Landscape Photography on a Budget??

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maverick
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Re: Landscape Photography on a Budget??

Post by maverick »

Few other serious landscape and nature photographers have discovered multi row column panoramic stitch blending or focus stack blending in post processing that I began soon after acquiring the 24mp APS-C A6000 in early 2014. That allows me to carry considerably less photography gear weight than if I was using a full frame DSLR with similar complementing set of lenses. Although I carry the Sigma 19mm, I infrequently use it outside of recording videos and rather stitch blend using the Sigma 30mm and 60mm primes. I've been surprised how much one can learn using a manual panoramic head. And though carrying a lower weight I am making larger with greater resolution images with those versus what is possible with our largest most expensive DSLRs. The tradeoff is more post processing work. I have the Nodal Ninja 3 MKII manual panoramic head that again weighs much less than one would need for a head for a full frame DSLR.
Yes, that can work for some people too, but its limitations make unusable for my style of photography. I have had the RRS Multi-Pano set-up for over a decade, it is mainly useful for static subjects with even lighting, which is rarely the case for me, especially when shooting a multi-row pano. Clouds, water, and dynamically changing conditions would cause ghosting, which would make it useless for my purposes.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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samsmith
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Re: Landscape Photography on a Budget??

Post by samsmith »

Hi there
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Wish you good luck
Sam
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Globetrekker
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Re: Landscape Photography on a Budget??

Post by Globetrekker »

wildhiker wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:12 am As a lifelong amateur photographer (but never a pro like many on this forum), I've always wanted some manual control for exposure and exposure compensation. A wide angle lens capability is really important for canyons and other tight spots, but some zoom capability is also needed. I've been taking my iPhone on day hikes for occasional photos, and my biggest gripe is that it is very wide-angle only. Ever since going digital in 2003, I've always looked for something in the "prosumer" point-and-shoot category ($300 to $500) because I'm just not going to carry the weight and bulk of an SLR anymore (did that with my film Pentax cameras in my younger days). One feature that I have found essential is an exposure histogram. This tells me right away if I've got significant over or under exposed areas, and I can then dial in some exposure compensation and retake it. I especially try to avoid blown-out highlights. My other big gripe with the point-and-shoots is the lack of a real viewfinder. It can be really hard to compose your photo on the screen in bright sunlight. And if you are older like me, you can't fix that by bringing the screen closer to your eye because you can't focus on anything closer than a foot away! One solution I have found is an aftermarket magnifier attached to a fold-away bracket that screws into the tripod screw hole. This allows me to get close to the screen so I can see it and my head blocks a lot of the ambient light and glare. But my next camera is definitely going to have an electronic viewfinder.

-Phil
The new mirrorless camera's are about half the weight of a camparable SLR. I"m bringing a Sony A6500 with a wide angle manual lens and one zoom lens and a small tripod all of that weighs about 5 pounds. Sure its not as light as a snap and shoot camera but I can do long exposure landscapes and starscapes with it because it has quality lenses. Plus all my other gear is now superlight weight so I figure its well worth it to bring a decent camera rig on a long trail these days. Plus you just factor in more resupplies stops and you save a food weight too. I hiked the PCT and AT and carried a week to 10 days worth off food at a time. ON the JMT this year the longest stretch I will go inbetween resupply is 5 days. Plus I'm only doing 10 mile days so I have plenty of time to setup for landscapes and night shoots.
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Globetrekker
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Re: Landscape Photography on a Budget??

Post by Globetrekker »

Image
Trailpix tripod rig

example (16mm fisheye again)
30 seconds, f/4.0 on D600

Image
4th of July night in the High Sierra

and one from last year,
25 seconds f/4.0 with the same fisheye lens, same trekking pole tripod plate rig with D810 camera this time.

Image
Aligned with the universe

Only one of the lenses I usually carry has image stabilization, but it has been my experience that stabilized images aren't sharp as they could be. Just turn that off unless it's a candid camp site shot or something else you'd otherwise miss. Some mirrorless cameras now have in-body image stabilization, so any lens you mount on them can have some extra low light range, but those are more expensive cameras, especially the full frame options from Sony.
[/quote]

Mate your Milky Way night shots are amazing. I'm not taking a big fisheye but I do have a great wide angle - Rokinon 12mm f2.0 Lens that I will be using at night. I have it on a Sony A6500. I am bringing a very small carbon tripod and another zoom lens. I'm compensating for the weight by doing much shorter days and more resupply stops.
Love your pictures.
Thanks
Paul in Sydney
Aka the Globetrekker
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