What lens to use for Monument Valley

[rlophoto]

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I need help. I am heading to Monument Valley in NW Arizona for a week. I use an M6 and have a 90 mm F2.0 and a 50 F2.0 Summicron.

 

Do I buy the 35 mm F 2.0 Summicron or the 28mm F 2.8??

 

Thanks in advance for the suggestions as I am struggling with

this.

[geaibleu]

I would take the 28 ASPH, for the incredible vistas as well as the incredible light that will not require a fast lens.

Have a great trip and show what you got on the way back!

[stuny]

If you don't mind carying the other lenses as well you'll find uses for them, such as if a herd of wild horses or wild dononkies go by a bit too far for the 28.

[250swb]

I'd choose a 28mm. But you should aim to use your other lenses as 'landscape' can be pretty boring if majestic features ending up looking lost like a pea on a plate.

 

Steve

[wda]

Riophoto, welcome to the Forum! My recommendation would be to go for the 28 Asph. It is a super lens and on the M6 will cope with wide vistas. I guess the next most useful lens will be your 50mm Summicron. A very useful pair of lenses!

[}{B]

Don't discount the humble 35mm for landscape work. It is wide enough to encompass a large part of any scene but not so wide as the diminish the scale of your subjects. If your style of photography is to have large foreground objects to offset the background then the diminishing effect and the greater depth field over a 35mm at any given F stop may be more useful to you.

 

It may also be useful to think about which of the two lenses would get the most use after you return from holiday.

[tobey bilek]

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35 before a 28 anyday. Then a 24 rather than 28. In other words I recommend a 24,35, 50 skipping the 28 for landscape work.

 

One must realise that a wide lens also diminishes the size of objects in the frame as a natural consequence of taking more in. This generally is not something you want to do.

 

Wide lenses are more useful for interiors and crowded cities than expansive vistas.

[Guest nafpie]

Sorry, but I am not able to make any suggestions.

 

It completely depends on what kind of images YOU want to create. Do you have any visions? If yes, how do they look like?

 

In Monument Valley one can make great photographs with standard lenses, wide angle lenses, super wide angle lanses, telephoto lenses as well as fisheye lenses.

 

Good luck with your choice and have a save trip.

 

Stefan

[Stephen.s1]

A monumental lens.

[JosefSchachner]

Must have come :-) I had both Lenses (28 and 35) and sold the 28 again. As an always on “standard” lens for close quarters the 28 was just a tick to wide on my 0.72 finder, not so much in picture effect as in handling and for more dramatic wide angle effect it was just not wide enough for me. But there seem to be plenty of people who appreciate the “just a bit wider than 35” thing on the 28. I personally think that the 24-35-50 combo is the way to go, eventual 21 if you already have to go with the external viewfinder.

Considering how “classic” the Leica + 35mm combo is, well worth a go, and as people are “upgrading” to the new 35 summilux, the old version might be found at the usual places secondhand.

[geaibleu]

The problem here is to assume that the original question is at best childish, thus avoiding to say that it is plain silly, and further to assume that the M6 is a point and shoot type of camera!

The original question was to ask for useful suggestions to complement 90 and 50 crons in terms of either 28 or 35.

Getting beyond the question to suggest something else instead is not appropriate.

As the owner and user of both the 35 ASPH Lux and the 28 ASPH I realized quickly that my recently acquired 35 ASPH cron was not on par with the other 2 and I got rid of it as quickly as I could, which means that I kept both 35 Lux and 28 ASPH over the 35 ASPH cron which I felt was an unnecessary compromise.

But this is not the topic to be discussed here. What is at stake is to determine whether the 28 or the 35 is most useful to carry to Monument Valley, assuming that those who will answer do know how to use these lenses in order to get the best out of them.

Each and almost everyone of the Leica lenses has an optimum goal to fulfil, and any comparison has to take that into account.

[stealthman_1]

I hate to break the news, but 28mm is very tight for monument valley and will be a very tough squeeze for shooting the classic Mittens and Merrick Butte shot. The monuments are 24 and wider territory. Since it is an Indian reservation, you can't just go walk anywhere for the shot. Though you can hire a guide and go a whole lot more places. In many cases, 28mm will require you to stitch. Do take your 50 & 90 though as they will have many uses, but the classic panorama shots are way wide. If your trip also includes Canyon de Chelly, again it's wide, wide, and wider. Stuff out west is just huge.

[Manolo Laguillo]

Hi,

let me say, with all the the due respect, that the starting question is neither stupid nor childish.

I am a professional photographer specialized in cityscape, architecture and landscape, and remember very well how impressed I was the first time I travelled throughout the american landscapes (both north and central), because of their different scales, in comparison to the european landscapes: everything (distances, proportions, etc) is huge, tremendous, enormous. I am speeking of a very subjective feeling, but one that I share with other european photographers.

On the other hand, I consider that it is not wrong trying to remake the famous vistas of Monument Valley, or of whatever. Imitation has been always an accepted starting point in the learning process of every art or craft. At least it is a place from which to depart. The idea of being original is quite new, it is only aprox 200 years old.

 

The bottom line: I agree with stealthman: buy a 24 (the 25/2.8 Zeiss Biogon is marvelous and not that 'expensive').

 

Personally I like, and have, the progression 24, 35, 50, 75.

 

24 = the full frame's short side,

35 = the FF's long side,

50 = 2x the FF's short side,

75 = 2x the FF's long side, but also 3x the FF's short side.

 

A nice very wide is therefore the 18 (= 36 / 2)

 

Regards,

Manolo

[gberger]

Whether you are staying in Kayenta or at Gouldings, sign up at Gouldings for the full day tour. The tour includes Monument valley plus one other relatively inaccessible site that is a photographer's dream. Using the Gouldings authorized tours will save you loads of grief attempting to engage an independent Navajo guide (and his truck).

 

IMO, and I lived in Arizona for years and am very familiar with the territory, the only decent place in the Monument Valley area to purchase Navajo jewelry is at Gouldings. Ask them to show you the "Pawn" items.

 

For lenses, I've n\been through Monument Valley quite a few times, and a 35/50/90 combination should get you just about everything you will really want to shoot. I used our 35 Summicron 75% of the time, our 90 T/E 15% and our 50 Summicron 10%. (M4, M6, Fuji transparency films)

 

At that altitude, I used UV filters, and used an incident light meter for a majority of shots with both cameras. The light will fool you at that altitude and clarity. IMO, if you bracket, tend to underexpose slightly.

 

If you have the opportunity, please visit Canyon de Chelly. Stay at the Thunderbird Lodge if you can - - otherwise, in Chinle. You arrange for the Canyon tour via the front desk at the Thunderbird. (BTW: It's pronounced "Canyon de Shay"). A full day tour will take you through the much larger and photogenic Canyon del Muerte and the offshoot, Canyon de Chelly. Most of the excellent photo ops are in Canyon del Muerte.

The Thunderbird Lodge is on the Navajo Indian Reservation, so no alcohol is available for sale at the Lodge. (take your own) At the Thunderbird cafeteria, try the Navajo fry bread.

 

Canyon de Chelly , IMO, is 24mm and 90mm country. Again, an incident lighgt meter is very useful. Today, I'd take a Sekonic 308s, as it has an excellent incident capability ans well as a reflective capability. Uses a AA alkaline battery and fits in your shirt pocket. ISO 100 will do nicely for transparency or print film.

 

Enjoy, and good shooting!

[fotofoto]

a few weeks ago I made a short trip to the area of sedona in arizona.

the 2.8/21mm asp I had with me was very helpful to get some nice compositions

of these fantastic and huge panorama landscapes.

have a nice trip

mich

[Johnny_Johnson]

I shoot a lot of landscape and have shot in Monument Valley but wouldn't feel comfortable advising you on a lens selections to take on your trip since the right choice depends so much on your individual style. Years ago I preferred wide angle shots but in recent years I've noticed that I've gravitated more toward the long end. I just checked the shots from a 2007 visit there and my lens selection was as follows: 50mm - 20%, 75mm - 20%, 90mm - 10%, 135mm - 40%.

 

Of course YMMV (and probably will)

Johnny