Grand Canyon, need suggestion for Wide Angle

[FarFromPro]

Hi all,

Making a visit to the Grand Canyon in Sept of this year and wanted to know what the consensus would be in regards to a wide angle? Would really like to capture the picture at once as opposed to stitching one together.

Now i am planning on renting, and would positively welcome a suggestion from the site found here: Lens Rentals Canada

Comments+tips welcome, thanks.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Sigma 10-20

 

[tirediron]

Of the choices on the page, (and not being a Canonite, I'm NOT an expert) my recommendation would be for the 16-35 (I didn't see the Sigma on that page Joe...). That said however, if you want the BEST possible imagery, then panoramas are definitely the way to go. They don't take a lot of effort and one good, medium short prime will allow you to create fantastic images!

 

[Dao]

What camera body are you planning to use?

 

[SCraig]

When I was there I kept wishing I had my 300 with me.

Face facts, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long so no matter WHAT lens you have you're only going to see a very, tiny little minute slice of it. It doesn't matter if you have a 10mm lens or a 200mm lens, it's all rocks. If you shoot wide you'll show the arrangement of the canyon, the hills behind, and the blue sky. If you shoot long you can show detail in the rocks. I shot everything from 18mm to 200mm and still didn't like anything I came home with. They are OK, but they fail miserably in trying to show dynamics of that area, it's just something that has to be visited in person to be appreciated.

If I were to go back I think I'd take one lens: My 70-300.

 

[Dao]

Not sure if you already have plan to visit Bryce Canyon or not while you are there. I think it worth to check that out as well.

Bryce Canyon National Park - Bryce Canyon National Park

 

[FarFromPro]

What camera body are you planning to use?

Canon T2i

Thanks for the suggestions so far, as described by SCraig, this might not turn out quite as picture perfect (pun intended) as i had initially hoped for.

The Bryce Canyon is a must now that it was brought to my attention.

Edit: I figured Bryce was a lot closer than i initially thought. Might have to be put off as we are coming in from Phx.

 

[Dao]

What camera body are you planning to use?

Canon T2i

Thanks for the suggestions so far, as described by SCraig, this might not turn out quite as picture perfect (pun intended) as i had initially hoped for.

The Bryce Canyon is a must now that it was brought to my attention.

Edit: I figured Bryce was a lot closer than i initially thought. Might have to be put off as we are coming in from Phx.

T2i, that means those DX type ultra wide angle lens should works. i.e. Canon EF-S 10-22mm, Sigma 10-20mm or the Tokina 11-16mm.

Too bad, yes, it is a little far if you are coming from Phoenix. In the past, I usually stop at Flagstaff and then go to Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and swing to Zion National Park.

Not sure if you have time or interested, east of Flagstaff (2 hours drive) there is a place called Petrified Forest National Park. It is not as good as the breath taking of Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon.
Photo Gallery - Petrified Forest National Park

If you are driving from Phoenix to Grand canyon, you may need to pass Flagstaff, AZ.

 

[SCraig]

Bryce Canyon is nice. So is Arches National Park. In fact there are quite a few north of Phoenix that are very nice.

I stayed with friends in PHX when I went to the Grand Canyon. We rode motorcycles from Nashville to Phoenix by way of southern Colorado and Utah. Stopped at a bunch of National Parks, saw the hot-air balloons lift off in Albuquerque, NM, ran into some snow in Colorado and Utah. It was 25 degrees at Cedar Breaks National Monument on top of a mountain in Utah and something like 90 in Phoenix when we got there. Fabulous trip!

When we went to the Grand Canyon we stayed in Williams, AZ overnight and then spent the next day at the Grand Canyon. Got back to Phoenix late that night.

 

[RichieT]

If you're coming up from PHX try to stop in Sedona. The landscape there is awesome. Try to take the Pink Jeep tour. They drive you right into the middle of the red rock canyons. You might also get to see some really awesome lightning too. Supposedly, the high iron content in the ground attracts some vicious strikes.