If you had to choose one lens for Traveling..

[JosephArthur]

If you had to choose one lens for traveling. Which would it be? Traveling along the Coast of California for one week backpacking with a Red (and maybe a steadicam/actioncam or not). (sorry one week is all i get from my wife).

-Red
-Mac Pro Laptop
-4 CF Cards (and a ton of storage)
-Red Charger
-Dual/Swapable Battery Pack
-Actioncam

(MAYBE a DIT tent - the white one on the outside black on the inside).

[Sanjin Jukic]

Budget option:

Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 Manual focus zoom (that's what I have)


Mid budget option:

RED zoom 18-50mm T3 or even better the newer RED Pro 17-50mm zoom when is available


Best options:

Angenieux AX-16-42-OPT-DP T2.8 Zoom

Angenieux AX-15-40 OPT T2.6 Zoom

Cooke 15-40mm T2.0 CXX Zoom

Fujinon 14.5–45mm T2.0

[Charles Angus]

For the wide end, Sanjin's recommendations would coincide pretty exactly with my own (although I've never used the Nikkor 17-35, so I can't say about that one). I would also add the Arri/Zeiss LWZ-1 to the lineup of wide PL zooms. It's small, light, and 15.5-45mm, T2.6.

If you're looking at something slightly longer, there's the Angenieux 28-76 T/2.6. About the same weight as the other options, around 4-5 lbs.

Then, if you're dead set on one lens, and quality is maybe a little less important than flexibility and portability, you could look into some of the stills superzoom options, like the Nikkor 18-200 f/2.5-5.6 or the Tamron 18-250 f/3.5-6.3. You can cover all your bases like that (excepting low light, I suppose). Not the sharpest lenses in the box, but hey - they cover an exceptional range. You would need a smart Nikon mount for these ones, pretty sure they don't have aperture rings.

Not too sure what you're going to be shooting, but there's a few more options to get the brain ticking over.

[David Rasberry]

I support the view that you will want longer reach for nature shooting than a lens topping out at 70mm or less will give you. Gibby should weigh in on this one, but the wider range still zooms might be preferable for this if you must stick to one lens and shoot them as variable primes.

[D Fuller]

With an Optitek Nikon mount, if you can stand 2 lenses, I'd suggest the 17-55 and the 70-200 Nikkor. That way, you get f/2.8 over all that range. If you don't need that much speed, Charles' suggestions of the 18-200 are spot on.

[JosephArthur]

With an Optitek Nikon mount, if you can stand 2 lenses, I'd suggest the 17-55 and the 0-200 Nikkor. That way, you get f/2.8 over all that range. If you don't need that much speed, Charles' suggestions of the 18-200 are spot on.

Thanks guys. I think the 18-200 would be good. Although the 18-50 as a default would be good.

Originally I was thinking of a prime lens (specifically cause the lesser amount of moving parts). - but sacrificing versitility of shots.

[Rob Ruffo]

Canon EFS 17-55 with Birger mount.
Canon 85 1.2 for longer shots when you need them. Light kit, primo quality.

[Tim Morten]

Thanks guys. I think the 18-200 would be good. Although the 18-50 as a default would be good.

Originally I was thinking of a prime lens (specifically cause the lesser amount of moving parts). - but sacrificing versitility of shots.

Isn't the 18-200 a DX format lens? I don't think that will cover the 4K frame, but I haven't tried it.

I'm an Optitek Nikon-mount fan myself... the 17-35 and the 70-200 are my goto zooms for both DSLR and Red. If you want to fill in the middle of the range, the 24-70 is also nice (but you said one, and now I'm up to 3).

If you wanted a prime, that's a tough one... I'm not sure there's a right answer to the "If you could only have one focal length, what would it be?" question. Love my Zeiss ZF's on the Red though :).

- Tim

[Tim Morten]

PS - If you've got room for an Actioncam or a DIT tent, I'm betting you might be able squeeze a case of primes in there. :)

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Some good lens suggestions in this thread, but I'm confused as to why you're able to bring all the various kit you have listed, but can't squeeze in more than one lens? I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish here.

Do you have a mount preference? Suggestions are all over the place in here, in terms of lens mounts and formats.

APS-C / Nikon DX lenses will cover 4K / 4.5K

If lightweight and space are of concern, the Optitek Nikon mount is a real good choice. The 17-35 is an awesome lens. So are the newer 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200 zooms. In fact, for a travel kit, that would be my lens package of choice I think. Or the Optimo Rouge lenses in PL mount (16-42 and 30-80). Pssst, I know where there are some of them for sale...