Question for wildlife photographer

[Philmar]

As to working with a big lens in walk around mode, I use a cheap Smith Victor MP 100 monopod that has a ball head and a quick release platform. I use a Think Tank belt to carry a wide lens and other small stuff but still have quick access, i.e. not have to take a backpack off and put all the gear down, rummage around then re-shoulder the backpack etc...

Do you have the lens housed in a TT skin or modular pouch? I'm leaning towards that solution. I've used Lowepro Toploader systems with multiple lens pouches before but I was constantly tightening the belt and gravity. Won't this heavier lens pull that side of the TT belt down?

I'l try the lens on my Manfrotto monopod. I just assumed the cheap Joby ball head wasn't up to the task and that this is a recipe for disaster. I tried to attach the lens tripod collar to the monopod sans ball head but the screws are of different thread size.

[Philmar]

I hate to say it, but you really need to reign in your expectations. Rather than waiting for your cruise to practice from your cruise ship balcony, get on the Toronto Island ferry on a foggy, overcast or rainy day and practice shooting anything moving (seagulls, other ships, shoreline details) from there. I think you will quickly find (a) how infinitely difficult it is to capture anything worthwhile from the deck of a moving ship and (b) how much more valuable hand-holding is than a monopod as the monopod will transmit all the barely noticeable ship vibrations straight up to your lens. They may not be noticeable in the viewfinder, but it will be tough to get sharp photos. Hand-holding brings it's own set if problems, but that's something that practice can help solve.

The other thing is that from a ship your shots will be observations of wildlife and not the interpretive photos of being close and amongst the wildlife - down at their level, looking them in the eye, so to speak. Whatever wildlife photos the tour company is advertising with were probably not shot on one of their tours unless it was the ideal day with the ideal lighting at the ideal angle with an operator willing to spend the time getting the shot.

The grim reality is that wildlife photography is a lot more than shooting from a cruise ship, a tender or zodiac. It takes time and patience and being on site when the wildlife is active - all of which are rarely possible on a pre-determined tour as the operators are working to a different set of guidelines than a wildlife photographer wielding a 600mm lens. Despite what they say about the wildlife, they are catering to the snapshot crowd. The solution - take your cruise, enjoy it for what it is. If you happen to get some wildlife shots you are happy with great. Then put your money, time and effort into choosing a photo tour that submersed you (not literally) in wildlife; e.g. The safari you mentioned or equivalent in Alaska - a week or more with the wildlife is a good start.

Good luck and have fun! Let us know how things work out.

Reality check time. I've played with the lens around town and at the park with my dogs. I am seeing that this lens needs plenty of light. Autofocus not so great when at 500 - 600 mm. Throw in moving subjects and I am resolved to getting shots of eagles relaxing in trees, stationary otters curious about our boat, a lazy seal lounging on rocks....as well as a mountain goat too precariously perched to flee quickly. Not expecting eagles or puffins flying in my direction to be photos unless I get lucky.
Thanks for your post - valuable information for me!! I wasn't sure if tripod would be better than handheld on the cruise but I planned to compare them on my travel laptop. However the small boat advice you give me is invaluable. I'll hand hold shoot when on the mini-cruise. It is with a smaller boat (capacity 18 people). I assumed they'd turn the engine off while we stop (it's an 8 hour cruise). I'll have to pray for sunny weather and calm seas. I may still use the monopod to give my neck/arms a bit of a rest.
But you're right. My experiences with this lens in favorable conditions has increased my admiration of the great wildlife shoots I see.
I do own a 5D3 so i plan to crank up the ISO to get a decent shutter speed. I can tell that my lens is sharpest between f6.3 and f10.

[Philmar]

Yeah....Haven't been able to practice on a foggy/rainy day. All we've had are glorious weekends lately. I went to a bird sanctuary (Tommy Thompson park) near by and even with perfect sunny conditions and on land it is near impossible to get good seagull or cormorant in flight shots. The lens isn't all that great at tracking/focusing  - I had better success with my 70-200 L.
Guess there is technique to learn. Locate the bird at the shorter focal length and then zoom in?

[Fine_Art]

I think Nancy meant Bushhawk rather than Bushnell; I was going to suggest a gunstock mount as well, but it looks like Bushhawk has gone out of business.

Mike.

I have one, it is ok. You actually get far more stability from your tripod collapsed. Rotate the center post to 90o, hold it in the right hand pointing down. Left hand holds a leg out with remote cable button. Other leg over right shoulder. You can track very smoothly in this fashion.

[Chris Calohan]

If it is one of the bigger cruise ships, you can shoot with a tripod and not worry over vibration issues. Most of the Alaskan cruises go close enough to shore that you can get some great shots in the early morning or late evening right from the deck. I always go down to the lowest level I can get to and still have a clear view both out and upward. I opted for the Nikkor 80-400 instead of the Tamzooka after shooting one for a day. For me, older toot that I am, carrying that beast and a gimbaled head heavy duty tripod, carbon fiber or not is just way beyond my endurance. If I want more distance, I use the Nikkor 1.4 tele-extender which gets me to 550mm at f/8.

This was made on the Allure of the Seas, 11:00PM, moving at 18 knots in 5 foot seas, 2 second exposure.

[NancyP]

Yeah, Bushhawk. OOPS. Secret to wildlife photography with long lenses - practice, practice, practice. Sea gulls, Canada geese, pigeons, the neighborhood pets running around in someone's yard - if it moves quickly and has a mind of its own, it is a good practice target.