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Kayaks and Cameras
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Mar 16, 2018 20:53:40   #
christinortham
 
I kayak often and always bring my camera. If I think that I will be shooting wildlife, I'll bring my extra camera and 150-600mm. Otherwise, it'll be my 18-300. Also, well insured

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Mar 16, 2018 21:43:55   #
TonyBot
 
Looking at your very good photos, you will not be satisfied with even an excellent waterproof camera.
Use a "fishing" kayak, it's a little wider to make it more stable for the crazy casting movements a fisherman makes - and especially needed if he/she catches "the big one" and has to fight it in. A dealer I know has one, fabricated a home-made monopod, and puts it into a matching receptacle epoxied to the bottom of the boat. It is just far enough in front of him and short enough that even with a good camera attached to it it doesn't interfere with his paddling and is easy to reach, remove, and use. A kayak set up for using a sail would be similar. He also covers the camera with a towel - and keeps a spare or two in clear bags to keep them dry.
That being said - when in FLA we rent or borrow kayaks (wide ones if available) and do mostly creek and bay day trips with occasional but rare trips into open water on calm days. I do take one DSLR and a 70-200 and keep it in my lap, covered with a towel. A longer lens would be nice, but you want to be able to grab it and use it almost instantly. Balancing is very important, needless to say, and you have to be comfortable grabbing and using the camera.
No matter what you do, it'll get splashed at least a little. Salt water and DSLRs really do not get along well. Usually the "flat-water" trips we do are no issue, but we have been caught paddling back home against the wind and an outgoing tide, so we always keep a couple of small 13gallon trash bags with us to protect gear.
Have fun, whichever way, and be prepared to take some great shots!

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Mar 16, 2018 23:22:47   #
captxmas Loc: San Francisco Bay Area
 
So...having been an avid open water kayaker I have devised two option that I primarily use.:

1. I have a SONY A6000 with an inexpensive ($150) waterproof housing that I use for kayaking and snorkeling. Great set-up but limited on lens reach.

2. I remove my D610 from a dry bag and try and have my paddle partner assist in stabilizing my boat while shooting.

I have used several of the waterproof point and shoots, my favorite was a Nikon but have to admit that the quality of the image is not as god as the listed cameras.

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Mar 17, 2018 00:08:56   #
Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California
 
Pixelpixie88 wrote:
I am hoping to join friends this summer on some kayaking adventures. This will be all new to me. Also, it will be on small rivers...no whitewater. My question to you is, if you are a kayaker, what do you bring for a camera? One of my photographer friends does not bring any of her good cameras or lenses. They seem to have small waterproof cameras for kayaking. All I can think of is the photographic opportunities I would be missing! (Lots of wildlife up here.) All of my gear is insured but that doesn't mean I want to risk it getting dunked.
So, what do you do...dry bag with bigger camera & lens or small waterproof camera? And, if you have a small waterproof camera, how does that work for you? Brand of waterproof camera recommendation?

Thanks for any advice on this.

Marsha
I am hoping to join friends this summer on some ka... (show quote)


Here is what I use. You cannot tip it over while in the boat. Outriggers are the way to go.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-312482-1.html

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Mar 17, 2018 01:06:35   #
the hiker Loc: San Diego
 
I have been w/w rafting for years and what I have learned is this.If you take a good camera on the water make sure you use a w/p case to keep it in .you can always take it out of the case to take pictures then return it to the case when not in use.I also always take a w/p camera with me [ mine is a nicon aw100] for when I'm feeling lazy and just want to take quick shots. My last kayak trip was 6 days on Jackson lake in yelloowstone N.P .I got some great pictures while kayaking. As in doing anything with a camera around water you just have to be careful.If you would like to see some of the pictures I took I will dig them out and post them for you. Before that kayaking trip I had no expierence in a kayak other then a few leasons on mission bay in cal. Make sure your seat is adjusted right so you are comfortable or it will be a long day.

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Mar 17, 2018 02:07:45   #
TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA
 
I took my cameras with me on a week-long canoe/camping trips every year for 18 years and never had a problem. There are waterproof bags built for this purpose - anything from Pelican hard-sided cases to relatively inexpensive inflatable pouches. Get something that you like and enjoy yourself. Do your sightseeing unencumbered by the camera and take it out of its protection when you see a picture to take.
Have fun.

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Mar 17, 2018 08:52:34   #
crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada
 
foathog wrote:
Did that guy survive that jump? LOL


Barely. That was my son. Freaked me out a little. A guy broke both his legs and his back because he didnt listen to the locals on the angle. (My 2nd son did it too)

It still very dangerous even with the right angle as you need to run 1/3 of the way down the rock and the leap to clear the rest. If you slip...morte....the local guides normally wont let you do it but they saw my sons doing backflips off the platforms so they allowed them.
The GoPro video is pretty spectacular.

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Mar 17, 2018 13:10:57   #
ValliPride Loc: Lost in Florida
 
I have been using the Tough 5 it's a point and shoot camera that I strap into my Hobie it's a good little camera.nice zoom and shoots Raw I would not dare use my Nikon 850 even thought about it before I bought this camera Good luck.

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Mar 17, 2018 13:12:54   #
ValliPride Loc: Lost in Florida
 
timm27 wrote:
There is a reason we pay the insurance premiums. Take the "Good stuff."


Can I ask who do you recommend for camera insurance ?

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Mar 17, 2018 15:23:34   #
Polock
 
I wouldn't consider taking a camera in a kayak but i wouldn't think twice about taking one in a canoe

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Mar 17, 2018 15:38:13   #
bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY
 
Polock wrote:
I wouldn't consider taking a camera in a kayak but i wouldn't think twice about taking one in a canoe


Please explain, every canoe I've been in is much less stable than a kayak

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Mar 17, 2018 15:53:25   #
KayakingUSA Loc: New Salem, North Carolina
 
Polock wrote:
I wouldn't consider taking a camera in a kayak but i wouldn't think twice about taking one in a canoe


That is odd because a canoe is twice as likely to roll over as a kayak. I would never get in a canoe with or without a camera but I kayak with my camera every week and never had a problem.

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Mar 17, 2018 18:19:39   #
Pixelpixie88 Loc: Northern Minnesota
 
Selene03 wrote:
I love taking pictures of birds and wildlife from my kayak as much as any other photography I do. I am mostly in salt water bays and estuaries though sometimes in the ocean. The salt water adds an additional problem. I wouldn't hesitate to use my best gear on 32 ft boats, though I had to be careful on my brothers sailboat in oceans off Hawaii. My personal opinion after trying many of them are that the waterproof cameras that are sold for under $500.00 do not allow me to take pictures I am satisfied with either on land or on the water. There are too many compromises with them to allow them to make the kind of sharp photos I want. They also don't have enough zoom capability. My iphone camera is better and you can find cheap but well made waterproof covers for them, but the photos you get from them are suitable for posting on facebook and not much else. I tried a panasonic with a longer zoom--it's ok, but not great. I finally though maybe I would try a refurbished Canon sl1 since it didn't cost that much and I wouldn't be destroyed if it got really ruined. It turned out to be a wonderful solution. I started out with an 18-135 mm lens, but have settled on using it with a 70-300 mm lens. It is a perfect combination for me, as it is very light weight, and the camera is remarkably element-resistant in spite of it being a low end Canon camera. A whale spouted on it, which covered it in weird gunk, but everything still works a year later except the pop-up flash won't pop up any more, which is of no concern to me, since i only use the camera in my kayak. Waves have sometimes gotten it wet, though I try to protect it--again, it is still working and the sl1/70-300 mm combo produces photos that I can live with. Canon just had a sale on refurbished models of the sl2, which I just ordered to replace the sl1--I think I will like having more megapixels and other features of the camera, but the detail I got from the simple sl1 was significant. I haven't read through all of this so I don't know what your better gear is, but I think the entry level Nikon would work just as well, maybe better. I also tried using a Sony RX 10 iii, but it didn't focus fast enough for the birds; it was ok, but the sl1 is better with whales and dolphins. I have been told by several camera dealers that Sony's are less well weather-proofed than other cameras, but I never really tried them on the water as I find them too fiddlely.

I do keep the camera in a dry bag when not in use and when I am protecting it. Everyone is different, but I think the lower end camera is a great compromise between the point and shoots and my pretty high end gear. I love watching birds and wildlife in natural settings and the combination I use is great for capturing that. You are right to not want to miss out on opportunities. Whatever you decide on, have a great time!!! It sounds like a great way to spend some time in the summer.

I
I love taking pictures of birds and wildlife from ... (show quote)


What you wrote....is pretty much what I'm thinking. I do have a second camera body....it too is insured...now for the lens. I have a couple of options and just need to get that kayaking experience first. I need to get the "feel" of the kayak...where would a camera be and could I grab it quickly?
Thank you for your reply...I like what you are doing.
Marsha

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Mar 17, 2018 18:21:44   #
Pixelpixie88 Loc: Northern Minnesota
 
the hiker wrote:
I have been w/w rafting for years and what I have learned is this.If you take a good camera on the water make sure you use a w/p case to keep it in .you can always take it out of the case to take pictures then return it to the case when not in use.I also always take a w/p camera with me [ mine is a nicon aw100] for when I'm feeling lazy and just want to take quick shots. My last kayak trip was 6 days on Jackson lake in yelloowstone N.P .I got some great pictures while kayaking. As in doing anything with a camera around water you just have to be careful.If you would like to see some of the pictures I took I will dig them out and post them for you. Before that kayaking trip I had no expierence in a kayak other then a few leasons on mission bay in cal. Make sure your seat is adjusted right so you are comfortable or it will be a long day.
I have been w/w rafting for years and what I have... (show quote)


I would love to see photos taken from a kayak!

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Mar 17, 2018 18:39:20   #
KayakingUSA Loc: New Salem, North Carolina
 
Pixelpixie88 wrote:
I would love to see photos taken from a kayak!


Most of the pictures that I have posted on this site have been taken from a kayak.

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