Super Zooms for Desert Driving Photography

[Looper]

When it comes to desert driving photography, having the right equipment is essential to capture the action from far as well as the cuteness of your ride from near. At the same time, you would also want to capture the vastness and unique beauty of these arid landscapes. Super zoom lenses offer a versatile solution, providing both telephoto and wide-angle capabilities in a single lens. We need the wide-angle for capturing photos of own cars that we love and cherish and telephoto for distant subjects like other cars while doing sidees or being recovering as well as ancillary subjects like the wildlife or other interesting details in the landscape.

In this article, we will delve into the basics of super zoom lenses, highlight their benefits and drawbacks, and provide a selection of models available from popular brands.

Understanding Super Zoom Lenses:
Super zoom lenses, also known as all-in-one or bridge lenses, are designed to cover a wide focal range, typically ranging from wide-angle to telephoto, all within a single lens. Typically, you will find 18-300 mm in the APSC or crop sensor models and 28 mm - 200mm for the full frame models. These lenses offer convenience and versatility, eliminating the need to carry multiple lenses while driving.

Benefits of Super Zooms for Desert Driving Photography:

1. Versatility: Super zoom lenses provide a wide focal range, allowing you to capture various perspectives and subjects. Whether its photographing distant cars doing their things or your own vehicle up close during breaks, a super zoom lens has you covered.
2. Compact and Lightweight: Compared to carrying multiple lenses, a super zoom lens simplifies your gear setup and reduces the overall weight, making it more comfortable to handle during drives or even on hikes.
3. Quick Adjustments: With a super zoom lens, you can swiftly switch between telephoto and wide-angle focal lengths. This enables you to adapt to different photography opportunities on the go, ensuring you don't miss any crucial shots.
4. Cost-Effective: Investing in a single super zoom lens can be a cost-effective option, saving you money compared to purchasing multiple lenses to cover the same focal range.
5. Great Travel Companion: Even when you are not driving, and you are on a break, it is still a great lens to take with you. Super zooms are typically listed in the Travel Category of the manufacturer page. They offer better clarity than the phone you have up close as well as taking those faraway landmarks.

Cons of Super Zooms:

1. Image Quality: Super zooms do not match the optical performance of specialized prime or high-end zoom lenses. But the difference in quality is often negligible for the intended use in forum or in Instagram.
2. Aperture Limitations: Super zoom lenses have smaller maximum apertures compared to prime or high-end zoom lenses. Plus, they are most often variable as well. This can affect low-light performance and limit depth of field control. But when we drive in the desert, we most often have ample light, and the smaller apertures are not necessarily a problem.
3. Distortion and Chromatic Aberration: Super zoom lenses most often than not will exhibit distortion, vignetting, or chromatic aberration, especially at the extreme ends of the focal range. However, these shortcomings can often be corrected during post-processing. When I import my photos into Lightroom I import them with lens correction, and Lightroom is smart enough to apply the necessary lens specific corrections to all the photos automatically.

 Here's a small list of compatible Super Zoom lenses:

APSC Super-zoom Lenses for DSLRs

• Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR (I bought mine second hand for my D5100)
• Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
• Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
• Sony E 18–200 mm F3.5-6.3 OSS APS-C
• Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD
• Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO
• Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Contemporary

Full Frame DSLR Lenses:

• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
• Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM
• Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Full Frame

Mirrorless Camera Lenses:

• Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR
• Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM
• Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE
• Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
• Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD
• Fujinon XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
• Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO (available for Fuji)

Note: Some lenses could be discontinued but listed here because they can be bought secondhand.

[Frederic]

Very good topic @Looper !

I agree that desert-driving photography is a bit tricky. I use full frame Canon EF with 24-105mm L series which is a good overall range but quite heavy to carry along. The fact that it has optical stabilization is a must in my opinion if you start to zoom in completely, and on a 300mm that would be definitely even more the case. (we are using it handheld and not on tripod).

The Sigma 70-300mm with IS is a better and more cost-effective option and also less bulky.

Aperture is indeed lesser of an issue as there is plenty of light available. Even too much at times.

I've seen plenty of your photos on the forum, and how you nail them every time is impressive as my camera is quite old and is not that great for the quick shots (5D mk2). It takes time to get focus right and there's never enough time when cars are zooming past  

[Gaurav]

Great topic @Looper, let's start some coaching again with the lens lover club, I miss those big time.

Im still in love with my single lens AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR on my Nikon D750 that always served me well from close up to wide angle.

[Luke K P]

been tempted to bring out the camera and capture some decent pics.
phone-cam is nice but cant really enjoy it blown up enough.

On 7/17/2023 at 3:26 PM, Gaurav said:

Great topic @Looper, let's start some coaching again with the lens lover club, I miss those big time.

Im still in love with my single lens AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR on my Nikon D750 that always served me well from close up to wide angle.

def would be keen for a drive with a focus on camera skills and composing shots in the desert

[Looper]

On 7/17/2023 at 3:14 PM, Frederic said:

I've seen plenty of your photos on the forum, and how you nail them every time is impressive as my camera is quite old and is not that great for the quick shots (5D mk2). It takes time to get focus right and there's never enough time when cars are zooming past  

I have the craft of photography all dialed in - learning the art is what is more important and difficult job. I am currently compensating it with quantity and a bit of post-production. Of course, there is a lot that can be done that I am not doing. My objective is to feed into the Carnity Instagram page mostly. 

It's always a learning process. Recently I observed that when I take pictures sitting inside the car and through the front window - the phots seem to focus nicely while shooting but when I pixel peep on my monitor I see that they are awfully out of focus. Take away from it is that - Do not put another medium, even though it is transparent, between your lens and the subject. 

On 7/17/2023 at 3:26 PM, Gaurav said:

Great topic @Looper, let's start some coaching again with the lens lover club, I miss those big time.

I know a thing or two about the cameras as well as setting up the camera, maybe @DP1011 as well as many with their DSLRs would want to join a drive where we stop and talk about the essentials of photography as suggested in the near future.

[Imran Asghar]

Hi guys 

 

How about a good starting camera and lense for astronomy without breaking the bank ?

[Looper]

Being a Nikon guy, I will suggest you check secondhand D850 or a Z6 if you can go for new then Z6 II or Z8 even.

I have a Z6 first gen. I haven't done any photography on it except for a couple of birthday shoots on it.