Mostnica is the most well-known gorge in Bohinj. It is a great place to visit with the whole family since the trail is very easy and there are numerous spots of interest that are quite safe.

To photograph some of the more difficult places, however, you need to bring at least one long lens.  Wide angled lenses are well, too wide for some shots. The problem is that professional-grade lenses are big and heavy, and since you will be shooting with small apertures there is thus no need for a ‘Pro’ lens.

This is where the old warhorses come in. One of the most famous old-timer is the Nikon 75-150mm f3.5 Series E lens. This lens was made famous by the late Galen Rowell who used it to make the iconic Rainbow over the Potala Palace shot.

As well regarded as this lens is, it is a difficult old beast to use. First, it has that zoom creep signature and secondly the focus ring is loose as a goose. To get the most out of this lens you need to put a rubber band around the barrel to stop it creeping. Otherwise, as soon as the camera is angled downwards the lens will creep down to 70mm. All shots then need to be composed using Live View and at its maximum aperture of f3.5. When you get the focus right, only then do you stop down to the aperture that you want to shoot with.

But hey, the results are worth the effort. So, don’t even think of retiring those old warhorses. Like me, they just need that extra touch of TLC (Tender Loving Care) to get the best out of.