« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 26 posts | 
by lpphototx on Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:10 am
lpphototx
Forum Contributor
Posts: 18
Joined: 9 Jan 2010
E.J. Peiker wrote:
lpphototx wrote:A very timely discussion for me.  I leave at the end of November for a Photography cruise (Muench Workshops).  I'll be carrying a Z9 and Z7II bodies with the 24-120 and 100-400 (and 1.4TC) as my main lenses when going ashore.  A couple of clarifying questions for those who've responded.

- Were you able to leave your dry bags in the Zodiac, or did you carry it around with you while ashore?

- Did you carry or use a tripod for any landscape shots?  The gear list provided doesn't list a tripod.

Larry
1. You just dump it on shore and pick it up when you come back - nobody around to steal it ;)
2. I did

I would definitely want something wider than 24mm for when you are going through Ice to get that dramatic icy foreground perspective:
https://ejphoto.com/images_GRN/GNL_Harefjord04.jpg  (this shot is from Greenland but it's very similar to situations you will encounter)
EJ,

Thanks for the info.  I'll have my 14-24 as well.

Larry
 

by MikeBinOK on Tue Nov 15, 2022 2:41 am
User avatar
MikeBinOK
Lifetime Member
Posts: 3341
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Oklahoma City, OKlahoma
Member #:00254
I went in 2017 on a general adventure travel cruise. They had a “photo group” you could pay to join, and it was well worth it, we got two extra Zodiac cruises led by the photographer where they positioned us for lighting and photo ops, and in one scenic spot we got to go to a restricted spot high in the ship with a much easier and better vantage point. The photographer was experienced and helpful for advice on photographing in these unusual conditions.Our group size was limited, and I got the last spot even though I found out and applied on evening of the first day out of Punta Arenas, so I would check into it as early as possible. Of course there is no guarantee your ship will have such a thing.

Y’all may curse me as a heretic, but I left my Canon gear at home and took a Sony RX-10. Much more convenient, and the flexibility was wonderful. It was of course weak on a few low light shots, but for wildlife and scenic in the hours we were off the ship, it was wonderful. I took a Sony RX-100 and a small pocket camera with some reasonable telephoto length to always have one of them in my pocket, and it was worth it a couple of times. I got a memorable picture of penguins zooming out of the water onto an iceberg literally sitting at the dinner table. It was through thick glass (I would sit next to the window when possible) and is not suitable for printing large size, but it is more than good enough for an iPad wallpaper or for the web.

If I went back, I would take exactly the gear mentioned by someone else, two R5 bodies, my 100-500, 24-105, and probably a wide zoom. The RX-100 would still be in my pocket for targets of opportunity. But leaving that in favor of the RX10 would be a temptation!
Mike B. in OKlahoma
Oklahoma City, OK

***************************************************************************
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin
 

by Tim Grams on Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:17 pm
Tim Grams
Lifetime Member
Posts: 6317
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Location: Alaska
Member #:00164
I just got back from an Antarctic cruise- Falklands, South Georgia and the Peninsula. The dates were Oct 22nd to Nov 6th. It was the first cruise of the Antarctica season for that ship.

I flew on Latam in Chile and Aeros Argentina in Argentina. Neither airline checked the weight of my carry on. My day pack was probably close to double the advertised limit of 7 or 10 kg, depending on the airline. I had a laptop in a hard case also. No issues with having them both as carry ons. The limit was 1 checked bag, 23 kg. That was weighed on check in, just like any airline in the US. The Latam jets were Boeing 737's. Aeros Argentina flew an Airbus wide body (330 or 350, can't recall which) from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

I was with Aurora Expeditions but I'm guessing you'll have the same restrictions since all of the companies are supposedly using the same guidelines. Kneeling and laying down were strictly forbidden due to concerns about possibly carrying avian flu between colonies.  And the rules were enforced. I happen to be close (too close) to one of the expedition staff while on shore and accidentally touched a knee while squatting down. I was promptly, and politely, reminded of the rules. That rule was a major surprise and a serious crimp on getting low angle pics.

Setting gear down was prohibited too unless you left it in the gear pile at the landing site. Some people had 500/4 and 600/4 lens- I didn't see any of them using tripods. Not sure if they did that by choice or to avoid having to decontaminate their tripods when they got back on the ship. It was tough to dig lens out of my pack without setting it down, or having someone hold it for me, so I ended up just bringing one body with the 100-500 and the other with the 14-35 on most shore landings. Each went into one of the 15L drybags that I had. I had a couple of carabiners and some cord that I used to carry the 2 dry bags around my neck. It was a reasonable compromise for me given the unexpected restrictions.

I have Canon gear so I can't comment on the specifics of Nikon gear. I had 2 Canon R5's, a 14-35, 24-105, 70-200/4, and a 100-500. So definitely on the heavy side for gear. The first few landings I used an Osprey Stratos 36L day pack with a Sea to Summit 36L dry bag inside of the day pack.  I also brought two 15L Sealine dry bags since I signed up for the sea kayaking. I ended up using the Sealine bags for the Zodiak landings and in the kayak.

Have fun!
Tim
http://timgramsphotography.com
 

by ricardo00 on Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:06 pm
ricardo00
Forum Contributor
Posts: 264
Joined: 6 Apr 2014
Tim Grams wrote:I just got back from an Antarctic cruise- Falklands, South Georgia and the Peninsula. The dates were Oct 22nd to Nov 6th. It was the first cruise of the Antarctica season for that ship.

I flew on Latam in Chile and Aeros Argentina in Argentina. Neither airline checked the weight of my carry on. My day pack was probably close to double the advertised limit of 7 or 10 kg, depending on the airline. I had a laptop in a hard case also. No issues with having them both as carry ons. The limit was 1 checked bag, 23 kg. That was weighed on check in, just like any airline in the US. The Latam jets were Boeing 737's. Aeros Argentina flew an Airbus wide body (330 or 350, can't recall which) from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

I was with Aurora Expeditions but I'm guessing you'll have the same restrictions since all of the companies are supposedly using the same guidelines. Kneeling and laying down were strictly forbidden due to concerns about possibly carrying avian flu between colonies.  And the rules were enforced. I happen to be close (too close) to one of the expedition staff while on shore and accidentally touched a knee while squatting down. I was promptly, and politely, reminded of the rules. That rule was a major surprise and a serious crimp on getting low angle pics.

Setting gear down was prohibited too unless you left it in the gear pile at the landing site. Some people had 500/4 and 600/4 lens- I didn't see any of them using tripods. Not sure if they did that by choice or to avoid having to decontaminate their tripods when they got back on the ship. It was tough to dig lens out of my pack without setting it down, or having someone hold it for me, so I ended up just bringing one body with the 100-500 and the other with the 14-35 on most shore landings. Each went into one of the 15L drybags that I had. I had a couple of carabiners and some cord that I used to carry the 2 dry bags around my neck. It was a reasonable compromise for me given the unexpected restrictions.

I have Canon gear so I can't comment on the specifics of Nikon gear. I had 2 Canon R5's, a 14-35, 24-105, 70-200/4, and a 100-500. So definitely on the heavy side for gear. The first few landings I used an Osprey Stratos 36L day pack with a Sea to Summit 36L dry bag inside of the day pack.  I also brought two 15L Sealine dry bags since I signed up for the sea kayaking. I ended up using the Sealine bags for the Zodiak landings and in the kayak.

Have fun!

  Thanks Tim for the update!  Sounds like things are even tighter than when I went 11 years ago.  The avian flu epidemic sure adds a new wrinkle.  Maybe when you get your photos sorted, you can add a link to your photos?
PS.  My album from then is on flickr if interested (definitely put only a small subset up):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@ ... 0798670134
 

by Tim Grams on Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:31 pm
Tim Grams
Lifetime Member
Posts: 6317
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Location: Alaska
Member #:00164

  Thanks Tim for the update!  Sounds like things are even tighter than when I went 11 years ago.  The avian flu epidemic sure adds a new wrinkle.  Maybe when you get your photos sorted, you can add a link to your photos?
PS.  My album from then is on flickr if interested (definitely put only a small subset up):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@ ... 0798670134

Thanks for the link- you have some great photos. Yours certainly look considerably different than my early in the season pics. I dumped my social media accounts for a variety of reasons. I've got some Google Photos albums that I'm sharing with friends. Send me a private message with your email address and I'll add you if you're interested.
Tim
http://timgramsphotography.com
 

by ricardo00 on Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:26 am
ricardo00
Forum Contributor
Posts: 264
Joined: 6 Apr 2014
Tim Grams wrote:

  Thanks Tim for the update!  Sounds like things are even tighter than when I went 11 years ago.  The avian flu epidemic sure adds a new wrinkle.  Maybe when you get your photos sorted, you can add a link to your photos?
PS.  My album from then is on flickr if interested (definitely put only a small subset up):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@ ... 0798670134

Thanks for the link- you have some great photos. Yours certainly look considerably different than my early in the season pics. I dumped my social media accounts for a variety of reasons. I've got some Google Photos albums that I'm sharing with friends. Send me a private message with your email address and I'll add you if you're interested.

Thanks Tim!  PM sent
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
26 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group