What are your Essential Lenses?

@KevinNordstrom

3 жыл бұрын

Canon RF 15-35 2.8 and Canon RF 70-200 2.8 are my only lenses

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

@@seantufnell Nice- I like that, a single lens setup!

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

@@KevinNordstrom Great two lenses to go with I'd say!

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Keith C it’s such a great lens but pricey! How nice is the Zeiss 55 - that’s the sharpest lens I’ve ever used!

@andrewreece5582

3 жыл бұрын

Canon 16-35 F4 IS, Canon 24-70 F4 IS. Collectively saved $2,000 by not buying 2.8s and I've literally never wished I had that extra stop.

I like Mark's videos. He's thoughtful, practical AND DOESN'T SHOUT.

@sethcashman1011

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed. The “shout” comment made me think of one person right away.

@marcel9568

2 жыл бұрын

One with a lot of hair?

@sethcashman1011

2 жыл бұрын

@@marcel9568 hahaha! Not saying anything. 😂

@neilmccaughan5149

2 жыл бұрын

@@marcel9568 Is that what it is?

@i_n_c_r_y_p_t_o

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, although it's funny to me that you shouted to say that lol. :)

Mark Denney. We listen, we watch, and we learn, but most of all we love it.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome!! Thanks so much for this!

A well spoken case for your lens choices. Also, I am so glad to finally hear a well respected photographer admit lenses are expensive. On most channels I watch it seems dropping $2,000 is something that is done everyday. Thanks for admitting the reality for most of us.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

You betcha - glad you enjoyed it!

@desertmav8632

3 жыл бұрын

Clifton Photo I hear ya! I’m also a Sony shooter and for landscapes CERTAINLY use my 16-35mm the most. I have the Zeiss though as the GM is a little out of my budget...GREAT lens tho!

Mark, I recently subscribed to your channel and I am so happy I found you on KZread. I love how simple your videos are, no music, no crazy editing/jump cuts, etc. Even the background where you record looks inviting! I've been going back to watch all of your videos, what you share is very informative and as the video ends, I feel ready to use what information I have learned. As a landscape photographer myself, I enjoy your content and I look forward to learning something from your channel as often as I can. Thank you!

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for the amazing comment - made my day!!

Completely agree Mark and i'm already there ..17-35 & 150-600 is what im down to for landscape, however i could argue that one other lens could be added for intimate details and that would be a macro lens or at least extension tubes with a 50mm.

Really good advise Mark. Because of my age and some other physical issues the weight and size of my gear became a real priority to me. I switched to using micro four thirds gear around 7 years ago and find that it suits my needs perfectly. The lens that pretty much lives on my camera Is a 12-100 f/4 , but I also carry a 7-14 f/2.8 wide angle. That gives me a FF equivalent from 14-200mm. Both lenses are Olympus pro lenses. However I do also have a non pro 75-300 that I sometimes carry if I think that I will need some extra reach. That gives me a FF equivalent of 150-600 mm. It's not the fastest lens but I rarely shoot below f/5.6 so it works for me.

Mark you are hands down the best KZread trainer on photography. You don’t hype any products, You’re very detailed and simple to follow and you don’t yell at us 😂 Thanks again, great video!

Your use of vertical images for landscape photos is a fantastic idea. I'm sure that is been done before but I haven't seen many photographers rely so heavily on it. What a wonderful suggestion. Thank you for sharing

Tamron 28-200mm on the Sony side ticks a lot of boxes for me! I have a 50mm prime and a 200-600mm for everything else.

I have the same camera and 16-35mm combo. I also only run 2 lenses but my second is a 70-300mm. Apart from the obvious price difference the main benefit of the 70-300 over the 100-400mm is weight and size. A lot easier to throw in the pack for hiking.

I am so glad I stumbled upon your videos. Very smooth, very informative, very easy to listen to. Well done in so many ways!You came along at just the right time.

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the great photography info. I have watched a lot of photography videos by a lot of people and you are the only one I have subscribed to. I enjoy all types of outdoor photography. I love birds, other wildlife, a little macro, and wildflowers. I think landscape is my best. Maybe that's why I enjoy your videos so much. Thanks.

Agreed with your choices, though I have a prime on my wide end because there isn't a good wide zoom that touches into ultra-wide for my system. I know primes are generally better as well, but I will say it is a PITA to keep switching lenses, especially because I'll usually want a few different types of shots from any one spot.

You gave a perfect example of why the old adage "zoom with your feet" isn't always useful. Besides, sometimes you want a specific perspective from a single point, regardless of the ability to move to a different spot. For me, zoom lenses are my primary tools. Primes only where necessary.

Excellent content Mark. I'm brand new to the photography game, and can't express enough gratitude regarding how helpful you videos have been. You take beautiful photos. Thanks so much.

Mark this is one of the better videos I have seen. I feel like right in the living room with you. I have started doing landscape of rivers, fields and barns. This video showed me exactly what kind of photos zooming in each lense gets. I own a 18-55mm and 55-200 mm. Alot of my shots are at 160-190. I noticed if go 200 more blurry. Really like again how you showed same scene and multiple pictures on zoom distances. Definitely made my mind to get a 16-35 to start. Was looking at a 50mm but a wide angle believe way for me.

Thanks! As a new photographer, I don't want to waste money on what I don't need. I currently only have a kit lense, but it is doing quite well to teach me the basics. I'm able to dabble in micro, astro, landscape, fog, wildlife, and lightening photography. Great advice!

@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941

2 жыл бұрын

@FnnElm Canon 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS, but I have added the Canon 75-300 II and the Sigma 150-600 C.

Prime lens protagonists: just step closer Cliff photographers: i wish i had a zoom

Thank you! I recently went through a similar thought process and culled my lens quiver down to two. I chose the Sigma 20mm 1.8 Art and the Nikkor 28-300. I went with the prime 20mm because I really like the image quality and large aperture (especially for astrophotography), and I found that when using a zoom wide angle (14-24mm) I was either right around 20mm (18-21ish) or all the way out to 24 and wishing for more. The 28-300 leaves me with just an 8mm gap between the two lenses. I really liked this video because it shows me that my reasoning is shared by others!

This was such a great video - answered my question perfectly and most enjoyably. Thanks!

Probably my most-used lens is the 17-55mm Nikkor ... built like a tank, and incredibly sharp for a zoom. For city visits, when I want to be “free” and catch almost anything, I find the 18-200mm to be really flexible and versatile. Since purchasing a Foto-vest, taking a few primes along is much easier, if I want to indulge a bit☺️

@srsanz

7 ай бұрын

Agreed. I have the same lens. Super versatile and amazingly sharp images.

My go-to lenses in my bag are always the 24mm 1.4 & 70-200 2.8 which I can use for portraits too. I know you said you don't gravitate towards the really wide shots but I'd love to see what you'd do with the new 12-24mm GM although that $3k price tag is a bit out of my price range

I love watching you. You just simplify all the subjects. Keep up the good work. Thanks for your efforts.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much🙏

I'm an old man living in San Francisco and don't get out to do landscape photography very often but I do enjoy your videos and always learn something that helps me take better photos in the city ... thanks for doing what you do !

Exactly my thoughts Mark. I can't get why landscape photographers only promote wide angle lenses, there are a whole lot of possibilities missed if you don't have that extra zoom, because many times the good part of your wide angle photo is like 1 mega pixel if you crop it. Also, with a telephoto lens there is no excuse for you to not compose perfectly a photo. If you mess it up you know that it was your fault and not the excuse that "i didn't have enough zoom for the best composition".

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video!

That’s cool to see that my lens combo is same as yours but on a budget. I have 11-22 and 70-200 and just one 32 prime for portraits but it’s on apsc so basically becomes 18-35 and 112-320.

I have a 16-35 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 Sony and I love them. I do real estate photography and have just decided to do landscape too for my enjoyment. It’s been a long time since I’ve done the photography I wanted to do.

Thanks for the great video, Mark! I also appreciate that you are one of the few specialists who consider lenses as expensive and would not like to have a shelf full of lenses. As most of us take your advice rather seriously in our learning journey, this advice saves us a lot of confusion and money, to say the least. I am only an amateur. I have my Nikon D7500 and 18-140 zoom that came with it. I find myself shooting flowers these days at 100+ mm and may buy a macro lens. The 150-600 zoom, only when I can afford it.

My two are the Sony 24-105 f4 and the 100-400GM. I absolutely LOVE the 100-400, I don't know why more people don't use it!

@TheKentaurion

2 жыл бұрын

Why not more people use the FE 100-400 GM? Obviously the price! Even used, it's expensive (about 2000 €). Most tech is cheaper in the U.S, but I guess it's still about 1800$. For the common people that's a lot.

I've trained my eyes to visualize a 20mm and a 300mm field of view. With a prime lens I have an easier fix on lighting as changing focal lengths on zooms change everything. Most primes have more light gathering capacity too creating smoother out of focus feathering. A prime is sharper, lighter, has better colour science, less expensive and adds to the creative process of setting up the scene. Without the luxury of a zoom, a prime places me in the discomfort zone and that's the sweet spot where my learning happens. Process, not product. How can I do it better next time? I shoot with a Nikon 20mm f1.8G and a Nikon 300mm f2.8.

@raytbrown2

3 жыл бұрын

I completely agree with the POV - on both fronts, visual and mental. And BTW: That is a really nice 300m lens you have there! (It almost costs more than my Vespa). I am Jelly - seriously. That said, I shoot mirrorless, nowadays. As such, I cannot wait until I can afford the OLY 300mm - except that it'll be 600mm relative and I'll need a different POV.

@gaarakabuto1

2 жыл бұрын

Early on a was forced for many reason to shoot in 75mm lens and that was a weird focal length to work on. Many shots of mine that I consider them to be some of my best, I can guarantee that would have been some basic pictures if I had the option to zoom in or zoom out. Prime lenses are great to learn photography and composition but eventually they become much more than that. I recently tried a zoom lens and it simply isn't for me no more, the final picture came lacklusting for post editing compared to a prime and I just got myself thinking how much more I could have got from a prime.

Thanks Mark. I've been thinking about this concept and this was very helpful.

Enjoyed the video. Informative and enlightening. Going back to my "film" days, I used two lenses. A 35-70 and a 70-210. My most used was the 35-70.

A macro lens would be an interesting 3rd lens to bring along.

@forsterl.stewart414

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed and then some. You can never bring enough. Because the very thing you didn't bring... you'll need.

@FlosBlog

2 жыл бұрын

Wait? 100-400 is not macro?

Tamron makes an excellent 100-400mm lens which won't break the bank for those on a budget and it is compact for its class.

@dons.9842

3 жыл бұрын

Just bought one recently. Agree 100%.

@ladislavzahnas7618

3 жыл бұрын

Or Sigma if you have sony mount. Cost just a bit more than tamron and weights like 25g more.

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis on your lens choices. I am really enjoying your videos, insights and tutorials!

Mark. Absolutely splendid video mate. Practical, helpful, informative, thoughtful and as always entertaining. Much appreciated man. Keep up the awesome work. Best wishes to you and your family and as always stay safe.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much friend - very much appreciate that!

I picked up the sigma 150-600 for wildlife photos, recently I used it for landscape shots and it blew my mind of the detail of places I couldn't see normally.

@janos71

2 жыл бұрын

yes, i experienced the same thing. it is not the easiest to carry around though.

The last few months I was unsure what lenses I will take with the Sony a7R III, thanks to your video I now know 100% which one I will take, thanks a lot Mark 👍

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Glad the video was helpful Patrick!

Food for thought... thanks Mark, as alway such learning.

Currently with my Z6 I'm down to my 24-70 f/4 Z, and 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 AF-P - love them both. I love the minimalist-gear approach but I still have my eye on Nikon's 20 f/1.8 Z, for landscape & astro. So sharp edge to edge even wide open. Awesome content on your channel, thanks!

Recently upgraded to Canon 5D Mk4.. and lost the ability to use most of my old crop sensor lenses. But my essential lens is my Canon 70-200 f/4

great vid/info ... food for thought on gear choices 👌🏼 thanks, subscribed!

Great video, you do beautiful work. After dragging DSLRs and multiple lenses around, I tried "travelling light" with MFT. I found that I had to make sure I used the proper focal length to capture an image and ended up with a bag full of lenses. With my Z7 I'm much more able to crop without losing detail. I find I can shoot most any landscape with the 24-70 and some neutral density filters. Being an old guy, carrying a light camera with one lens, a few filters in a shoulder bag and a tripod makes life much easier than lugging multiple cameras and lenses around. Besides, 90% of my photos with the Z7 are within the 24-50mm range. Works for me.

You should make that into a t-shirt: Go wide or go long! :)

@Boreganic

3 жыл бұрын

Lmao I’d buy 😂

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Hahahah! I'm glad you think so!

@feraszorba

3 жыл бұрын

That's what she said

@ashpirid

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha I'll buy it too hahahah

@RyanLennoxBradley

3 жыл бұрын

Would match my photography t shirt collection (1 Jared Palin I Shoot RAW Australian bushfire edition T shirt) also, I'm Australian and shipping would be like $50 AUD

Love this video, Mark! I've narrowed myself down to a 70-200, 24-70, and a 14mm prime I use for astro, so I don't always need to take it when I'm doing sunrise/sunset/day shoots. But I still have a bunch of primes I've been trying to decide if I should sell. Your video is really pushing me towards the sell end of the decision scale. Thanks!

Thank you SO much for this video. I'm considering getting into photography and the thing that sets your video apart from so many others, is you use EXAMPLES. Along with that you give practical and easily understood reasons for what you're describing so even someone without experience can comprehend. This was so helpful.

Hi Mark. First time viewer and subscriber. Thanks for a great review. I really like your composition in your studio, it's very unique.

I shot for years with a Canon60D and used the 10-16mm and 55-250mm kit lenses. I have great shots. But the resolution wasn't as good as I wanted. I just upgraded my equipment to Sony and the two lenses you mentioned are the two I bought because they were the same to what I was already shooting. Glad to know I'm not the only landscape photography who understands this. Keep up the good work.

Thanks, I'm inspired to lighten my load. I've been trying to be brave enough to do it. :-) Always good info, thanks Mark.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

The quality, timing and content of this video is perfect. I am going to upgrade my camera from aps-c to full-frame A7RIII and I was conflicted with lens options. Because of lens prices, I was having a hard time deciding on which lens to start with and this video was extremely helpful for this photographer/artist that is ready to take it to the next level. Thank you for putting quality content out there!

@careylymanjones

Жыл бұрын

Hang on to at least one APS-C body. You'll find you can use it like a 1.5x teleconverter that works with all your new full-frame lenses. Your APS-C bodies won't have the resolution of the A7RIII, but 24MP will still give decent images.

Super helpful. I really appreciate your insights and approach. I was on the path to acquiring lenses ahead of experience. You've given me a lot to consider. Thank you!

Thanks for this video Mark. I've practically done the same thing. I left photography for years when the digital stuff came out/in? But missing photography, I bought a very expensive camera and ,progressively,very expensive lenses, adding to my frustration because I wasn't learning the 'tricks of the trade' in digital. So I did what you've just shown in the video-I picked a 24-70 f2.8 and a 70-200 f2.8 and now I'm learning & loving the choice I made. Wide OR long,so easy. Stay safe & well-regards,Dave

"If I took that extra step that would be a whole new issue" 😂😂😂😂

I sincerely enjoy your easy to watch explanational videos! The shot with the foreground cactus, was that one complete focused shot? Thank you!

Brilliant explanation and visual insight to Landscapes and different focal length - Thank You

For the longest time I was always shooting with my 16-35mm and I became very tired of it, I wasn’t diversifying and wide angle shots were/are becoming a bit cliche; so I left it at home and only took my 24-105. It helped me so much creatively. Since I got my my 100-400mm I’ve been buzzing with creativity and it definitely helped me get my eye in. Now though, I’m more confident with myself in different environments and carry all 3. All my gear is a little heavy to lug around, but I’m a mule and once I get going I’m ok hahaha.

@12stockweb

3 жыл бұрын

I love my 24-105 and the 100-400! I also have an 18mm Zeiss prime that is super light and gives me a little extra reach when I need it. Also gives me a beautiful sun star. 😍

Very informative! I’m curious how often you actually use less than f/4 on you wide lens?

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Only when shooting astro which isn’t too often.

👍 That long lens is must have. I recently got back from workshop with Marc Adamus and I used my RF 100-500mm almost as much as I did my wide angle.

That is a really nice video blending technical review with actual creative application. Thanks a lot!!!

Sigma is coming out with a 100-400 for the Sony e mount. My next purchase.

Essential? It all depends on where I'm standing. Like you said about "zooming with your feet" having limitations, but for me, I'll go from intimate landscapes, to macro details, to medium views, to grand landscapes, to astro all in a single day; sometimes all within a mile of each other. I can see from your gallery that you shoot a lot of BIG landscapes which makes sense why you would want to include as much as possible (wide angle) or isolate out the "clutter" (telephoto). I don't shoot big landscapes so the vast majority of my images are within that 35-100mm focal range that you've excluded from your kit.

I can sure relate to your comments about how important the sky is. I was in Yosemite for three days, and never saw a single cloud. The only two photos from those three days I ever offered for sale were one taken with a full frame fish eye lens which made a pebble in the foreground appear as large as half-dome, and a silhouette of a squirrel on the open side of Four-mile Trail.

Thanks for your comments. I'm thinking along the same lines too. Great examples to help me plan my future lenses.

I only have one lens and it contains almost every lens on the planet. Its nikon p900 :D

@GlobalThirtyseven

3 жыл бұрын

Digital zoom vs optical zoom is no contest. Optical zoom wins always.

@realflow100

3 жыл бұрын

@@GlobalThirtyseven it is optical zoom though.

@GoA7250

3 жыл бұрын

I have a P7700 with a CPL and lens hood, and it rocks.

I have one lens for all: 40mm xD

Thanks a lot for this video, which made me a subscriber. I just got into photography, mostly landscape photography, and considering to get a couple of lenses instead of my kit lens. Your advice was priceless.

Beautifully done. Just stunning!

Fuji Guy here: 8-16, 16-80 and 100-400 all covered :)

5:52 “It really wasn’t that big but I was just a few inches away from it” - That’s what she said

@nelsonclub7722

3 жыл бұрын

I bought a Hasselblad H6D100 a few weeks ago and after unpacking it, and before the lens and back was on my wife said to me "IOh thought it was going to be much bigger than that considering how much you paid" and I said to her "Yes, I hear that a lot!!" - it was few hours later before she realized what she/I had said.

@matthewwood3000

3 жыл бұрын

F U N N Y

This is the content I was looking for!

Great tips Mark. Thank you. I've been looking to upgrade my kit and found this very helpful.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks Tommy!

Excellent Mark ! Very useful information I will be able to use.

Glad KZread brought you up on my feed. Just watched this, now an old video, but very helpful and man, can I relate to this topic! Just recently got very wet trying to zoom with my feet!!

A well thought out process and I can see how streamlined it is for landscape photography. Sadly, my landscape work is often combined with travel photography, thus I also need wider apertures. For me the perfect lightweight travel/landscape setup is the Tamron FE 70-300mm with a bunch of small rangefinder primes giving me f/1.4 and f/2.0 apertures without taking much space.

Love wide/zoom combos! For photo shoots I love using 35/85 and for landscapes I love 20/70-200 😁

Awesome video. I have been a portrait, product and commercial photographer for awhile and have been wanting to pick up landscape photography but have been in the air about what to bring along. This video did an amazing job explaining which lenses and exactly why. Thanks!

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it Kyle - great to hear you enjoyed it!

love all the shots with the 100-400! inspires me to use my 200-600 more often for landscapes!

Very interesting and informative. I love the versatility of zooms.

Wonderful you’ve motivated me to pick my camera up again. Got both lenses will not give up my 24-70 or 70-200 though. Love them all. Also holding on to my nifty 50 and 85 mm for some portrait work.

most useful video. Congratulations. I did the same; I analysed the most commonly used focal length twice: when shooting, and the photos that I retained. There was a real difference between both. Then I bought lenses in the most used range of the photos retained. I sold the 24-70 and bought a nifty fifty. I absolutely loved my decision, since the first day and I never regretted this decision.

I'm a new subscriber. Just getting back into photography after too long of an absence. Very much enjoying your videos and your relaxed presentation. Great suggestions and advice.

Thanks for this video Mark it was very helpful for me in purchasing a long focal length lens 🙏

Another great video. Thanks! I am hooked on your videos now.

This was so informative. You're really an artist.

Thanks again Mr Mark for Making this wonderful video with full of information.......... Thank you......

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

Always happy to do it👍

Great vid. I have way too many lenses (maybe 15+) but I like the mantra that you should only carry two lenses at any time so you can concentrate on the images and not get distracted by the gear. I note you threw a teleconverter comment in - and agree that a good teleconverter gives more options relatively easily. Often I'll make a choice at the beginning of the shoot and just accept that what I'm carrying for the day is one more limitation in the creative process: if it means I miss a shot that might have been then so be it. Currently I generally get about with a 50mm f1.4 and a 70-200mm f2.8 and I chuck a 2x teleconverter in the bag that is compatible with the 70-200. That gives me a big range of maximum apertures and focal lengths to work with depending on conditions. One variable I've started playing with is chucking an APS-C body in the bag along with the full frame. This gives even more framing options with a modest addition to weight.

Your video has helped me so much.. I learned great things with it...

Hi Mark! This is such an excellent video! As a primarily prime lens photographer, this does certainly make me think more about using my zooms. Thank You!

Totally agree with you. I just use a 24-70 and 100-400 now. The 100-400 is almost always on the body and if I need something wider, I just do a pano.

Intresting choices. I realy love the way you can put a video about lenses that everybody has seen a tons of in a new perspective. Thank you.

@MarkDenneyPhoto

3 жыл бұрын

I do my best:)

Thanks Mark for a very helpful video, again!. What I'm most interested is Landscape, Wildlife and Night Sky photography so it sounds like these two lenses would satisfy all my needs !

Some of my favorite landscape photos over the years have been with my 100-400 as well

Great video. it gave an idea of what lense to get for landscape fotography. thank!!!

You my friend, are like a passing quarterback... a good passing quarterback only has to think of two things, do I wanna go wide, or do I wanna go long... a great passing quarterback can look at the landscape of the field & toggle between the two options depending upon what he sees... & you my friend, fall into the later category! On a side note, with the Luminar app you showed us in a recent video (link is around here somewhere) you don’t need to worry about a cloudless sky ruining your shot!

Mark, I really enjoy your videos and your work. I chuckled a bit when you were talking about being steady with the 100-400, and using a 10 timer to assure a sharp photo. Us guys shooting birds in flight don’t have that luxury! Thanks for all of your work!

Great video, I liked and subscribed. The content affirmed my decision to carry primarily a 19 to 55 zoom. Thanks.

How timely to see this very informative video, Mark. Just two months ago, I did get rid of a couple of lenses I had that I seldom used. I also made a similar choice to keep my Sony G 12-24 and replace the zoom lens I had with a more versatile zoom lens: a Tamron 18-400 (with a Canon adapter). Yes, Sony lenses tend to be heavy and expensive, but man, are they sharp! I like the versatility of the Tamron for everyday shooting. It is also especially good in sporting events and for capturing unexpected shots (bees and butterflies, for example, on flower close-ups). As you pointed out, having only two lenses makes it a lot simpler on the field. Your video gave me some peace of mind for having ditched a couple of lenses and having lost some money in the swapping.

Great content Mark! For the landscape, I use Canon 16-35mm f4L IS and Canon 70-200 f 2.8 L IS II most of the time. And I just started to sell the other lenses.

Yes, this was quite helpful. Thank you.