Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Lenses for Galapagos  (Read 1559 times)

PigaPicha

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Lenses for Galapagos
« on: May 15, 2011, 04:33:23 pm »

I'll be spending a week in the Galapagos towards the end of May. I'll be taking two DSLR bodies, a 5D Mk II and a 7D, but would like to limit myself to only one lens per body to keep the weight down. I don't intend to buy any new lenses so my choices are either a 17-40L or 24-105L for landscapes and animals in their environment type shooting with the 5D Mk II and either a 70-200 2.8 IS L  or 100-400L for tight shots of animals and birds with the 7D. Any suggestions, especially from anyone who's done any shooting in the Galapagos would be appreciated.
Logged

NigelC

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 583
Re: Lenses for Galapagos
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2011, 03:04:14 am »

I spent a week in the Galapogos Islands back in 1999. I used Canon T90 with 24, 35-70, 80-200L, 300 f4L and 1.4 and 2x extenders. Few things to bear in mind:

1) Sometimes you almost fall over the wildlife walking around the islands, therefore you will need shorter lenses than for wildlife anywhere else.
2) IS would have been useful (didn't exist when I went, or at least not in FD system) for shooting from the inflatables on the way to/from boat to shore (sea lions, reptiles).

3) The one exception to generally very accomodating wildlife is Sally Lightfoot crabs, which do run away!

4) I found a hot-show mounted flash useful for low light early morning walk, but of course that was using film and we didn't have digital cameras with amazing high ISO performance then.

5) Generally, 70-300 will be most useful, although there are uses for longer lenses, eg. frigate birds in flight.

6) There are some great landscape opportunities - focal length is your choice

7) Something with macro/close-up capability willl be useful

7) Don't forget need to keep camera bag dry in the inflatables - I used black bin bag!

Have a good trip.
Logged

stever

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1250
Re: Lenses for Galapagos
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2011, 12:11:00 pm »

with the 2 bodies you can go either way

i use the 7D and 5D2 for wildlife travel and i'd probably take the 17-40 on the 7D and 100-400 on the 5D2 and switch as appropriate.  Galapagos is one of the few wildlife areas where you will just about never need more than 400mm for birds (unless you're into Darwin's finches) and i like the overall perfomance of the 100-400 on full frame - and i like a crop to 500 or 550 equivalent better than the 7D and 100-400

you really won't go wrong with the 70-200 on the 7D and benefit from the faster focussing and high framerate (which is somewhat less important in the Galapagos).  i'd want to have a 1.4x for this combination though (the reason i prefer the 100-400 is that putting the converter on and off is a nuisance).  would probably use the 24-105 on the 5D2 then

i'd also take a 500 D closeup lens - works great on a tele, for critters than don't want you too close

you'll have to decide how important weight is to you.  i wouldn't go on a trip like this without a backup long lens - even if it were the relatively inexpensive 70-300 (broke my 100-400 once and extremely glad to have a backup).  i'd probably also take the 50 1.4 because it's so sharp (stopped down a bit), doesn't weigh much, or take up much space

i'd also take a flash with better beamer for fill

Logged

NigelC

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 583
Re: Lenses for Galapagos
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2011, 01:05:13 pm »

One more thought - because the wildlife is so close and tends to be at ground level, you tend to shoot down, which isn't great for perspective - you need to drop down to the eye level of a blue footed booby and ignore the guide hassling you to keep up!
Logged

PigaPicha

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Re: Lenses for Galapagos
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2011, 02:29:07 pm »

One more thought - because the wildlife is so close and tends to be at ground level, you tend to shoot down, which isn't great for perspective - you need to drop down to the eye level of a blue footed booby and ignore the guide hassling you to keep up!

Thanks for this and your other suggestions. I was thinking that a pair of Home Depot knee guards might be useful for getting down to booby level!
Logged

PigaPicha

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Re: Lenses for Galapagos
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2011, 02:39:08 pm »

with the 2 bodies you can go either way

i use the 7D and 5D2 for wildlife travel and i'd probably take the 17-40 on the 7D and 100-400 on the 5D2 and switch as appropriate.  Galapagos is one of the few wildlife areas where you will just about never need more than 400mm for birds (unless you're into Darwin's finches) and i like the overall perfomance of the 100-400 on full frame - and i like a crop to 500 or 550 equivalent better than the 7D and 100-400

you really won't go wrong with the 70-200 on the 7D and benefit from the faster focussing and high framerate (which is somewhat less important in the Galapagos).  i'd want to have a 1.4x for this combination though (the reason i prefer the 100-400 is that putting the converter on and off is a nuisance).  would probably use the 24-105 on the 5D2 then

i'd also take a 500 D closeup lens - works great on a tele, for critters than don't want you too close

you'll have to decide how important weight is to you.  i wouldn't go on a trip like this without a backup long lens - even if it were the relatively inexpensive 70-300 (broke my 100-400 once and extremely glad to have a backup).  i'd probably also take the 50 1.4 because it's so sharp (stopped down a bit), doesn't weigh much, or take up much space

i'd also take a flash with better beamer for fill


Thanks these are really helpful suggestions. I think that the 24-105 can stay behind and I'll take the 17-40 and the two long lenses and as you rightly point out my little 50/1.4 will squeeze in somewhere.  I haven't used my Better Beamer for ages as I find it a bit cumbersome but you're right it would be very useful. I seem to recall reading that they frown on flash use on the Galapagos. I'll give it a try and see what happens.  I'm sure the guides will let soon me know if it's a no no.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up