What camera lenses should I bring - Part 2

[FurKids]

Thanks for all the advice on what lens we might want to get/rent for our upcoming Caribbean cruise. For our Nikon D-90 we have the following lenses: 16-85mm f/3, SB-900, 18-200mm. Any other suggestions? Thanks!!!!!

[awboater]

My current camera configuration when I take cruises is the following:

 

Nikon D90

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5~5.6

SB600

 

I put that equipment in a small Think Tank Change Up day bag.

 

In a larger bag, I also carry:

Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye

Nikon 50mm f/1.8

 

and

 

Nikon Coolpix P7000 for a second, spare camera.

Olympus 8010 underwater camera.

 

I think you might benefit from swapping out the 16-85mm for a wider lens, such as the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 or Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5~4.5. I use the Tokina a lot on the ship as it is great for taking wide shots of interior photos, and with it being a fast f/2.8 it helps with those interior shots.

 

When it came time to buy a super-wide, I compared the Tokina 11-16 and Nikon 10-24, as either one was in the budget. This particular Tokina is highly regarded and is as good or even perhaps a bit better than the Nikon. And since it is faster, it is a real help.

 

The only down side is they can sometimes be hard to find as they are a popular lens.

 

I am very impressed with the lens, and would make the same purchase again.

 

There is no real need to take anything longer than 200mm in the Caribbean as the haze will fight you. Especially any long distance photos taken over water. Haze filters don't help at all for haze (imagine that), and the only thing you can do to improve the photos is some retouching in post processing.

 

I use the fisheye occasionally, perhaps one time during the cruise, I will take it and do a few fisheye photos. It still works nicely for photos of the central elevator and stairway areas. It is a small lens, not much larger than a 50mm.

 

I have yet to use the 50mm on a cruise, because the Tokina does pretty good in low-light. I don't do a lot of portraiture on board, but it's a small lens, and it is nothing to carry.

 

One trick I do is I took two back end caps, glued them together back-to-back, and use that as a stacking cap to stack the fisheye and 50mm together. Both lenses together take up about as much room as a consumer-grade 55-300mm telephoto, which makes them handy to store in the bag.

[chipmaster]

Lots of overlap there, as for IQ the 16-85 is the better of the DX zooms, but balance by limited range. The 18-200 can't be beat for versatile range but of just decent IQ. I've loved the 18-200 when I traveled and only found it lacking for the long end IQ and or wide angle indoors. I've become a fan of stiching so the wide side hasn't been as limiting.

 

Depends a lot on what you shoot as to whether you really need to take both lenses.

 

As to rent, superwide 10-24 is the only thing lacking But again only worth it if you really like to shoot that way.

 

If IQ is your thing 24-70/17-55 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 if lugging 6lbs for the best IQ is your thing :D

 

If it was me, 16-85 and the flash would be my vacation kit.

 

Thanks for all the advice on what lens we might want to get/rent for our upcoming Caribbean cruise. For our Nikon D-90 we have the following lenses: 16-85mm f/3, SB-900, 18-200mm. Any other suggestions? Thanks!!!!!