Good lens for hiking

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edurieux

edurieux

Aug 18, 2013
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#1
Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a lens to do some landscape photography while hiking. I need something very lightweight since I'll use it during hikes of more than 7 days.

My gear currently :
- Canon 6D
- Canon 50mm 1.8
- Canon 24-105L

I saw the 28mm f1.8, and maybe the 24mm f1.4 from Rokinon.
My budget is under 800$, not enough for a 16-35mm ...

What do you think about these lenses ?
 
#2
edurieux said:
Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a lens to do some landscape photography while hiking. I need something very lightweight since I'll use it during hikes of more than 7 days.

My gear currently :
- Canon 6D
- Canon 50mm 1.8
- Canon 24-105L

I saw the 28mm f1.8, and maybe the 24mm f1.4 from Rokinon.
My budget is under 800$, not enough for a 16-35mm ...

What do you think about these lenses ?
Click to expand...

Your 24-105L is a pretty good lens for extended hikes. I took mine as my only lens on my 6D for 3-day and 5-day hikes last summer. A little heavy, but the quality of the images I got made it worthwhile. The 24-105's nice focal range and IS make it a very good single lens for hiking.

I have since sold my 24-105 and replaced it with a 24-70 2.8 II, which is better optically, but probably not as versatile for extended hikes as the 24-105. This summer, I plan to take my 24-70 and 100 Macro or 135L for hiking, although we don't have anything beyond day hikes planned at this point. I'm also considering taking my EOS-M and 18-55 and 22mm lenses along instead of the 6D and see how I like the reduced weight vs. somewhat less capable camera system.
 
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#3
Instead of the Canon 28 1.8 and the Rokinon, might want to throw in the 24 or 28 2.8 IS for consideration. Light and good image quality. The Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 is nice, and is almost half the weight and a fraction of the cost of the Canon 24-70ii.
 
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#6
I would say the 24-105 is a good choice. I got a Tamron AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 Di LD SP Aspherical (IF) (older lens) for my 6D it is pretty good. I have used it on many hikes mostly long one day hikes in Zion and Bryce canyons. It runs you about $300-400 so a lot cheaper than the 16-35 it isn't as good (at least my copy) but if you stop it down like you should of landscapes it does well.
 
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#7
In addition I'll add the Voigtlander 20 Pancake. Besides a really crappy Sigma and very expensive Zeiss glass there's nothing like it for the price and quality it offers. Any flaws it has are all easily correctable in Post and the color rendition and contrast are far more pleasing than lenses costing many times more such as the Canon zoom UWA duo. $549, easy choice.

I'll add, the 24-105 as a hiking lens? I believe the OP was wanting something compact and light.
 
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#8
The last few times I've gone out intending to use my Sigma 18-35 on the 5D2 I've taken 90% of my shots with the Pancake anyway. That lens transforms my pro-size (with battery grip) camera into something I can easily slip in and out of a bag or backpack.
The Pancake is also very sharp and distortion free. I generally find myself wanting a wider lens indoors and with urban architecture more than outdoors and in the wilderness.
 
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#11
9VIII said:
The last few times I've gone out intending to use my Sigma 18-35 on the 5D2 I've taken 90% of my shots with the Pancake anyway. That lens transforms my pro-size (with battery grip) camera into something I can easily slip in and out of a bag or backpack.
The Pancake is also very sharp and distortion free. I generally find myself wanting a wider lens indoors and with urban architecture more than outdoors and in the wilderness.
Click to expand...

You're using an aps-c lens on the Mk2? Tell us what FL is usable.
 
Upvote 0
#12
slclick said:
9VIII said:
The last few times I've gone out intending to use my Sigma 18-35 on the 5D2 I've taken 90% of my shots with the Pancake anyway. That lens transforms my pro-size (with battery grip) camera into something I can easily slip in and out of a bag or backpack.
The Pancake is also very sharp and distortion free. I generally find myself wanting a wider lens indoors and with urban architecture more than outdoors and in the wilderness.
Click to expand...

You're using an aps-c lens on the Mk2? Tell us what FL is usable.
Click to expand...

I find the lens works best at 20mm-22mm.
You basically have to crop the sides unless you want long black triangles in your corners. A 4/3 crop still leaves some black in the corners, and I think it looks best with a 5/4 crop, but if you go all the way to 1/1 crop then you have no vignetting.
At 18mm the image has obvious barrel distortion and at 24mm it has pincushion (getting worse as you zoom in). In the sweet spot the top and bottom of the image is straight but I can still see things warping vertically a bit near the corners so it's not perfect, but for my first wide angle lens I'm pleased with it, and It also happens to be the best crop sensor zoom lens ever made.
 
Upvote 0
#13
9VIII said:
slclick said:
9VIII said:
The last few times I've gone out intending to use my Sigma 18-35 on the 5D2 I've taken 90% of my shots with the Pancake anyway. That lens transforms my pro-size (with battery grip) camera into something I can easily slip in and out of a bag or backpack.
The Pancake is also very sharp and distortion free. I generally find myself wanting a wider lens indoors and with urban architecture more than outdoors and in the wilderness.
Click to expand...

You're using an aps-c lens on the Mk2? Tell us what FL is usable.
Click to expand...

I find the lens works best at 20mm-22mm.
You basically have to crop the sides unless you want long black triangles in your corners. A 4/3 crop still leaves some black in the corners, and I think it looks best with a 5/4 crop, but if you go all the way to 1/1 crop then you have no vignetting.
At 18mm the image has obvious barrel distortion and at 24mm it has pincushion (getting worse as you zoom in). In the sweet spot the top and bottom of the image is straight but I can still see things warping vertically a bit near the corners so it's not perfect, but for my first wide angle lens I'm pleased with it, and It also happens to be the best crop sensor zoom lens ever made.
Click to expand...

Yep I agree, from what I've seen, if I shot (and if I do in the future) crop I'd have one. I have the other two Art lenses and I am very happy with them. Oh and my Sigma 24-105 is NOT a hiking lens, lol.
 
Upvote 0
#15
Thanks everybody for your useful answers.

My current lens (24-105L) weights 640g, which is way to much. So I won't consider the Tamron SP AF Di 28-75 f/2.8.

The interesting options are :
- Canon 40 f/2.8 STM: maybe not wide enough, but very compact, very lightweight (130g), and quite cheap. But I have seen reviews that criticized the autofocus and the overall image quality.
- Canon 35 f/2 IS USM : which could be a good FL for landscape with a great aperture. (335g)
- Canon 28 f/2.8 IS USM : good FL and quite lightweight, price quite low (260g)
- Canon 24 f/2.8 IS USM : maybe a bit wide, but weight is good (280g)

I've thrown a look at the voigtlander... What FL could be interesting for landscapes with the 6D ? 20 is maybe a little wide ?

Between the Canon primes, what is the best lens in term of image quality ?
 
Upvote 0
#17
edurieux said:
The interesting options are :
- Canon 40 f/2.8 STM: maybe not wide enough, but very compact, very lightweight (130g), and quite cheap. But I have seen reviews that criticized the autofocus and the overall image quality.

Between the Canon primes, what is the best lens in term of image quality ?
Click to expand...

I suggest you ignore that review source. The reviewer clearly couldn't get his head round the price. They have probably measured a tiny fraction of increase CAs and found the STM is slower than USM. Big deal for the intended use of the lens. <sarcasm>. I find www.photozone.de to give reviews that match what I find in practice with all my lenses so far, despite the fact that they only test one copy of each.

If you are referring to the lenses you have listed in bold type I'd say they are all virtually identical. The 40 Pancake is a great little lens but, if you are intending to get the 35 IS I wouldn't get the pancake because although 40 is noticeably wider than 50 - especially close up, it is quite similar to 35mm.

The 40 goes well with a 28 or 24. Personally I am more of a 28 fan than 24. True, that focal length is certainly out of fashion, but I find it more versatile than 24. It's also cheaper, and i am the ultimate photographic cheapskate ;)
 
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#18
Sporgon said:
I suggest you ignore that review source. The reviewer clearly couldn't get his head round the price. They have probably measured a tiny fraction of increase CAs and found the STM is slower than USM. Big deal for the intended use of the lens. <sarcasm>. I find www.photozone.de to give reviews that match what I find in practice with all my lenses so far, despite the fact that they only test one copy of each.

If you are referring to the lenses you have listed in bold type I'd say they are all virtually identical. The 40 Pancake is a great little lens but, if you are intending to get the 35 IS I wouldn't get the pancake because although 40 is noticeably wider than 50 - especially close up, it is quite similar to 35mm.

The 40 goes well with a 28 or 24. Personally I am more of a 28 fan than 24. True, that focal length is certainly out of fashion, but I find it more versatile than 24. It's also cheaper, and i am the ultimate photographic cheapskate ;)
Click to expand...

Well, considering your opinion, if there is no difference in image quality between the 4 canon lenses, the pancake may be the best to consider.
For me, there is no "bad" FL, a pancake can be quite good to hike. I may also consider a 24/28 later.
 
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