Off to Uluru - which lenses?

[p38arover]

This will be my first trip to Uluru so some suggestion on lenses would be appreciated.

I'll take my usual lens — Sigma 18-200 — and a tripod and a remote release cable for long duration exposures.

I'm not sure if it's worth taking anything else. Maybe the Pentax 100mm f4 macro.

Other available lenses:
Pentax 18-55mm DA
Pentax 35-70mm F
Pentax 100-300mm F
Takumar 28mm f2.8
Pentax-A f2 50mm

Oh, there is a wide angle screw-on lens to fit the Sigma 18-200 but it's not great quality.

We plan to walk around the rock so weight is important. If we're allowed and are physically able (my wife is just out of hospital yesterday so she may not be able to do the walks), we'd climb it, too. I'm undecided on the camera backpack. We will have a hire car.

Suggestions most welcome. We leave Saturday afternoon (staying in town overnight then flying out Sunday morning).

And, Scouse, you can't steal stuff from my P38A, our daughter is staying here to guard the place. :p

[vnx205]

I thought that the Olgas were just as good for interesting photographs as Uluru.

In places long lenses looking along the corridor between rocks packed a lot of interesting features into what appeared to be a very short distance.

I believe that my most effective photos were taken either with the 28mm lens or a telephoto.

That was on a 35mm camera, not a digital.

[p38arover]

The plan is to go to The Olgas and, maybe, Kings Canyon, too.

[Mick-Kelly]

A good wide angle and a good long lens should see you done. The long lens for the sunset shots from the viewing car park. The climb will surprise you. Its a lot steeper and higher than photos show and what you can see from the ground is only half of the climb.
Have a bit of a google regarding the geography of the region before you head out as there is no info there and it is a fascinating subject. We grabbed some breakfast croissants from the IGA store at the resort and went out to a viewing platform to watch the sunrise against the Olgas. From what i could ascertain the old camping area where Azaria was taken was situated close to where the sunset viewing car park is now located.
Dont get taken in with re-fueling at Curtin Springs as there is cheaper fuel at the shell servo in the resort village.

[33chinacars]

Hi Ron
The only other lense I would consider apart from your 18-200 is a 10-20 wide angle to capture the great wide expances. Beg steal borrow or even hire if you can
Yes maybe your macro and a 2x convertor to save weight
Enjoy the trip:)

Gary

[p38arover]

A good wide angle and a good long lens should see you done. The long lens for the sunset shots from the viewing car park. The climb will surprise you. Its a lot steeper and higher than photos show and what you can see from the ground is only half of the climb.

That's why we aren't sure we can do it. We've been doing a fair bit of walking so we may be OK for the walk around the rock and The Olgas.


Have a bit of a google regarding the geography of the region before you head out as there is no info there and it is a fascinating subject. We grabbed some breakfast croissants from the IGA store at the resort and went out to a viewing platform to watch the sunrise against the Olgas. From what i could ascertain the old camping area where Azaria was taken was situated close to where the sunset viewing car park is now located.
Dont get taken in with re-fueling at Curtin Springs as there is cheaper fuel at the shell servo in the resort village.

Thanks for that info.

[p38arover]

Hi Ron
The only other lense I would consider apart from your 18-200 is a 10-20 wide angle to capture the great wide expances. Beg steal borrow or even hire if you can

Pentax lenses aren't available for hire and I don't have anything that wide. I guess I'll learn photostitching!

[33chinacars]

Pentax lenses aren't available for hire and I don't have anything that wide. I guess I'll learn photostitching!

Should have bought Nikon or Canon:wasntme:
Now I'll sit back and wait for the rocks


Gary

[p38arover]

Perhaps. But with a Pentax I can use any Pentax lens (and many others) produced over the past 60 years - and still have vibration reduction. I was looking at the Canon EOS 5D Mk III today. It looks nearly twice as big as my Pentax (and costs a lot more than the $200 I paid for the K100D).

[Mick-Kelly]

Ron
We went there over two days in a hire car from Alice. We arrived at the rock at around lunchtime and went to the cultural centre. We then drove around the rock and went to the climb area. The climb was initially closed due to high winds but was opened while we were there. I went up for a bit of it but did not do the whole thing. I didnt feel up to it and wasnt suitably dressed. It was worth climbing up the little bit that i did though. I saw a few people frozen to the chain link fence in fear once they looked down :eek: We then went and waited in the sunset viewing area getting there early to get a good spot. In hindsight i wished i had walked around some of the base of the rock (an easy walk) because there are some very spectacular formations and rock art i would have liked to have seen. I will go back for this one day.
We went to the Olgas the next day and there are at least two walks there. One of them (the second one you come to) is rated easy and it goes up through a valley. I did this one and loved it.
There was tons of info on the aboriginal history of the rock but there was absolutely no info on any other aspect. I was disappointed by this as i would have like to read about the european history of the rock as well and its geology.
We stayed overnight at the resort and there is a huge variety of restaurants most fairly expensive or there is an IGA store. There is also the Shell servo there.
I hope you enjoy your trip. its definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

[Ferret]

If we're allowed and are physically able (my wife is just out of hospital yesterday so she may not be able to do the walks), we'd climb it, too.

Hope your not both scared of heights. Its a long climb and the path is very narrow in some places - my wife made it up about 50 meters. That as high as she goes without a plane :p

If your are driving to Kings Canyon think about taking the Mereenie Loop back from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs - nice light in the afternoon with the sun reflecting off the West McDonald Ranges as you drive along the base of the range for quite some time. Beautiful drive.

[WhiteD3]

Ron, you'll really want somethng wide in those canyons, and near the rock. Invest in a 10-20 Sigma.

[p38arover]

Ron, you'll really want somethng wide in those canyons, and near the rock. Invest in a 10-20 Sigma.

Until I update to a later Pentax that supports it, the Sigma 10-20 is manual focus only on my body. 'Tis a bit late to buy now - and it's over $600. I could try my wide angle adapter on the 18-200 even though it's not great (see http://www.aulro.com/afvb/camera-corner/147080-cheap-wide-angle-macro-lens-warning-big-pix-files-here.html )

[werdan]

Take your 18-200 and save your cash for a joy flight over the Rock and the Olgas. They are expensive but well worth the money. I did the fixed wing flight way back in 1991 and went through about 4 rolls of film in 30mins. :)

[DeanoH]

...................................... I guess I'll learn photostitching!


A good choice. Take the 18-200mm and leave the rest behind. No mucking about and less chance of getting dust into the camera.

I use ArcSoft Panorama Maker 4 which I got as as a free give away. Simple and very easy to use. For best results overlap shots by at least 20%, keep the camera level and in the same horizontal plane for your shots. Best results with a level tripod, but not essential. Keep zoomed out a bit as you'll lose a bit of the top and bottom when stitched. You can even do a 360 degree panorama if you're keen (definitely need a tripod for this to work well).

Only other lens I would consider taking is the 100-300mm, not so much for Ayers Rock and the Olgas but for bird photography.

Have a good trip.

Deano:)

PS. Fight the urge to use your lens at its extremities (easy to say but often hard to do).

[wrinklearthur]

To steady the long distance shots, I'd take a monopole, which locks in the extended position, then it can also double as a walking stick.


I'll take my usual lens — Sigma 18-200,------- the Pentax 100mm f4 macro and a remote release cable for long duration exposures. :BigThumb:


— and a tripod. Instead of a tripod, I would use a small bean bag that you can stuff in your pocket.
A lens hood, drink bottle and a shady hat.
.

[p38arover]

Take your 18-200 and save your cash for a joy flight over the Rock and the Olgas. They are expensive but well worth the money. I did the fixed wing flight way back in 1991 and went through about 4 rolls of film in 30mins. :)

We had planned to do the balloon flight but they go no closer than 25km. So we'll do our usual aerial tour by helicopter. In San Fran we flew under the Golden Gate — twice.

[Chucaro]

If good landscaping photos are in your plans then the 28mm is the lens to have with the camera mounted in a good solid tripod.

[p38arover]

To steady the long distance shots, I'd take a monopole, which locks in the extended position, then it can also double as a walking stick.

:BigThumb:

Instead of a tripod, I would use a small bean bag that you can stuff in your pocket.
A lens hood, drink bottle and a shady hat.
.

I have a monopod. I haven't found it to be very useful.

[p38arover]

If good landscaping photos are in your plans then the 28mm is the lens to have with the camera mounted in a good solid tripod.

Aye, there's the rub. Do I take my larger, heavier tripod or the slightly smaller one that will fit (diagonally) in the medium sized suitcase. I've packed the smaller one.

[Scouse]

And, Scouse, you can't steal stuff from my P38A, our daughter is staying here to guard the place. :pGee Ron, and I thought I was your 2nd best friend :(.

I was going to offer to fix your fuel tank issue for good but I won't bother now :p.



Oh, leave the camera at home. There's heaps of Uluru pictures here:
uluru - Google Search

There you go.....saved you a fortune :).

[p38arover]

Gee Ron, and I thought I was your 2nd best friend :(.

I was going to offer to fix your fuel tank issue for good but I won't bother now :p.



Oh, leave the camera at home. There's heaps of Uluru pictures here:
uluru - Google Search (http://www.google.com.au/search'tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1429&bih=746&q=uluru&gbv=2&oq=uluru&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.12..0l10.1130.2744.0.4461.5.5.0.0.0.0.703 .1850.0j2j1j5-1j1.5.0...0.0.VeJzf9aTIUY)

There you go.....saved you a fortune :).


You are no longer my second best friend!


Now that Reni has gone back to Guide Dogs, you are my best friend! :)

I should have used those on-line pics. It would have been cheaper!

Well we made it:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/143.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/144.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/145.jpg

Still unable to climb owing to wind.

[incisor]

Still unable to climb owing to wind.
alka seltzer will fix that :D

[p38arover]

Back home again.

I probably could have got away with just the 18-55mm lens.