Moderator: E.J. Peiker

All times are UTC-05:00

  
« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 7 posts | 
by flip2350 on Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:42 am
flip2350
Forum Contributor
Posts: 45
Joined: 15 Mar 2013
Going on a Sea Mammal trip on a large sailboat in August to Vancouver Island

I am planning on taking my Nikon 600 f 4 Fl, for shooting from the vessel. I need to bring another zoom along for a second camera and shooting from kayaks or zodiac.
I already have the 70-200 f 2.8.
But also need another lens that won't take up much space. ( I also have the 200-500 but its a slow focus lens and not great in low light}
Does anybody recommend the Nikon 80-400 VR(newer lens). 
I also already have the 300 f 4 pf, but wanted a zoom with a wider range and easily hand-holdable. I know the sigma's and Tamron exist, but they are not much different then the200-500. Also, the sigma 120-300 is to bulky.

Comments on the 80-400VR?
 

by Mike in O on Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:12 pm
Mike in O
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2673
Joined: 22 Dec 2013
It will be tough shooting from a sailboat w/ the 600...the shots over water can be problematic with haze and spray. The secret for shooting seals and whales is sitting still and letting them come close to you. I think your 200/500 would be the lens I would take.
 

by flip2350 on Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:41 pm
flip2350
Forum Contributor
Posts: 45
Joined: 15 Mar 2013
Mike in O wrote:It will be tough shooting from a sailboat w/ the 600...the shots over water can be problematic with haze and spray.  The secret for shooting seals and whales is sitting still and letting them come close to you.  I think your 200/500 would be the lens I would take.

Its a 71 foot sailboat, so I was told that they shoot with a tripod with the longer lenses.  So, I guess I'll take the 200-500 and forget about the 80-400VR, which I'd have to purchase or rent . I was more concerned with the shooting from the kayak.
 

by Tim Zurowski on Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:05 pm
User avatar
Tim Zurowski
Forum Contributor
Posts: 18881
Joined: 4 Apr 2006
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
I have lived on Vancouver Island my whole life and have been paddling a kayak and shooting from it for 37 years. I have used my 500 VR with the 1.4x at 700mm, and other than it being heavy to deal with, I had no trouble getting good shots with it. Mind you the 600 will be that much heavier, so it would be a PITA to deal with. Another issue is where you are going to store it for easy access and keeping it safe from the salt water. I had a custom built neoprene dry bag that worked great. Make sure you have a dry bag and a couple of towels in the cockpit with you. I could not store my 500 VR in my cockpit with the hood on it, so I never took the hood out with me. The 600mm will be very large for even the largest cockpit. I now have the Nikon 200-500 and it would be a good choice from the kayak, but for two concerns. First, it is not a very good weather sealed lens and I would be concerned about getting water in it. Second, the AF is not very fast and may cause difficulties locking on from a kayak. What I use now is my 300 f4 PF with and without the TC-14E III. AF is good, on a D500 it can be a 630mm, VR is good and weight and size are a HUGE bonus! I have only shot with the Nikon 80-400 (new version) once, and not from a kayak. I cannot remember what the AF was like, but the IQ was not as good as the 200-500. If I was doing what you are doing, I would use either the 200-500 or the 300 PF. The 200-500 obviously offers more versatility.

No idea where you are going on VI, but around the Victoria area seals are very easy and you wouldn't need more than the 300 PF. Whales are nearly impossible around here from a kayak. If you are going up around Robson Bight - Telegraph Cove areas, I would think the 300 PF or 200-500 would work fine there.

Lastly, can't the tour leaders help you with your choice? Surely they know the situation and distances to subjects to help you out.
 

by flip2350 on Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:14 pm
flip2350
Forum Contributor
Posts: 45
Joined: 15 Mar 2013
Tim,
Thanks for your response. I really wanted to know about the 80-400VR vs the 200-500. I have had similar problems with you getting focus with the 200-500 when its either low light and also fast moving objects. Also I have never had experience shooting out of a kayak or zodiac.
A good friend of mine uses the 80-400VR , however my experience trying it has not been so good.

The tour leader and I spoke last week, but he has some different lenses that I don't own. If weight was not a problem, I would take the 300 2.8 VR ll, my favorite fast focus lens. But need to be weight conscious to travel out of town. When I look at lens score, several other lenses score better, but not in my bag, and more weight and volume then I can fly with.
Leaving from near Port Hardy area.
 

by Mike in O on Mon Dec 18, 2017 8:15 pm
Mike in O
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2673
Joined: 22 Dec 2013
Leaving from near Port Hardy area
Prepare for fog
 

by LeOrmand on Mon Dec 18, 2017 9:26 pm
User avatar
LeOrmand
Forum Contributor
Posts: 0
Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Lots of replies already - but I'll throw my 2 cents in. I did a whale watching trip around he San Juan's and used an 80-400 from Nikon. I couldn't ask for a better lens - it was enough length when needed and I was able to dial it back if something close came in. A zoom on a boat where sealife is unpredictable is worth its weight in gold - having a fixed length is more frustrating than not.
@JRookphotos on Instagram 
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
7 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group