Right Camera for Alaska Cruise (Page 3): This is excellent advice. I foolishly took a new camera to my daughter's high-school graduation, messed up many pictures, and then spent hours...

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Right Camera for Alaska Cruise

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Aug 12, 2014 08:41:35 #

khalidikram

Violameister wrote:

Since you are leaving next week, I would take the cameras you are familiar with. I have seen much too often the predicament of travelers with "new" cameras who are at a loss to use them properly. The Cameras you have already and know how to use are perfectly capable of taking wonderful pictures. You might miss the closeup of the Grizzly, but there is so much more there that is well within the capability of the cameras you have you should do fine.

This is excellent advice. I foolishly took a new camera to my daughter's high-school graduation, messed up many pictures, and then spent hours and hours fixing (most of) them. Will never do such an idiotic thing again (I hope!)

Aug 12, 2014 09:17:22 #

OOOlah Loc: Ohio

Hi Sonny: I took Royal Caribbean and it was awesome. Ship took us right up to Hubbard Glacier and all the other sights along the way. It was a good cruise line to travel with.

(Download)

Aug 12, 2014 10:06:28 #

Dsrapa Loc: Outside of nyc

i just got back from a cruise on the coral princess to alaska. alas, we never had a clear view of Denali, but we had a beautiful sunny day in glacier bay. and in the other ports as well.
i decided to not carry another camera and lenses but had with me every second the panasonic lumix zs30 with a 20xzoom. i think i got great pics, primarily because it's very fast Mountains stand still, but whales , eagles and bears don't.
pics as yet unedited
and i could switch instantly to video.
great trip, and happy with camera. also use lumix gm1 with several lenses, but didn't want to carry.

whales bubble feeding in Juneau

(Download)

Aug 12, 2014 10:11:28 #

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

The camera and lens that you already have will be fine for all photography on board ship and in any of the townships that you visit. If you are going on any wildlife excursions, you might want a little more reach. Most people just shoot the whales, glaciers, townships, city life, totem poles and landscapes. What you have is good for all that and more.

rbweddle wrote:

My wife and I are taking a cruise to Alaska next w... (show quote)

Aug 12, 2014 10:15:08 #

rbweddle

Thanks to everyone for all the good suggestions. I think I will get the SX50 and follow everyone's ideas. My wife will take her Panasonic DMC-TS3 and get better shots than me. LOL
We are looking forward to cruise and trip overall to Alaska. It will be cruise no 12. We did NCL in Hawaii in June. Quite a change.

Aug 12, 2014 10:18:56 #

Robertski Loc: So California

Violameister wrote:

You might miss the closeup of the Grizzly,...

True... and in that case I would prefer the closeup be taken with the SX50 at 1199mm. I've become a big fan of the superzoom bridge cameras, and thinking that if you're not shooting with the quality of a full frame or 4K for video, then enjoy the convenience of the better SuperZooms... and take another vacation with the money you saved on lenses.

Aug 12, 2014 10:21:41 #

02Nomad Loc: Catonsville, MD

rbweddle wrote:

I would also highly recommend the NCL cruise in the Mediterranean. When my wife and I took that cruise (Barcelona to Barcelona), we got to spend 2 days in Alexandria. Not sure that I would recommend a trip to Egypt now, though.

Aug 12, 2014 11:00:35 #

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

You'll want a telephoto as well as good binoculars. There's nothing as relaxing while on an Alaskan cruise as sitting on your balcony, scanning for whale spouts, which are then followed by the actual whale sighting. A 300mm is a must.

Also, keep an eye out late at night in case the Northern Lights become visible. We got them once south of Juneau. We raced up to the top deck and spent the next two hours gazing at this amazing sight. http://bobhirschfeld.com/alaska/index.html

Aug 12, 2014 11:06:11 #

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

OOOlah wrote:

Hi Sonny: I took Royal Caribbean and it was awesome. Ship took us right up to Hubbard Glacier and all the other sights along the way. It was a good cruise line to travel with.

Yep, we've been with Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian before. Great cruises.
Our first cruise was with Norwegian on the Eastern Caribbean. It was fantastic! The son and his girlfriend then can along to help us enjoy the trip.
If I ever do it again, I will be fully involved in the selection process. And we have both vowed to never again use any travel agent.

Glass... one MUST have as much reach as possible. It can always be reduced, but if one hasn't got the reach then shots are lost forever.

Aug 12, 2014 11:08:04 #

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I have the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 and am happy with it. It's easy to use, especially if you just shoot it in IA (Intelligent Auto) mode, and the zoom goes out to 600mm, and stays at f/2.8. While I haven't played around any with any of the semi-auto or manual modes yet, I'm finding that it returns decent images in the IS mode. Yet it's very capable once you have some experience with the camera and start learning the controls. The camera doesn't come with a full owner's manual, but you can download one, and if you have a tablet, you can put the manual on it. Gives you something to read along the way. I think the FZ200 is every bit as good as the Canon SX50.

Aug 12, 2014 11:10:32 #

Mustang Loc: Southeast Georgia

I just returned from the Alaska cruise, I used my 18-140 most of the time. I did use my 70-300 for several long shots of mountain goats and eagles. Be sure to take you tripod. Great trip!!!

Aug 12, 2014 11:21:50 #

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

julle wrote:

We are also going to Alaska, next year, on a cruis... (show quote)

Hi Julle,
Welcome to the hog farm!
If you have the reach, you don't have to use it.
If you don't have the reach, then you can't use it.
There were many photo ops missed because of a P&S with limited reach.
When you are on the typical cruise ship they cannot get close enough. They do go very slow, to dead slow, in places. At one point they silenced the ship so everyone could listen to the "White Thunder".

Just remember lines 2&3 above.
I hope you have a wonderful and memorable cruise!
Be sure to talk with the shuttle and bus drivers if you can, and engage anyone in the shops and streets. The people ARE Alaska. Very friendly!

Aug 12, 2014 11:24:35 #

steffro1 Loc: Murrells Inlet, SC

I'm a Nikon guy but I have seen some amazing images with the Canon SX50. This camera has an awesome reach which you will need since the big cruise ships can't get close to the shore. There are a lot of great shots along the shore (bears, puffins and goats) and on the islands, but from the big ships you need a very long lens like this camera has. And under $500.00

Aug 12, 2014 12:07:42 #

julle

Thank you for your response which sounds logical.

However, I see in your equipment list that you do not have anything longer than 200 mm. How often did you miss a longer zoom on your Alaskan cruise?

Aug 12, 2014 12:22:07 #

Longhorn Loc: Austin, Texas

julle wrote:

We are also going to Alaska, next year, on a cruis... (show quote)

Well, there are mountains, whales, seals, glaciers, eagles, birds, towns, etc where you can use a 300mm lens. You evidently have never photographed eagles or you would not have asked the question. You can look over the many posts about cruises and eagles on this web site and learn a little more about lens use and the images they produce.

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