Off to Uluru - which lenses?

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Originally Posted by p38arover

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.

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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.

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

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Originally Posted by WhiteD3

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

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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-cor...iles-here.html )

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. :)

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Originally Posted by p38arover

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

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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).

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.

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

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:BigThumb:

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— and a tripod.

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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.
.

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Originally Posted by 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. :)

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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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

: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.
.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.