JackGriffin

I'm taking an Alaskan trip later this month and intend to do some whale watching. My D3400 takes excellent pictures AND excellent video. Problem is it can't do it simultaneously. In this once-in-a-lifetime moment, which mode do I use to capture the moment? Thanks

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

I attempted video—not too successfully.
Aware of my frustration my in-laws bought me a picture of a whale.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Moments are captured with photographs. Events would lean towards video.
--Bob

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I personally would take photos but it is possible to pull single shots from the video but I believe your quality is some what reduced. I like to sit and look at photos but looking at videos is something I don't seem to ever get to.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

When my wife and I were in Alaska, we took a whale watching boat tour and we saw whales in several, different locations. What I would suggest that you try is to video the first set of whales you see and photograph the second set of whales you see. You may only be able to do one or the other simultaneously, but there is no reason that you cannot do both individually, and if you are unable to store both on the same card (I have never done video), then simply change the card after videoing the first set of whales.
Hope you have a great time in Alaska, we had a blast.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Having shot whales both in Hawaii and Alaska multi times I have found one normally has time to do both, plus often video is easier to catch clearing blowhole or just barely breaking the surface.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Nobody here can do your thinking for you. If you want videos, use the video mode. If you want stills, shoot stills.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

If you have a quality cell phone, use that for your video clips. Video on a DSLR is cumbersome to set up and you need a decent mic.

ggab Loc: ?

Why not do both?
You would use the same camera and lens.
I am sure you will have more than two opportunities to see whales.

Maik723

Do both. I often flip back and forth when shooting events. I use a Canon 5dmiii and 7dmii. I have programmed video settings on both cameras under one of the "C" modes. It's as simple as flipping 2 buttons to video, then flipping back to photo. No problem.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

If your camera shoots 4k video, you can shoot video, then do a frame grab and the net result will be a picture that is an 8 megapixel image that is almost 4000 pixels wide depending on your cameras 4k pixel dimensions. Also, I don't know about your camera, but all of my Canon DSLR's were/are able to snap a pic while shooting video. The only problem is that it puts a slight hitch in your video when you do that.

NOTE: Never mind the frame grabs. I just looked it up and you'd only get a 2mp image because it shoots Full HD which is only 1920x1080

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

If I may add some additional factors to remember... Hope for a sunny day because you need both a high shutter speed (the boat AND the whale is moving) and deeper DOF because little time to focus, especially because first you have to find whale in viewfinder, then try to hold on a bobbing boat as you zoom. Stabilize both you and camera.

I would disregard advice to use a cell phone for video per above reasons plus don't have to worry about better Mic - whales aren't "talking" above surface. Enjoy, don't overthink it, take both, and hope for that one magnificent breach or gigantic tail wave.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

My wife and I have been to Alaska three times, the last being about a month ago. Each time I went on at least one whale watching tour, and each time we saw whales and had some opportunity for photographs. I used a Canon dslr with 100-400 zoom lens, and got a few decent shots, though nothing like what was possible if I had been a more experienced and accomplished photographer. Looking back from my present point of view, I think I would opt for using a camera that allows shooting 4k video with the option of snipping 8mp stills from sections of video. I understand that Panasonic has several well regarded cameras which will do this--the models zs60, FZ100, and FZ1000 and FZ2500 come to mind. I also believe that the SonyRX10iv will do this (it can do just about everything, it seems).

If you should decide to go that route, you don't have much time to prepare. You definitely wouldn't want your first experience with such a camera and procedure to be when whales are breaching around your boat.

If you have not already booked your whale tour(s), I would recommend going with a small boat that takes only a very limited number of persons, say, not more than 12 persons. On the larger boats (I have been on both types) that carry several dozen, up to perhaps 100 or more, you can be sure that people will get in your way, whether intentionally or not. While the larger boats can likely find the whales--my impression is that they all share information, or listen in on the traffic of other boats that have spotted whales-- your shooting can be limited by the larger numbers of people.

Also, keep in mind that you have limited "time-on-target". The average duration of a tour is on the order of 2 or 3 hours, with much of that time spent in "going out" and "coming back". The time spent in the vicinity where the whales can be expected may actually be only 45 minutes or less.

Also, the speed of the whales must be factored into your planning--they are deceptively fast. A particular sighting which is photo-worthy may last only about three seconds, if that much. When photo opportunities are presented, one must seize them, because second-chance opportunities are very limited. I think this factor makes for an argument in favor of continuous recording via video.

In any event, you will no doubt have a great trip. Best of luck!

John O.

Take a few videos and set your camera to continuous shooting for the photographs. You can't get a good single shot picture. I put my DSL on fast, continuous shooting and take several hundred still images and get maybe 25 good still images.