[Alliecat]

Unless you have really shaky hands, shooting at 500th and up should be fine...? Definitely wouldn't take a tripod/monopod -- if you don't fall over it someone else might, and the way people rush from side to side when whales are sighted, it would be in the way. Then you'll be "that annoying passenger who brought a tripod on a boat"
I'd take the 70-300 and one of the shorter ones. Agree, you don't want to mess around with changing lenses much.
Have you seen photos from either the tour company or other people who've taken the tour, which might give you an idea how close they get? Or ask the company? There are minimum approach distances, but whales don't always observe these, and if they come right up to the boat (which pictures of gray whales always seem to suggest), your big zoom will give you a nice picture of... well, their eyeball maybe.
For what it's worth, my beloved K1000 has been on quite a few whale-watch trips and I usually shot between 35 and 300mm, depending how close they were (rights, fins, humpbacks), and if I was trying to lighten the load I'd take just my 35-105 and 100-300. I would definitely not take a prime lens. I used 1/500 or 1/1000, occasionally 1/250.

If you're concerned about it being rough, there is Gravol, which can make you sleepy, one of those patches (not sure about the effects of those) or candied ginger for nausea.

My only other advice would be, DO NOT spend the whole time with your camera in front of your face. If you don't get to do this very often, there are magical moments you'll want to remember, and not spend all of them fiddling with camera gear. Sometimes you just need to put the camera down and LOOK at what's happening. I was on a little lobster boat which a right whale chose to scratch its belly on. I don't have a photo of that eyeball as it rolled up and looked at us, but the picture in my head is still vivid, and it was magic.

Enjoy!

[aslyfox]

... My only other advice would be, DO NOT spend the whole time with your camera in front of your face. If you don't get to do this very often, there are magical moments you'll want to remember, and not spend all of them fiddling with camera gear. Sometimes you just need to put the camera down and LOOK at what's happening. I was on a little lobster boat which a right whale chose to scratch its belly on. I don't have a photo of that eyeball as it rolled up and looked at us, but the picture in my head is still vivid, and it was magic. Enjoy!

great advice

I always say, take the " photo " with the mark 1 eyeballs and store in brain first, then try to capture the image on a camera/memory card

yes, it is important to put the cameras down and look

also always look everywhere, just not at what is in front of you

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ok, an update

we hope to make a decision on go/no go in August

[ pesky thing stopping us from final decision is that our son's wedding on the 29th and the wife doesn't want to talk about the trip now ]

no tripod/monopod on the boats

Cameras

K 3, K 5 II and Canon Cannon Power Shot A1100 IS

Lens

1 - HD Pentax DA 3.5-5.6 16 - 85 mm wr zoom

2 - smc Pentax dal 4-5.6 50-200 mm wr ed zoom

__________________


more questions:

if WR isn't important I would substitute SMC Pentax-DA L 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED how important would the WR be??

which lens to mount on which camera???

should I rent a K 1 and leave the K 5 II at home???

comments - suggestions - eagerly awaited

[timb64]

My 55-300 tends to hunt for focus on K5ii and I've heard it's not so bad on the K3.
As you know results with the K5 and 16-85 are pretty decent (unless that is you're looking for an excuse to splash on a K1)

[aslyfox]

My 55-300 tends to hunt for focus on K5ii and I've heard it's not so bad on the K3.
As you know results with the K5 and 16-85 are pretty decent (unless that is you're looking for an excuse to splash on a K1)

Well

If we go, the trip will be after Xmas and my birthday

[mattb123]

Scammon's Lagoon? I camped on the beach in Bahia de Los Angeles for an honors program one semester when I was in college and did mostly drawing and painting but also shot some with my ME Super. Some of the whales in the lagoon were far off so telephoto was best but one also went right under the boat and a calf came and stuck his head out to have a look at us right next to the boat. I think I had my 135/2.5 on and didn't get the close shots. If you are so lucky you'll want something wider for the closer shots.
Maybe two bodies with a wide and a long lens to cover your bases?
Looking at your gear I'd say the 16-85 on one body and the 150-450 on the other. If you don't want that big of a lens out there then go for the 50-200 instead.

[aslyfox]

Scammon's Lagoon? . . .

don't know where that is.

the trip we are looking at would include arrival day, then 2 days at Loreto going out onto Sea of Cortez ( California ) then a day across the peninsula to the beach at San Ignacio Lagoon, then 3 days there then 1 day back to Loreto and fly out the next day

hope to see blue, fin, humpback, Bryde's, sperm, and killer whales in the Sea of Cortez and grey whales with calves in the San Ignacio Lagoon.

of course, with wild animals no guarantees can be made

[aslyfox]

I know DA and DA L lenses are developed for the cropped sensor

but I have heard that some will work with the K 1

does anyone has specific experience with using any of the following DA and DA L lenses and a K 1?

HD Pentax DA 3.5-5.6 16 - 85 mm wr zoom 72 f

smc Pentax dal 3.5-5.6 18-55mm zoom wr 52 f

smc Pentax da 3.5-5.6 18-55 mm al zoom 52 f

SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS

smc Pentax-DA 1.8 50 mm prime 52 f

smc Pentax dal 4-5.6 50-200mm wr ed zoom 49 f

SMC Pentax-DA L 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED 58 f
__________________________
HD Pentax -DA af rear converter 1.4 AW

If we are talking about a DA or DA L zoom lens, is there a difference between any focal length?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

with those with experience dealing with salt water, would you recommend the

smc Pentax dal 3.5-5.6 18-55mm zoom wr 52 f over the

smc Pentax da 3.5-5.6 18-55 mm al zoom 52 f

smc Pentax dal 4-5.6 50-200mm wr ed zoom 49 f over the

SMC Pentax-DA L 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED 58 f

because of the " W R " rating

we still haven't decided on the trip, had to get our only child Scot married 7/29 first, so of course, I haven't narrowed down my decision on what lens to take on the boats yet

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Last edited by aslyfox; 08-02-2017 at 06:52 AM.

[mattb123]

don't know where that is.

the trip we are looking at would include arrival day, then 2 days at Loreto going out onto Sea of Cortez ( California ) then a day across the peninsula to the beach at San Ignacio Lagoon, then 3 days there then 1 day back to Loreto and fly out the next day

hope to see blue, fin, humpback, Bryde's, sperm, and killer whales in the Sea of Cortez and grey whales with calves in the San Ignacio Lagoon.

of course, with wild animals no guarantees can be made

It's on the Pacific side, about 100 Miles North of San Ignacio Lagoon near Guerrero Negro. Probably pretty similar.
We only saw grey whales there but a whole lot of them and very close. We saw quite a few fin backs and a few orcas in the Sea of Cortez near Bahia de Los Angeles where we camped on the beach for a few weeks too. Fun trip!

[mikesbike]

I would suggest bringing both your K-3 and K-5 II. Have your DA 16-85mm on one and either the DFA 150-450mm or the Tamron 70-300mm on the other. You might be packing both. Be sure to use a high shutter speed! At least 1/500 sec. This will probably require an increase in ISO even in daylight, because you may need to stop down at least some to get some depth of field. Of course, those lenses are at least f/3.5 wide open anyway.

[aslyfox]

well we took the plunge


we have registered for a trip beginning in Loreto then across the peninsula to the beach at San Ignacio Lagoon in late February 2018. we will be going out onto the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) and the Lagoon in search of whales and photographic opportunities

wish us luck

now I just need to figure out how, living in Kansas, I am going to simulate taking photos of whales from small boat rocking in the water so I can practice my technique

any thoughts

[jddwoods]

now I just need to figure out how, living in Kansas, I am going to simulate taking photos of whales from small boat rocking in the water so I can practice my technique

any thoughts

How about largemouth bass from a canoe? I can't think of anything else. Really just kidding! I would not recommend taking expensive photo gear on something as tippy as a canoe.

[aslyfox]

How about largemouth bass from a canoe? I can't think of anything else. Really just kidding! I would not recommend taking expensive photo gear on something as tippy as a canoe.

despite some tales you may have heard

there is a small difference in size between a large mouth bass and a whale

and a canoe isn't tippy if you are kneeling in it properly ( usually )

[mattb123]

now I just need to figure out how, living in Kansas, I am going to simulate taking photos of whales from small boat rocking in the water so I can practice my technique

any thoughts

Shoot from a moving car? Train?

Might help with the same stabilizing muscles you will need.

[Kerrowdown]

having worked as a "whale watch naturalist" on 2,000+ whale watch trips over 31 years

Would you care to share some of your imagery, that you would have captured over this time.

[aslyfox]

I have received more details of the trip ( the detailed description sent out for their 2017 trips ) which will be updated later for our trip Feb 23 2018

the most important details, regarding wildlife are:

- while in Loreto for 2 days, weather permitting, we will spend around 5 hours each day in a small private boat with our primary goal to find and photograph blue whales.

based on previous experience they say that 12 - 30 blue whales use the Loreto Islands as forage areas from January to February

other expected encounters could be with fin whales, humpbacks and four species of dolphins: common, bottle nose, spinner and white side

[ no mention of orcas ( Killer Whales ) but I am hopeful. ]

________________________________

- on the other side of the peninsular at the San Ignacio Lagoon, the only whales expected is the grey whale and its calves

we could also find sea turtles: leatherback, hawksbill, green and olive ridley

Killer whales might be in the area but they do not like the shallow depths of the lagoon so no sightings are expected

we will also have the opportunity to walk the shore and encounter birds, expected sightings: white ibis, elegant terns, reddish egrets brown pelicans brandt's cormants and brant geese and prong horns might also be around

I now think I need to carry gear sufficient to use both on land and on the boats keeping in mind these are "wildlife": [ sighting and ranges cannot be guaranteed ] this means I will take a monopod and the DFA 150 - 450 zoom for use on shore

________________________

I have had one encounter with a grey - full breech no photo and

one encounter with multiple humpbacks - in Alaska bubble feeding and breeching - photos obtained and dolphins - N Z and Australia - photos obtained

but not with the other species of whales or dolphins or porpoise

so I am looking for advice:

- on photographing the other species: do they breech, do " spy hopping " , " bubble feeding ", what is their breathing/diving patterns, what should I expect to be able to photograph: flukes, tails, backs, spouts ???

- use of a monopod on sand ?

- can ( should ) a gimbal be used on a monopod??

any other thoughts or suggestions

thanks