# Manhattan Skyline & 14mm lens



## Fr3nzy Photography (Mar 12, 2015)

I'm heading to New York City in a few weeks, and one of the stops I want to make is the DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge Park area to get some shots of the Manhattan skyline at various points during the day. Having been to NYC a few times but never to this spot, I've been looking at images on-line to gauge approximate FOV of the shots I want to take. Unfortunately, not all images on the Internet have metadata, but what I've been able to gather is my 16-35 f/4 will get me 90% or so of the shots I want. I'm bringing a telephoto for some tighter shots, but I'm also interested in potentially wider shots as well. I've seen a few photos out there that are marked as having been taken with a 14mm lens, but they are all panoramas and I can't tell if they were stitched or just top/bottom cropped for the pano-ratio.

For those of you that either live/have lived there or have made the trip, what are your thoughts on renting a 14mm (probably the Rokinon/Samyang) for this trip? For reference, my camera is the Canon 6D and the telephoto I'm bringing is the 100mm f/2.8L Macro. I will likely not be doing any street photography, my photo stops this visit will be limited to DUMBO and Central Park.


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## ray5 (Mar 13, 2015)

Fr3nzy Photography said:


> I'm heading to New York City in a few weeks, and one of the stops I want to make is the DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge Park area to get some shots of the Manhattan skyline at various points during the day. Having been to NYC a few times but never to this spot, I've been looking at images on-line to gauge approximate FOV of the shots I want to take. Unfortunately, not all images on the Internet have metadata, but what I've been able to gather is my 16-35 f/4 will get me 90% or so of the shots I want. I'm bringing a telephoto for some tighter shots, but I'm also interested in potentially wider shots as well. I've seen a few photos out there that are marked as having been taken with a 14mm lens, but they are all panoramas and I can't tell if they were stitched or just top/bottom cropped for the pano-ratio.
> 
> For those of you that either live/have lived there or have made the trip, what are your thoughts on renting a 14mm (probably the Rokinon/Samyang) for this trip? For reference, my camera is the Canon 6D and the telephoto I'm bringing is the 100mm f/2.8L Macro. I will likely not be doing any street photography, my photo stops this visit will be limited to DUMBO and Central Park.


Hi,
This is a great place to shoot. I don't live in NY but went there twice in the last 6 months just to photograph. It's an amazing place. Most of my shooting was with either 24-70 or 70-200 both F2.8L II. I think 14 mm might be too wide.Take a sturdy tripod, it can get windy there.
Try to shoot at dusk and after dark, mesmerizing view.
One other thing that I was dissapointed and am still trying to figure it out. the view from the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian walkway looking south and west is awesome but due to steel wire mesh you cannot get a decent shot. I have seen many of those shots onlline and perhaps they were taken prior to the wire meshing went up. Which is sad from a photographic standpoint as the Brooklyn Bridge looks awesome from there with the downtown as the backdrop.Anytime of the day. Hope this helps. Enjoy.


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## mackguyver (Mar 13, 2015)

I haven't been there in some time, but from what I remember, 14mm is probably going to be a bit wide unless you're on the bridge or right under it. A stitched pano at ~35-50mm is probably going to give you better results. The 14mm or a fisheye would work well for all of the other NYC shots where you can get really close to the subjects. The 16-35 should be an ideal lens as well.


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## Fr3nzy Photography (Mar 13, 2015)

Thanks mackguyver & ray5. Those were the answers I was looking for. I'm definitely planning on the dusk/sunset shots and a pano or two. I'll save renting the 14mm for a time when it might get some more use.


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## ray5 (Mar 13, 2015)

Happy to help.
Perhaps someone on this forum might be able to help with the issue I mention from the Manhattan Bridge. At least walk up there, it's an amazing view. If only there was enough room to slide a lens on a tripod through what I assume to be a security mesh! Enjoy!


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