'Best' settings for shooting from a small boat?

[TravelingChick]

As I mentioned previously, our next few trips are going to be expedition ships - smaller ships 200-300 passengers with nature outings everyday usually onboard zodiacs or RIBs. While shooting from the deck of the ship, I plan to use a monopod with the 150-600 and have the 12-100 handy. On the zodiac, the quarters will be much tighter and no monopods. I'm debating using the 100-400 since it would be easier to manage and handhold, but since I'll have my 150-600 I's love to use that. So: which IS settings on the camera do I need to have dialed in for a small moving boat and a long heavy lens?

[gazza95]

HI, I've just returned from Shetland where we did a rib boat trip to photograph gannets on cliff and in flight. I just left IS settings at my normal BIF IS-Auto sensitivity 0 - +2, focus area all or single if I could hold it steady enough.

Only change I made was to use 1/4000 sec shutter speed when bright enough.

Some shots were taken on 12-40 as birds can really close at times!

My issue with 150-400 was simply holding subject in frame at longer lengths, but did help picking birds out on cliff.

100-400 seems much more sensible to hold and has shorter focal length.


Gary

[TravelingChick]

Thanks. I'll double-check my settings. My dilemma is I really don't want to bring BOTH teles as I will be weight -limited on some flights.

[TravelingChick]

I can't find the menu for the IS-Auto sensitivity - maybe you meant auto ISO? It looks like I'm using S-IS 1 "all direction" and the lens IS is on.

I usually shoot birds and critters in S mode 1/2000 minimum, Auto ISO, f5.6 or 6.0. Silent Sequential SH2 (or ProCapture if it makes sense) and C-AF with bird or animal detect. I'm doing OK on land, but as you said keeping anything in the frame is a challenge.

[David Mallott]

From my experience of photographing birds on the island of Canna from a small boat, it was very difficult to hold the OM-1 & 100-400mm (mk1)+MC-14 still, even when the sea was really calm*. Maybe Sync IS would have helped? I would certainly recommend using high shutter speeds and not too long a lens.

*the boat was still going up and down.

David


On of my few sharp shots.

[blu-by-u]

Just a thought from my analogue days, we have this calculation (1/focal length) for the speed. BUT these days with the beauty of Image Stabilization, it is possible to hold a few stops lower. You can give this a try.

[Miketoll]

My advice is do not use a monopod or tripod as it will transfer the vibration of the engine to your camera. Handheld will be much better as your body will to some extent dampen those vibrations. As for IS the boat will be moving in all directions so use IS in all directions,, personally I would just leave it in IS Auto.. If you can't hand hold the 150 - 600 use the 100 - 400 and keep the shutter speed up. Thats what I did shooting from a small semi - rigid boat and it worked well.

[TravelingChick]

On previous expedition trips I've used a monopod with old Canon 100-400. I just rested the foot of the monopod on my boot to dampen vibrations. I saw plenty of people not even bothering to do that. This is from the deck of the ship - not on the zodiac/RIB. My concern is that the 150-600 will be too heavy to handhold while standing on the deck for what could be hours.

On the RIB, I'm concerned that its length when fully zoomed will be a) awkward b) heavy c) in the way of others, hence maybe using the 100-400 in that case. Mostly for me I think it will come down to shutter speed and how long I can hold whatever kit up.

I do have the IS set to Auto, and don't think I ever change it, regardless of if I'm on a monopod or a tripod or handholding.

[wanderer]

An old Antarctic hand here. Been there once.
The ship was quite small (170 passengers). We were in and out of ribs twice in a day for half the days of the trip.
I used the OM-1. If going ashore I used the 12-100 F4 as items of interest were quite close. If cruising I used the 40-150 F2.8. occasionally with the MC-20 fitted. Certainly on the ship, the latter setup. This gave a 35mm equivalent of 600mm which was plenty long enough. It also allows you to find something easily in the viewfinder and then zoom in.
Conditions in the far South, even on dull days, meant there was still a lot of light so ISO wasn't too high, apertures open kept shutter speeds up.
I didn't use a monopod as it would be in the way tracking wildlife and also...
On the ship there is usually a handrail to rest the camera on. (hand under lens to reduce shake and engine vibration) Do have a strap round your neck as well even with a lifejacket on.
About which the ones we were issued with were self inflating so not too much in the way. Don't put them in a pile ashore as you will never find the one you carefully fitted in your cabin. Hang onto it if possible.
And when getting into or out of a rib, ALWAYS use the seaman's grip, forearm to forearm. The driver or dispatcher will tell you when to move.
On the rib (10 passengers, 1 driver plus an emergency canister) I was often able to scrabble around to face out and rest elbows on the side whilst I was entirely in the well of the rib. N.B. wear old waterproof trousers that you don't mind getting dirty. The wildlife is not bothered about your appearance either.
Carefully clean your equipment after every excursion. Salt water is not good for cameras. I use ROR liquid, it is the best, applied using a large bright Spuz whoch can be washed, rinsed and dried in your cabin.
Final processing and cropping of images of wildlife to half the pixels still gives an excellent image for online and, although I haven't as yet tested it, a print up to A4 (297x210mm).
Shoot anything and everything as you won't be back that way the following week.
Have fun.

[TravelingChick]

Thank you for your detailed response. I have been on several expedition trips both in Antarctica and the high Arctic and shot from the zodiacs (rib). In the past I was shooting Canon 100-400 which was years ago and way less 'tech' than we have now on the OM1. I found the monopod to be really useful on the deck of the ship for wildlife. In the arctic we were photographing polar bears, so we would be up on deck for a long time following a bear. My concern for this trip is that I haven't had this particular lens (150-600) and body (OM1mkii) on a zodiac yet.

I'm a bit older than I was - I'm a tiny bit concerned about the weight, but on the flip side the image stabilization is so good that it might be OK. And of course, you're not spending hours looking through it like you are on deck. In my experience, the zodiacs tended to stop when there was something interesting to photograph and give everyone a chance to take a pic.

My thought is to take the 150-600 for the days at sea and shooting from the deck; the 100-400 for the zodiac, and the 12-100 for everything. My last expedition I had the long lens on one body and a shorter zoom on another on the zodiac. Now I also have my iPhone which is quite capable, esp for wide-angle shots, and fits in a pocket.

I guess I was asking a question more along the lines of is the stabilization good enough - if I'm using the proper settings - to handhold the big lens on the OM1mkii? And what would be those settings? Right now I'm thinking auto-iso, auto IS, and as fast of a shutter speed as I can get. I guess I can always try the big lens and see how it does. Obviously, what we'll see in Alaska is different than Antarctica - no penguins, but possibly bears on shore, and whales/seals/otters etc from the ship. And birds.

[I remember reading your posts - were you on Hurtigruten?]

[wanderer]

I aas wit Oceanwide, a dutch company specialising in Svalbard and Greenland at this time of year & Antarctica in our winter. 3 conventional ships plus one sailing vessel.
At least 2, Hondius and Ortelius are ice strengthened, not icebreakers. Plancius is a converted survey ship.
I was on the former and last Antarctic summer Ortelius made it the furthest South a non scientific/military vessel has ever got, 78°S.

[wanderer]

For the cloth I meant Spudz.