Kauai and a portrait lens...

I'm going to Kauai Tuesday the 18th. I'm taking my 5D + 24-105mm. I also

wanted to take a faster lens and the only two I have are the 85mm f/1.8 and the

100mm USM Macro. I'm not much into wandering around taking pictures of bugs

and flowers.

 

I've read a number of posts both here and in dpreview saying the 100mm USM

works well as a portrait lens but takes some getting used to... what ever that

means. Others that say lenses are job specific. Use the lens for what it was

intended for; i.e., 85mm f/1.8 for portraits, isolating people, etc., and the

Macro for... Macro. I only want to take one of the two. Which do you think

would be more useful?

 

 

Opinions?

Notably, you haven't said what is it that you want to take pictures of :-)

 

Kaa

People.

85/1.8

 

1. It's more than a stop faster than the macro.

 

2. I'd rather use 105/4 with IS over 100/2.8 for portraits anyway. In other words, I would never take the 24-105 off to mount the 100 for portraits.

 

3. If you have extention tubes, the 85/1.8 is great for pseudo-macro too.

Agreed, 85/1.8

 

Kaa

Since you have the 85, definitely the one. The 100 would do, but is larger and more cumbersome, is it not?

Charles,

 

I'd take the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8. It's a wonderful portrait lens.

 

The only prime lens for outdoor and occasionally indoor portraits I like more is the Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L. I use it on my 20D, but obviously it needs more distance from the subject than the 85/1.8.

 

//Chuck

I have both and the 85 1.8 is a better choice.

I'd love a 135mm f/2L. Everything I've seen and read about this lens indicates it's quite special. I'm saving for what ever Canon comes out with to update/replace /something totally new the venerable 100-400mm L. Currently I don't own anything longer than 105mm.

100mm is wonderful focal length for portraits on full frame. 2.8 is plenty fast.

You might want to take a helicopter ride from InterIsland Helicopters if they're still around. I had a great ride in a Hughes 500 with the doors off. Kauai is fantastic from the air.

and back from our first trip to Kauai. Here are just a few observations about Kauai and equipment.

 

I took my EOS 5D, 24-105mm, 85mm f/1.8 and EOS 3 as a back up. I also took the wife's A80 p&s. I used a 1gb CF III card (have 3) and downloaded RAW images nightly to my Epson P2000.

 

A few short notes about Kauai and the 5D/24-105mm.

 

 

I did take my 85mm f/1.8 but it stayed in the bag all the time. I wound up using the 5D / 24-105mm combo only. 24mm was more than sufficient for most all panoramics. I only occasionally wanted for a 20mm.

 

On the long side, 105mm was generally all one needs. Then again I occasionally found myself wanting for something a bit longer. We ran into an occasional monk seal on a beach and the longer lens would have been nice. There were plenty of sea turtles but they were... at sea.. and had to get a decent pic of them in the water. Plenty of dolphins but to get a good shot of them jumping or playing is a very patient long ordeal since they're so quick.

 

And boy, those darned feral chickens. I didn't realize just how overrun Kauai is with them! On the first day I must have taken a pic of every darned rooster. By the end of the second day I realized..... nahhhh !

 

We also did the NaPali Explorer snorkle tour. The NaPali coast is extraordinarily pretty. Problem is was our tour was in the early AM hours and the sun doesn't shine on the coast until after noon. By then we were home drinking a beer. Most all the images of the coast are way underexposed because of the shadows. I imagine with the right lighting conditions the coast would be the image high lights of my vacation. I did however get some nice gushers at Spouting Horn. Took some patience as only about one of ever 10 or 12 waves produced a decent blow.

 

We were going to go horseback riding but were told by locals the horses weren't the best, they were hot, and all they wanted to do was walk. Didn't sound very exciting so we didn't do that. We did do the Smith Family Luau. Nice job. Got a few decent pics from it but then it got dark at 6:30 and flashes are discouraged.

 

Didn't do any aerial stuff; the wife isn't a fan of whirlybirds. I spent many hours in them in the military so I'm fine with them. Being the good hubby..... I didn't go without her.

 

Restaurants. hmmmm.....Everyone said Roys in Poipu is the best. They are in the middle of a shopping center and the view is...none. Food to me was ok and overpriced. Damned good martini though. Another decent restuarant is in the same Poipu Shopping center but the name escapes me. Food there was very decent and reasonably priced. Because of feedback here and in written reviews we didn't go to Gayloards or Brennecke's. Puka dogs are different. Alot of bun around a not very big dog. But they taste good. And, their lemonaide is awsome.

 

We thought the most romantic idealic setting was at Tidepools in the Grand Hyatt Poipu. Service was superior and their Lava Flow was superb. The food was very good. My wife's prime rib was the best she's ever had. We were staying in the Kuhio Shores area so the Beach House restaurant was a very short walk away. It's about the only restaurant in that area that actually faces west. The sunsets were superb except for all the damned tourists and their flash cameras running out in front of us while we were trying to watch and eat. It actually becomes very annoying even though I was one of them the first night there. haha

 

The setting was beautiful, service was excellent and we thought the food was better there then at Roy's or Tidepools. But, to each their own.

 

We had rented a condo on the top floor on a small bay with views of turtles daily. The setting was very nice. But if we were to do it again, we'd definitly book the Hyatt Poipu. We were enchanted by the pools, beach and setting. I'm old enough now and think I now deserve the lying about the pool, having pool side drink service, awsome restaurants on site and room service! I don't think I'd rent a condo again unless I was young and didn't intend on spending much time around the hotel grounds. They say once you're at the Hyatt Poipu you don't need to leave; but, it's nice to see the beauty of the island.

 

We drove to Princeville one day just to see it. Impressive. We still liked the Hyatt better. We drove to the islands grand canyon area and that was impressive. Hard to get images from there that show proper perspective. Very much like Arizona's Grand Canyon. Problem we had was it was overcast most everyday and rained daily if only for 10 minutes. So not having clean clear bright sunlight was a bit of an issue. We stopped at Bubba's Burgers, north shore, and were a bit disappointed. Small not very tasty burgers. Poipu Tropical burgers, highly recommended by locals, was closed for remodel.

 

One of the best lunches I had (i'm a shrimp fanatic) was from a roadside stop. Susan from Texas runs a shrijmp cookery from a small van along the road at the junction of Poipu and Koloa by the old bridge. She makes 3 flavors of sauteed shrimp with cole slaw salad and white rice ...10 nice sized shrimips and all for $12. I'd post a pic of her truck but don't know how to post images here. Also, we bought our fresh fruit from another road side stand across from the fire house at Koloa. Very tasty.

 

Anyway... that's a short (?) summation of my first 10 day visit to Kauai. If you're loooking for a relaxing time this is the island. If you want nightlife go to Honolulu. If you want a good overall time, I think it's Maui.

 

Mahalo for all your help.

 

Charles.

 

I guess the thread is dead...