Brett Colvin
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I will kick in my 2¢…
Over the years, regardless of the pro vs. amateur situation, I have gravitated towards lenses with a specific purpose.
What I have found is that general use glass tends to be optimized somewhere in the middle ground. An 18-200mm zoom will be best around 100mm, and lacking both at the 18 and 200mm extremes.
While these lenses are handy, and usually produce decent results, I’ve never been happy long term with any of them.
I am like you in that I don’t carry a bag full of lenses around, but my thinking has shifted over time. Instead of being out in the field with my macro lens, and suddenly wishing I had brought my wide or telephoto – I’ve shifted towards “seeing” through the lens I decide to bring.
At the beginning of the trip, hike, or day on the water I spend a few minutes thinking about what kind of images I want to capture. Based on those goals I will take 1 or 2 lenses with me. I’ve found this actually increases the overall number of images I’m happy with at day’s end, because I actively chase my vision and the outcomes I had in mind.
With the one lens for everything approach, I found the options distracting. I would see a scene with an 18-200mm lens and have a tendency not to move my feet – simply using the zoom to fill the frame. Selecting specific glass that excels for a given purpose actually expanded my horizons. If I have a wide angle in the bag, I look more intently for compositions that benefit from exaggerated perspectives. If I’m carrying a macro, I spend more time searching for subjects and less worrying about the infinite other possibilities in my surroundings.
In addition, built-for-purpose lenses tend to simply outperform one size fits all models.
One final thought: Many photographers I know have “outgrown” the one lens for everything phase as their skill with a camera begins to exceed the limitations of the glass. When/If this happens, camera-brand lenses hold their value much better than off brands, making it easier to sell the zoom with less value loss and transition to other options.
All that being said – many of the zooms in this category offer genuine flexibility and allow you to achieve a variety of good results at a single price point. Having one lets you be prepared for a host of potential scenarios, and there’s no doubt many are plenty good enough – even for professional work – when used within their limitations.
Good luck w/ the decision!
I dig the breath condensation shot John – that backlight really makes the whole thing pop.
Hopefully you end up liking the Sitka stuff.
Shooting with the 50mm lens on the water by myself was a little tough to get good fish photos with but will be interesting to use when fishing with someone else.
Nice work Cameron.
Really nice series of images everyone – excellent variety too.
I’ve been wanting to catch a mayfly set with fall foliage as the background for a number of seasons, but the temperature drops always seem to quell the hatches in my area.
This year I was able to capture a female callibaetis with a little Fall color.
Hey Cameron, the previous thread about waterproof camera bags includes some discussion about Pelican cases.
I use the 1450 with the padded divider setup:
It has been ideal for boat use and travel.
I’ve got a few close matches Phil.
Here’s a shot of an angler preparing a new dropper setup while his line trails downstream:
This is an image of what you’re asking for from a driftboat:
