Johnny Johnson wrote:
>At 08:58 AM 1/5/2006, NSURIT@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>>If we go back to the original question of what would make a good backpacking
>>kit lens, I might drop the lens question and just look at kit in which case
>>it might be an OMPC with Zuiko 35-70mm 3.5-4.5 and maybe something like the
>>200mm f5 Zuiko and an extension tube or two.
>>
>>
>Thinking along those lines another consideration might be a Kiron
>28-85mm, f2.8-f3.8 instead of the 35-70mm. You gain some reach on
>either end compared to the 35-70mm, some speed for low light
>conditions and, I think, quite a bit in image quality. Another plus
>is that it close focuses to 1:4. The Kiron does weigh more though
>than the 35-70mm since it looks to have the build quality of a tank.
>
>
Well, I suppose that what is considered a mod range zoom will vary with
photographer. :-)
Althought I am one of the most tele oriented folks who post here, I've
always thought of mid range as 28-35 to 70-135 mm ranges. All those
60-80 to ~200 mm sooms I would call tele zooms.
Anyway, nomenclature aside, I certainly wouldn't go backpacking without
something in the 28-35 mm range. There are so many trade-offs of
capability vs. weight and so many different preferences in fl range that
recommendations are really personal preferences.
If I were to go backingpacking again, and assuming I were in condition
to take something bigger than a tiny P&S, there are several
combinatinons I would be considering.
- 50/1.4 and Tamron 28-200/3.8-5.6, probably with Viv Macro
Teleconverter. You don't hear much about the Tamron, but it's about as
close to the perfect do everything range as exists for OM mount. It's a
bit slow at the long end, but is a good and amazingly small and light
lens. It's greatest failings are linear distortion at the ends of the fl
range, which doesn't matter much for backpacking scenery, and modest
close focus (6 ft, 2.1 m). I haven't been backpacking since the days
when I only had a couple of primes, but my experience with dayhiking is
that fewer lens changes is a very good thing. This would be the lightest
and easiest to use kit.
- Viv et.al. 19-35/3.5-4.5, Tamron 35-105/2.8, 200/5 with C-U lenses or
extention tubes. A really good and fast lens for the heart of the fl
range. The Viv 2x macro-tele and 50/1.4 are a possible replacement for
other macro options.
- 19-35, 50/1.4 and Tamron 60-300. Not as much speed as the last option,
but oh, that tele. Probably doesn't weigh more than option two with
50/1.4 and 2xM.
- 28/2 or 24/2.8, 35-70/3.5-4.5, 135/2.8 and 2xA.
I think I'd take whatever kit(s) appealed to me off on a day hike to see
how I liked working with them before final choice.
Moose
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