Alaska M8 What lenses for Icebergs and Wildlife

[bab]

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I have a 500mm glass for my 1ds2 and about 20 other lenses, but would rather try to accomplish making images without them for this particular trip to Alaska. This will be my first time to the state and dont know what to expect as far as weather and lighting in about the second week of August.

 

My M8 and 35 1.4 seem like a easy travel companion for a cruise and 5 day land package, I would like to add 1 or 2 other lenses to round out the package. Although I have been forcing myself to shoot with one lens now I believe its time to acquire another piece of glass.

 

From my research it seems scenics landscapes are ify , floral and ocean ice easy, wildlife you have to go deep into the bush, Danali seldom able to see the top.

 

Regards

 

Barry

[BillBrittain]

Well, I don't have one (yet) but it seems that the new 90mm f/4 macro lens would be great. It's the longest lens you can practically use on the M8, fast enough for travel photography, and you have the macro option for florals.

 

Add to that the fact that it's relatively compact...damn...I gotta order one of those myself!

[arthury]

I have a 500mm glass for my 1ds2 and about 20 other lenses, but would rather try to accomplish making images without them for this particular trip to Alaska. This will be my first time to the state and dont know what to expect as far as weather and lighting in about the second week of August.

 

My M8 and 35 1.4 seem like a easy travel companion for a cruise and 5 day land package, I would like to add 1 or 2 other lenses to round out the package. Although I have been forcing myself to shoot with one lens now I believe its time to acquire another piece of glass.

 

From my research it seems scenics landscapes are ify , floral and ocean ice easy, wildlife you have to go deep into the bush, Danali seldom able to see the top.

 

Regards

 

Barry

For a pleasure trip (with photography considered low priority), the M8 should work just fine. Add a longer lens like the 90mm or the 75mm and a wider lens like the 24mm or wider should help you to cover a reasonable range. In fact, it's perfect to capture the culture of the little towns you'll be stopping by and for scenics.

 

As for wildlife, most of the large ones (such as bears and moose) in Denali are too dangerous to approach with a 90mm lens. The smaller ones would not yield a frame-filling image for a 90mm; but, you can try, some may let you. Seriously, I do not think the M8 is a practical tool for wildlife unless you're doing it in zoos or in very specially controlled situations.

 

Have a nice trip! Which cruise are you planning to use? We're exploring for one as well for this summer.

[DaveEP]

I would go for the 75 or 90 for a longer lens, and consider the VC 15 (with a 21mm finder) for the wide angle scenary shots (unless you can spring for the WATE).

 

Wild life is always going to be tough with a rangefinder (due to shorter working focal lengths), so I would perhaps not get your hopes up too much on that one.

[colorflow]

I took exactly the same trip last summer. Of course that was before the M8 was available. The M8 and 28mm would be perfect for landscape. I brought a Canon 70-200 plus 1.4x converter for wildlife. Still could use something longer, but did get decent photos of bears, whales, otters etc. You have to bring SLR and long tele if you want to photo wildlife, and you will have plenty of opportunities to do so. So my suggestion is to bring the M8 plus one or two lenses for landscape and your 500mm and 1ds2 for wildlife. You will need IS since you won't have time or space to set up tripot.

 

Don't miss the plane excursion to see the top of Danali - spectacular.

 

Alan

[albertknappmd]

I would also opt for the layered approach of WA, 50mm and 90mm lenses for the m8 as well as the 500mm Canon....

[bab]

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Thanks for the response...

 

I'm taking the princess sapphire on the 11th of august and trying to have a local travel agent in Juneau plan the excurisions and also a 5 day post land package.

 

In the past when I have used my 500mm shooting bears and larger game two situations always occur .....

1. too far away to make the proper images so I have to slap on 2x and sometimes 2x + 1.4x

2. too close and 500mm with no zoom needs to stay on tripod while I take off camera back and slap on 100-400mm or 70-200mm

 

When photographing birds 500mm seem to never be enough!

 

I agree the 15mm and the 90 or 75 would be a nice compliment to my 35.

 

barry

[bab]

I took exactly the same trip last summer. Of course that was before the M8 was available. The M8 and 28mm would be perfect for landscape. I brought a Canon 70-200 plus 1.4x converter for wildlife. Still could use something longer, but did get decent photos of bears, whales, otters etc. You have to bring SLR and long tele if you want to photo wildlife, and you will have plenty of opportunities to do so. So my suggestion is to bring the M8 plus one or two lenses for landscape and your 500mm and 1ds2 for wildlife. You will need IS since you won't have time or space to set up tripot.

 

Don't miss the plane excursion to see the top of Danali - spectacular.

 

Alan

What port did you take the plane from

[girphoto]

Hi Barry

I have made many trips to ALASKA and the time of year that yor are going, you will have about 19 hours of daylight. Even at night, it does not get to the point that we in the lower 48 look at night to be.

As far as glass goes, depending on the trip that you take, The 500mm might be to big. I carried a 500 on my first trip and never used it once.

I did take a Leica D2 on my trips and use it for landscape and views from the ALASKA rail.

It is also a nice camers for Glacia walking. If the M8 would have been out, YES, I would have had it with me. I usally go end of JUNE or early July for the Salmone run and the bear catching salmon game (what a sight if you get to Brooks Falls).

I also had a few CANON Cameras with a selection of glass (VERY HEAVY). add in a laptop and some clothes and you are sure to go over the allowable weight.

On my Last trip, I scaled down to two Canon 1 D MII's and the Leica D2 + laptop and clothes.

 

On my next trip, I will take 2 M8's lenses to include 28f28, 50f1.5, 90 f2.8 and 15cv and 2 Canon's wirh a 28-300 zoom and a 400 f 4 DO. Because of the light in ALASKA, you can get away with slower and lighter glass.

Temp at that time of year is fleece or light jacket and warming in the daytime. DO NOT FOGET RAIN GEAR. IT CAN RAIN AT ANY TIME, USALLY NOT FOR LONG. I find that Aquatech the best in that department.

 

Good Luck and Have fun

Gary

Gary I. Rothstein, Photography

book published "ALASKA a Digital ODYSSEY"

[mike prevette]

I grew up in south east Alaska (Juneau and some other small towns), and cut my photography chops up there. WIDE WIDE WIDE is what your going to want. A 24 was alway a lens of choice for me. So the cv15, or a 21 would be a good choice. Gary's comments above are totaly on the mark regarding weather.

 

There are not that many large game shooting opportunities out of Juneau. The real bear scenes are all north in Kodiak, or south in AnnAnn. No moose to speak of, LOTS of eagles and whales. Some mountain goats, lots of birds, and millions of salmon. Remember Juneau is isolated with no roads leading in or out. There is lots to do, but it's also 1500 miles from Denali, so it's a much different landscape.

 

_mike

[stuny]

Barry -

 

Bring plenty of mosquito repellent with a high percentage of DEET. The summers in Alaska are owned by the mosquitoes and black flies, which should not be a problem when you are on the cruise ship, but you will be going ashore in all the usual places. Do not be disappointed if you come back with little or no wildlife photos. The animals are not particularly approachable, either because they’ve learned to be wary of humans (Many Alaskans have a taxidermist much as us lower-staters have a family doctor, and I’ve even met animal activists in Alaska who hunt), or the animals are dangerous. You will also be in a La Nina summer, so there’s a good chance you’ll have more rain than normal, and coastal Alaska gets considerable rain. With those cautions, you will not be disappointed. There is astonishingly great natural beauty to the state. We, however, elected to do our tour differently (see the Alaska notes and photos on our site), partly because on the ships you have magical beauty separated by significant time periods of little to see. Your M8 should be ideal, and you probably will want the 90mm at times, as well as perhaps the relatively inexpensive CV15.

[sm23221]

M8 for landscapes, 1Ds2 for wildlife. Can't have it both ways, I've tried.

[arthury]

[...]

In the past when I have used my 500mm shooting bears and larger game two situations always occur .....

1. too far away to make the proper images so I have to slap on 2x and sometimes 2x + 1.4x

2. too close and 500mm with no zoom needs to stay on tripod while I take off camera back and slap on 100-400mm or 70-200mm

[...]

barry

 

For bears, the best place in Alaska is not Denali but Katmai NP. That's place has the most concentration of bears per square mile than any other places and they are well fed bears and so the risks are significantly lower. But, Katmai is not going to be exactly a care-free trip. Since you brought out bears, I thot I bring out Katmai.

[colorflow]

What port did you take the plane from

We took a pre-cruise land tour of Danali Park. We were staying at the Grand Danali just outside the park. The airport for the plane ride is just half hour from there. Sorry, don't remember the name of the town the airport is at.

 

There will be plenty of wild life if you go into the Park. I got many bear shots, and some were pretty close. I had 200+converter plus 1.6x on the 20D with equivalent of 448mm and was too short but still good after cropping. Your 500mm+converter is about right. Downside is lugging all that weight just for a few shots.

 

For the M8 I would bring something between the 35mm (too tight) and the 15mm (too distorted). The 28 would be good all around, 24 or 21 would be great too. Remember Alaska is on a grand scale.

 

Have fun,

Alan

[Guest Olof]

If you see the Mount Furuhjelm please send me a picture.... its named after the last russian governour of Alaska, who was a ancestor of my grandaunt

 

Johan Hampus Furuhjelm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bab]

Barry -

 

Bring plenty of mosquito repellent with a high percentage of DEET. The summers in Alaska are owned by the mosquitoes and black flies, which should not be a problem when you are on the cruise ship, but you will be going ashore in all the usual places. Do not be disappointed if you come back with little or no wildlife photos. The animals are not particularly approachable, either because they’ve learned to be wary of humans (Many Alaskans have a taxidermist much as us lower-staters have a family doctor, and I’ve even met animal activists in Alaska who hunt), or the animals are dangerous. You will also be in a La Nina summer, so there’s a good chance you’ll have more rain than normal, and coastal Alaska gets considerable rain. With those cautions, you will not be disappointed. There is astonishingly great natural beauty to the state. We, however, elected to do our tour differently (see the Alaska notes and photos on our site), partly because on the ships you have magical beauty separated by significant time periods of little to see. Your M8 should be ideal, and you probably will want the 90mm at times, as well as perhaps the relatively inexpensive CV15.

 

I have some 100% deet left over from my trip to the central

Artic

thanks for reminding me also about the rain gear

 

barry

[bab]

We took a pre-cruise land tour of Danali Park. We were staying at the Grand Danali just outside the park. The airport for the plane ride is just half hour from there. Sorry, don't remember the name of the town the airport is at.

 

There will be plenty of wild life if you go into the Park. I got many bear shots, and some were pretty close. I had 200+converter plus 1.6x on the 20D with equivalent of 448mm and was too short but still good after cropping. Your 500mm+converter is about right. Downside is lugging all that weight just for a few shots.

 

For the M8 I would bring something between the 35mm (too tight) and the 15mm (too distorted). The 28 would be good all around, 24 or 21 would be great too. Remember Alaska is on a grand scale.

 

Have fun,

Alan

thanks alan do you remember what month you went in and your right im not going to get a few shots of some bears which i already possess and haven't printed. What do you think about the WATE for a fill in lens.

 

barry

[colorflow]

thanks alan do you remember what month you went in and your right im not going to get a few shots of some bears which i already possess and haven't printed. What do you think about the WATE for a fill in lens.

 

barry

The WATE would be ideal! You won't need anything over f4 anyway.

 

We went towards the end of August, 8-17 to 9-1 if I remember correctly, a little too late. Four days in the Park and 7 days of cruising from Seaward to Vancouver. Your dates are ideal.

 

Alan

[bab]

Hi Barry

I have made many trips to ALASKA and the time of year that yor are going, you will have about 19 hours of daylight. Even at night, it does not get to the point that we in the lower 48 look at night to be.

As far as glass goes, depending on the trip that you take, The 500mm might be to big. I carried a 500 on my first trip and never used it once.

I did take a Leica D2 on my trips and use it for landscape and views from the ALASKA rail.

It is also a nice camers for Glacia walking. If the M8 would have been out, YES, I would have had it with me. I usally go end of JUNE or early July for the Salmone run and the bear catching salmon game (what a sight if you get to Brooks Falls).

I also had a few CANON Cameras with a selection of glass (VERY HEAVY). add in a laptop and some clothes and you are sure to go over the allowable weight.

On my Last trip, I scaled down to two Canon 1 D MII's and the Leica D2 + laptop and clothes.

 

On my next trip, I will take 2 M8's lenses to include 28f28, 50f1.5, 90 f2.8 and 15cv and 2 Canon's wirh a 28-300 zoom and a 400 f 4 DO. Because of the light in ALASKA, you can get away with slower and lighter glass.

Temp at that time of year is fleece or light jacket and warming in the daytime. DO NOT FOGET RAIN GEAR. IT CAN RAIN AT ANY TIME, USALLY NOT FOR LONG. I find that Aquatech the best in that department.

 

Good Luck and Have fun

Gary

Gary I. Rothstein, Photography

book published "ALASKA a Digital ODYSSEY"

 

Gary thank for the 411. Question would you say I would be better off staying in Kenai or that area for the 4-5 post day trip or would you move north? If you had to pick one place bearing in mind I will be traveling with 2 daughters 24 ,22 and my wife so they also need to have some fishing once, river rafting, and some sightseeing where would you reccomend? and is there more mosiqutoes by Kenai or Denali

Thanks Barry

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Hallo,

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[waterlenz]

I have a 500mm glass for my 1ds2 and about 20 other lenses, but would rather try to accomplish making images without them for this particular trip to Alaska. This will be my first time to the state and dont know what to expect as far as weather and lighting in about the second week of August.

 

My M8 and 35 1.4 seem like a easy travel companion for a cruise and 5 day land package, I would like to add 1 or 2 other lenses to round out the package. Although I have been forcing myself to shoot with one lens now I believe its time to acquire another piece of glass.

 

From my research it seems scenics landscapes are ify , floral and ocean ice easy, wildlife you have to go deep into the bush, Danali seldom able to see the top.

 

Regards

 

Barry

 

 

I live here, any bit of gear can be useful. But do not let your gear be a burden! Being at the right place at the right time is more critical than the 50# bag of gear. The points about bug dope and rain should be emphasized. You might get lucky though, breezy conditions (to keep skeeters away) and sunshine could prevail.

Tom