What to take to Iceland ?

[Francois]

Hey everyone! It's been a few years that I'm on CR's forum but I haven't posted anything yet.
Another thing, Im French, english is not my mother tongue!

Im going next July in Iceland for a 2 weeks 4wd trip. (south, west and north)
I'm planning to do a lot of landscapes, long exposures and some astro if possible. I will do quite a lot of hiking and I dont want to get more than 4 lenses. I do not consider to only get a zoom lenses (I used to have a 24-105 for quite a while). I dont mind to just get primes over zooms.

I really love wide and angle. Most of my shot are done at 16mm or so.

I currently have a 6D with:

- Tokina 17mm f3.5 AT-X (not the pro version) (just ordered it on Ebay so I can't say how well it performs)
- 16-35mm f2.8 II (I'm getting bored of this lens. Distords a lot)
- 45mm f2.8 TSE
- 50mm f1.2
- 135mm f2.0

I am open to any suggestions but I wanted your thoughts about those lenses and combos:
I only move to primes with: tokina 17mm + canon 24 1.4 + 50 1.2 + 135 f2.0
or I stick to my old 16-35 f2.8 II + 50 1.2 and 135 f2 ?
What about getting the 17mm TSE + 1.4 extender and the 50&135 ?

If you've been to Iceland, what did you take ? What was your more used focal length or lens ?

Thanks! ;D ;D

 

[robber98]

I went to Iceland from Aug 31 to Sept 10 last year and drove around the whole country. I have Sony A7R and here are the lens I brought with:

1. Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8
2. Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8
3. Tokina AT-X PRO 116 11-16 mm f/2.8 for Canon (Yes! An APS-C lens!)
4. Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS

Like you, I love shooting wide and you will love Iceland because you have so many opportunity to shoot wide! According to Lightroom, 18.5% of the pictures I took shot at 16mm focal length, 71.4% shot at 35mm. I would suggest the following lens for your trip:

1. Canon 16-35 f/4L IS
2. Canon 70-200 f/4L (or f/2.8 II) IS OR Canon 70-300mm L OR Canon 100-400mm L (new one)
3. a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime (pick your favorite street photography focal length)
4. Anything you like, 14mm f/2.8 could be an option

Reason for #1 is simple, 16-35 cover most of the focal length you need for landscape. Unless you used to hike with multiple prime lens, I would say keep it simple and take one len with you when you hike. Reason for #2 is that you will encounter different kinds of wild animal in July, a good mid to long range zoom lens is important (I think July is puffin season, you definite need a lens with at least 200mm range). Reason for #3 is you will need a prime for touring in town and city (I don't like lugging a 16-35mm in town lol). It doesn't have to be a fast prime tho, since you get plenty of light in July. #4 is anything but since you like shooting wide, 14mm could be a good choice. As for astrophotography, you won't get a chance because daytime in July is 20 hours on average!! You will experience "Midnight sun" at "night time". Hope this help and enjoy the trip!

 

[greg]

Hello,

I went to Iceland for 2 weeks last year. I don't know if you have planned to hike, but weight is really to considerate.
In my opinion, you must take your 16-35, there are so much landscape, waterfalls... where UGA could be used. I recommand to add the 135 f2 also. Do not forget to take filter (polarizing and nd400/1000), there are so many opportuninties to use them (of course, with a tripod) !

 

[AlanF]

Warm clothing for obvious reasons, lots of money because it's so expensive, and don't go whale watching because they hunt them and you won't see any. Spectacular scenery when it isn't raining.

 

[Djaaf]

Bonjour François.

Fellow french guy here.

I went to Iceland for the second time last year. My first trip was 4 years ago, and I was just beginning to know which end of a camera to point forward...
So when I had a chance to go back last year I was definitely set on getting the photos right this time around.

Thing is, in Iceland, there's a use for pretty much every focal length... On my last trip I went with :
- Canon 24-105
- Voigtlander 20 f/3.5
- Samyang 14 f/2.8
- Tamron 70-300 VC USD

And I used them all.
It was in september, so no wildlife in sight except for a few seals in Jokulsarlon.

The 70-300 was used mostly for close-ups landscape shots from a summit, for isolating Icebergs in Jokulsarlon, shooting the seals swimming around the icebergs and of course from the plane that circled the Bardarbunga volcano. Not the most used lens, but the few shots I took with it, I see as priceless (for me, anyway. )

The Samyand I really use as a specialty lens. So it went out of the bag for 3 things only : Northern lights (which you won't get in July because of a lack of night.), milky way nightscapes (well... still no night in July) and a few very wide landscapes (mostly Kerid crater).

The Voigtlander is my most used lens in this list. It's so small and light that I take it everywhere and 20mm on a 6D is a really nice focal length for landscapes.

And the 24-105 is the "I'm not sure what i'll need so let's make sure I'll have something that cover a wide array of situations" lens.

So, as pretty much always when it comes to photo gear, it depends quite a lot on what you like to shoot.
From your list, I'd take the 16-35 and the 135. I'm not sure what the Tok 17 f/3.5 has that the Canon 16-35 hasn't, to be honest...
To that, I'll add a long lens around 300 at least (or something really long, like the Tammy or Sigma 150-600) : you'll need the reach for the puffins, seals, etc..

And for nightscapes, I'll make the trip in September rather than July.
The 17 TSE seems to be a very nice lens too. But depending on who you're going to Iceland with, it can be a bit of a bother, considering you'll probably have to take a few minutes each time you'll see something to shoot (which can be every 10 meters in some parts of Iceland...) to set up the thing... I wouldn't take just that as an UWA.

Don't forget a tripod and a set of filters and you're set.


Djaaf.

 

[NorbR]

One more French guy chiming in here. Salut

I went to Iceland two years ago, in June. I took 3 zooms then, 17-40 f/4, 24-105 IS f/4 and 70-200 IS f/4. I used the 24-105 most of all (about 60%), the 17-40 next (~30%) and the 70-200 least (~10%). Although interestingly, when I look at my keepers and my highly rated pictures from that trip, both 17-40 and 70-200 increase their share (particularly the 17-40).

I love wide angle too, and for me the ability to use filters with it is non-negotiable. Particularly in Iceland, where polarizer and ND filters are a must (so much opportunities for long exposures). So if you're looking at the 17 TSE as your only UWA, keep that in mind (I know there are systems to use filters with it ... but that means another investment if you don't already have it, and more room in the bag).

I would also take a real tele, something longer than your 135. Always good for landscape photography, and you will see some wildlife. If you have the courage to take something really long, go for it, but if not, the 70-300L sounds great for this kind of trip (although I have no direct experience with it). My 70-200 was very good for landscapes, but definitely too short for birds.

So for me there would be those two non-negotiables to begin with:
- a 16-35mm wide angle (either keep your 16-35 2.8 or consider the new and fantastic f/4),
- a telezoom, e.g. 70-300mm.

Then add to that according to your preferences. The 50mm f/1.2 seems a natural fit in between these two lenses, but it doesn't have to be. You could also take the 17 TSE in addition to the other UWA, and use it when you need the TS, and/or when you can take a bit more time with your pictures.

But then of course your most important piece of gear will be your tripod .. and the second most important will be the rain protection For you and for your gear. Yes, it will rain. Get the good stuff.

Bon voyage

 

[Eldar]

Iceland is a fantastic land for photography. During my last trip I used only primes. Zeiss 15/2.8, 21/2.8, 55/1.4, 135/2.0. I had CPL-filter to all and used it almost all the time. I also used a tripod a lot of the time. I also brought zoom lenses, but I did not use them. The only thing I regret not bringing were the TS-E lenses.

Photography in Iceland is slow pace photography and it´s open terrain, so manual focus and zooming with your feet is easy.

 

[Francois]

Thanks for all the answers!

I was also considering the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 along the Tokina 17mm, the 50 1.2 and the 135 f2.

It's clearly true that a long tele could be good. For those who have been there, is a 300mm F4 IS is long enough ?

Thanks!
Francois

 

[kirispupis]

I went to Iceland this summer in July and had with me a 5D3 + 6D. First, you can forget about astrophotography at this time of year. It basically never gets dark.

In terms of lenses I brought + used the following:
70-200/2.8 II - General purpose, but came most handy when photographing from an aerial tour
TS-E 17 - Very useful for landscapes
TS-E 24 II - My most used landscape lens
16-35/2.8 II - (have since moved to a 16-35/4) - Very hand when dogsledding + glacier hiking because I did not have a lot of time to get the shot.
8-15 fisheye - Nice as long as it is not overused
200-400/1.4x - July is great for wildlife in Iceland. There are tons of birds + arctic fox and seals

 

[eml58]

I certainly reinforce the comments made by "Eldar", My last trip to Iceland (2013) I went with a 1Dx & 5DMK III Body, plus my Zeiss 15f/2.8, 21f/2.8, Otus 55f/1.4, 135f/2 & the only Canon lenses were the TSE17 & 24 plus I threw in the 300f/2.8, just in case something escaped from the Zoo.

As it turned out I used the TSE 17 over the Zeiss 15, the Zeiss 21 & Otus 55 were used the most, the Zeiss 135 some, and I found out later Iceland has no Zoo for anything to escape from so the 300f/2.8 had a Holiday (there are Birds though, if your into small things that move fast, Oh yes I did see a Fox as well, sort of squashed on the side of the road).

The only issue I have with Iceland is that the place has this tendency to draw you in, the more time you spend there, the more you want to stay, and return, I've been back 5 times over 10 Years.

I'm heading back 2015 in November & this time I intend taking a Phase One IQ280 that a friend of mine is lending me, I have some nice friends

 

[nc0b]

Please explain the need for long exposures and a tripod, unless one is shooting stars and aurora. Also more info on rain issues. I don't have any bodies that would be happy in the rain. Not many lenses either, for that matter.

 

[robber98]

Please explain the need for long exposures and a tripod, unless one is shooting stars and aurora. Also more info on rain issues. I don't have any bodies that would be happy in the rain. Not many lenses either, for that matter.

There are many waterfall in Iceland. A good tripod and ND filters will make water from waterfall looks like silk after long exposures. I highly recommend 3 stops (solid and hard grad) and 10 stops (solid) filter. Although weather in summer season in Iceland is usually good, weather in Iceland is unpredictable and change quickly. If the camera body and lens aren't weather resistance, I highly recommend a rain cover.

 

[Tinky]

please, take ME to iceland!

very jealous