when shooting wildlife.....

lodi781 · 03-29-2008, 05:32 PM

1) what kind of lenses do you folks use??

and 2) ( this is going to sound borderline retarded) Does anyone use camo or some sort of ghillies suit when out in the woods for wildlife shots???

**Lowell Goudge** · 03-29-2008, 06:36 PM

I have shot wild life with everything from a 28-105 zoom up to a 1000mm telescope.

It all depends what you have on the camera and with you at the time.

I have stumbled across a hawk eating a mouse, and all I had was my 28-105 FA 4.5-5.6. Fortunately he was more interested in the mouse than me, was able to get close enough that he filled about 40% of the view finder. I have also caught a warbler at 3 feet with that lens, while walking through the woods.

Those shots were lucky.

My main 2 arrangements, as I have posted in the forums several times are my SMC 300mm F4 with SMC-F 1.7x AF TC, or my Sigma 70-200 F2.8 with either a 1.4x or 2x Sigma TC.

I plan to do more with my Clestron C90 (1000mm F11) soptting scope which is equipped with a T mount.

My general opinion is that for birds, you need a good fast prime, and my recomendation is that regardless of focal length it have a 77mm filter, or bigger. This equates to 200mm F2.8, 300mm F4, or 400mm F5.6 or faster. you will find yourself adding a TC of some sort to get in the 400-500mm range.

For larger animals, you can probably get by with 300mm, and perhaps not so fast. I have seen some good shots with a 75-300 with maximum apature F5.6

OniFactor · 03-29-2008, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by lodi781

1) what kind of lenses do you folks use??

and 2) ( this is going to sound borderline retarded) Does anyone use camo or some sort of ghillies suit when out in the woods for wildlife shots???

i've been thinking about making a ghillie for some woods stuff.. either that, or buying a portable hunting blind

lodi781 · 03-29-2008, 07:17 PM

Originally posted by OniFactor

i've been thinking about making a ghillie for some woods stuff.. either that, or buying a portable hunting blind

OK, good, so i'm not crazy for asking. Besides, instead of being way out from the wildlife, I thought it would be cool to be able to use a shorter lens and get physically closer. ( i'm not talking bears and things) but we have alot of deer and fox near me, so I thought it would be a neat idea to try.

**Lowell Goudge** · 03-30-2008, 05:40 PM

Just to give some graphic images of wild life shots done with eaarlier mentioned lens combos

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/106132-post4.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/182066-post33.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/187646-post19.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/208249-post1.html

There are 4 different lens and / or teleconverter combinations ranging from 105mm to 300, 400 and 500 mm, with and without flash.

As an aside, I don't use camo

OniFactor · 03-30-2008, 06:48 PM

Originally posted by lodi781

OK, good, so i'm not crazy for asking. Besides, instead of being way out from the wildlife, I thought it would be cool to be able to use a shorter lens and get physically closer. ( i'm not talking bears and things) but we have alot of deer and fox near me, so I thought it would be a neat idea to try.

my main idea is to try to get myself setup close to some bluejay nests around here.. and not get divebombed. :-X lol

**Canada_Rockies** · 03-30-2008, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by OniFactor

my main idea is to try to get myself setup close to some bluejay nests around here.. and not get divebombed. :-X lol

The are a number of good authors on wildlife photography. Go to your local lending library and browse the books.

The books do not need to have anything on digital or post processing. You are looking for a wildlife photographer who takes images that you would like to take.

A surprising number of the photogrophers in my collection of books state that anything over 400 mm (on 35 mm film!) is too long. Personally, I have been using my 400 + 1.4 which gives 560 mm, and gotten some good shots on film. On digital, because of the crop factor, I should be able to use the 400 without the teleconverter. I find the 400mm focal length is short enough to be usable and long enough to give a large image when used on the K10D.

We still have three feet of snow on the lawns here, so I am not after the birds yet, but it won't be too long. The wildfowl will be nesting soon in some of our favourite places, and I will be there.

Here are some of the photographers in my library:

Tim Fitzharris - The Adventure of Nature Photography - Hurtig, 1983
John Shaw - The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques - Amphoto 1984
Freeman Patterson - Photography of Natural Things - Key Porter Books, 1982, 1989
Wildlife Photography The Art and Technique of Ten Masters - Amphoto 1982, 1989

The first photographer in the 4th book is Leonard Lee Rue, and the first photo is a picture of an Osprey taken from 500 feet away. 600 mm on 35mm film. I have tried and tried to come close to this shot, and one day I will succeed. At least that's my target.

Chako · 03-31-2008, 03:53 AM

It depends on how you are going to do wildlife photography. I am no professional. I do however, like to focus on wildlife during my summer months for my own enjoyment. It gets me out there to enjoy all that nature has to offer. That and I like the challenges.

When the snow melts, I usually like to take hikes and walk around. I will always take my camera with me. Because I don't wait patiently in one spot all the time, I do not use tripods or monopods. I do however use a Bushhawk shoulder mount. My lens of choice is a 50-500mm Bigma. It is perfect for its versatility. Because I move about, I need all the reach I can get, so most of the time, I am shooting at 500mm. Quite a few times, though, the 50mm has come in handy. I don't camouflage myself, preferring to wear blaze orange just in case you get mistaken for a deer, bear, or moose during hunting season (but only if I go into the forest and at certain times of the year…majority of my work is in local parks where it is safer).

Here is a photo of my wildlife rig.

Here are three examples using the above equipment. Yes I know, that is a Canon camera.

This little guy decided to run across my path. He didn't stop long. I would not have gotten him if I was tied to a tripod or even a monopod.

I had to go into the prone position to get this shot.

One more example. This female red wing wouldn't let me get close. So I did appreciate all the reach I could get.

**Lowell Goudge** · 03-31-2008, 04:17 AM

Originally posted by Chako

It depends on how you are going to do wildlife photography. I am no professional. I do however, like to focus on wildlife during my summer months for my own enjoyment. It gets me out there to enjoy all that nature has to offer. That and I like the challenges.

When the snow melts, I usually like to take hikes and walk around. I will always take my camera with me. Because I don't wait patiently in one spot all the time, I do not use tripods or monopods. I do however use a Bushhawk shoulder mount. My lens of choice is a 50-500mm Bigma. It is perfect for its versatility. Because I move about, I need all the reach I can get, so most of the time, I am shooting at 500mm. Quite a few times, though, the 50mm has come in handy. I don't camouflage myself, preferring to wear blaze orange just in case you get mistaken for a deer, bear, or moose during hunting season (but only if I go into the forest and at certain times of the year…majority of my work is in local parks where it is safer).

Here is a photo of my wildlife rig.

How much do you feel the Bushhawk helps in stability compared to hand holding alone? I have toyed with the idea of a gun mount for many years but never really gone after it.

ivoire · 03-31-2008, 05:25 AM

I've used 300mm and 400mm lenses for wildlife, mostly birds. A fast lens like a 300mm 2.8 is on my 'future' list as i find that this length usually gives me enuff reach (add 1.4 or 1.7 tc for more) and is short enuff for those 'comin at ya' shots. i also agree with the visibility comment as its easy to get shot at by non camera shooters. an inexpensive zoom is the tamron 70-300mm for about $150. it has it quirks (correctable in pp) and is quite sharp.

lodi781 · 03-31-2008, 10:01 AM

Wow lots of great info here, thank you to all. The parks near me do not allow hunting ( MTB, Trails, that sort of thing) so I don't have to worry about getting shot. I ride those trail frequently and lost count how many times I wish I had my camera 'cause a fox ran right in front of me. Thats why I started thinking " hey, I bet some camo might work." Then I read somewhere, that a guy does use ghillies suits and sardines. I thought, well, maybe it's worth a look.

On a side note, Primes or zooms? discuss...

TomE · 03-31-2008, 12:01 PM

I use my Turkey hinting camo in summer and Snow camo in winter for wildlife photography for subjects that are not normally around people. For subjects that are not afraid of people, I just dress normally and try to keep my camera as solid as possible using a tripod of monopod.

I use a 70-200 f/2.8 zoom, a 300 f/2.8 prime and a 300 f/4.5 prime for the majority of my wildlife photography. I have a gun mount like the Brushhawk but rarely use it except for times when the tripod is not possible to use.

Tom

Chako · 04-01-2008, 03:41 AM

It does help substantially when used properly. It took me about 3 weeks to get used to it though. It sure felt funny and odd during the break in period. Now, it is quite comfortable. During the break in period, I had to make multiple adjustments to finally find a spot that is comfortable. I modified the Bushawk slightly though. The original method is to have the sling below the camera so it hangs upside down. I didn't like either position, so I bought a rifle sling mount (screw type) and threaded this into the furthest hold on the front grip. I then twisted the shoulder stock so that the d ring is facing up. I can now walk around, with the camera upright and always ready at a moments notice. It also takes the heavy strain off the arms and onto the shoulders especially if I thread one arm and head through the sling and have the rifle sling lay across my back.

The only issue I have with it is my difficulty to hold the gun stock parallel to the horizon due to the rig being top heavy. I wear glasses and it is sometimes hard for me to hold it straight at times. I also bought a RDS (Red dot site) that fits onto the camera hot shoe. I have tried it out, and it is great for BIF shots without having to look into the view finder. It is a little tricky to sight in however, as you have to figure out your average distance from your subjects. Likewise, composition goes out the window. I haven't had a chance to try it out on small fast birds yet. Something I hope to do when the warmer weather gets here.

I would not use this around any government buildings or other areas of national security. I do use this in public parks a lot. I have had a few comments from close observers about my having a weapons, but they quickly realize what it is when I get close enough for them to see the lens and camera. Just be prepared for a lot of curious people wanting to come closer and have a chat about the gear. That is a negative aspect of using a gun stock, especially if all I wish to do is have a nice relaxing walk and do my thing.

Ennacac. Fantastic action photo.

03-29-2008, 05:32 PM	#1
lodi781 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: southern CT Posts: 219	when shooting wildlife..... 1) what kind of lenses do you folks use?? and 2) ( this is going to sound borderline retarded) Does anyone use camo or some sort of ghillies suit when out in the woods for wildlife shots???

03-30-2008, 08:53 PM	#7
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by OniFactor my main idea is to try to get myself setup close to some bluejay nests around here.. and not get divebombed. :-X lol The are a number of good authors on wildlife photography. Go to your local lending library and browse the books. The books do not need to have anything on digital or post processing. You are looking for a wildlife photographer who takes images that you would like to take. A surprising number of the photogrophers in my collection of books state that anything over 400 mm (on 35 mm film!) is too long. Personally, I have been using my 400 + 1.4 which gives 560 mm, and gotten some good shots on film. On digital, because of the crop factor, I should be able to use the 400 without the teleconverter. I find the 400mm focal length is short enough to be usable and long enough to give a large image when used on the K10D. We still have three feet of snow on the lawns here, so I am not after the birds yet, but it won't be too long. The wildfowl will be nesting soon in some of our favourite places, and I will be there. Here are some of the photographers in my library: Tim Fitzharris - The Adventure of Nature Photography - Hurtig, 1983 John Shaw - The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques - Amphoto 1984 Freeman Patterson - Photography of Natural Things - Key Porter Books, 1982, 1989 Wildlife Photography The Art and Technique of Ten Masters - Amphoto 1982, 1989 The first photographer in the 4th book is Leonard Lee Rue, and the first photo is a picture of an Osprey taken from 500 feet away. 600 mm on 35mm film. I have tried and tried to come close to this shot, and one day I will succeed. At least that's my target.

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03-29-2008, 06:36 PM	#2
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I have shot wild life with everything from a 28-105 zoom up to a 1000mm telescope. It all depends what you have on the camera and with you at the time. I have stumbled across a hawk eating a mouse, and all I had was my 28-105 FA 4.5-5.6. Fortunately he was more interested in the mouse than me, was able to get close enough that he filled about 40% of the view finder. I have also caught a warbler at 3 feet with that lens, while walking through the woods. Those shots were lucky. My main 2 arrangements, as I have posted in the forums several times are my SMC 300mm F4 with SMC-F 1.7x AF TC, or my Sigma 70-200 F2.8 with either a 1.4x or 2x Sigma TC. I plan to do more with my Clestron C90 (1000mm F11) soptting scope which is equipped with a T mount. My general opinion is that for birds, you need a good fast prime, and my recomendation is that regardless of focal length it have a 77mm filter, or bigger. This equates to 200mm F2.8, 300mm F4, or 400mm F5.6 or faster. you will find yourself adding a TC of some sort to get in the 400-500mm range. For larger animals, you can probably get by with 300mm, and perhaps not so fast. I have seen some good shots with a 75-300 with maximum apature F5.6

03-29-2008, 07:05 PM	#3
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	Originally posted by lodi781 1) what kind of lenses do you folks use?? and 2) ( this is going to sound borderline retarded) Does anyone use camo or some sort of ghillies suit when out in the woods for wildlife shots??? i've been thinking about making a ghillie for some woods stuff.. either that, or buying a portable hunting blind

03-29-2008, 07:17 PM	#4
lodi781 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: southern CT Posts: 219 Original Poster	Originally posted by OniFactor i've been thinking about making a ghillie for some woods stuff.. either that, or buying a portable hunting blind OK, good, so i'm not crazy for asking. Besides, instead of being way out from the wildlife, I thought it would be cool to be able to use a shorter lens and get physically closer. ( i'm not talking bears and things) but we have alot of deer and fox near me, so I thought it would be a neat idea to try.

03-30-2008, 05:40 PM	#5
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Just to give some graphic images of wild life shots done with eaarlier mentioned lens combos https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/106132-post4.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/182066-post33.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/187646-post19.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/208249-post1.html There are 4 different lens and / or teleconverter combinations ranging from 105mm to 300, 400 and 500 mm, with and without flash. As an aside, I don't use camo

03-30-2008, 06:48 PM	#6
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	Originally posted by lodi781 OK, good, so i'm not crazy for asking. Besides, instead of being way out from the wildlife, I thought it would be cool to be able to use a shorter lens and get physically closer. ( i'm not talking bears and things) but we have alot of deer and fox near me, so I thought it would be a neat idea to try. my main idea is to try to get myself setup close to some bluejay nests around here.. and not get divebombed. :-X lol

03-31-2008, 03:53 AM	#8
Chako Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ont, Canada. Posts: 563	It depends on how you are going to do wildlife photography. I am no professional. I do however, like to focus on wildlife during my summer months for my own enjoyment. It gets me out there to enjoy all that nature has to offer. That and I like the challenges. When the snow melts, I usually like to take hikes and walk around. I will always take my camera with me. Because I don't wait patiently in one spot all the time, I do not use tripods or monopods. I do however use a Bushhawk shoulder mount. My lens of choice is a 50-500mm Bigma. It is perfect for its versatility. Because I move about, I need all the reach I can get, so most of the time, I am shooting at 500mm. Quite a few times, though, the 50mm has come in handy. I don't camouflage myself, preferring to wear blaze orange just in case you get mistaken for a deer, bear, or moose during hunting season (but only if I go into the forest and at certain times of the year…majority of my work is in local parks where it is safer). Here is a photo of my wildlife rig. Here are three examples using the above equipment. Yes I know, that is a Canon camera. This little guy decided to run across my path. He didn't stop long. I would not have gotten him if I was tied to a tripod or even a monopod. I had to go into the prone position to get this shot. One more example. This female red wing wouldn't let me get close. So I did appreciate all the reach I could get.

03-31-2008, 04:17 AM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Chako It depends on how you are going to do wildlife photography. I am no professional. I do however, like to focus on wildlife during my summer months for my own enjoyment. It gets me out there to enjoy all that nature has to offer. That and I like the challenges. When the snow melts, I usually like to take hikes and walk around. I will always take my camera with me. Because I don't wait patiently in one spot all the time, I do not use tripods or monopods. I do however use a Bushhawk shoulder mount. My lens of choice is a 50-500mm Bigma. It is perfect for its versatility. Because I move about, I need all the reach I can get, so most of the time, I am shooting at 500mm. Quite a few times, though, the 50mm has come in handy. I don't camouflage myself, preferring to wear blaze orange just in case you get mistaken for a deer, bear, or moose during hunting season (but only if I go into the forest and at certain times of the year…majority of my work is in local parks where it is safer). Here is a photo of my wildlife rig. How much do you feel the Bushhawk helps in stability compared to hand holding alone? I have toyed with the idea of a gun mount for many years but never really gone after it.

03-31-2008, 05:25 AM	#10
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381	I've used 300mm and 400mm lenses for wildlife, mostly birds. A fast lens like a 300mm 2.8 is on my 'future' list as i find that this length usually gives me enuff reach (add 1.4 or 1.7 tc for more) and is short enuff for those 'comin at ya' shots. i also agree with the visibility comment as its easy to get shot at by non camera shooters. an inexpensive zoom is the tamron 70-300mm for about $150. it has it quirks (correctable in pp) and is quite sharp.

03-31-2008, 10:01 AM	#11
lodi781 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: southern CT Posts: 219 Original Poster	Wow lots of great info here, thank you to all. The parks near me do not allow hunting ( MTB, Trails, that sort of thing) so I don't have to worry about getting shot. I ride those trail frequently and lost count how many times I wish I had my camera 'cause a fox ran right in front of me. Thats why I started thinking " hey, I bet some camo might work." Then I read somewhere, that a guy does use ghillies suits and sardines. I thought, well, maybe it's worth a look. On a side note, Primes or zooms? discuss...

03-31-2008, 12:01 PM	#12
TomE Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 299	I use my Turkey hinting camo in summer and Snow camo in winter for wildlife photography for subjects that are not normally around people. For subjects that are not afraid of people, I just dress normally and try to keep my camera as solid as possible using a tripod of monopod. I use a 70-200 f/2.8 zoom, a 300 f/2.8 prime and a 300 f/4.5 prime for the majority of my wildlife photography. I have a gun mount like the Brushhawk but rarely use it except for times when the tripod is not possible to use. Tom

04-01-2008, 03:41 AM	#13
Chako Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ont, Canada. Posts: 563	It does help substantially when used properly. It took me about 3 weeks to get used to it though. It sure felt funny and odd during the break in period. Now, it is quite comfortable. During the break in period, I had to make multiple adjustments to finally find a spot that is comfortable. I modified the Bushawk slightly though. The original method is to have the sling below the camera so it hangs upside down. I didn't like either position, so I bought a rifle sling mount (screw type) and threaded this into the furthest hold on the front grip. I then twisted the shoulder stock so that the d ring is facing up. I can now walk around, with the camera upright and always ready at a moments notice. It also takes the heavy strain off the arms and onto the shoulders especially if I thread one arm and head through the sling and have the rifle sling lay across my back. The only issue I have with it is my difficulty to hold the gun stock parallel to the horizon due to the rig being top heavy. I wear glasses and it is sometimes hard for me to hold it straight at times. I also bought a RDS (Red dot site) that fits onto the camera hot shoe. I have tried it out, and it is great for BIF shots without having to look into the view finder. It is a little tricky to sight in however, as you have to figure out your average distance from your subjects. Likewise, composition goes out the window. I haven't had a chance to try it out on small fast birds yet. Something I hope to do when the warmer weather gets here. I would not use this around any government buildings or other areas of national security. I do use this in public parks a lot. I have had a few comments from close observers about my having a weapons, but they quickly realize what it is when I get close enough for them to see the lens and camera. Just be prepared for a lot of curious people wanting to come closer and have a chat about the gear. That is a negative aspect of using a gun stock, especially if all I wish to do is have a nice relaxing walk and do my thing. Ennacac. Fantastic action photo.