Telephoto Lens for Havasupai?

[jbdavies]

Hi everyone.

I'm hiking Havasupai in 10 days... and can't decide if I want to rent a 70-200mm lens??? It's been forever since I've been down there, and I can't remember if there would be any real reason to have one. My longest lens now is just a 100mm Macro.

Else of course, someone want's to lend me one for a week.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Jeremy

[jbdavies]

Oh, and I also have another question...

How do you guys suggest I get there from SLC? I was originally thinking of going down through Kanab/Page/Flagstaff... just cause I know that way. But Google Maps says it will be shorter/quicker to go through Vegas? What have you guys done, and how long did it actually take you?

Thanks!

[jman]

I live in Kaysville (about 30 min north of salt lake) and my group of 6 last year took us roughly 10 hours through SLC to Vegas to Peach, etc.. It might of been a bit shorter than 10...I don't recall exactly...

Then again my average speed was at least 85.

The route you mentioned above is the longer route, adding a couple of hours, easy.

[jbdavies]

Hmmm... that's what I was afraid of. Haha. I really didn't want to go through Vegas. But... if it's shorter that way, I guess that's how we'll go.

Thank you for the info.

[Deadeye008]

I've never been to Havasupai but my Canon 70-200mm 2.8 IS is a beast of a lens. Not something I would want to pack in and out of there. The f4 IS version would probably not be that bad to pack in/out. It weighs about half as much I believe.

[CarpeyBiggs]

not sure there is anything really significant to be gained with a telephoto that your 100 couldn't do. most of the classic shots there will be wide angle. perhaps closeups of the falls and the travertine, but the travertine will not be in particularly good condition, because of december's floods. i'd probably leave it behind.

p.s. the tribe is havasupai. the village is supai. and the creek is havasu. the reservation is the havasupai reservation.

[jbdavies]

I've never been to Havasupai but my Canon 70-200mm 2.8 IS is a beast of a lens. Not something I would want to pack in and out of there. The f4 IS version would probably not be that bad to pack in/out. It weighs about half as much I believe.

Yeah... I couldn't decide if the f2.8 was too heavy or not. My pack will be somewhat light as it is... so I don't know.

not sure there is anything really significant to be gained with a telephoto that your 100 couldn't do. most of the classic shots there will be wide angle. perhaps closeups of the falls and the travertine, but the travertine will not be in particularly good condition, because of december's floods. i'd probably leave it behind.

p.s. the tribe is havasupai. the village is supai. and the creek is havasu. the reservation is the havasupai reservation.

I was thinking of while I was hiking down? I really don't know. Haha. I'll probably just take my 17-55 and 100mm and deal with it.

Thanks for your help. :)

[gnwatts]

Take the lens. Throw caution to the wind. You may regret it, if you are thinking about taking it now. I love my 80-200 and the focal range. And it isn't that heavy, but maybe yours is. Take it anyway. Great photos happen sometimes when you don't have the "correct" lens and need to think outside of the box. A telephoto in a confined space can be useful. Make your own classic shots.

[jbdavies]

Take the lens. Throw caution to the wind. You may regret it, if you are thinking about taking it now. I love my 80-200 and the focal range. And it isn't that heavy, but maybe yours is. Take it anyway. Great photos happen sometimes when you don't have the "correct" lens and need to think outside of the box. A telephoto in a confined space can be useful. Make your own classic shots.

I'll probably end up not taking a telephoto. 1. I don't have one. 2. I've already spent enough on this hike (hiking boots!)... and we're not even there yet!! Hopefully I'll be able to get a few good "different" shots with what I have. :)

Thanks for your help!!

[Sombeech]

Oh, and I also have another question...

How do you guys suggest I get there from SLC? I was originally thinking of going down through Kanab/Page/Flagstaff... just cause I know that way. But Google Maps says it will be shorter/quicker to go through Vegas? What have you guys done, and how long did it actually take you?

Thanks!

First time I went down, Google Maps suggested through Page. Huge mistake. It turns out they were including a dirt road that was sometimes impassible due to weather and we were in cars.

Now we go through Vegas, maybe get a room in Mesquite on the way down. Roughly 9 hours from Ogden for the trip.

Here are the two different routes, starting from Beaver, Utah.

[jbdavies]

Gotcha. I guess we'll just go through Vegas on the way there... and might do Page/Kanab on the way back... so we can stop at the South Rim. Thanks!!