Hawaii pictures - Rebel T5 Lens Recommendations

[Tmolsen]

I am an amateur and normally use my EOS Rebel T5 on sport mode. I have 2 lens’ currently, 18-55mm and 55-250mm. I am going to Hawaii and would love to capture some great pics while on our whale watching excursion, doors off helicopter tour and waterfalls. I probably do not have time to learn how to use all of the features of my camera and master them before the trip. Is there a new lens you would recommend and a camera setting(s)?

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

I'd recommend reviewing the user guide and doing as much as I could to become familiar with the cameras features you might not have been aware of.  This should go a long way helping to improve your picture taking.  

You should be shooting in RAW image format.  Next, you can install Canon's Digital Photo Professional.  This is a free post-processing image editor that can help you make adjustments to your images.  

I don't think it's necessary to buy another lens until you have mastered your camera and image editing.  If after that you feel like you need something more (example longer reach), we'd be happy to make some recommendations.  

T5 Support

[jrhoffman75]

How to photograph from a helicopter | Mike Wardynski Photography

If it is a trip of a lifetime I would suggest that you do invest some time in learning your camera features.

A zoom lens would give you more reach but due to the vibration of the helicopter getting your subject in the viewfinder and keeping it there could be a problem.

I suggest you just work with the two lenses you have and follow the guidance of the article I posted or others you could find.

[rs-eos]

Recommend adding a circular polarizer filter.  The sun there is quite intense and if foliage is in direct sunlight, the CP filter will cut on glare and make things look more lush.  Do practice with it ahead of time.  They are expensive, but my prefered filter brand is B+W.

If capturing sunsets over the ocean, try to capture the elusive green flash.

[stevet1]

Tmolsen,

For the next couple of days, take your camera out of Sport mode and put it in Auto mode.

Go out and take a handful of pictures, and jot down the settings your camera used in different situations.

Was it bright and sunny outside? or Was it cloudy and gloomy?

After that, try and learn the three legs of the exposure triangle, the shutter speed, the aperture, and the ISO and how they relate to each other. If one goes up, one of the other legs is probably going to down. Try to think about what that means and what the result is going to be.

After you've taken a handful of shots in Auto mode, If you have a still subject, try putting your camera in Aperture Priority mode at different apertures, and see what the camera does with the shutter speed.

If you have a moving subject, put your camera in Shutter Priority mode and take some pictures at different shutter speeds. See what your camera does with freezing motion or blurring motion, and what it does with the the aperture.

It doesn't sound like you have much time. I'd concentrate on how your camera works before I'd think about getting new equipment. Your 18-55 will give you lots of wide angle and big vista shots, and your 55-250 will give you some good zoomed in shots.

Steve Thomas

[Tintype_18]

Sounds like a fun trip. If  you have time, consider the suggestions on using a couple of settings. Download the manual and be familiar with them. Filter would be good. Would it possible to post a couple of photos?

[zakslm]

All of the suggestions you received are great.  

We were in Hawaii (Kauai) last May.  Did not go whale watching and no helicopter rides though. We did a lot of hiking, went to beaches and gardens, etc. At the time, I took both of the lenses you have as well as a 10-18mm and a 50mm.  By far, the 18-55 and 55-250 were used the most.  The 10-18 was great for landscapes and canyons and the 50mm was great for closeups of the beautiful flowers and vegetation. Don’t be shy about using a cellphone either. They take great photos and are better sealed against moisture etc. 

Have a great trip!

[ebiggs1]

You don't need to do any of that although you can as experience is always a good thing. However, your trip sounds like a P mode outing. Sometimes the camera is smarter then you think it is and a lot of over thinking a situation is not a good thing. The best results is when you KISS. Also you don't want the camera to be the main focus of your trip. I can go for the suggestion of buying an 10-18mm super WA zoom. 10-18mm, 18-55mm, 55-250mm sounds like you would be covered!

Try P mode and ISO 200, adjust ISO as needed. That's all. You'll get great photos.

[ebiggs1]

"...  use my EOS Rebel T5 on sport mode."

I have never been a fan of any of the so-called creative modes or the full auto for that matter. Probably 7 times out of 10, P mode will do the best and easiest job. The few times it doesn't, you can use Av or Tv mode. In fact your sport mode takes advantage of Tv mode.

Av mode you select the aperture the T5 sets the SS. Tv mode you select the SS and the T5 sets the aperture. Simple and, IMHO, far better than sport mode or any of the others. However, for your trip try P mode first.