Good lens(es) to shoot from a boat?

I am an avid boater and spend a lot of time on the Chesapeake bay. I take a lot of pictures of landscapes, sunrise/sunsets, individual boats.

The boat never says still because of constant chop/waves and the tripod cannot help except in rare cases when I can go on the beach or pierce.

Any lens recommendations for taking pictures from a boat? When browsing my photos, so many times I wish I were a better photographer.

You dont mention what camera you use. The key to shooting on any moving platform is to keep your shutter speed high enough that motion isnt an issue. So the lens is only a minor consideration as landscape photos are generally stopped down into the middle range of apertures, pick the one that gives you the field of you view you want. The key is selecting the ISO that will allow you to keep the shutter speed up and still work at those middle apertures.

well, I have Canon EOS Rebel XS a.k.a. 1000D, with high IS0=1600. I hope it's good enough for pictures from a boat, I am more concerned about lenses. Besides 18-55 kit lens, I have EF50/1.4 USM which I did not try yet on the boat.

If you think about it, what I need is essentially taking landscape pictures on higher shutter speed. Whenever you read about landscapes on the Internet, they always assumes that the photographer is on feet with possibly tripod...

You're really going to want something with IS; if nothing else, to help stabilize your view through the viewfinder. You'll still have to keep your shutter speeds up, but at least you won't also get a headache from the amplified motion

glen_dc wrote in post #16644907
well, I have Canon EOS Rebel XS a.k.a. 1000D, with high IS0=1600. I hope it's good enough for pictures from a boat, I am more concerned about lenses. Besides 18-55 kit lens, I have EF50/1.4 USM which I did not try yet on the boat.

If you think about it, what I need is essentially taking landscape pictures on higher shutter speed. Whenever you read about landscapes on the Internet, they always assumes that the photographer is on feet with possibly tripod...

Its an assumption based on good technique, so keep in mind what you want to do is not the best technique so you have to compromise your goals a bit.

glen_dc wrote in post #16644762
I am an avid boater and spend a lot of time on the Chesapeake bay. I take a lot of pictures of landscapes, sunrise/sunsets, individual boats.

The boat never says still because of constant chop/waves and the tripod cannot help except in rare cases when I can go on the beach or pierce.

Any lens recommendations for taking pictures from a boat? When browsing my photos, so many times I wish I were a better photographer.

Heya,

EF 35mm F2 IS.

For sunset/landscape, stop down aperture to F8~F11.
For boats and stuff, play around between F2~F4 for things far away, and F8 for close.

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #16645099
Heya,
EF 35mm F2 IS.

For sunset/landscape, stop down aperture to F8~F11.
For boats and stuff, play around between F2~F4 for things far away, and F8 for close.

Do you recommend any filters? Quite possibly I'll return my EF50/1.4 -- still have a week to return back to Amazon. That was my first lens without IS and I did not like it.

I am reading about Canon prime lenses with IS as suggested and see that there is no much choice. Thanks for your suggestions.

glen_dc wrote in post #16645191
Do you recommend any filters?

Where there is water, there is always the potential to use a circular polarising filter to cut glare.

You'll probably want something bit wider than you'd normally shoot with to be able to crop; in order to correct for horizon tilts and objects that may "bob" into your frame inadverently. A 28 or 35 IS, if you'd normally shoot 50 might just work out well.

glen_dc wrote in post #16645191
Do you recommend any filters? Quite possibly I'll return my EF50/1.4 -- still have a week to return back to Amazon. That was my first lens without IS and I did not like it.

I am reading about Canon prime lenses with IS as suggested and see that there is no much choice. Thanks for your suggestions.

No filters.

You're going to be stopping down to F8 or F11. At sunset/sunrise, this is going to limit light coming in. If you added a filter, it would further decrease light (usually, some CPL's are pretty good at not stopping too much light, but some stop as much as 2 stops of light). So your shutter speed goes down further to compensate. You don't want your shutter too slow, or you will get blur/shake. Odds are, you should be able to land a photo at 1/30~1/50 no problem with IS with the 35mm F2 IS. I've done much lower. I've done 2 second handheld photos with that lens. It's very good for this sort of thing.

Very best,

when i think of landscapes from a boat, i'd use a telephoto...to key in on distant landscapes...going wider will just leave those distant things looking even smaller in the photo...so if i were in your shoes i'd be looking at something like a 55-250mm

as for just taking shots, what are your typical settings from what you've been able to do so far?

i don't see the point in getting a 35f2 IS lens if you are planning to stop it down to f8 anyways for landscapes...just use your 18-55IS for that