Wildlife photo question
Oct 1, 2023 17:28:45 #
Hello,
I looked for a Wildlife category but couldn't find one. Here's my question. Next November, I am going to Churchill, Canada to take photos of Polar Bears coming out of hibernation with Natural Habitat. I have a M43 OM-1 camera. I am a senior citizen and can no longer hold heavy cameras - even with a mono/tripod. It's a 4/3's so there are not as many pixels to work with...as there are with a full-frame! :(
I have two potential lenses. One is a Olympus 75-300mm (35mm equiv. 150-600mm), f/4.8-6.7, which I wonder if it is too slow. The second lens is Olympus 40-150mm (35mm equiv. 80-300mm) f/2.8. That lens is the heaviest I can use. So, it is a trade-off between distance and light.
Has anyone gone on a shoot like this? Or has any ideas in general? I would appreciate reading your comments and suggestions! Thank you in advance. Linda
I looked for a Wildlife category but couldn't find one. Here's my question. Next November, I am going to Churchill, Canada to take photos of Polar Bears coming out of hibernation with Natural Habitat. I have a M43 OM-1 camera. I am a senior citizen and can no longer hold heavy cameras - even with a mono/tripod. It's a 4/3's so there are not as many pixels to work with...as there are with a full-frame! :(
I have two potential lenses. One is a Olympus 75-300mm (35mm equiv. 150-600mm), f/4.8-6.7, which I wonder if it is too slow. The second lens is Olympus 40-150mm (35mm equiv. 80-300mm) f/2.8. That lens is the heaviest I can use. So, it is a trade-off between distance and light.
Has anyone gone on a shoot like this? Or has any ideas in general? I would appreciate reading your comments and suggestions! Thank you in advance. Linda
Oct 1, 2023 19:36:11 #
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
My brother has great bear pix from Churchill, printed to 24x30. The tundra buggies get rather close to the bears. He just used an M-leica (film camera) with "portrait lenses".
Oct 1, 2023 19:43:17 #
I’d probably take both lenses and start with the 40-150 and if not long enough use the 75-300. Presumably it’s daylight so it should be ok. The OM-1 does well at higher ISO so don’t be afraid to bump it up if needed to get a high shutter speed. With long lenses the rule of thumb is 1/focal length (full frame) minimum shutter speed. You might also consider bringing a tripod.
Oct 1, 2023 20:15:46 #
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
Actually, I am a bit confused. Can you tell us which Nat Hab trip you are on? Do you stay in a lodge in Churchill and go out on tundra buggies? If so, you should be fine. There will be enough light. And as someone mentioned, they will get very close to the buggies. So I would say to bring the 75-300mm lens. I had the Nikon 18-200mm on a cropped body and wish I had a bit longer but 400mm was okay. If you are in a tundra buggy, you won't want a tripod. You will be shooting out the window. Only if you go out at night to try to photograph the aurora would you want a tripod. Have a great time! My wife and I loved it so much that we went back two more times to see the polar bears and aurora.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@N00/7666591246/in/album-72157630798653128/
Oct 1, 2023 20:33:11 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
When photographing bears you want as much distance between you and the bear as possible. Take the longest lens you can and make sure you have a guide who knows what he is doing. Bears coming out of hibernation are not in the best of modes.
Oct 1, 2023 20:33:22 #
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
At that latitude light will be relatively low. Take your fastest lens and crop and use software pixel enlargement for larger printing. I really think you would appreciate considering a Sony RX10m4 which is 24-600mm equiv......
Oct 1, 2023 21:38:09 #
PS. NatHab is a great group and you should be fine with the OM-1 and 70-300mm lens. Assuming this is not a photographic group, many people will only have their iPhones. So you will be the photography star!
Oct 1, 2023 23:20:35 #
wdross
Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
You might want to rent the 1.4X and 2X teleconverters. They will not add a lot of weight. And on the 40-150 f2.8 lens, the 2X teleconverter makes it an 80-300 f5.6 lens (160-600 f5.6 in 35mm angle of view). And this should still be handholdable. Worst case scenario, use a monopod. You will lose some sharpness with the teleconverters, but I think you will find the image is still better than the 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 overall. And, worst case scenario, take both lenses.
For me, it would be the 40-150 f2.8 and two teleconverters to save weight.
As far as pixels, the OM-1 is capable of a 30"X40" print with a good image and proper print viewing distance. Even full frame will start having problems from the pixel peepers at that size if they crop any. If you are not printing bigger than 20"X24", I seriously doubt that you will have any problems shooting and printing with the OM-1.
Oct 1, 2023 23:58:52 #
imagemeister wrote:
At that latitude light will be relatively low. Take your fastest lens and crop and use software pixel enlargement for larger printing. I really think you would appreciate considering a Sony RX10m4 which is 24-600mm equiv......
That joke had gotten old waaaaaaay before the 50th tims you posted it.
Oct 2, 2023 00:08:04 #
cahale
Loc: San Angelo, TX
Linda S. wrote:
Hello, br br I looked for a Wildlife category but... (show quote)
Shouldn't they be going INTO hibernation in November?
Oct 2, 2023 00:11:39 #
cahale wrote:
Yes in Canada they will be going into hibernation or already in hibernation in November.Shouldn't they be going INTO hibernation in November?
Oct 2, 2023 00:15:13 #
cahale wrote:
Shouldn't they be going INTO hibernation in November?
Actually when the Hudson freezes in Nov/Dec, the polar bears go out to hunt for seals. They come in when the Judson thaws and summer around Churchill.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polar-bears-are-gathering-in-canada-and-you-can-watch-on-live-video-streams-180981064/
Oct 2, 2023 07:07:45 #
I have the Olympus 40-150 mm lens. I also have two Olympus Teleconverters: the 2x (MC-20) and the 1.4 (MC-14). The 2x will extend the lens to 80-300mm (160-600mm equivalent) and increase the aperture from 2.8 to 5.6. The 1.4x will extend the lens to 56-210 mm (112-420 mm equivalent) and increase the aperture from 2.8 to 3.9. Either converter will not add much length or weight to the lens.
Oct 2, 2023 09:38:42 #
I am a m43 user as well and it works just fine. I suggest you reconsider your lens selections. Yes, there will be bears off in a distance. The 75-300 might be ok for that. But there will be times when bears are closer. The 12-100 would be perfect for this scenario. I've not been to see the bears, but have been on safari. People like their long lenses until they realize that sometimes, the animals are quite close. Too close for some of the long lenses to capture. With the 12-100 (or 12-200??) and the 75-300 you have 24-600 mm ff equivalent covered. The teleconverters will also add some flexibility to your kit.
Further, find out the seating situation...if you can set cameras on the seats (the buggy is not packed with people) then consider having two cameras.
Finally, you should also be prepared for the northern lights...
Further, find out the seating situation...if you can set cameras on the seats (the buggy is not packed with people) then consider having two cameras.
Finally, you should also be prepared for the northern lights...
Oct 2, 2023 09:57:46 #
Photographing light colored bears on a white background will need compensation to “over expose”. By default the cameras auto exposure will under expose. Bears can be close but I would expect most to be a considerable distance away, so I would want the longest focal length I could handle.
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