Polar Plunge gear selection: Hi all, Volunteering to shoot a Polar Plunge event. *Brave people dive into a frozen lake to raise money for Special Olympics. Base gear: D500, 24-70...

Uaana

Hi all,
Volunteering to shoot a Polar Plunge event.
*Brave people dive into a frozen lake to raise money for Special Olympics.

Base gear:
D500, 24-70, 70-200mm
2 spare batteries, 2 spare memory XQD/SD

Options. 150-600mm, tripod, backup D5500 body

Yes I have appropriate snivel gear
Leaving the battery grip off thinking I'd rather have 2 warm backups instead if chilling 2 with only one warm B/U

Temp tomorrow mid teens to low 20s Farenheit.

Thoughts, suggestions?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You need just one camera and one lens. Decide which is more important or likely: as a member of the crowd as a spectator of the people in the water and coming and going, using the 70-200, and shot from the shore or an overlooking pier. Or, will you obtain more of a participant view of things as shot within the participants, where 24-70 is your choice. Keep your spare batteries within your layers, such as a pants pocket or interior pocket to your jacket.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

You can't go wrong freezing the action with the D500 and you certainly have a good lens selection. Post some photo's when your done shooting, good luck.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Get a Nikkonis(sp) and join them.

fantom Loc: Colorado

Uaana wrote:

Hi all, br Volunteering to shoot a Polar Plunge ev... (show quote)

Get a waterproof camera and join the fun. Get some outstanding underwater shots.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Do you have to put two batteries in the grip?
My grip will work with only one battery in it.

Uaana

Longshadow wrote:

Do you have to put two batteries in the grip?
My grip will work with only one battery in it.

Nope. One in cam, one in grip.
But using the grip exposes two batteries to the cold vs just one at a time in the camera.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

CHG_CANON wrote:

You need just one camera and one lens. Decide which is more important or likely: as a member of the crowd as a spectator of the people in the water and coming and going, using the 70-200, and shot from the shore or an overlooking pier. Or, will you obtain more of a participant view of things as shot within the participants, where 24-70 is your choice. Keep your spare batteries within your layers, such as a pants pocket or interior pocket to your jacket.

I agree.
Though the 24-70 is the best option for shots that are meaningful.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

I wouldsay the 70 to 200 , the event held here is on a ice covered pond, I can get on theback side of the pond (the plungers are faceing me when they jump ) but walking around the crowd I would go with the 24 70 .
Get there early and scope out the site for best spot to stand.
Also ours has a hot tub for thge jumpers after they jump, the bodies are steaming when they get out ,could be a cool pic opportunity

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

CHG_CANON wrote:

You need just one camera and one lens. Decide which is more important or likely: as a member of the crowd as a spectator of the people in the water and coming and going, using the 70-200, and shot from the shore or an overlooking pier. Or, will you obtain more of a participant view of things as shot within the participants, where 24-70 is your choice. Keep your spare batteries within your layers, such as a pants pocket or interior pocket to your jacket.

Right on!
Shooting same in both Antarctica and the Arctic, I’ve found shooting from lateral to the jump puts the context into the shot - helps each photo to “tell the whole story”.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Curmudgeon wrote:

Get a Nikkonis(sp) and join them.

Nikonos - but there are a number of digital point and shoots that are underwater (shallow) capable.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Uaana wrote:

Hi all, br Volunteering to shoot a Polar Plunge ev... (show quote)

Find out how close you can stand to the hole. Once you find out you can go with just one lens. Keep the 2 stare batteries in shirt pocket close to you chest, make sure to layer and your batteries will stay nice and warm.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Uaana wrote:

Hi all, br Volunteering to shoot a Polar Plunge ev... (show quote)

Defibrilator?

steve33 Loc: Yarmouth MA

I have a D500 with a grip. I'd leave the grip on. You can swap the battery in the grip quickly,( vs removing the grip to change in-camera battery ) you can continue shooting with one charged battery. I wouldn't worry too much about temps in the 20s, the plunge should wind up quickly, people will be cold.

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Uaana wrote:

Temp tomorrow mid teens to low 20s Farenheit.

Let me know how it turns out. Here in Mesa, AZ the forecast is 74 and sunny.