Alaska tips, please! I'm headed to Alaska in 3 weeks. Deciding what to take in way of gear. I'll be cruising, but day excursions will include float plane & helicopter (yes, high...

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

I'm headed to Alaska in 3 weeks. Deciding what to take in way of gear. I'll be cruising, but day excursions will include float plane & helicopter (yes, high shutter speed!) and some walking and a dog sled. Hoping for shots of a black bear fishing for his supper. Thanks in advance!

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

BeachLady wrote:

I'm headed to Alaska in 3 weeks. Deciding what to take in way of gear. I'll be cruising, but day excursions will include float plane & helicopter (yes, high shutter speed!) and some walking and a dog sled. Hoping for black bear fishing. Thanks in advance!

When fishing for black bear catch and release is advised, VBG! Have fun.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Been there. Take one zoom lens, and the 24-105 will do nicely, particularly if you do post production. If you don't, take a 1.4 or 2.0 lens multiplier. From aboard ship, you'll see a lot of action from the hills. But if you do post production, you can crop to get those distance shots to become close ups.

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

HAHAHA! Just read that line - I'll definitely be releasing!

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

elliott937 wrote:

Been there. Take one zoom lens, and the 24-105 will do nicely, particularly if you do post production. If you don't, take a 1.4 or 2.0 lens multiplier. From aboard ship, you'll see a lot of action from the hills. But if you do post production, you can crop to get those distance shots to become close ups.

Thank you! I've got a 10-24, so I'll add that. Then 18-400, and wondering about the 150-600.

tiphareth51 Loc: Somewhere near North Pole, Alaska

I definitely would take the 600 mm especially for bears and possibly moose. Alaska summers are fantastic!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

bobmcculloch wrote:

When fishing for black bear catch and release is advised, VBG! Have fun.

Confused. What does Venous Blood Gas have to do with fishing?

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

bobmcculloch wrote:

When fishing for black bear catch and release is advised, VBG! Have fun.

HAHAHA! Just read that line - I'll definitely be releasing!

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

Thanks! I'm excited! This is my first Alaska trip.

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

I took 2 bodies. One with a 24-120mm lens the other with a 200-500mm lens.
In the bag was a 70-200mm 2.8.
Don’t forget a monopod.

jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA

Do take your big zoom, you will be glad you did. My wife and I have been to AK six times and the big lens was absolutely a necessity for those once in a lifetime shots. For landscapes I used a 24-105 and on whale watching I used a 70-200 f 2.8. Now I will use a 100-500 and still use the 24-105 for landscape. If you can see the Northern Lights, use the fastest lens you have and 1-15 second exposures. I use a 16-35 f 2.8 with excellent results.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'm on my way back from a 30 day RV trip in Alaska.

Most used lens on my "big" camera was a very long zoom. I used it for "wildlife" but that has been frustrating. Alaska is so immense and woodsy, the wildlife hides there. The animals did not come out and pose very often.

I also used the long lens, set short, to do multiple verticals for stitching into panoramas. As a tourist on a schedule, the opportunities for the single, wide angle shots in great light were few. I hoping to have some panorama post processing and printing fun when I get home.

I got some good use out of a pocket sized all weather Olympus camera too. We did get all kinds of Alaska weather!

ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM

BeachLady wrote:

I'm headed to Alaska in 3 weeks. Deciding what to take in way of gear. I'll be cruising, but day excursions will include float plane & helicopter (yes, high shutter speed!) and some walking and a dog sled. Hoping for shots of a black bear fishing for his supper. Thanks in advance!

Beach Lady, you have every reason to be excited. Expect your trip to be awesome. We'd driven up three times over the years and your question was about lens to take, your 24 105, and 10 24 will cover 95% of your opportunities.

If you are going on a special fly in or a back country hike specifically for wildlife, then lug that ole heavy 150 600 and a tripod. We took the ferry to Kodiak Island specifically to see the Big Browns and I lugged that gear. This was in 2014 and I'll share some photos with you. Looking at these captures I'm thrilled to have made the effort as now age does not give one the opportunity. Today it is go as light as possible, but keep shooting. These were shot with a Canon 5DII and a Tamron 150 600

BeachLady Loc: Surfside Beach, SC

coolhanduke wrote:

I took 2 bodies. One with a 24-120mm lens the other with a 200-500mm lens.
In the bag was a 70-200mm 2.8.
Don’t forget a monopod.

Mono instead of tri?

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

LOL!!