Go-To Lens in hunting pack

Pacohunts

FNG
Joined
Jun 4, 2023
Messages
19
Howdy!

Just picked up a Sony A7iii and curious what kind of lens you guys are packing on your hunting trips. Just to keep the weight down I’d probably only take one lens.

Curious what set ups you guys packing into the mountains and any favorite shots too.
 

charliebravo77

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
161
Location
Chicago, Illinois, United States
I've shared my thoughts on lenses/focal length in a couple replies in this thread:

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/which-lens-to-take-on-upcoming-hunt.235203/post-2361522

and


Short answer is if I have to choose one lens it's probably going to be something in the area of 35mm FF equivalent. Somewhere between 28mm and 50mm prime lens in as fast of an aperture as possible. If I am 100% certain I need the extra range a 70-200/2.8 is hard to beat but they are big and heavy.
 

tpm231030

FNG
Joined
Oct 30, 2023
Messages
14
I carried a mirrorless and at wide angle 14-30 with me last year. The problem wasn't the lens choice, but access. I always wore my ruck and had my bino harness on my chest so inevitably, my camera was always stuck in my ruck. I was looking into alternate carrying solutions but ultimately resorted to upgrading my cell phone. Hate saying that. But, the camera/lens you've got is the best one, and moments I wanted to capture usually involved the candid-in-the-moment-not-wanting-to-take-my-ruck-off type. I love cameras, but bring it with a plan to get to it when the perfect shot presents itself...otherwise it'll just take up space in your bag.
 

idcuda

WKR
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
464
Location
SW ID
I have an asp-c camera (a6400) and the Tamron 17-70 is hard to beat. I usually have a Sony 70-350 with me too, just in case.
 

JDL21

FNG
Joined
Apr 22, 2023
Messages
3
Long time photographer and Sony shooter. The 24-105 f4 G is a great all around lens. Wide enough for landscapes and photos in camp, and zoomed in enough to compress that beautiful mountain range in the background for a sense of scale. The IS system works great for low light too (just might have to ask your buddy to be still for a second.)
 

THLR

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
292
Long time photographer and Sony shooter. The 24-105 f4 G is a great all around lens.
I use the very same lens.The images in the below is captured on that lens attached to a Sony A7C. They are stills taken from youtube film THLR LRB 364.


3_3.3.1.jpg
4_1.37.1.jpg
19_2.20.1.jpg
7_1.68.1.jpg
The "performance roof" I most often bump into with the 24-105 is the wideangle, I find myself wanting to capture "more" in the frame so would like to have 16-20mm lower end but would not have less than 50-70 upper end and not slower than f4 constant.
This is probably 50-70mm
14_2.9.1.jpg
This is same frame on 24mm
15_1.12.1.jpg

This image is from a Sony APS-C 11mm f.18 and the quality just isn't there, so would like to see this done on a better lens/ fullframe
9_2.28.1.jpg
This is 24 and it just doesn't give the same sense of space as the above.
6_2.17.1.jpg

I am currently looking at a wideangle f2.8 (or better) and a 70-200 f2.8 to compliment my setup.
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2023
Messages
6
regardless of platform id probably not bring primes, for me id opt for a travel lens of sorts something with wide range while loosing too must f stops

Heavier than primes but I like the idea of an 18-135 in the F4 range
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
550
Tamron 28-200 for E mount is a good option. It’s not blazing fast and you might wish you had those extra 4mm on the low end, but it’s pretty good across the board. Kind of a jack of all trades master of none lens
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2023
Messages
6
Tamron 28-200 for E mount is a good option. It’s not blazing fast and you might wish you had those extra 4mm on the low end, but it’s pretty good across the board. Kind of a jack of all trades master of none lens

that’s a great idea for Tamron 28-200, I really like their image stabilization, also their price point is hard to beat !
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
550
that’s a great idea for Tamron 28-200, I really like their image stabilization, also their price point is hard to beat !
Just so you know, that particular Tamron does not have its own stabilization. Sony has stabilization built into all or most of their full size E mount camera bodies though
 

BertDaKat

FNG
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Messages
12
Location
Fort Collins, CO
I use the very same lens.The images in the below is captured on that lens attached to a Sony A7C. They are stills taken from youtube film THLR LRB 364.


View attachment 630240
View attachment 630241
View attachment 630242
View attachment 630243
The "performance roof" I most often bump into with the 24-105 is the wideangle, I find myself wanting to capture "more" in the frame so would like to have 16-20mm lower end but would not have less than 50-70 upper end and not slower than f4 constant.
This is probably 50-70mm
View attachment 630245
This is same frame on 24mm
View attachment 630246

This image is from a Sony APS-C 11mm f.18 and the quality just isn't there, so would like to see this done on a better lens/ fullframe
View attachment 630244
This is 24 and it just doesn't give the same sense of space as the above.
View attachment 630247

I am currently looking at a wideangle f2.8 (or better) and a 70-200 f2.8 to compliment my setup.
Have you seen the new 20-70 f4 from Sony?
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2024
Messages
37
If I can only take one lens, it's a 24-70. If I can take two, add a 70-200mm. If you're hunting out of the truck, something super fast, like a 50mm prime 1.2f or 1.4f opens a lot of possibilities.
 
Joined
Oct 14, 2023
Messages
1,383
Location
Houston (adjacent) TX
I just switched from a crop sensor to mirrorless and dont have as many lenses as I used to. So for me currently its my Sony 24-70 f2.8 a little heavy but picture quality is great.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
751
Location
Australia
I shoot an Olympus micro 4/3 mirrorless system.

For most of my photography I like the 12-40mm f2.8, but for strict hunting and one to have in the pack that covers a lot of bases with focal length, especially for solo bowhunting, I like the 14-150mm f4.0-5.6.
 
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