Lens advice for Landscape photo's

Jesper

I've got a Panasonic Lumix G5 Compact System Camera. I'm going for 3 months travel in South America in January so I'd like a good (relatively cheap) lens for taking landscapes. The camera came with a standard 18-55 and 60-200 lens but in my limited experience I have found these poor for landscapes.
Can anyone recommend a lens or supplier/website that would be good for this?

candytog

The Sigma 19mm 2.8 is supposed to be excellent for the money. not the widest for landscapes but it's super cheap.

Jesper

candytog wrote: »

The Sigma 19mm 2.8 is supposed to be excellent for the money. not the widest for landscapes but it's super cheap.

Can you advise a store/online where that is available?

candytog

It's on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-19mm-2-8-MFT-Lens/dp/B00BPZCYK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417435538&sr=8-1&keywords=sigma+19mm+mft

And do what I do and use parcel motel to save the delivery costs

DaireQuinlan

Jesper wrote: »

I've got a Panasonic Lumix G5 Compact System Camera. I'm going for 3 months travel in South America in January so I'd like a good (relatively cheap) lens for taking landscapes. The camera came with a standard 18-55 and 60-200 lens but in my limited experience I have found these poor for landscapes.
Can anyone recommend a lens or supplier/website that would be good for this?

Where do you think your existing lenses are letting you down ? I thought maybe you wanted something a little wider, but a Sigma 19mm isn't going to sort that out for you.

Jesper

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Where do you think your existing lenses are letting you down ? I thought maybe you wanted something a little wider, but a Sigma 19mm isn't going to sort that out for you.

I'd like to take some landscapes to get developed and hang on my own walls. So I would like them to be good quality. I'm also interested in photography (early stage) so I can see myself using it more often.

DaireQuinlan

Jesper wrote: »

I'd like to take some landscapes to get developed and hang on my own walls. So I would like them to be good quality. I'm also interested in photography (early stage) so I can see myself using it more often.

What I'm asking though is what you mean by 'quality' and how you feel that what you're looking for isn't being delivered by your current lenses. It could be that it's some technical deficiency in the lenses, just as equally it could be with your technique or understanding of composition or whatever, which isn't going to be solved by throwing more money at gear.

Silva360

In addition to that stated above, I think you need to consider what you would like to do in terms of landscapes. Most people automatically assume that wide angle is best. It might be, but equally it might not be.

For example: if you use a 19mm prime and are shooting distant mountains, then you're going to end up with mountains that look like ant hills with possibly miles of boring crap in between. But wide angle can be great if you have decent foreground. If you're not sure what type of photos you're after, then perhaps the flexibility of a zoom would be better.

There is no doubt that cheap zooms are going to suffer from image quality, but as Daire says, if you haven't got the right technique than a £2,000 lens is not going to make much improvement over a cheap 18-55 except perhaps in the detail and aberration stakes.

A good tripod and careful composition will make far more difference to your end result then the supposed 'right' landscape lens. In addition, it'll enable you to shoot well in low light (dawn/dusk/night/mist/dull conditions).

It would be good to see some of these 'poor' landscapes so that some suggestions could be made as to your options.

Alanstrainor

I got a 10-22mm lens in the last year, and I love it. However, I more use it in urban environments where you can get close to your subject, whether that be a building, or the river liffey etc. The thing about wide angle, and especially super wide, is that everything seems very far away, as Silva360 mentioned, that mountain that looks amazing to your eye is suddenly almost non existent when shot super wide; all you're left with is the grassy foreground.

It all depends on what you want to shoot, but I think even with your current focal range setup, you could get a good idea as to what you would like by taking shots at 18mm exclusively or at the long end too.

monkeynuz

candytog wrote: »

It's on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-19mm-2-8-MFT-Lens/dp/B00BPZCYK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417435538&sr=8-1&keywords=sigma+19mm+mft

And do what I do and use parcel motel to save the delivery costs

I thought any thing over £25 and sold by amazon was free delivery anyway? And doesn't parcel motel cost anyway?

candytog

monkeynuz wrote: »

I thought any thing over £25 and sold by amazon was free delivery anyway? And doesn't parcel motel cost anyway?

Delivery to Ireland from Amazon isn't free usually (unless I'm mistaken). So usually I opt for free uk delivery + PM which is 4 euro. This usually saves a few quid over the normal delivery rates to Ireland.

Plus you get it quicker in my experience

Jesper

I understand the points being made about the selection of shots to match the lens. And for the amount i am taking (right now) it's correct in assuming I don't need an expensive lens until I get some more experience. But I would still like to get good landscapes so would this be an option

http://www.tmart.com/58mm-0.35X-Fisheye-Wide-Angle-Lens-for-Cannon-Nikon-Sony-Black_p244032.html

I know the connection isn't correct for my Mycro 4/3 system (Panasonic) but it seems like a cheaper (beginner) solution?

DaireQuinlan

Jesper wrote: »

http://www.tmart.com/58mm-0.35X-Fisheye-Wide-Angle-Lens-for-Cannon-Nikon-Sony-Black_p244032.html

No, that's probably the worst thing ever to stick in front of your camera. Or maybe the best, given that you still haven't actually really said what you want to accomplish or what you mean by 'good'

monkeynuz

candytog wrote: »

Delivery to Ireland from Amazon isn't free usually (unless I'm mistaken). So usually I opt for free uk delivery + PM which is 4 euro. This usually saves a few quid over the normal delivery rates to Ireland.

Plus you get it quicker in my experience

Free super saver delivery on orders over £25 and usually arrives in a few days, and also I don't then have to go to wherever parcel motel is to collect.

candytog

monkeynuz wrote: »

Free super saver delivery on orders over £25 and usually arrives in a few days, and also I don't then have to go to wherever parcel motel is to collect.

Oh right, how long have they been doing that I wonder?

monkeynuz

candytog wrote: »

Oh right, how long have they been doing that I wonder?

A few years at least iirc, been using it for a while at least.

candytog

monkeynuz wrote: »

A few years at least iirc, been using it for a while at least.

How I did not know this lol

Silva360

Jesper wrote: »

Mycro 4/3 system (Panasonic) but it seems like a cheaper (beginner) solution?

You already hold the beginners solution in your hands. There is no magic solution in a new lens (especially a £25.00 one). If you're determined to go wide (but I really suggest that you still carry your kit lenses), go for one about 14mm. I'm not familiar with micro four thirds systems, but I think you need to double (or there about) the focal length to arrive at the 35mm (or full frame) equivalent. So 14mm would give you about 28mm, which is wide. If you want to go super wide, then you're looking at something more expensive like 7mm. In saying that, I still think you have all the lens you need to make great photographs and your time would be better spent learning how to use it well.

Use a tripod, shoot RAW, be prepared to take control and to do some post processing.

I shoot a lot of landscapes and I have rarely ever needed to go below 24mm. It's better to include what's important into the frame rather than everything.