens of various diameters.

Slot in filters are square or rectangular in shape around 100mm to 150mm in size. These require two additional pieces of hardware;
1. the filter holder
2. the adaptor ring to mount the holder to the lens - this is quite similar stepping ring in its application.

The myriad of filters from this point on are the same thing whether they screw or slot in.

Polarisers, neutral density, graduated neutral density are the most common ones. You do get infrared, colour balancers etc (I haven't investigated all these yet so won't reel off a list)

Definitions
http://www.tedfelix.com/Photography/Filters.html
http://www.tutorial9.net/tutorials/photography-tutorials/filters-and-photography/

Filter Holder and ring example
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/161-959Z/
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/161-453E/

Filters ND Grads and ND
http://teamworkphoto.com/shop/index...h=78_768_271&zenid=03q3dmg1ituiq94o0ls7pv1bq1
http://teamworkphoto.com/shop/index...h=78_768_272&zenid=03q3dmg1ituiq94o0ls7pv1bq1

Sometimes a ND filter that simply screws onto your lens is neat solution. If all your lenses are the same size then no need for a holder and adaptor. Graduated ND filters need to be slot-in so you can position and rotate the graduation horizon accordingly.

One biggish issue is your budget. A cheap filter is not regarded as a wise move. It can add unwanted artifacts into your photo so maybe best save for the best you can afford. You will not use cheap filters if they ultimately ruin the photo.


Andy
 
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Wide angle lenses for example -(tokina 11-16mm) are best used in landscapes where your composition is really strong and takes up to half the frame, say in portrait format. I use 18mm most of the time, but i wouldn't use a kit lens, i'd use something optically better than 18-55 as average kit lenses are cheaply made just to compliment the sale as i understand.
 
Ok, so having read all your advice, I think I'm going to get a circular polarising filter, as this will have the effect I want on skies and water, and also block out some light (from what I read in the article linked above). So what makes are good, and how much should I look to spend, to make sure I get a decent one. I have a Cannon 30D with a 18-55mm kit lens and a Tamron 70-300 4-5.6.

Thanks,

Dom
 
Yeah :lol:

Photography is a complete compromise..whether it be on brand, sensor, lens reach, lens aperture, filters, tripod even down to what bag you carry it all in.
 
Your experience with an UWA is much the same as mine when I bought a Sigma 10-20 a few years ago - it didn't really work for and I quickly sold it....having said that I've since bought a 12-24 and use it more than I did the Sigma, the main reason being though that it goes beyond 20mm - most of my landscape shots still seem to be between 17-24mm...

the reason I'm going on a bit is that I think the lens you have (18-55) should be pretty good for your needs, at least initially, once you get into landscapes a bit more you may find you want to upgrade for a bit better IQ though

Simon
 
Ok, bought the filter, while I'm at it, I've seen a Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 on ebay reasonably cheap (under £100 so far). Is it worth getting this as an improvement on my kit lens, or should I leave it and save for a good wide angle?

I know it's difficult to answer this as it's all personal preference, but I value your opinions as being far more experienced than me. Just think what you would have done if you were in my position, but knowing what you do now! lol.

Thanks,

Dom
 
UWA's are great, but you need to be so careful with your composition. Most of the time (like 95%) without a strong foreground you'll have a really empty featureless shot.
 
DrPips said:
Ok, bought the filter, while I'm at it, I've seen a Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 on ebay reasonably cheap (under £100 so far). Is it worth getting this as an improvement on my kit lens, or should I leave it and save for a good wide angle?

I know it's difficult to answer this as it's all personal preference, but I value your opinions as being far more experienced than me. Just think what you would have done if you were in my position, but knowing what you do now! lol.

Thanks,

Dom
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AndyB1976 said:
The screw in ones screw onto the thread on the front of the lens. These fit the specific diameter only however you can use a 'stepping ring' to fit the filter to another lens width. In this situation you want to try and buy the biggest filter you will ever use so you can easily use a stepup ring on smaller diameter lens. You don't want to buy a step down ring to go the other way. Another costly solution is to buy the same filter for each lens of various diameters.




Andy
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Your new filter wont fit this lens, a point I tried to make earlier. Buy the biggest you will ever use.

Apart from that....I have no experience of that lens however some reviews suggest it is a decent lens for the price.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/canon-ef-28-135mm-f-3.5-5.6-is-usm-lens-review.aspx

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/190-canon-ef-28-135mm-f35-56-usm-is-test-report--review



Andy
 
I don't mind getting two polarising lenses, my Tamron doesn't even have a UV filter on yet, so will use that to protect the lens if nothing else. Also I'm lazy and fiddling around with filters in the somewhat unpredictable weather I always seem to attract when I go out doesn't appeal!!

Fingers crossed on the auction!!
 
DrPips said:
Ok, bought the filter, while I'm at it, I've seen a Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 on ebay reasonably cheap (under £100 so far). Is it worth getting this as an improvement on my kit lens, or should I leave it and save for a good wide angle?

I know it's difficult to answer this as it's all personal preference, but I value your opinions as being far more experienced than me. Just think what you would have done if you were in my position, but knowing what you do now! lol.

Thanks,

Dom
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Worth getting? IMVHO... No. If you search the web for reviews I think you'll find that it's pretty unispiring.

Wide angles have been talked about here but you don't need a wide angle for landscape, that's just one choice/option and you are perfectly free to choose another focal length. You could even shoot landscape with a 50mm at f1.4.
 
Missed it, went for £129. I pushed the winner up from £77 though, so he didn't get as much of a bargain as he first thought!

I know it wasn't the best lens available, but I'm never going to be able to afford L series lenses, so I'm limited as to what I can afford. Are there any other's that you would recommend?

Dom
 
For around £100?

You could have a look here...

http://www.ffordes.com/category/Lenses/Canon/EOS_Fitting

I've bought from them in the past but I'm not sure that you'll get an autofocus lens for this money that'll blow your kit lens out of the water. It's possible, I suppose, but why not concentrate on capturing great images rather than chasing ultimate image quality? After all a wise man said many many years ago that lens sharpness just isn't an issue :)
 
DrPips said:
Hi,

I got my Canon 30D about a year ago, and I'm really getting into it. I've taken some decent photos, but really like getting landscape shots. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some new equipement for me to get. I have my 18-55 kit lens, and a 70-300, UV filters, tripod. I borrowed a friends wide angle lens but didn't get on with it very well. It didn't seem to draw me into the photo like a telephoto lens can.

I've been looking at the landscape shots that the winner of the 2010 photographer of the year took. Amazing! Any tips on how to take photos like that would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dom
Click to expand...

Well - to be absolutely honest, A good set of ND grads and the mounting kit is about the only Must Have kit over and above your existing. A few of Marie's shots from the POTY look as though they may have been shot with a 17-40 on full frame, but mostly I'd say that your kit lens would cover things. As you've tried a UWA (10-20,, perchance?) and didn't like it, I'd stay away from those for now. If your tripod is a good solid one, then really, to get good landscape shots, the best way to spend your money is to spend it on travelling to locations and staying there 'till the weather is right!

The real essentials for good landscape photographs are


  • good locations,
  • the right weather,
  • and the photographer being there!

I know I've spent nights out on the hill, and had 3am starts just to be in location for sunrise - only to find that the cloud cover was too thick and the shot wasn't there. I spent the day walking an returned the following morning. Same story. Third morning it was raining and I had to return home. Still - one day I'll get the shot.

Best landscaper's accessory imho is a good camper van :lol:
 
Yeh I think you're right. Need to stop thinking that spending money will automatically make my shots better!

Off up to spend a day in the Peak District next week. Let's just hope the weather is kind! :)

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone.

Dom
 
DrPips said:
Missed it, went for £129. I pushed the winner up from £77 though, so he didn't get as much of a bargain as he first thought!

I know it wasn't the best lens available, but I'm never going to be able to afford L series lenses, so I'm limited as to what I can afford. Are there any other's that you would recommend?

Dom
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I'd recommend the 18-55mm IS kit lens (if you don't already have the IS version) coupled with the 55-250mm IS. Both these also share a 58mm filter. Now as you already have these ranges covered you need to decide are you happy with the quality and also what focal length are you shooting mostly at?

A poor lens is always a poor lens whatever filter is put in front if it. Similarly poor light and poor composition ain't gonna do much with the best lenses and filters looking at the scene.

I think the best advice already mentioned is being there in the correct light. This is typically known as the golden hour, before sunset and sunrise.

As mentioned...there is no correct focal length for shooting landscapes. My preference is UWA and yours is telefocal.

As TheBigYin says, being on location at the correct time is most important. A tripod, tent, OS map, gps, compass and making use of online resources such as mapping & routes, Google Earth and sunset calculators(?) are all useful tools to have at your disposal.
 
Yeh I've had a play with The Photographers Ephemeris, and it looks like I might be able to get a decent shot from above Ladybower down the Edale Valley on the dates I'm able to go (not sure if you know it). Need to get out and have more practice to get used to what settings to use.

Thanks for convincing me not to spend too much of my money, I really do apprecaite the advice. I know I must sound like a total beginner (well I am!) but I don't get many opportunities to get out, so want to make sure I make the most of it when I do. I know now that experimenting and being lucky with lighting etc is far more important than gear.

I posted this yesterday on a different thread, but here's the best photo I've taken so far, so just you can see what I'm doing so far.

Snowdon1.jpg


Dom
 
It's a lovely picture and I'm sure that it has great appeal for you as you were there and took it. I have pictures of similar composition and they mean a lot to me to as I have a connection to the place and the day.

But...

Shots like this possibly have less appeal to people who weren't there. I think that you could have made the shot more visually appealing and interesting by doing something like including something in the foreground, or you could have taken the shot from a lower angle or included something to draw the viewer into the shot more to add interest and impact.

Without something like this a shot that means something to you and me could look like a simple record shot to somethone else.

Maybe when taking shots you can try and detach yourself a bit and look for any little thing that could add to the impact it'll have on others.
 
Hi Guys,

i'm thinking of getting Sigma 10-20mm nikon mount, but also want t use cokin filers on it. Is it better to go for cokin P or Z? I've heard somewhere that there's a problem with P holder when at 10mm.
 
Fazi27 said:
Hi Guys,

i'm thinking of getting Sigma 10-20mm nikon mount, but also want t use cokin filers on it. Is it better to go for cokin P or Z? I've heard somewhere that there's a problem with P holder when at 10mm.
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Welcome to TP, Mariusz.

You'll generally get a much better response - and endear yourself to other forum members - if you start a new thread for a different enquiry, rather than hijacking one that's already quite well developed. It just makes it easier for people to keep track of what the discussion is supposed to be about!
 
StewartR said:
Welcome to TP, Mariusz.

You'll generally get a much better response - and endear yourself to other forum members - if you start a new thread for a different enquiry, rather than hijacking one that's already quite well developed. It just makes it easier for people to keep track of what the discussion is supposed to be about!
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Thanks for the tip Stewart. i surelly will start a new thread egardin the above topic.
 
DrPips said:
One of the places I'm intending visiting next week is Padley Gorge. I've seen some pics taken there that seem almost unreal http://visionwild.wordpress.com/category/landscape-photography/page/2/

The one of Burbage Brook and Padley Beech Woodland and Padley Woodland. Can anyone tell if these HDR shots?

Dom
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Nice shot further up Dom ;-)

I'm not sure if these are HDR. Good use of HDR should not be detectable in the final image in my opinion, less is more.

Recently I have been AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) on all my landscape shots. This gives my 3 exposures of the scene although I set out to nail the main exposure.

If need be I can HDR or blend these in post processing but I generally don't. Afterfall it only takes seconds to AEB and if you have walked for hours its an insignificant amount of additional time.
 
I totally agree, in my case though, more of a safety net against inexperience than anything else. I really like the sort of otherworldly effects on those photographs, and I've seen some HDR shots that look kinda like it. I suppose if I take plenty of exposures of the same shot I always have the option later.
 
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