Which Lens is Right? 200mm or 300mm Telephoto?

camerai

Greetings --

I am taking a long trip --30 night cruise to South Pacific -- and am considering a 300mm telephoto. If I buy a 55-300mm telephoto VR will I need a tripod, still? I will mostly be taking scenery shots, such as encountered on ship excursions. Medically, I have a slight essential tremor, but I have no experience with it at longer focal lengths. Would perhaps a 55-200mm telephoto be better? The requirement for a tripod can not be met on this trip because of airline weight restrictions, varying over three different airlines.

Also, I am taking a photography course on DVD and the instructor already assumes I have telephoto capability, which I don't have, yet. So I need some telephoto power, but am willing to wait on the longer telephoto, for a later time.

Which would be better for me, NOW -- A 55-200mm or 55-300mm zoom? Need a Nikon DX lens. My other lens is the kit lens, 18-55mm.

Regards,

Camerai

ziggy53

What are your photographic intentions for the trip? What will you see?

Will you want images that you can sell?

What is the largest size you might consider for printing? (... or will you be considering printing?)

Are there weight restrictions on your carry-on items? Size restrictions?

Are there budgetary restrictions?

rpcrowe

Get the lens with best IQ and stabilization
Either a 200mm or 300mm lens should be fine for general use. My travel kit is a Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS and a 17-55mm f/2.8 IS on a pair of 1.6x cameras. I will carry a 1.4x TC but, seldom ever need to use it.

I would select the telephoto lens from the two you mentioned based on image quality and stabilization capability rather than on focal length. You can find that information by Googling for reviews of the lenses on the Internet.

I have no problems hand-holding my 70-200mm f/4L with its IS capability turned on. I don't know about the 300mm focal length lens you are describing but, I occasionally hand-hold my 300mm f/4L IS lens with decent results.

A tripod is often a PITA on a vacation. It can be hard to pack, too heavy to fly with and setting up the tripod can be annoying to non-photographer travel companions. It can, however, allow you to get night views, HDR imagery and is best (but not absolutely necessary) for panoramas.

A compromise between hand-holding and tripod mounting is a monopod. It can allow you to shoot at slower shutter speeds and is easy to carry and pack. It may help you with your tremors. Using the monopod takes little more time than hand-holding. My monopod weighs less than a pound and folds up small enough to fit in my check-on suitcase. (note: Carrying a monopod in hand carry luggage can be problematical. Security can give you a hard time since they may consider your monopod as a "weapon-like instrument")

Carrying a couple of two foot lengths of double-sided velcro can allow you to secure your monopod to a fence or some oher object for long exposures.

angevin1

camerai wrote: »

Greetings --

I am taking a long trip --30 night cruise to South Pacific -- and am considering a 300mm telephoto. If I buy a 55-300mm telephoto VR will I need a tripod, still? I will mostly be taking scenery shots, such as encountered on ship excursions. Medically, I have a slight essential tremor, but I have no experience with it at longer focal lengths. Would perhaps a 55-200mm telephoto be better? The requirement for a tripod can not be met on this trip because of airline weight restrictions, varying over three different airlines.

Also, I am taking a photography course on DVD and the instructor already assumes I have telephoto capability, which I don't have, yet. So I need some telephoto power, but am willing to wait on the longer telephoto, for a later time.

Which would be better for me, NOW -- A 55-200mm or 55-300mm zoom? Need a Nikon DX lens. My other lens is the kit lens, 18-55mm.

Regards,

Camerai

Here's an idea. If you are Shipping out from a foreign port, Why not call the Ship itself and ask if you can Ship a package to yourself there? Then just pack it up and Ship it to the Ship for your arrival. YOU NEED a tripod. Essential tremors, familial tremors will cause a problem that VR will not help you with.

And while you're at it, for the lens thing, why not rent a decent lens from Borrowlenses for that trip, and ask if they can do the same type of shipping for you or once again, ship it to yourself.

Neither of those lenses are worthy of a trip of that stature. Spoil yourself and get a better lens, tripod, etc. Borrowlenses is a rental house and they'll be glad to set you up with both a really good/stable platform (tripod) and good Zoom. on that DX I'd say Maybe a general walkaround lens and a long one, such as a 300 f/4. With a tripod, you ought not need VR.

NeilL

Realistically speaking, on a cruise holiday I don't think you are likely to go to a tripod. The pressure to keep moving, from time for one thing, will likely be just too imperative, and those "essential vibrations" of Tom's too omnipresent.

Hand holdability will be the bottom line, so the fastest glass, and the best stabilisation and lens resolution in the smallest glass, together with your best technique, are the answer.

Neil