Challenge: Use just one of these lenses for a day in the parks!

[Mark P.]

After a half-dozen or so trips lugging around my D7100 and four or five lenses at a time, I (and my shoulders and back) want to pare down and also force myself to think creatively about how I view each park through the viewfinder.

If you could only shoot with one of the following lenses for a full day in each park, which would you bring? Bonus points if you have a different recommendation for each park -- I don't mind bringing them all with me, but would like to leave most of them in the room each day.

1. 11-16mm f/2.8
2. 30mm f/1.4
3. 35mm f/1.8
4. 24-70mm f/2.8
5. 70-200mm f/2.8 (with 1.7x teleconverter)
6. 8mm f/3.5 fisheye

 

[drizgirl]

I'm boring. I'd take the 24-70 f/2.8.

 

[fractal]

Once I used a 50mm 1.8 on a crop sensor for a day in MK. Ended up getting some of my favorite shots.

 

[wdwmagic]

11-16 if I mainly shooting the environment.

24-70 if there are people involved.

 

[gsrjedi]

I'd say if you've gone fairly frequently and have taken a lot of photos during past trips then if you use Lightroom or something similar that can filter metadata, I'd look and see which lenses you've used the least at each park and use those if you're going to challenge yourself. For example, looking at my data I've used my 35 f/1.8 for about 24% of all my WDW photos. I've only used the 35 for 3% of my Animal Kingdom photos though. So I might use that lens for my next visit to AK.

 

[Mark P.]

11-16 if I mainly shooting the environment.

24-70 if there are people involved.

Sounds about right. I'm trying to force myself to pick one or the other for a particular park day so that I don't get trigger-happy and be constantly swapping lenses while in line or along the sidewalk in an effort to try and capture *everything*.

I'd say if you've gone fairly frequently and have taken a lot of photos during past trips then if you use Lightroom or something similar that can filter metadata, I'd look and see which lenses you've used the least at each park and use those if you're going to challenge yourself. For example, looking at my data I've used my 35 f/1.8 for about 24% of all my WDW photos. I've only used the 35 for 3% of my Animal Kingdom photos though. So I might use that lens for my next visit to AK.

Cool idea. AK is so rich with details that it's a challenge between capturing the breadth and depth of a place like the Harambe area versus the detailed signage and iconography in Asia.

 

[thomas998]

30mm 1.4

Fisheyes are specialty lenses that you won't use often and will give you photos you look at even less often.

zoom is to constricting unless you are at animal kingdom and then its only good for a few places.

11-16 is too wide unless you are in the wide open spaces, would just give all your shots a false sense of perspective.

would be tempted by the 24-70.... but its not much better than a 30 and is slower so the 30mm wins... other options are about the same only slower.

 

[fractal]

30mm 1.4

Fisheyes are specialty lenses that you won't use often and will give you photos you look at even less often.

zoom is to constricting unless you are at animal kingdom and then its only good for a few places.

11-16 is too wide unless you are in the wide open spaces, would just give all your shots a false sense of perspective.

would be tempted by the 24-70.... but its not much better than a 30 and is slower so the 30mm wins... other options are about the same only slower.

hence the challenge. Pick a lens with limitations to fuel some creative juices.

 

[gibson12]

Fractal, please tell me more about the 50 mm 1.8? Paired with the D7100, what kind of shots should I be able to get? Is it only good for low light photos, or can I make it work in a variety of settings?

 

[fractal]

Fractal, please tell me more about the 50 mm 1.8? Paired with the D7100, what kind of shots should I be able to get? Is it only good for low light photos, or can I make it work in a variety of settings?

It can give you unique perspective - brings you into your environments. Almost everyone wants to go wide at WDW including me, which is fine but tends to push you away from things. Also works well if you are looking to capture detail in the park. Here are some of my shots with 50mm 1.8 on NEX-7 (APS-C sensor which I believe is essentially the same as in your D7100).

Some of my favorite dark-ride shots I got with this lens.

Put it on your camera for 1/2 day and see what you come up with. Good luck!