SLR LENS for Antartica 2009!

[mjf0048@airimba.com]

Right after seeing some review on the 15mm not so good, I kind of changed my mind on that lens, is better just to upgrade the 70-200 f.2.8. A laptop would save the need to have anything larger than 14 gb. Do you have any sample shots taken with the polarizer? Is it really that bright there to use polarizer, If not used right your picture can come out worse then if you did not use one.

The IS version of the 70-200 f2.8 is a fantastic lens and would certainly help when you are shooting from a zodiac, if you are planning to upgrade to it. I agree with you about not wanting to distort your landscape shots of bergs (although in your first post of this thread you did refer to possibly buying a 15mm lens...!)

If you are shooting both RAW and JPEG, then you are going to eat up your 14Gb of memory cards very quickly. Unless you are prepared to delete shots before you get home, to free up some space, I'd recommend taking some more memory - there are basically no shops in Antarctica, and memory cards are relatively cheap compared with the cost of your trip.

Finally, on the circular polarizer - a lens hood minimises flare but makes no practical difference to the effect of this filter on the light hitting your camera sensor. You will be shooting in a very reflective environment (bright sun, ice, water etc) and so I'd certainly recommend packing one in your camera bag, even if you opt not to use it when you get there!

I look forward to seeing some of your shots in the gallery next year on your return...!

Mike[/quote]

[Mike]

I've posted a few of my shots in the Members' Gallery on this site - many of the landscape and wildlife shots were taken with a polariser.

Here's a link...

http://www.coolantarctica.com/PhotoP.../500/ppuser/33

Mike

[Poindexter]

The real question is, what kind of photographer are you? Do you prefer snap-shots? Do you prefer artistic shots (like Art Wolfe)?

If you're just going to take photos for memory purposes, and maybe a print or two, then minimal gear should be sufficient. If you want stuff for the portfolio, then come prepared. Photography is understanding light, and second to that is knowing your gear for the purpose of capturing light.

I am one to pack too much, take too much on the first 1 or 2 excursions, then reevaluate my load if I need to. Every trip is the trip of a lifetime and some trips are the trips of multiple lifetimes. Traveling to Antarctica is, in my opinion, the ultimate trip a human can take on Earth in this day and age. If your pack is heavy, you'll only be straining during the short trip but you might have the equipment to get memories you'll enjoy the rest of your life.

Maybe I didn't read this thread close enough, but I'd say the only thing you're lacking is insurance. Things do not always go perfectly with gear. What are you doing for back-up? It looks like you have the glass to cover things, but what happens if your body takes a dump? Do you have a back-up body? What if you drop a lens off the boat? Will it be that critical focal length you can't live without?

What about protection? Read this article: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/es...7-worked.shtml - serious photography trip and look at how many gear problems they had because of rain. You might want to look into some sort of rain protection (I use the Thinktank Hydrophobia) and a rain cover for your bag (I use the standard cover that came with my bag). Are you taking a laptop to move photos off the video card? What about a back-up harddrive or iPod to store your keepers on? What happens if a memory card goes bad (check out a program called Photo Rescue).

Yes, all this stuff adds up fast! I like the minimalist approach some of the other posters have suggested, but I like to be prepared. I'd feel like the trip was wasted if I couldn't get the best of my photographic abilities back from an excursion of this nature.

Here are a few things I threw together:

Gear I'm taking (keep in mind I regularly hike with more gear than this): http://axspot.wordpress.com/2008/08/...tartic-voyage/

Clothing I'm packing: http://axspot.wordpress.com/2008/08/...the-falklands/

And here's some stuff just on the trip in general: http://axspot.wordpress.com/category/antarctica/

[Poindexter]

And your question about Gitzo....ABSOLUTELY! To quote one of my favorite photographers, Joe McNally....."No matter how many megapixels you've got inside that fancy machine you hold in your hands, they aren't worth beans if you don't hold your camera steady." Look at the photos from any photography trip and pay close attention to the photos of the photographers themselves - not a single one is without a killer tripod. Most are using Gitzo because the carbon fiber models are light-weight, sturdy, and can get extremely low to the ground. Light-weight for ease of carrying. Sturdy to hold the heaviest of gear and withstand the wind. Low to the ground because you'll want to be eye-level with the animals to convey their world.

You'll also need a good ballhead. Acra-Swiss, Realy Right Stuff, and Markins build the most popular professional/pro-sumer models. Markins and Acra-Swiss recently redesigned thier top models to be smaller and lighter. RRS will hopefully have some new designs soon too.

B&H is a good place to buy Gitzo and Acra-Swiss from (bhphotovideo.com), but you have to buy Markins from Markins USA. For your gear, you don't need the top of the line....that stuff is for super telephoto glass.

[mjf0048@airimba.com]

To group,

I heard is better to use a monopod for Antartica to shot wildlife? only if its a giltzo. light weight or you get killed by Lan or AR on excess weight? What type of ND filter do you recommend by B +W for antarica? Is this a good set to take to antartica 300mm, 70-200mm, 24-70mm and 17-40mm. Also, do you need a flash with a flash bracked? I heard a fast camera is a must like the Mark III. I have seen used ones with 1000 shots on it selling for $2800 on ebay. Just want to be prepared. But please no spam. Only if you are serious about leaving a response related to this topic

[mjf0048@airimba.com]

Hey Mike,

Regarding to the memory how much memory is enough? I will be taking a laptop. I will shot everything in raw to give me more options in PS CS4. I opted to not get the 15mm lens. Just stick what I have. I took your advice and purchased two CirPol filters I hope this will be enough because I purchased one for the 24-70 and 70-200 since they will mostly be used for water shots. What ND filter you recommend from B +W to shot water falls in Igazu ? they make three some say 2.0, some say 3.0 what is the difference. B and H says most people buy the 2.0 for some reason or is it 102.

Marc

[mjf0048@airimba.com]

Hey Paul,

Some people have recommend I purchase a monopod if I can get bogan 234 twist head along with the clamps. This will cut down on wight and time of setting up a tripod. They recommend the Gitzo 3551, since the 5something is to much overkill for lenses less than 400mm. Do you need a flash? some people say yes and some no? what about ND, CirPOl filter. Bean bag sounds good, not expensive. I found a place that makes customer waterproof bags. They are from Alaska, but pricey, but will not be as bulky as lowepro dry zone. Will also fit all your gear including laptop.

Marc

[Poindexter]

Here is my advice after just getting back: http://axspot.wordpress.com/2008/11/...ed-what-didnt/

[Paul Ward]

Hi Marc,

Reading through the above threads and in particular poindexters blog I think it's a question of what you are happy doing and like using.

My Antarctic shots here are on 35mm film with a set of lenses that between them delivered better quality than current digital slr's. With the quality/weight/equipment issue perhaps less critical than with digital (35mm is lighter and with quality - pixel equivalent - that digital still struggles to match) my priorities were elsewhere.

Stability is critical, I wouldn't carry a tripod every where as it slows you down and limits where you go. A monopod and bean bag would be my preference. The best accessory you have is your legs to get the best place to take your picture. I think a waist camera bag is far better than a backpack (though you should have both).

As for water proof, I never had a problem with a standard rucsac and waist bag with internal drawcords keeping my gear dry. The only problems I ever saw were when people dropped their camera into the sea and that happened when it was out of a bag.

The majority of my pictures on this site were taken with either a 50mm or 100mm fixed lens which was never more than about 5 seconds from readiness.

I also think that the experience of "being there" is important too, you can't get this so well if you are viewing the world through a camera lens. Sometimes I would leave my camera gear behind deliberately.

Of course planning and a tripod will get you some great shots, but not all of them and you will have to carry all the gear around. I'd go for the faster moving and more flexible approach without any lens outside of 28-200mm. I spent a lot of time taking pictures when other people did and I know I got plenty they missed. Get good quality gear you can move quickly with and practise, practise, practise before you go.

[mjf0048@airimba.com]

To: Paul,

Your advice sounds good. Is the Lowe pro toploader a good bag good to use as a wist bag? or is there something else different. From reading posts over the last several months. Is better to stick with the 17-40, 24-70, 70-200, 300mm or maybe the 100 2.8 and leave the other lenses at home, the 50mm 1.4 which I have not used in 3 years. I mostly been using the first four and only used the 100 2.8 to take pictures of the instects. I just have to buy the special attachments for my monopod with the twist head to work right. I have the gitzo 3550. Deceided not to buy the tripod too much to carry and takes to long to set up when on a tour for a month. I just need to purchase the foot plates and bean bag. I have the ziplock 1 gallon sandwich bags for moisture control. Any more suggestions for Antartica and Iguizi falls? I know the histrogram is the best friend you can have on the camera and magic latin guide.

Marc