This the Best Budget Landscape Photography Lens Money Can Buy

When I started out in photography many years ago, I rocked my kit lens (an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) for quite some time.

I especially enjoy landscapes, and that lens did fine - it was certainly nothing spectacular. However, using the lens that came with my camera was a lot cheaper than buying a new lens!

These days, though, you can get some solid lenses without spending a giant pile of cash. That's especially true if you buy a quality, pre-owned lens.

So that got me thinking - what's the best lens for landscape photography money can buy?

What Focal Length is Best for Landscapes?

Image Credit: edb3_16 via iStock

When thinking about the best focal length for landscapes, my assumption is that you probably think of wide-angle lenses first.

And that makes sense...

After all, when you're presented with a wide vista of gorgeous mountains, trees, rivers, beaches, and so forth, you want to capture as much of it in the frame as possible.

That's why wide-angle lenses are the most popular choice for landscape photography - their wide field of view allows you to capture more of the scene.

But what about ultra-wide-angle lenses like the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM shown above?

At that focal length, you can incorporate even more scenery into the shot from right to left and top to bottom.

That means more beautiful sky, more detailed foreground, more peaks in a mountain range, and more sand in a desert scene.

When you see the difference between shooting at 18mm on a normal kit lens and at 10mm on a lens like this one, it's actually quite surprising.

The field of view is so much wider!

Image Credit: ronniechua via iStock

I'll get into the specifics of the Canon landscape lens in a moment, but for now, I want to point out that shooting ultra-wide landscapes isn't for everyone.

So, while I think this is one of the best lenses for landscapes, some photographers swear by other lenses and focal lengths, like 24mm, 35mm, 24-70mm, or telephoto options, too.

When you consider the best lens for landscape photography, the answer is going to be different for many people. It just depends on what kind of photos you want to take.

If you're in the "wider is better" camp, then I've got a lens for you!

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM: Features, Pros, & Cons

Built specifically for Canon's APS-C format cameras, this lens is lightweight with a small form factor that makes it a great companion for hiking through the wilderness or hopping from one beauty spot to the next in a national park.

It can easily be left mounted to your camera and still allow you to put the kit inside a camera bag.

What's more, given that it's so lightweight, you can carry your camera and lens around all day without feeling like you're carrying a bag of bricks over your shoulder.

The zoom range on this lens isn't very wide - just 10mm to 18mm. However, when the point is to get as wide a shot as possible, it's tough to beat the wider reaches of this lens.

The aperture range is also not overly impressive, and with a maximum aperture of f/4.5, you won't be shooting a lot of shots at dusk or night given that the lens cannot collect all that much light.

That being said, when shooting landscapes in normal lighting conditions, you don't need a massive aperture like f/1.2 or f/1.4. Besides, having a less robust maximum aperture helps keep the price of this lens to a minimum.

This lens supports autofocus, which is handy if you're not especially confident in your manual focusing abilities.

It also has image stabilization - a great feature for a lens this inexpensive - which gives you a couple of extra stops of stability when shooting handheld.

Though you should opt for using a tripod or a monopod for stability when shooting landscapes, it's nice to know that this lens will help you get sharper images when you need to shoot handheld.

But the best feature of this lens is undoubtedly its price.

You can get a pre-owned version in like-new condition for barely over $200, which, for the ability to shoot in ultra-wide-angle is a great bargain.

Again, this isn't the best lens for shooting in low-light, nor is it the sharpest lens Canon has ever made.

But as far as budget landscape photography lenses go, it's an excellent option, and certainly an upgrade to using your kit lens for landscape photography.

For a complete review of this lens and to see sample images, check out the video above by Christopher Frost Photography.

This article about the topic "This the Best Budget Landscape Photography Lens Money Can Buy" was first published on our website here https://www.photographytalk.com/landscape-photography/8772-this-the-best-budget-landscape-photography-lens-money-can-buy

4 Easy Landscape Photography Tips for Beginners

When you're a beginning landscape photographer, it can be easy to get discouraged.

After all, I know when I started out that I'd see a fantastic scene and be so excited about photographing it, only to get home and see that the vibrant beauty of the landscape is not what my photos showed.

But taking your landscape photos to the next level doesn't have to be something that's overly difficult to do.

In fact, these four landscape photography tips are extremely easy to implement, and the results you get can be quite amazing.

Use Filters

Though programs like Photoshop and Lightroom offer you wondrous possibilities for enhancing your photos, the effects you can get by using filters on your camera lens cannot be matched.

That's especially true for landscape photography, which can benefit from any number of filters:

• Polarizing filter helps cut down on glare off surfaces like water (as seen above), reduce atmospheric haze, and increase contrast in the sky. The result is a photo that has much more visual appeal.
• Graduated neutral density filters help even out the brightness of the sky and the darkness of the landscape for a more even exposure throughout.
• Neutral density filters allow you to extend the shutter speed you use during the daytime, which opens up the world of long exposure photography.

There are other filters out there as well, but these three represent the first camera accessories you need to buy.

Editor's Tip: When buying filters, don't buy cheap ones. High-quality filters like those from Formatt-Hitech offer improved performance with better colors and contrast, and less aberrations and vignetting. If you want to maximize the quality of your landscape photos, get set up with filters today.

Use a Tripod

One of the ways that your landscape photos can go wrong is if they're blurry.

Blurry photos result from a number of things - camera shake, using a shutter speed that's too slow to hold the camera, and having the focus off, among them.

A tripod helps eliminate the first two. If the camera is on a stable tripod, it's more capable of getting tack-sharp shots than if you hold the camera. That's true even at fast shutter speeds. Learn more about the best camera for outdoor photography on our website PhotographyTalk.com.

If you're trying to blur the movement of water or clouds, though, and you've got a slow shutter speed to do so, a tripod is an absolute essential.

Buyer beware, though - not all tripods are made alike. Opt for something that's well-built, lightweight, and has features like quick-lock legs for quick setup, an integrated bubble level for getting the horizon straight, and rubber feet with metal spikes to help in the stability department.

Golden Hour is Where It's At

The best light of the day occurs right before sunset and right after sunrise, a period called Golden Hour.

It's called that because the light has a gold tone to it that bathes the landscape in warm light.

It's also very soft light, as it has to travel through more of the Earth's atmosphere. That means that the contrast is lower, giving your camera an easier time with capturing the shadows and highlights in the scene.

If you can't get out to shoot at sunrise or sunset, opt for a cloudy day. The clouds diffuse the light, softening it, and spreading out nice, even lighting across the landscape.

Editor's Tip: Shooting during the daytime hours on a sunny day is least preferable because the light is so harsh, which results in very bright highlights and very dark shadows. When shooting in these conditions, consider converting your photos to black and white, because black and white shots tend to benefit from strong contrast.

Play With the Positioning of the Horizon

A common mistake that beginner landscape photographers make is to place the horizon line in the middle of the shot.

Though this can be an effective composition in some situations (i.e., when there's a reflection in the shot, as shown above, to enhance the symmetry of the shot), usually, you'll want to adjust the horizon to the upper third or lower third of the frame.

In this shot, for example, the horizon is shifted to the extreme top of the frame.

This is effective because it allowed the photographer to highlight the interaction between the rays of the setting sun and the landscape.

Shifting the horizon upward also allows the viewer to get a better view of the road, which acts as a leading line, pulling the eye out of the canyon below and into the midground and background of the shot.

In other words, if the most interesting aspect of the landscape is in the foreground, shift that horizon upward!

On the other hand, if you're presented with a situation in which it's the background that's more interesting, shift the horizon downward, that way you dedicate as much of the frame as you can to the background of the shot.

In the image above, you can see how this concept works well.

The depth of the forest and the height of the trees call for a low horizon. By framing the shot in this manner, the photographer highlights the verticality of the scene, as though the trees are reaching skyward through the fog.

Just imagine if this photo had been framed with the horizon in the middle - it wouldn't be nearly as impressive, would it?

Bringing It Together

There are probably a million more landscape photography tips that you can learn about and implement into your workflow.

But if you're just getting started and you want a few sure-fire ways to improve the quality of your images, these four tips will do the trick!

Try each technique individually at first, then as you master each one, try using them together to see what sort of results you get. You might find that your photos begin to look more like those from the pros!

The blog post about the topic "4 Easy Landscape Photography Tips for Beginners" was first published on our website here https://www.photographytalk.com/landscape-photography-tips-for-beginners

An Ideal Budget-Friendly Landscape Photography Kit

The great thing about landscape photography is that it's just so darn accessible.

I mean, I can walk out of my house and snag some nice landscape photos. If I hop in my car and take a short drive, there's even more beautiful landscapes just ready for me to photograph.

When I started in photography, though, my biggest concern wasn't whether I could find pretty things to photograph. Rather, I was worried about the expense.

If you've looked at prices for new gear - especially high-end gear - you probably felt the same worry I did all those years ago.

But just because a lot of photography gear is expensive doesn't mean you can't get a solid landscape photography kit on a budget.

I've done a little investigating and found a few cameras, lenses, and other accessories that you can use to build your landscape photography kit without breaking the bank.

Let's get to it!

SONY A6000

If I was a new photographer today, I'd go with a mirrorless camera.

They have a lot to offer, not the least of which is the power of a DSLR in a compact body.

When you're hiking around for hours to get the shots you want, shedding even a few ounces can make a huge difference in how you feel.

For me, you can't get a better mirrorless camera for a budget price than the Sony a6000 pictured above.

It's got a 24-megapixel sensor, a 179-point autofocus system, an ISO range of 100-25600, and a shutter speed range of 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds.

In other words, it's got more than enough resolution to get you sharp, detailed images, a great autofocus system if you fancy photographing some wildlife, and the ISO and shutter speed capabilities to allow you to freeze or blur motion in stills and long exposures.

All that comes in a small, lightweight (400 grams) package that also shoots full HD video.

Better still, because there are newer models out, you can pick up the Sony a6000 for a great deal, especially if you buy used!

Companion Lens

You can often find a used Sony a6000 with a 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens. And don't let the "kit lens" moniker scare you - the 16-50mm is a solid lens that will give you many different opportunities for framing wide-angle shots as well as some short telephoto shots too.

However, if you can't find that combination, the a6000 and the Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is a good bet.

Again, this kit lens gives you good performance with images that are sharp and have minimal aberration. It's light too - so you won't be adding a ton of weight to your kit.

Better still, you can often find these lenses for rock-bottom prices - well under $100. Talk about budget friendly!

NIKON D3300

If you're looking for a DSLR, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better value than the Nikon D3300 shown above, especially if you can snag a good used body.

Like the Sony a6000, the Nikon D3300 is small, lightweight, and easy to carry.

With the Nikon, you get a 24.2-megapixel sensor, an ISO range of 100-12800, and a shutter speed range of 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds.

The sensor gives you plenty of resolution for making larger prints, and without an anti-aliasing filter, the images it produces are excellently sharp.

And though the ISO range isn't as large as the Sony a6000, you can still do some pretty good low-light work with the D3300.

The LCD could use an upgrade, but the incredible sensor more than makes up for it.

Companion Lens

Because the Nikon D3300 body by itself is so inexpensively priced, you can opt to spend a little more on a lens.

For a great deal of range from shooting wide-angle to short telephoto landscapes, you can pair the D3300 with the Nikon AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED VR.

Where a typical Nikon kit lens offers a focal range of around 18-55mm, this lens extends up to 85mm, making it an excellent choice for trying your hand at telephoto landscape photography.

Considering the D3300 has a crop factor of 1.5x, the 24-85mm lens has an effective focal length of about 36mm-128mm, you can get in close on mountain peaks, animals, and other landscape subjects for more intimate shots.

It'll also be a solid lens for other pursuits, like portraiture, so you get even more bang for your buck.

Canon EOS Rebel SL1

Another small, lightweight DSLR option is the Canon EOS Rebel SL1.

In fact, this camera is the smallest, lightest DSLR you can buy, making it an ideal companion for a landscape photographer.

The SL1 doesn't have as good of a sensor as the Nikon D3300 or the Sony a6000, but at 18-megapixels, it still offers enough resolution to get some nice prints of your photos.

On the ISO and shutter speed fronts, the SL1 matches the Sony with an ISO range of 100-25600 and a shutter speed range of 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds. Again, this gives you some leeway in terms of the lighting conditions under which you shoot and whether you want to freeze or blur motion.

One area where the Canon outperforms the Nikon is in the LCD. The SL1 has a touchscreen interface that makes navigating through menus and changing camera settings much easier. It also has a higher resolution than the Nikon, which makes it nice for viewing.

Companion Lens

As I recommended with the Nikon earlier, since the Canon SL1 camera body is quite inexpensive, I'd spring for a better lens like the Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM.

With the same effective focal length as the Nikon lens I recommended earlier, the Canon allows you to do all the same things - wide-angle shots of large landscapes to intimate telephoto images.

Also like the Nikon lens, the Canon won't blow you away with low-light performance with a maximum aperture of f/3.5-4.5, but it will certainly do well in normal lighting conditions, and if you bump up the ISO, you can get decent dusk and nighttime shots as well.

With an ultrasonic motor, you won't draw attention to yourself as the autofocus works its magic, and it's a relatively small lens too, so you won't be carrying a ton of weight, either.

Must-Have Landscape Photography Accessories

Of course, a camera and a lens are just the beginning for your landscape photography kit. Here's a few must-have accessories to add to your list.

Camera Backpack

I'm embarrassed to say it, but when I first started in photography, I just loaded my camera gear into a regular backpack. Needless to say, that wasn't a smart plan for carrying my gear in a way that protected it from damage.

For landscape photographers on a budget, I suggest the MPB Pro L Series Backpack shown above.

The Pro L backpack is well-designed, sturdy, and gives you excellent support for carrying heavy loads. There's tons of storage space, which is neatly organized so you can more easily and quickly get what you need.

It even has an internal rain cover for those days out in the field during which the weather doesn't cooperate, and it has all sorts of pockets, compartments, and attachment options that allow you to carry everything from a monopod to your car keys, all safe and secure. The interior spaces are padded and customizable to fit whatever gear you need to carry, too.

Better still, the Pro L series is only $60.00!

Tripod

For long exposures, time-lapses, or even regular still shots, a tripod is a must-have.

With landscape photography, you want something good and sturdy, but that doesn't weigh a ton, either.

Enter the MPB Kite Tripod System...

For less than $100, you get a light, durable aluminum tripod that also converts into a full-size monopod. It's like getting a two-for-one!

With enough stability to support mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and even video cameras, the Kite Tripod System is versatile too. It's easy to setup and simple to operate, so you can spend more time actually taking landscape photos and less time trying to get your gear squared away.

It folds up nice and small, too, making it an ideal landscape photography tripod.

Memory Card

With all the gear you need for a landscape photography outing, you can't forget to get something to store all the great photos you take.

The MPB 32GB Class 10 SDHC Card fits the bill perfectly, with tons of storage space and fast read/write speeds that won't slow you down, even when taking rapid-fire shots.

Putting It All Together

As you build your landscape photography kit, you'll find that there are other accessories that come in handy, but with a camera and lens, a backpack, a tripod, and a memory card, you've got the basic essentials to start your landscape photography adventures.

As I noted in the introduction, photography is an expensive hobby, so finding ways to stretch your budget is a very smart move.

Buying high-quality used gear is the best way to do that - you get much more bang for your buck, and that allows you to add more accessories (or higher end gear) to your kit for much less than buying new.

With that, it's time to get yourself outfitted and start shooting!

This post about the topic "An Ideal Budget-Friendly Landscape Photography Kit" was first published on our website here https://www.photographytalk.com/landscape-photography/7541-an-ideal-budget-friendly-landscape-photography-kit