Hi guys, a few things I forgot to mention in the video: - I do still use my 28-200mm lens, I can't make myself get rid of it, however, when I do have both the 16-35mm and 50-400mm on my travels I rarely need the 28-200. But, I often find that the 28-200mm lens, is my preferred "run and gun" lens. It's light, covers a broad focal range and the image stabilization works fantastic with the Sony a7R5, - The new mirrorless lens system from Canon are called RF (Full frame) and RF-S (Aps-c). I mentioned the old DSLR EF / EF-S system in the video ;) I also need to correct, that YES it's the other way around. You can most often put full frame lenses on Aps-c cameras, but it doesn't work with Aps-c lenses on Full frame cameras (unless your full frame camera does Aps-c mode - which is generally only beneficial for video).
I find the Tamron 28-200 to be my go-to single lens option, when I want to go as minimalistic and lightweight as possible. The focal range will cover most situations, sacrificing the longest shots and the widest (unless the situation allows for a pano). Such a versatile lens! Interesting to see that you've kept the Sony 100-400 GM and the 16-35GM despite having the 50-400 + 16-35PZ :)
I'm 40 seconds in the video, and I hope it is 25 minutes of "get what you really will use and fits your style, no matter what other people use or recommend", because that is what I really think we should get.
@@MadsPeterIversen a great realization I've made as I sell my Sony kit and switch to fuji is to REALLY consider the cost. I could afford to get into the full frame market with secondhand stuff but you will be in that second hand gear for a loooong time as the used market doesn't come down in price very quickly. Innovations to color science, lcd screens, focus bracketing, what have you, may be a long way down the road. Truly consider if your money is better spent on finally getting the most expensive kit.. Or is it better spent on some travel to put yourself in front of beautiful locations. Apsc is letting me stay more current, play with other bodies to do video ect and have a much lighter kit. If anyone doesnt think you can be a pro with apsc.. Check out Andy mumfords truly incredible work. He's someone I'd love to see you colaborate with, Mads!
I've been active with photography for the past two years and have watch numerous TH-cam videos and read several book about equipment. You my friend, did a wonderful job of summarizing things that we as new photographers should be aware of. Thank you for taking the time to do this video.
I love that you point out that no one needs 40mp+ cameras, I have a 24mp camera and even printing some photos at 30x40 you will be hard pressed to see the pixels.
You've convinced me. I shoot A7Rii & A7Riii and have used primes mostly...... after agonizing over buying a superzoom I just ordered the 28-200.....At age 60, and being a multi day/week trip backpacker couldn't take the weight of 4 primes and a 70-200 anymore. I'll take it to Adirondacks over new years.
This is a much needed video, thank you! I am a beginner photographer (2yrs) and on a low budget. It took me weeks, countless youtube videos to watch and blogs to read to figure out what type of camera I needed to buy, and don't get me started on the lenses! I have a Sony A6000 and the lens I use every day is the Sony 55-210mm. I just bought a Sony 16-50mm and started experimenting with that. It's not the greatest gear, not the sharpest lenses but it allows me to continue to learn and improve my photography. When I feel it's time for an upgrade I will invest in a better quality set up. This video is definitely bookmarked for future reference.
I personally recommend against tripods with a center column. They limit how low you can get; and in some cases, how high. I use an FLM tripod that goes down to 3.6" and up to 68". Add a ball head tripod and the camera itself, and the working height well exceeds my 5' 11" height , Plus, it weighs just over 3 lbs (minus the head) which puts it on par with many travel tripods.
I see you haven't discovered the gear head yet. I just did. Game changing. Little bigger but the ability to fine tune a composition is amazing. Great as always Mads!
I think people should consider a 70-300 for a telephoto too. Most are significantly lighter and cheaper than a 70-200 or 100-400 and the image quality is generally between a super zoom and a 70-200. The only caveat is they don't have tripod feet so you do have some weight hanging off the end but so long as you have a good tripod it shouldn't be an issue.
I sold my Tamron 28-200 and Sony 100-400 GM. The perfect combo for landscape right now (at least for me) is the 14 GM, 20-70 G and 70-200 G Macro + 1.4 Teleconverter
I'm with you on this, especially in preferring the 70-200 f4 macro + a TC14 over the 100-400. But I did not sell my Tamron 28-200 because there are times when its size and weight are important as a single lens to carry, and since it only cost me $649 new, it's worth more to me on my camera than in a trade. I think my 16-35 f4 PZ G on a 61mp camera can be cropped to fill the gap between 25 and 70mm. What do you think?
@@rphandler I found that the 28-200 was a good one but not wide enough for a single lens. I still had the 16-35 pz with me. The 20-70 could work as a single lens. Yeah, the 16-35 pz has absolutely superb image quality and you can certainly crop up to 70mm. But the image quality of the 20-70 is identical and you can crop even further. But the main reason for me to go with this combination was that I didn't like the electronic zoomring. I had no fun with it. But everyone is different.
Excellent advice. For years I used a 16-35, 50 macro, and a 70-200. I bough the 50 thinking it could fill the gap. Then when I raveled to Norway (I live in the U.S) I bough a used 24-70 f/4. I found this lens more use for travel and landscape more than I imagined.Switching to Nikon mirrorless this past summer, I was able to buy a refurbished Z7 II and with that I got the kit lens 24-70 f/4. The sharpness and usefulness of this lens is outstanding.
Excellent advice for landscape photography! I am loving the 20-70 G and 70-200 Macro G II combination. Super sharp, easy to carry, and the 0.5:1 Macro is included. If I need longer, I carry the 1.4x teleconverter in my pocket, which also gets the macro to 0.7:1. If I need wider, I take a panorama at 20mm or I take along a 16-35. I rarely carry the 100-400 GM any more since I got that combination. I will often carry the Tamron 28-200 as a single lens solution when I’m just out and about. Sometimes with the 16-35 GM. The 28-200 is just so versatile and easy to use. Rumor is that Sony will be coming out with a 24-200 f2.8-4.5 this year. Thank you for putting this together.
I began with the A6500 , Sony 18-105mm and Samyang 12mmf2. This was a realy good combi and lightweight. The i bought the 90mm Macro and the 70--300mm, because it was shure i will be buy a fullframe cam. Now i own the A7R3 with much more ff lenses and feel free to change the lenses between both cams. I'm sure, Canon, Nikon and others build great cams, too. But in the Sony's e-mount system i have the greatest choice of diverse lenses. From expensive to cheap, all is possible, because Sony had open his system for manufacters like Samyang, Sigma, Tamron and other.
Great summary especially for landscape photographers. I think we are often told that to go "pro" you need to use FF and that is flat out false in 95% of cases. Only in certain cases does the FF have the additional (noticeable) benefit over the APSC but for landscapes and even travel or people/portrait photography, APSC works just fine as well. The people that might benefit from FF would be those who need the extra speed like wildlife and sports shooters, and those shooting at night as you mentioned, but beyond that, there is nothing wrong with APSC and in some cases, even micro 4/3 (especailly for travel photography). Modern APSC cameras like the Sony a6400 or Nikon Z50 and others have gotten so good that they rival the 5-8 year old FF cameras in terms of image quality. As for lenses, if you're not opposed to adapting, a lot of people are migrating to their newer mirrorless options, and so there are a lot of good quality DSLR lenses available, and Nikon and Canon have adapters to use with the mirrorless cameras so if you're on a strict budget, you can probably grab say a 24-105 or 24-120 lens and a 70-200 or 100-400 cheap because someone upgraded. There are some great deals out there (like Nikon;s own 70-200 f/4 which is very sharp but can also be bought used quite cheap - like $500 or less in good condition, compared to even either faster 70-180 or 70-200's in either mount, in a used condition -- so don't be a fraid to look at used DSLR lenses and adapting them -- they are larger and a bit heavier in some cases but you can save a lot of money this way). A nice "travel" tripoid I found recently that I really enjoy using (due to its weight and size and stability) is from Leofoto. It's sort of a Really Right Stuff rip-off but it's sturdy and not very expensive (mine was about $380 but it I got it on BF for about $250 with ballhead). This tripod is going t oreplace my FLM + RRS BH-55 for when I need to hike -- the FLM will remain my main tripod but it's heavy and not very hiking friendly (it's about 24 inches long when folded and weighs about 7 lbs with the ball head). The Leofo I got is about 3 lbs and about 18 inches folded so much better (I had a Sirui travel tripod, which has lasted me about 6 years but has broken about 3 times -- but Sirui does have a generous 6 year warranty , or at least they did, which it was always repaired under warranty but I probably wouldn't buy that same model again since the leg clamps always broke). The Leofoto uses the typical screw-lock type (not clamp lock) which seems to be better.
What could anyone say more than you, Mads: Really great advices and description of facts! My favourite camera is a Canon M6II. Yes it's limitted in lenses. But makes fun. Easy to take with. If you' re not having much lenses it simplifys photography. And I need no new camera (gear). Sure the newer gear is technically a little bit 'better' in features. But why to buy? It's a question of sympathy, simplicity and satisfaction. Christoph
A good job on this. What I will say here is that this is all very focused on landscape (of course it is). If you are buying a camera system and you are planning on shooting more than landscapes, or have kids that you will want to photograph, It may influence your selections. My general advice is to get zooms to cover your base range and then only buy primes for things you want to optimize. E.g I only shoot Astro maybe once a year… a 16-35 F2.8 works fine enough. My wife, wildflower season is huge for her and a Macro is essential!
Canon have a 24-240mm f/4-6.3 superzoom for the RF fit mirrorless system. It's a very flexible, nice lens but the downside for landscape photography is that it is not weather sealed.
It's funny to see you describe the lens journey probably every landscape photographer makes over the course of the first few years 😅 Watched it nonetheless, there is always something to learn. A hint: I think your text about she apsc lenses on full frame cameras is the wrong way around.
The best camera is the one in your hand - a sony rx100 which is fantastic which is the camera on the left. Lighter gear is advantageous and yes im a professional landscape photographer also
Nice and pretty complete video about gear. My personal setup: Sony A7R4, AstrHori 12mm f/2.8, Viltrox 16mm f/1.8, Tamron 28-200, Tamron 50-400. I bought the Viltrox because of good value, able to shoot wide and night. The 'gap' in focal length is compensated by the crop factor of having 61 megapixels. The Tamron 28-200 is a good lens, light, small and not too expensive. Finally I found gear to be much cheaper in Germany than my country Netherlands. Cheers, Bart
Great video Mads. Thank you. I fell down the rabbit hole when buying new gear two years ago. Setting a budget was easier once I compiled a full list of my personal requirements. Camera sensor size, lenses, tripod, monopod (for physical reasons), camera cage and handle (for physical reasons), filters, cleaning gear, camera bag - one shoulder, mentor classes, software, data storage, etc.. Went with Canon APS-C for size, weight and cost. Biggest mistake? Lack of weather sealing. I deal with it.🤪
For step up rings do not cheap out on those. Thick ones will make images soft but worse you get a massive vignette that’s hard to remove in post. Get some nice brass ones and you’re set. I learned my lesson
Cheer's 🎉 Mad's ...Common sense is not as common as one thinks...(MT) And I am pleased that is the approach to the gear. Because IMHO it's about the comfort and competency you develop regardless of your level find with the gear you like and do or are you getting the images you wanted or expected.
Thank you again for the great video. An addition for those whose telephoto lenses don't fit a lens collar: I help myself here with a simple macro rail. It's cheap and shifts the center of gravity of the camera and lens combi "behind" the tripod and things are balanced
I would absolutely love to get a drone, and every time I consider it, I remember I live in New York, where we are not permitted to fly them within state parks, which happens to be one of the primary places I photograph.
Really great advice, Mads! Thanks for putting this together. I still use my Sony A7Riii as my main landscape camera and it's so good, I see no reason to get the newer versions. I'd almost always recommend folks starting out look into getting good used full-frame gear rather than getting new cropped sensor kit - especially the lenses. Cost may still be slightly more, but you're way more future proof. In hindsight I wasted a lot of money on cropped sensor gear only to find the inevitable upgrade to full frame came sooner than I thought. As soon as I upgraded the camera body to full frame, I had to change my lenses at the same time. I'm also a big fan of the Tamron and Sigma lenses - price to performance ratio is great. I use the Tamron 17-28 f2.8 instead of a 16-35 and pair that with my Sony 24-105 f4 and a Sigma 100-400 f5-6.3 for landscapes. The 17-28 is also used for my travel/cityscape kit as it's so lightweight and portable.
Do you consider the menu difficult? I have heard talk of that with the iii versions but was changed when the iv came along. I could be wrong. I have a Fuji XT4 but thought of purchasing a used Sony with just one lens for now, knowing I could purchase Tamron lenses for much less money without quality sacrifice.
The A7R V absolutely destroys the A7R III. In-body stabilisation, the massive sensor, significantly better AF, better ergonomics, improved menu system. I just upgraded and I cannot believe I waited so long.
Yes, agreed that the V is far better than the iii in the specification sheet. But better IBIS and AF is not essential for me as the camera is mostly in a tripod and I’m shooting more or less a still subject matter. Larger sensor is really only good if you want to crop aggressively, otherwise 42MP is more than sufficient. Plus I don’t have to buy more hard drive space and upgrade my computer :)
Definitely pays off in the longer term if you take some time to consider what your short to medium term needs will be and then do your research in terms of what to buy as this will save the expense of switching gear when you realise that your initial purchase isn't meeting your needs. I've recently started the transition to EF to RF lenses for the Canon and opted for the 24-105mm lens (switched out my 24-70 EF lens) as this gives me the option of adding the 100-1500mm next whilst I retain my 16-35mm EF and adaptor pending a switch at the widest range. Canon do make a 24-240mm for the RF mount but it's not weather sealed so that has put me off buying it. Absolutely agree about your tripod comments too Mads as there's no point in investing in a decent body and lenses if your tripod is not going to be up to the job
I agree with your point on considering a range of cameras. Pursuing an ever reducing improvement in image quality is often not worth the money. I’m not with you on zoom lenses though. They are usually too big. I found that I always tended to shoot at either end of the range (ie 24 or 80mm). Look at Charlie Waite’s pictures - he managed to get great pictures with a Hasselblad! For landscape, manual focus is fine so get a small prime, even if it needs an adapter. When in doubt, crop. I got the same quality photos using a Mamiya 7 with a standard prime lens that a did with a Nikon DSLR or Olympus OM5. I now just use a 35mm f1.5 and 50mm f2 prime lens and crop as necessary. I also only ever take one lens out at a time, so I am obviously weird! I bought the Heipi tripod off kickstarter and it’s as good for me as my old Manfrotto and waaay better than my Sirui travel tripod. But people should just buy what they can afford and get used to using it before deciding if it shoots their style. Personally I’m rubbish at post processing so that makes a significantly greater impact on the quality of my pictures than the kit I use in the field!
Great video, a lot of value in here for beginners. Keep up the great work. I am going the other way, I started on FF and now considering changing to Apsc to lower weight. I find I’m not motivated to get out as much with heavy gear.
Awesome video! When I started, I got a Canon EOS 60D with a 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. I literally took thousands of pictures with that lens and got fantastic results. For my R6, my goto is the 24-105mm f4. Great focal lengths for almost all types of photography. (FujiFilm micro 4/3's 🤣That made me chuckle!)
Excellent information! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience. I have really enjoyed your videos and love your photography work! I am new to photography, though I have used my phone camera quite a bit to try and create pleasing compositions. I recently purchased the Sony a6700. I also purchased the Sony 10-20mm f/4 G, 16-55mm f/2.8 G, 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS, for landscape photography, and the 15mm f/1.4 for night sky photography. I bought these at the same time as my camera, so I was able to bundle them for a reduced cost, which was very helpful. I am also a student so I was able to get a further reduction in price ( B&H and Adorama offer student discounts ). I also bought a circular polarizer, but I wasn't sure about the ND filters until you answered that question for me. I will likely be purchasing your composition e-books and adobe tutorials soon. I do have some experience with Photoshop and Lightroom but I want to learn more. Thank you, again.
I bought that little Heipi tripod after your kickstarter review. I quite like it. It's more than sturdy enough for my lightweight bridge camera while having a tonne of versatility. Granted, I don't really know what I'm comparing it to because I'm always trying to save space/weight as my photography takes place on multi-day hikes where most of my gear is food and shelter. It occurs to me my hobbies aren't congruent, at least not without hiring a sherpa. Also, my chinese co-worker tells me it's pronounced 'happy'.
Hi, thanks for the video and your ebooks there great. I'm going to Faroe Island in 2025 so you have clarified the type of new tripod I'm going to purchase and the landscape lens type that I need to upgrade. Thanks again. At this stage, I just need a ball head for my Z9, Yes I'm looking at a mirrorless backup which is lighter but versatile.
Hi Mads. Nice video. I'm an experienced landscape photographer and watched the entire video! I missed what your astrophotography lenses were but it looks like 14/1.8 and 20/1.8. Another more complex option would be to use your existing zoom lenses, paired with a star tracker like the MSM. But I like your solution because those lenses have excellent IQ and result in a much simpler workflow.
Mads, enjoyed the video. I went back to Tuscany in October to retrace our steps from last year's workshop, hoping to catch some good light and fog. I bought your maps for both Tuscany and the Dolomites, to prepare for the trip, and thought they added value, love your linked photos for each site. Fog ended up being more than I wanted, but talking to other photographers, it was evidently making up for the prior week, as they had none. The fog literally rolled in over the course of about 10 minutes and one couldn't even see Belvedere, I need to make a YT video, the fog was truly impressive, a view of the video and most would think it to be a timelapse.
Good advice. I'm shooting a consumer grade 24mp APS-C DSLR (Canon T8i / 850D) and two lenses: Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro and Canon EF 70-200 f/4L. Although I'd like to upgrade, there are sooooo many other things impacting my progress rather than the camera and lenses... not the least of which is my ability as a photographer! When I compare this camera against the full-Pro cameras of only a few years ago (which I really wanted) it's actually better in some regards. About all I really miss is weather sealing. Bottom line is, I keep my eyes open (and bookmarks on MPB, LOL) but other than maybe replacing / augmenting the 17-70 with a used Canon EF 24-70 f/4L, I need to work on my skills and shooting locations more than throw money at hardware. 🙂 One question, though: At 14:35 your graphic says you can usually use crop lenses on full frame bodies, but not the other way around. With Canon at least, my experience has been the reverse - EF lenses work fine on my crop sensor body, (I've had two) but an EF-S lens can't be used on the full frame body due to vignetting (and sometimes mirror collisions). Am I mistaken?
There is some really good and accurate info here. Slightly disagree on step up rings - better to have filters that match the lens so that you can use them with the hood on in inclement weather. Try and get your lens trio with all the same size filter if possible. Also slightly disagree on the tripod about getting a tall tripod if you are a tall guy. I'm very tall and have a large tripod but I find myself using the tripod at waist hieght or lower most of the time as this works very well for foregrounds with wide angle lenses. Shooting everything from eye hieght gets kind of boring. Flip out LCD's make using lower tripods much easier these days too. Also one comment on lens selection - if budget is an issue I think it is very feasible to skip the 24-70 equivalent and just have a 2 lens kit. The 16-35 and the 70-200/400 only leaves a small gap in the focal range which personally I think is not that useful for landscapes a lot of the time. Go wide or go long works great for mose scenes. Overall this video is a really good resource for someone starting out.
Really good advice in this video Mads. I use a Tamron 17-35mm and a Nikon 28-300mm lens with my Nikon D750 and they give me all the ranges that i need. Although the Nikon lens is a bit heavy due to all the glass in the lens it is a good lens. Look forward to the next one.
With regard to APSC if that is your choice, and you are doing a lot of outdoors photography, then make sure it's a weatherproof system. Canon APSC bodies for instance are weatherproof, but their APSC lenses are not.
Speaking of lens is my good man especially with Tamron or it might be Sigma it's one of the two and they have a 16-400 with a thank it was thread at 86mm
First: pick a camera. Second: read instructions manual Third: feel comfortable handling it and knowing where to find functions and what they do. Then follow all the useful things that are being said in this video.
CAnon does have their 24-240 lens, which is comparable to the Sony version. Nikon has the 24-200 or if you want, the 24-120 which is a bit sharper and constant aperture, but you give up the focal range (but it pairs nicely with a 100-400).
Good video Mads, explaining what gear works for you and most landscape photographers. BUT - what are you going to pack them in when you're walking several km to you location? What's your favorite camera backpacks?
Great video and very informative. Thanks so much for taking the time to put it together. I lack a drone, but that will have to wait for $. Happy holidays!
Nice and detailed, thanks Mads! There’s still something you haven’t said (no affiliate link maybe?) you’re often in adverse weather for good reasons but it does mean you need to be well kitted out to withstand the conditions. Could you mention some of that? Like what boots are best, your favourite rain gear/clothes, snow gear/clothes, gloves etc.
Great stuff! I did buy the Heipi tripod as it is much lighter and compact than the carbon fiber I took to the Faroes. It will have to do in Iceland. Otherwise, right in step with your suggestions! Thanks Mads 👍🏻👍🏻
I think, as you mentioned, when looking to build a range of lenses to use, my only downside to my fuji gear is a f1.4 wide for astrophotography. I hope that at some point a f2.8 8mm will be available for me. I would like it to have autofocus, as at 72, manual focus can be a challenge.
Can you please have a basic video on your 7 r5 menu set up for landscape please 🙏. I have 7r5 and need help with menu set up for landscape. Hope you can help Mads. Love your videos !!!!!!
Great video and a lot of knowledge as well and experience in a compressed format. I think you covered most things very honest and objective. I however think you purposely not included Fujiith that due to lack of experience with their systems and lenses. I have been and still is a Canon photographer. Most of the time I used Canon 5D cameras. I wanted a lighter and smaller system as well and bought a Fuji X-PRO1 when it came out 2012 with the first 2 lenses but god it was slow. Something that was very much imroved with X-PRO2. By some reasons I always enjoyed taking pictures more with the Fujis then with my Canons even that I had much more experience of Canon since the first Canon 20D was released. Today I have a 5DMKIV with around 10 top lenses and the same for for Fuji. I decided around 2 years ago to keep my Canaon gear and continue to invest my future money in that system. I have learned the hard way the advantages and disadvantages of full frame and APS-C. my conclusions are I can't really see any real difference in the final result. I print my pictures on an Epson 3880 in up to A2. I can't say that I can tell the difference between Canon full frame raw or a Fuji raw. What I think is an important very important component in the chain from from photo to print is the raw-program. The evolution of the raw-programs are at the moment very fast. Which programs we use and how skilled we are in using them presumably of much greater importance than the camera and lens we choose.
Hi, I think there are a few mistakes here and there. For example Fuji x H 2 is just as weather sealed as your Sony and just as fast. Now I'm not here to argue but right must be right. Thanks for the content
Mads. Really great detailed information but what people need to understand and I didn’t until recently which is embarrassing since I’ve been shooting for years… Is that if you have a crop camera with a 2.8 lens But you think a full frame is better and buy one butpurchase F4 lenses well, that’s a waste because they’re really comparable. Would you agree? I had a heavy Nikon, and After a week of vacationing really did not enjoy that camera. I have the Fuji XT four and the red badge lenses are awesome. I also have a couple of primes I have a 23 1.4 I believe and it’s just beautiful.
@MadsPeterIversen It's actually not bad....even compared to my L -lenses....but of course there's a difference. I use it a lot even though I have 3 L- lenses that cover the same range put together. Tony and Chelsea have made a thorough review on it some years ago
It does seem TH-cam content creators like drones. Would you still take a drone if not creating content for TH-cam? If only photographing the landscape with a stills camera.
Hi Mads, thanks for your useful and well presented video. It might be worth qualifying your statement which is reinforced by a text box at 25:36 where you state that you can usually use aps-c lenses on full frame cameras. For Canon it is the other way round. I don't know about other brands. I just thought it was worth mentioning in case new photographers tried to save money by buying Canon aps-c lenses for a full frame Canon camera...
Using APS-C lenses on a full-frame Canon camera will shift the camera into crop mode. That's fine, except then why spend the money on a full-frame camera if you're going to shoot in crop mode?
O.K but to carry a z9 can the Benro work with this camera. Weight ratings are not standard. Yes, I will be going to Faroe Island and am looking to upgrade to Benro. I will probably use a lighter backup camera for very windy areas. Any links to the clothes you wear. The brand not yours personally?
I think one of your captions is off - you say you can use APS-C lenses on full-frame cameras, but not the other way around. I think that's backwards; you can put a full-frame lens on an APS-C camera, but putting an APS-C lens on a full-frame camera will give you an image that doesn't fill the entire frame. In fact, that's why I would advise anyone other than the most casual aspiring photographers to start off with a lower-budget full-frame system. I bought into my full system (Sony a77) in the last days of APS-C being standard for digital photography. At this point, now that I'm a senior citizen, I would like to upgrade to a full-frame system but, to do so, I would have to buy a body PLUS a full complement of lenses, which is an expense that would require me to dip into my retirement funds. If I had started with full-frame to begin with, I could just buy a new body and be able to carry on with my current lenses.
Hello Mads! Thank You for the brilliant content that You produce, I have grown up in photography watching Your videos and absorbing all the knowledge that You share with us! I'm looking for a magnetic ND filter set (with step-up rings 67mm to 82mm) could You please share what filter brands are You using? I really do not want to spend a lot of money on them and do not want to buy a crap also, could You please recommend any filter brands/sets to use? Thank You!
Hello Mads, thank you a lot for this video, it makes so much sense especially for the subject about gear weight on a hike. I wanted to ask you if there is a specific reason you do not use sigma lenses, is it because of the weather sealing or does it have something to do with getting better landscape photography ?
Can’t speak for Mads but I’ve not bought Sigma in recent years as although they produce some very high quality glass cheaper than the camera manufacturers equivalents they tend to be bigger and heavier. If I did studio work then they would be on my consideration list.
Hi Mads, we all learned photography by using fixed focal length lenses first, mostly starting with 50 and manually focusing. It is essential to master different focal lengths as they all serve a different purpose and are constructed for a intended purpose. This all one can only learn by using a full frame camera where 50mm IS 50mm etc. Later on aps-c is good as a backup or for macro and wild life photography. What I mean, if you learn the craft you will have more and more fun with the time, otherwise and by using zoom lenses at the beginning your vision gets confused. The truth is, if you are using zoom lenses use them like a collection of different fixed focal lengths instead just turning the ring and standing at the same spot. It's also a matter of the view angle, this is also something a fixed lens teaches you. Anyway, once you master one focal you can move to another one and only then and one day much later you can appreciate and properly use zoom lenses in all their practicality. People should invest much more in education and the decision about the gear should include the ergonomics as a important part as we are all different. Keep up a good work 😊
I disagree. Just because you started out this way, it worked for you and/or you enjoyed it, doesn't mean it's the only way to master a craft. There is zero disadvantage to a zoom lens over a prime as long as you're mindful of all the different components that make up a shot. As someone who started some 16 years ago on a Canon IXUS 60, then moved to APS-C DSLRs and just recently stepped up to Full-frame, I can honestly say that no, you do not necessarily need a FF camera and primes to learn the craft. I'd even say that going that route is much, much more frustrating for most beginners. And while I have used film bodies with fixed focal length lenses and manual focus, I wouldn't say that's something you necessarily want to start with or rely 100% on. As for investing in education, I totally agree and it applies to anything you decide to do. I've been saying that to car enthusiasts who keep spending on performance upgrades while being unable to utilize even half of their car's potential in stock form. With no success.
@@TsvetanVRListen, there is no need to argue here! What I wrote is a educated thought from somebody who has studied photography and is earning his living with it. So, I said "we all" at the beginning which means all of us who have learned the craft properly. Besides that, if you would watch some other photography channels like The Photographic Eye, Martin Castein, The Art of Photography, Tatiana Hopper, Roman Fox, Samuel Streetlife, SteveMcCurryStudios, Sean Tucker... just to mention the few, then you would know that ALL real photographers are saying the same because we have the knowledge. And, full frame is the only format that represents the focal length 1:1 as it is, there are no APS-c lenses that can do it precisely. It is also important to watch and study the famous filmmakers with the lenses and technique they are using, to read photography books and learn about the history of the art. This all is a part of the education we went through and are always trying to evolve since the day we started to study. At the end, you must know that knowing how to operate the camera doesn't make you a photographer and I am sure Mads agrees with me. Happy shooting 😊
@@KarloFio No need to argue as long as I bow before you and agree with everything you preach. I haven't stumbled upon such ignorance on youtube in years. "This and only this is the way. Those of you following a different path are incompetent fools." Got it, grandpa. “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson
@@TsvetanVR I actually confirmed what Bresson said but you, obviously want to spend your energy on the wrong side, sorry. What moves me is NOT the ignorance or anything you wrote in such an insulting way but education. If being educated, for you means what you wrote... be my guest. I actually think, you have either not read my words or you simply don't understand enough because I linked you to some TH-cam channels that are saying the same thing like I do. I guess, according to you we are all living in absence of knowledge, hope you will understand this line finally! And, do you know which lens Cartier-Bresson was shooting with his life long, which lens suited his eye, heart and soul the best? It was 50mm and he knew and felt it, it was his way of seeing the world and he has mastered that to a perfection. Nothing else I wrote, your behavior is disgraceful 😞
I agree whole-heartedly with this comment. When I was starting out, some of the best advice I was given was to learn to see at different focal lengths. Doing so was for me part of learning the art and craft of photography, and also discovering my own style (which is ever evolving.) I personally believe if one can see at a given focal length, one can usually find good compositions in any situation even with “just” a prime lens. I also think that different lenses have different “character” and I tend to purchase lenses based on that as well. For example, in my opinion the Sony 135mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.4 lenses have a certain wow factor that I can’t replicate with a zoom. Other brands have similar prime standouts too in their lineup. However, I also understand that especially for landscape photographers (some of whom do shoot with mostly prime lenses), it is convenient and more practical in dicey weather/surf/sand conditions to have a set of zoom lenses. But my suggestion to someone starting out would also be, as you suggested, to learn what a photo taken at 50, 16, 20, 24, 35, 85, 105, 135, and 200 mm looks like one at a time. If you own all zoom lenses, challenge yourself to picking one of these focal lengths and seeing what you can come up at just that focal length for a period of time. Lastly, I prefer to rent lenses before purchasing them. Photos taken using lenses with the same focal length(s) but made by different brands look different to me. Choice comes down to personal preference and of course budget for me.
As someone who went from a 20€ tripod, to an 80€ and now to a 150€ which still isn’t covering my needs, I’ve regretted not having spent 300€ from the beginning. Can you give more info about the ball heads? My new Benro tripod has a ball head but still can’t handle the weight of a simple 70-210 f/4 lens when switched to portrait. Do I need to find a lens collar for it?
Jeg kan kun tale for Sony da det er de kameraer jeg selv bruger. Hvis budgettet er 10000, så ville jeg nok finde et brugt kamera i a6000 serien (a6300, 6400, 6600) og et par objektiver, der dækker den brandvidde jeg nævnte :)
Your photography is wonderful, Mads - assisted by all your lens choices and knowledge. However this video was far too 'wide' in its content and somewhat depressing - Guess I'll be sticking to poor quality photography, then? Unless I treble my budget.
@@MadsPeterIversen Yes, I know - it is what I got from the video though - no plans to sell images so perhaps it doesn't matter, just enjoy it in my case.
Hi guys, a few things I forgot to mention in the video:
- I do still use my 28-200mm lens, I can't make myself get rid of it, however, when I do have both the 16-35mm and 50-400mm on my travels I rarely need the 28-200. But, I often find that the 28-200mm lens, is my preferred "run and gun" lens. It's light, covers a broad focal range and the image stabilization works fantastic with the Sony a7R5,
- The new mirrorless lens system from Canon are called RF (Full frame) and RF-S (Aps-c). I mentioned the old DSLR EF / EF-S system in the video ;)
I also need to correct, that YES it's the other way around. You can most often put full frame lenses on Aps-c cameras, but it doesn't work with Aps-c lenses on Full frame cameras (unless your full frame camera does Aps-c mode - which is generally only beneficial for video).
I find the Tamron 28-200 to be my go-to single lens option, when I want to go as minimalistic and lightweight as possible. The focal range will cover most situations, sacrificing the longest shots and the widest (unless the situation allows for a pano). Such a versatile lens! Interesting to see that you've kept the Sony 100-400 GM and the 16-35GM despite having the 50-400 + 16-35PZ :)
So the low-light lenses you mention at the end for night shoots are the 14mm and 20mm you mentioned earlier?
@@wholeinthesoul7925yes
28-200mm is very useful. My kids are young and they are always moving, I have to adjust the focus to keep up with their movement
And don’t forget Sigma’s 50-500 & 60-600 lenses, which aren’t 100% quality, but excellent for beginners or travelers.
I'm 40 seconds in the video, and I hope it is 25 minutes of "get what you really will use and fits your style, no matter what other people use or recommend", because that is what I really think we should get.
Yeah, that's about it, but for beginners that usually takes a bit of explanation of why to choose what ;)
@@MadsPeterIversen a great realization I've made as I sell my Sony kit and switch to fuji is to REALLY consider the cost. I could afford to get into the full frame market with secondhand stuff but you will be in that second hand gear for a loooong time as the used market doesn't come down in price very quickly. Innovations to color science, lcd screens, focus bracketing, what have you, may be a long way down the road. Truly consider if your money is better spent on finally getting the most expensive kit.. Or is it better spent on some travel to put yourself in front of beautiful locations. Apsc is letting me stay more current, play with other bodies to do video ect and have a much lighter kit.
If anyone doesnt think you can be a pro with apsc.. Check out Andy mumfords truly incredible work. He's someone I'd love to see you colaborate with, Mads!
I've been active with photography for the past two years and have watch numerous TH-cam videos and read several book about equipment. You my friend, did a wonderful job of summarizing things that we as new photographers should be aware of. Thank you for taking the time to do this video.
At this point I'm just binging all your videos on TH-cam and am absolutely loving it! Super informative and very useful!
I love that you point out that no one needs 40mp+ cameras, I have a 24mp camera and even printing some photos at 30x40 you will be hard pressed to see the pixels.
You've convinced me. I shoot A7Rii & A7Riii and have used primes mostly...... after agonizing over buying a superzoom I just ordered the 28-200.....At age 60, and being a multi day/week trip backpacker couldn't take the weight of 4 primes and a 70-200 anymore. I'll take it to Adirondacks over new years.
This is a much needed video, thank you! I am a beginner photographer (2yrs) and on a low budget. It took me weeks, countless youtube videos to watch and blogs to read to figure out what type of camera I needed to buy, and don't get me started on the lenses!
I have a Sony A6000 and the lens I use every day is the Sony 55-210mm. I just bought a Sony 16-50mm and started experimenting with that. It's not the greatest gear, not the sharpest lenses but it allows me to continue to learn and improve my photography. When I feel it's time for an upgrade I will invest in a better quality set up. This video is definitely bookmarked for future reference.
I personally recommend against tripods with a center column. They limit how low you can get; and in some cases, how high. I use an FLM tripod that goes down to 3.6" and up to 68". Add a ball head tripod and the camera itself, and the working height well exceeds my 5' 11" height , Plus, it weighs just over 3 lbs (minus the head) which puts it on par with many travel tripods.
I see you haven't discovered the gear head yet. I just did. Game changing. Little bigger but the ability to fine tune a composition is amazing. Great as always Mads!
Which? I did, but aside from the acra swiss D4 or leofoto's G4 type, the gear heads are so bulky!
Excellent video and such valuable information and tips.
I think people should consider a 70-300 for a telephoto too. Most are significantly lighter and cheaper than a 70-200 or 100-400 and the image quality is generally between a super zoom and a 70-200. The only caveat is they don't have tripod feet so you do have some weight hanging off the end but so long as you have a good tripod it shouldn't be an issue.
I sold my Tamron 28-200 and Sony 100-400 GM. The perfect combo for landscape right now (at least for me) is the 14 GM, 20-70 G and 70-200 G Macro + 1.4 Teleconverter
I'm with you on this, especially in preferring the 70-200 f4 macro + a TC14 over the 100-400. But I did not sell my Tamron 28-200 because there are times when its size and weight are important as a single lens to carry, and since it only cost me $649 new, it's worth more to me on my camera than in a trade. I think my 16-35 f4 PZ G on a 61mp camera can be cropped to fill the gap between 25 and 70mm. What do you think?
@@rphandler I found that the 28-200 was a good one but not wide enough for a single lens. I still had the 16-35 pz with me.
The 20-70 could work as a single lens.
Yeah, the 16-35 pz has absolutely superb image quality and you can certainly crop up to 70mm. But the image quality of the 20-70 is identical and you can crop even further.
But the main reason for me to go with this combination was that I didn't like the electronic zoomring. I had no fun with it. But everyone is different.
Excellent advice. For years I used a 16-35, 50 macro, and a 70-200. I bough the 50 thinking it could fill the gap. Then when I raveled to Norway (I live in the U.S) I bough a used 24-70 f/4. I found this lens more use for travel and landscape more than I imagined.Switching to Nikon mirrorless this past summer, I was able to buy a refurbished Z7 II and with that I got the kit lens 24-70 f/4. The sharpness and usefulness of this lens is outstanding.
Excellent advice for landscape photography! I am loving the 20-70 G and 70-200 Macro G II combination. Super sharp, easy to carry, and the 0.5:1 Macro is included. If I need longer, I carry the 1.4x teleconverter in my pocket, which also gets the macro to 0.7:1. If I need wider, I take a panorama at 20mm or I take along a 16-35. I rarely carry the 100-400 GM any more since I got that combination. I will often carry the Tamron 28-200 as a single lens solution when I’m just out and about. Sometimes with the 16-35 GM. The 28-200 is just so versatile and easy to use. Rumor is that Sony will be coming out with a 24-200 f2.8-4.5 this year. Thank you for putting this together.
I began with the A6500 , Sony 18-105mm and Samyang 12mmf2. This was a realy good combi and lightweight. The i bought the 90mm Macro and the 70--300mm, because it was shure i will be buy a fullframe cam. Now i own the A7R3 with much more ff lenses and feel free to change the lenses between both cams. I'm sure, Canon, Nikon and others build great cams, too. But in the Sony's e-mount system i have the greatest choice of diverse lenses. From expensive to cheap, all is possible, because Sony had open his system for manufacters like Samyang, Sigma, Tamron and other.
That little Samyang 12mm f/2 was a great lens and value when I used Sony Nex-7 yet I didn't see others with it.
Great summary especially for landscape photographers. I think we are often told that to go "pro" you need to use FF and that is flat out false in 95% of cases. Only in certain cases does the FF have the additional (noticeable) benefit over the APSC but for landscapes and even travel or people/portrait photography, APSC works just fine as well. The people that might benefit from FF would be those who need the extra speed like wildlife and sports shooters, and those shooting at night as you mentioned, but beyond that, there is nothing wrong with APSC and in some cases, even micro 4/3 (especailly for travel photography). Modern APSC cameras like the Sony a6400 or Nikon Z50 and others have gotten so good that they rival the 5-8 year old FF cameras in terms of image quality.
As for lenses, if you're not opposed to adapting, a lot of people are migrating to their newer mirrorless options, and so there are a lot of good quality DSLR lenses available, and Nikon and Canon have adapters to use with the mirrorless cameras so if you're on a strict budget, you can probably grab say a 24-105 or 24-120 lens and a 70-200 or 100-400 cheap because someone upgraded. There are some great deals out there (like Nikon;s own 70-200 f/4 which is very sharp but can also be bought used quite cheap - like $500 or less in good condition, compared to even either faster 70-180 or 70-200's in either mount, in a used condition -- so don't be a fraid to look at used DSLR lenses and adapting them -- they are larger and a bit heavier in some cases but you can save a lot of money this way).
A nice "travel" tripoid I found recently that I really enjoy using (due to its weight and size and stability) is from Leofoto. It's sort of a Really Right Stuff rip-off but it's sturdy and not very expensive (mine was about $380 but it I got it on BF for about $250 with ballhead). This tripod is going t oreplace my FLM + RRS BH-55 for when I need to hike -- the FLM will remain my main tripod but it's heavy and not very hiking friendly (it's about 24 inches long when folded and weighs about 7 lbs with the ball head). The Leofo I got is about 3 lbs and about 18 inches folded so much better (I had a Sirui travel tripod, which has lasted me about 6 years but has broken about 3 times -- but Sirui does have a generous 6 year warranty , or at least they did, which it was always repaired under warranty but I probably wouldn't buy that same model again since the leg clamps always broke). The Leofoto uses the typical screw-lock type (not clamp lock) which seems to be better.
My most used lens is my 24-120 f/4 from Nikon. So versatile:) thank you for the detailed comparison and advices
+1 for the 24-120. I use mine for everything - sports, landscape, and everything in between. All except astro work.
What could anyone say more than you, Mads: Really great advices and description of facts!
My favourite camera is a Canon M6II.
Yes it's limitted in lenses. But makes fun. Easy to take with. If you' re not having much lenses it simplifys photography. And I need no new camera (gear).
Sure the newer gear is technically a little bit 'better' in features. But why to buy?
It's a question of sympathy, simplicity and satisfaction.
Christoph
A good job on this. What I will say here is that this is all very focused on landscape (of course it is). If you are buying a camera system and you are planning on shooting more than landscapes, or have kids that you will want to photograph, It may influence your selections. My general advice is to get zooms to cover your base range and then only buy primes for things you want to optimize. E.g I only shoot Astro maybe once a year… a 16-35 F2.8 works fine enough. My wife, wildflower season is huge for her and a Macro is essential!
Canon have a 24-240mm f/4-6.3 superzoom for the RF fit mirrorless system. It's a very flexible, nice lens but the downside for landscape photography is that it is not weather sealed.
It's funny to see you describe the lens journey probably every landscape photographer makes over the course of the first few years 😅
Watched it nonetheless, there is always something to learn. A hint: I think your text about she apsc lenses on full frame cameras is the wrong way around.
Yeah it's full frame lens will fit aps-c bodies
Honestly that 50-400mm lens is so versatile it makes me want a Sony camera..
The best camera is the one in your hand - a sony rx100 which is fantastic which is the camera on the left. Lighter gear is advantageous and yes im a professional landscape photographer also
Nice and pretty complete video about gear. My personal setup: Sony A7R4, AstrHori 12mm f/2.8, Viltrox 16mm f/1.8, Tamron 28-200, Tamron 50-400. I bought the Viltrox because of good value, able to shoot wide and night. The 'gap' in focal length is compensated by the crop factor of having 61 megapixels. The Tamron 28-200 is a good lens, light, small and not too expensive. Finally I found gear to be much cheaper in Germany than my country Netherlands. Cheers, Bart
Great video Mads. Thank you. I fell down the rabbit hole when buying new gear two years ago. Setting a budget was easier once I compiled a full list of my personal requirements. Camera sensor size, lenses, tripod, monopod (for physical reasons), camera cage and handle (for physical reasons), filters, cleaning gear, camera bag - one shoulder, mentor classes, software, data storage, etc.. Went with Canon APS-C for size, weight and cost. Biggest mistake? Lack of weather sealing. I deal with it.🤪
As always, great advice. Thank you.
For step up rings do not cheap out on those. Thick ones will make images soft but worse you get a massive vignette that’s hard to remove in post.
Get some nice brass ones and you’re set. I learned my lesson
Cheer's 🎉 Mad's ...Common sense is not as common as one thinks...(MT) And I am pleased that is the approach to the gear. Because IMHO it's about the comfort and competency you develop regardless of your level find with the gear you like and do or are you getting the images you wanted or expected.
SO helpful. Tusind tak!
Thank you again for the great video.
An addition for those whose telephoto lenses don't fit a lens collar: I help myself here with a simple macro rail. It's cheap and shifts the center of gravity of the camera and lens combi "behind" the tripod and things are balanced
I would absolutely love to get a drone, and every time I consider it, I remember I live in New York, where we are not permitted to fly them within state parks, which happens to be one of the primary places I photograph.
Really great advice, Mads! Thanks for putting this together. I still use my Sony A7Riii as my main landscape camera and it's so good, I see no reason to get the newer versions. I'd almost always recommend folks starting out look into getting good used full-frame gear rather than getting new cropped sensor kit - especially the lenses. Cost may still be slightly more, but you're way more future proof. In hindsight I wasted a lot of money on cropped sensor gear only to find the inevitable upgrade to full frame came sooner than I thought. As soon as I upgraded the camera body to full frame, I had to change my lenses at the same time.
I'm also a big fan of the Tamron and Sigma lenses - price to performance ratio is great. I use the Tamron 17-28 f2.8 instead of a 16-35 and pair that with my Sony 24-105 f4 and a Sigma 100-400 f5-6.3 for landscapes. The 17-28 is also used for my travel/cityscape kit as it's so lightweight and portable.
Do you consider the menu difficult? I have heard talk of that with the iii versions but was changed when the iv came along. I could be wrong. I have a Fuji XT4 but thought of purchasing a used Sony with just one lens for now, knowing I could purchase Tamron lenses for much less money without quality sacrifice.
The A7R V absolutely destroys the A7R III. In-body stabilisation, the massive sensor, significantly better AF, better ergonomics, improved menu system. I just upgraded and I cannot believe I waited so long.
Yes, agreed that the V is far better than the iii in the specification sheet. But better IBIS and AF is not essential for me as the camera is mostly in a tripod and I’m shooting more or less a still subject matter. Larger sensor is really only good if you want to crop aggressively, otherwise 42MP is more than sufficient. Plus I don’t have to buy more hard drive space and upgrade my computer :)
I love your 12-year-old-boy WWII Flying Tiger machine gun imitation leading off your discussion of drones. Dogfights over Skaftafell!
Canon has an RF 24-240, which is what I use most of the time. Very good landscape lens.
Definitely pays off in the longer term if you take some time to consider what your short to medium term needs will be and then do your research in terms of what to buy as this will save the expense of switching gear when you realise that your initial purchase isn't meeting your needs. I've recently started the transition to EF to RF lenses for the Canon and opted for the 24-105mm lens (switched out my 24-70 EF lens) as this gives me the option of adding the 100-1500mm next whilst I retain my 16-35mm EF and adaptor pending a switch at the widest range. Canon do make a 24-240mm for the RF mount but it's not weather sealed so that has put me off buying it. Absolutely agree about your tripod comments too Mads as there's no point in investing in a decent body and lenses if your tripod is not going to be up to the job
Tamron 28-200 💪💪💪
I agree with your point on considering a range of cameras. Pursuing an ever reducing improvement in image quality is often not worth the money. I’m not with you on zoom lenses though. They are usually too big. I found that I always tended to shoot at either end of the range (ie 24 or 80mm). Look at Charlie Waite’s pictures - he managed to get great pictures with a Hasselblad! For landscape, manual focus is fine so get a small prime, even if it needs an adapter. When in doubt, crop. I got the same quality photos using a Mamiya 7 with a standard prime lens that a did with a Nikon DSLR or Olympus OM5. I now just use a 35mm f1.5 and 50mm f2 prime lens and crop as necessary. I also only ever take one lens out at a time, so I am obviously weird!
I bought the Heipi tripod off kickstarter and it’s as good for me as my old Manfrotto and waaay better than my Sirui travel tripod. But people should just buy what they can afford and get used to using it before deciding if it shoots their style. Personally I’m rubbish at post processing so that makes a significantly greater impact on the quality of my pictures than the kit I use in the field!
Love your work, and am impressed that you have only been at this for a decade.
Great video, a lot of value in here for beginners. Keep up the great work.
I am going the other way, I started on FF and now considering changing to Apsc to lower weight. I find I’m not motivated to get out as much with heavy gear.
Check out Olympus OM 1 amazing
Thanks for taking the time to put this together. Much appreciated.
Wish I had known this when I bought my first modern DSLR after a long time away from photography.
Awesome video! When I started, I got a Canon EOS 60D with a 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. I literally took thousands of pictures with that lens and got fantastic results. For my R6, my goto is the 24-105mm f4. Great focal lengths for almost all types of photography. (FujiFilm micro 4/3's 🤣That made me chuckle!)
Excellent information! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience. I have really enjoyed your videos and love your photography work! I am new to photography, though I have used my phone camera quite a bit to try and create pleasing compositions. I recently purchased the Sony a6700. I also purchased the Sony 10-20mm f/4 G, 16-55mm f/2.8 G, 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS, for landscape photography, and the 15mm f/1.4 for night sky photography. I bought these at the same time as my camera, so I was able to bundle them for a reduced cost, which was very helpful. I am also a student so I was able to get a further reduction in price ( B&H and Adorama offer student discounts ). I also bought a circular polarizer, but I wasn't sure about the ND filters until you answered that question for me. I will likely be purchasing your composition e-books and adobe tutorials soon. I do have some experience with Photoshop and Lightroom but I want to learn more. Thank you, again.
I bought that little Heipi tripod after your kickstarter review. I quite like it. It's more than sturdy enough for my lightweight bridge camera while having a tonne of versatility. Granted, I don't really know what I'm comparing it to because I'm always trying to save space/weight as my photography takes place on multi-day hikes where most of my gear is food and shelter. It occurs to me my hobbies aren't congruent, at least not without hiring a sherpa.
Also, my chinese co-worker tells me it's pronounced 'happy'.
Hi, thanks for the video and your ebooks there great. I'm going to Faroe Island in 2025 so you have clarified the type of new tripod I'm going to purchase and the landscape lens type that I need to upgrade. Thanks again. At this stage, I just need a ball head for my Z9, Yes I'm looking at a mirrorless backup which is lighter but versatile.
Hi Mads. Nice video. I'm an experienced landscape photographer and watched the entire video! I missed what your astrophotography lenses were but it looks like 14/1.8 and 20/1.8. Another more complex option would be to use your existing zoom lenses, paired with a star tracker like the MSM. But I like your solution because those lenses have excellent IQ and result in a much simpler workflow.
Mads, enjoyed the video. I went back to Tuscany in October to retrace our steps from last year's workshop, hoping to catch some good light and fog. I bought your maps for both Tuscany and the Dolomites, to prepare for the trip, and thought they added value, love your linked photos for each site. Fog ended up being more than I wanted, but talking to other photographers, it was evidently making up for the prior week, as they had none. The fog literally rolled in over the course of about 10 minutes and one couldn't even see Belvedere, I need to make a YT video, the fog was truly impressive, a view of the video and most would think it to be a timelapse.
Hi Jeff! That sounds absolutely amazing with the fog! I have yet to experience those conditions :)
Good advice. I'm shooting a consumer grade 24mp APS-C DSLR (Canon T8i / 850D) and two lenses: Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro and Canon EF 70-200 f/4L. Although I'd like to upgrade, there are sooooo many other things impacting my progress rather than the camera and lenses... not the least of which is my ability as a photographer! When I compare this camera against the full-Pro cameras of only a few years ago (which I really wanted) it's actually better in some regards. About all I really miss is weather sealing. Bottom line is, I keep my eyes open (and bookmarks on MPB, LOL) but other than maybe replacing / augmenting the 17-70 with a used Canon EF 24-70 f/4L, I need to work on my skills and shooting locations more than throw money at hardware. 🙂
One question, though: At 14:35 your graphic says you can usually use crop lenses on full frame bodies, but not the other way around. With Canon at least, my experience has been the reverse - EF lenses work fine on my crop sensor body, (I've had two) but an EF-S lens can't be used on the full frame body due to vignetting (and sometimes mirror collisions). Am I mistaken?
So much excellent money-saving advice, you should charge for this video!! 🤣
There is some really good and accurate info here. Slightly disagree on step up rings - better to have filters that match the lens so that you can use them with the hood on in inclement weather. Try and get your lens trio with all the same size filter if possible. Also slightly disagree on the tripod about getting a tall tripod if you are a tall guy. I'm very tall and have a large tripod but I find myself using the tripod at waist hieght or lower most of the time as this works very well for foregrounds with wide angle lenses. Shooting everything from eye hieght gets kind of boring. Flip out LCD's make using lower tripods much easier these days too. Also one comment on lens selection - if budget is an issue I think it is very feasible to skip the 24-70 equivalent and just have a 2 lens kit. The 16-35 and the 70-200/400 only leaves a small gap in the focal range which personally I think is not that useful for landscapes a lot of the time. Go wide or go long works great for mose scenes. Overall this video is a really good resource for someone starting out.
Really good advice in this video Mads.
I use a Tamron 17-35mm and a Nikon 28-300mm lens with my Nikon D750 and they give me all the ranges that i need.
Although the Nikon lens is a bit heavy due to all the glass in the lens it is a good lens.
Look forward to the next one.
With regard to APSC if that is your choice, and you are doing a lot of outdoors photography, then make sure it's a weatherproof system. Canon APSC bodies for instance are weatherproof, but their APSC lenses are not.
Well put together video mate.
will be super helpful to me as well, folks keep asking me about gear every now and then.
Will point them to your video 😉
Speaking of lens is my good man especially with Tamron or it might be Sigma it's one of the two and they have a 16-400 with a thank it was thread at 86mm
I love long videos, photography is waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting. I cant wait for the next video. Merry Xmas
First: pick a camera.
Second: read instructions manual
Third: feel comfortable handling it and knowing where to find functions and what they do.
Then follow all the useful things that are being said in this video.
CAnon does have their 24-240 lens, which is comparable to the Sony version. Nikon has the 24-200 or if you want, the 24-120 which is a bit sharper and constant aperture, but you give up the focal range (but it pairs nicely with a 100-400).
Good video Mads, explaining what gear works for you and most landscape photographers. BUT - what are you going to pack them in when you're walking several km to you location? What's your favorite camera backpacks?
Currently have the a6700 which is 26 megapixels. I try my best with it
Really good comprehensive summary!
Fantastic video and very helpful for a beginner, thank you.
You are very welcome, Elizabeth 🙏
Great video and very informative. Thanks so much for taking the time to put it together. I lack a drone, but that will have to wait for $. Happy holidays!
Nice and detailed, thanks Mads!
There’s still something you haven’t said (no affiliate link maybe?) you’re often in adverse weather for good reasons but it does mean you need to be well kitted out to withstand the conditions. Could you mention some of that? Like what boots are best, your favourite rain gear/clothes, snow gear/clothes, gloves etc.
Great stuff! I did buy the Heipi tripod as it is much lighter and compact than the carbon fiber I took to the Faroes. It will have to do in Iceland. Otherwise, right in step with your suggestions! Thanks Mads 👍🏻👍🏻
Great video. What are the two lenses you use for astro? Thanks!
Mads, thanks. This is an excellent and informative presentation.
Thanks a lot :)
I think, as you mentioned, when looking to build a range of lenses to use, my only downside to my fuji gear is a f1.4 wide for astrophotography. I hope that at some point a f2.8 8mm will be available for me. I would like it to have autofocus, as at 72, manual focus can be a challenge.
Can you please have a basic video on your 7 r5 menu set up for landscape please 🙏. I have 7r5 and need help with menu set up for landscape. Hope you can help Mads. Love your videos !!!!!!
Great video and a lot of knowledge as well and experience in a compressed format. I think you covered most things very honest and objective. I however think you purposely not included Fujiith that due to lack of experience with their systems and lenses. I have been and still is a Canon photographer. Most of the time I used Canon 5D cameras. I wanted a lighter and smaller system as well and bought a Fuji X-PRO1 when it came out 2012 with the first 2 lenses but god it was slow. Something that was very much imroved with X-PRO2. By some reasons I always enjoyed taking pictures more with the Fujis then with my Canons even that I had much more experience of Canon since the first Canon 20D was released. Today I have a 5DMKIV with around 10 top lenses and the same for for Fuji. I decided around 2 years ago to keep my Canaon gear and continue to invest my future money in that system. I have learned the hard way the advantages and disadvantages of full frame and APS-C. my conclusions are I can't really see any real difference in the final result. I print my pictures on an Epson 3880 in up to A2. I can't say that I can tell the difference between Canon full frame raw or a Fuji raw. What I think is an important very important component in the chain from from photo to print is the raw-program. The evolution of the raw-programs are at the moment very fast. Which programs we use and how skilled we are in using them presumably of much greater importance than the camera and lens we choose.
Good tip with the x1,25 speed. 😅
Hi, I think there are a few mistakes here and there. For example Fuji x H 2 is just as weather sealed as your Sony and just as fast. Now I'm not here to argue but right must be right.
Thanks for the content
Did I say it wasn't?
@@MadsPeterIversenyes. You said that full frame cameras are more durable and faster than those with APSC sensors.
Very interesting video, thank you!
Thanks Mads, very interesting and hopefully you wont , ever, have to do another explanation of your kit!
Mads. Really great detailed information but what people need to understand and I didn’t until recently which is embarrassing since I’ve been shooting for years… Is that if you have a crop camera with a 2.8 lens But you think a full frame is better and buy one butpurchase F4 lenses well, that’s a waste because they’re really comparable. Would you agree? I had a heavy Nikon, and After a week of vacationing really did not enjoy that camera. I have the Fuji XT four and the red badge lenses are awesome. I also have a couple of primes I have a 23 1.4 I believe and it’s just beautiful.
Canon has a 24-240mm rf....and has had it for years
Cool, how's the image quality? Because Sony has one too, but the image quality is horrendous compared to the Tamron 28-200...
@MadsPeterIversen It's actually not bad....even compared to my L -lenses....but of course there's a difference. I use it a lot even though I have 3 L- lenses that cover the same range put together. Tony and Chelsea have made a thorough review on it some years ago
It does seem TH-cam content creators like drones.
Would you still take a drone if not creating content for TH-cam?
If only photographing the landscape with a stills camera.
Absolutely! No doubt about that. Some of my all time favorite photos are taken with a drone :)
excellent for photographersof all levels
Hi Mads, thanks for your useful and well presented video.
It might be worth qualifying your statement which is reinforced by a text box at 25:36 where you state that you can usually use aps-c lenses on full frame cameras. For Canon it is the other way round. I don't know about other brands. I just thought it was worth mentioning in case new photographers tried to save money by buying Canon aps-c lenses for a full frame Canon camera...
Using APS-C lenses on a full-frame Canon camera will shift the camera into crop mode. That's fine, except then why spend the money on a full-frame camera if you're going to shoot in crop mode?
O.K but to carry a z9 can the Benro work with this camera. Weight ratings are not standard. Yes, I will be going to Faroe Island and am looking to upgrade to Benro. I will probably use a lighter backup camera for very windy areas. Any links to the clothes you wear. The brand not yours personally?
Flott video 👍
I think one of your captions is off - you say you can use APS-C lenses on full-frame cameras, but not the other way around. I think that's backwards; you can put a full-frame lens on an APS-C camera, but putting an APS-C lens on a full-frame camera will give you an image that doesn't fill the entire frame.
In fact, that's why I would advise anyone other than the most casual aspiring photographers to start off with a lower-budget full-frame system. I bought into my full system (Sony a77) in the last days of APS-C being standard for digital photography. At this point, now that I'm a senior citizen, I would like to upgrade to a full-frame system but, to do so, I would have to buy a body PLUS a full complement of lenses, which is an expense that would require me to dip into my retirement funds. If I had started with full-frame to begin with, I could just buy a new body and be able to carry on with my current lenses.
Yes! It indeed seems like I did! I'll put it in the pinned comment, thanks :)
i always had doubt whether sony 16-35 f4 pz lens will be sharper for landscape photography as f2.8 gm2.thanks for clarification
You can also watch my review of the 16-35mm f/4 pz lens. I compare it to the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens.
Hello Mads! Thank You for the brilliant content that You produce, I have grown up in photography watching Your videos and absorbing all the knowledge that You share with us! I'm looking for a magnetic ND filter set (with step-up rings 67mm to 82mm) could You please share what filter brands are You using? I really do not want to spend a lot of money on them and do not want to buy a crap also, could You please recommend any filter brands/sets to use? Thank You!
I use those from Freewell, they work really well for me.
Hei Mads, as always very informative video. Which tripod base do you use for the 50-400? Greetings from Germany and Merry Christmas 🎄🎄
22:24 Thanks god 🤣🤣🤣
Hello Mads, thank you a lot for this video, it makes so much sense especially for the subject about gear weight on a hike.
I wanted to ask you if there is a specific reason you do not use sigma lenses, is it because of the weather sealing or does it have something to do with getting better landscape photography ?
Can’t speak for Mads but I’ve not bought Sigma in recent years as although they produce some very high quality glass cheaper than the camera manufacturers equivalents they tend to be bigger and heavier. If I did studio work then they would be on my consideration list.
I’m lucky I’m short enough to get away with just a mini tripod without straining my back 👍🏼😂
Hi Mads, we all learned photography by using fixed focal length lenses first, mostly starting with 50 and manually focusing. It is essential to master different focal lengths as they all serve a different purpose and are constructed for a intended purpose. This all one can only learn by using a full frame camera where 50mm IS 50mm etc. Later on aps-c is good as a backup or for macro and wild life photography. What I mean, if you learn the craft you will have more and more fun with the time, otherwise and by using zoom lenses at the beginning your vision gets confused. The truth is, if you are using zoom lenses use them like a collection of different fixed focal lengths instead just turning the ring and standing at the same spot. It's also a matter of the view angle, this is also something a fixed lens teaches you. Anyway, once you master one focal you can move to another one and only then and one day much later you can appreciate and properly use zoom lenses in all their practicality. People should invest much more in education and the decision about the gear should include the ergonomics as a important part as we are all different. Keep up a good work 😊
I disagree. Just because you started out this way, it worked for you and/or you enjoyed it, doesn't mean it's the only way to master a craft. There is zero disadvantage to a zoom lens over a prime as long as you're mindful of all the different components that make up a shot. As someone who started some 16 years ago on a Canon IXUS 60, then moved to APS-C DSLRs and just recently stepped up to Full-frame, I can honestly say that no, you do not necessarily need a FF camera and primes to learn the craft. I'd even say that going that route is much, much more frustrating for most beginners.
And while I have used film bodies with fixed focal length lenses and manual focus, I wouldn't say that's something you necessarily want to start with or rely 100% on.
As for investing in education, I totally agree and it applies to anything you decide to do. I've been saying that to car enthusiasts who keep spending on performance upgrades while being unable to utilize even half of their car's potential in stock form. With no success.
@@TsvetanVRListen, there is no need to argue here! What I wrote is a educated thought from somebody who has studied photography and is earning his living with it. So, I said "we all" at the beginning which means all of us who have learned the craft properly. Besides that, if you would watch some other photography channels like The Photographic Eye, Martin Castein, The Art of Photography, Tatiana Hopper, Roman Fox, Samuel Streetlife, SteveMcCurryStudios, Sean Tucker... just to mention the few, then you would know that ALL real photographers are saying the same because we have the knowledge. And, full frame is the only format that represents the focal length 1:1 as it is, there are no APS-c lenses that can do it precisely. It is also important to watch and study the famous filmmakers with the lenses and technique they are using, to read photography books and learn about the history of the art. This all is a part of the education we went through and are always trying to evolve since the day we started to study. At the end, you must know that knowing how to operate the camera doesn't make you a photographer and I am sure Mads agrees with me. Happy shooting 😊
@@KarloFio No need to argue as long as I bow before you and agree with everything you preach. I haven't stumbled upon such ignorance on youtube in years.
"This and only this is the way. Those of you following a different path are incompetent fools." Got it, grandpa.
“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.”
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
@@TsvetanVR I actually confirmed what Bresson said but you, obviously want to spend your energy on the wrong side, sorry. What moves me is NOT the ignorance or anything you wrote in such an insulting way but education. If being educated, for you means what you wrote... be my guest. I actually think, you have either not read my words or you simply don't understand enough because I linked you to some TH-cam channels that are saying the same thing like I do. I guess, according to you we are all living in absence of knowledge, hope you will understand this line finally! And, do you know which lens Cartier-Bresson was shooting with his life long, which lens suited his eye, heart and soul the best? It was 50mm and he knew and felt it, it was his way of seeing the world and he has mastered that to a perfection. Nothing else I wrote, your behavior is disgraceful 😞
I agree whole-heartedly with this comment. When I was starting out, some of the best advice I was given was to learn to see at different focal lengths. Doing so was for me part of learning the art and craft of photography, and also discovering my own style (which is ever evolving.) I personally believe if one can see at a given focal length, one can usually find good compositions in any situation even with “just” a prime lens. I also think that different lenses have different “character” and I tend to purchase lenses based on that as well. For example, in my opinion the Sony 135mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.4 lenses have a certain wow factor that I can’t replicate with a zoom. Other brands have similar prime standouts too in their lineup. However, I also understand that especially for landscape photographers (some of whom do shoot with mostly prime lenses), it is convenient and more practical in dicey weather/surf/sand conditions to have a set of zoom lenses. But my suggestion to someone starting out would also be, as you suggested, to learn what a photo taken at 50, 16, 20, 24, 35, 85, 105, 135, and 200 mm looks like one at a time. If you own all zoom lenses, challenge yourself to picking one of these focal lengths and seeing what you can come up at just that focal length for a period of time. Lastly, I prefer to rent lenses before purchasing them. Photos taken using lenses with the same focal length(s) but made by different brands look different to me. Choice comes down to personal preference and of course budget for me.
What lens collar do you use on the 50-400?
The one from Tamron :)
As someone who went from a 20€ tripod, to an 80€ and now to a 150€ which still isn’t covering my needs, I’ve regretted not having spent 300€ from the beginning. Can you give more info about the ball heads? My new Benro tripod has a ball head but still can’t handle the weight of a simple 70-210 f/4 lens when switched to portrait. Do I need to find a lens collar for it?
You need an ‘L’ bracket.
Hej Mads. Hvis budgettet hedder max 10.000 kr. for linse og kamerahus, hvad ville du så foreslå? Mvh Jan
Jeg kan kun tale for Sony da det er de kameraer jeg selv bruger. Hvis budgettet er 10000, så ville jeg nok finde et brugt kamera i a6000 serien (a6300, 6400, 6600) og et par objektiver, der dækker den brandvidde jeg nævnte :)
@@MadsPeterIversen Tusind tak for dit svar, det vil jeg prøve at gå på jagt efter :-) I øvrigt tak for altid supergode og lærerige videoer 👍
i love the 5d mk ii
i want to learn landscape photography from india.how can i subscribe to your course
There is a link in the description of the video :)
Your photography is wonderful, Mads - assisted by all your lens choices and knowledge. However this video was far too 'wide' in its content and somewhat depressing - Guess I'll be sticking to poor quality photography, then? Unless I treble my budget.
Is that what you got from the video? I'm literally saying that something like an Aps-c camera is fine for most kinds of landscape photography...
@@MadsPeterIversen Yes, I know - it is what I got from the video though - no plans to sell images so perhaps it doesn't matter, just enjoy it in my case.
What benefits are the A7R 5 over the A7R 3 for landscape? I need to prepare my defence to the wife!
Check out my two videos on that topic ;)
ehm .........just buy a Fuji