ikirumata
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Posts posted by ikirumata
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For me? No brainer...Inside.
In Alaska, the price difference between an inside and a balcony paid for ALL of our excursions (whale watching, small boat to Tracy Arm, kayaking, and some hiking), the train ride from Seward to Anchorage, gifts for the kids, some tshirts for us, and a meal at Tracy's Crab Shack.
We were so tired after coming back to the ship that we just wanted to scarf down a quick dinner and go to bed! We did spend some time up on deck looking at scenery and wildlife. It was nice to be able to go from one side of the ship to the other as you never knew where something interesting would present itself. Met some really cool people up on deck too!
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Once you start using the flash for these kinds of things, you will be using it a lot, and you will wonder how you ever got by without it.
I totally agree with this statement. I just recently bought a cheap flash, and I am loving it! Thanks for posting some good examples of using the flash.
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Hi
I did not turn of the IS and did not change the speed. I am going to see If I can find something to practice on and see if that works. Camera worked fine on other things I photographed. I just could not zoom in on the whales. I am taking more wildlife tours this cruise. I really apriciate all your advice.
Mary
After reading your posts, Im wondering if last time you tried to photograph whales, you were trying to do so from the cruise ship. On my cruise, I would see whales from the ship, but even though I had brought a 70-200mm lens, the whales were just too far away to get any good shots. Only when we went on whale excursions did we get close enough to really photograph whales...but even then, they were pretty far off as boats have to stay at least 100 yards away. 300mm should be enough to get some good shots while on an excursion, you may have to crop/zoom some, but you should be fine.
One other thing that Im wondering is if you are using the rear LCD display to focus in on your whales. The focus is notoriously slow (at least on most rebels) if you are using the Live View LCD. If this is the case, try using the viewfinder.
Keep your shutter speeds high. I know that whales don't move very fast, but with the zoom and the fact that you are on a moving boat, you will need some faster shutter speeds to compensate. Its true that you may need to boost your ISO in order to get faster shutter speed, which introduces noise, but that can be fixed later. Blurry shots cant be fixed (at least I haven't found a good way to do so). To keep your shutter speed high, you can try shooting in Shutter Priority Mode (Tv). In this mode, you can set your shutter, say 600-1000, and the camera will adjust all the other settings to get you the proper exposure. Practice with this as the camera can only adjust so far. You may have to back off the shutter speed if necessary.
Good luck! I hope you come back and post some awesome whale pics!
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Most recent DSLRs record HD video and continuously AF. In, fact I think it'd be harder to find one that doesn't offer this. If you care about better audio, an external mic can be hooked up as well. Holding it still can be true for any camera/video camera not mounted on a tripod.
If I were in the market for a new entry level DSLR kit in the $500 range, I would seriously consider the Sony SLT-A58. Seems like they have packed in a ton of features that are missing in bodies from other manufacturers at this price point. I especially like the concept of having image stabilization built into the body, instead of on the lenses. Also, built in HDR and panorama modes are a bonus.
As far as I can tell, it also has video autofocus and an external mic jack too.
Just browsing through flickr, you can see some amazing photographs taken with the A58. Here is an example of one I was impressed with:
Pinson des arbres_DSC0216_DxO (Explore) by jackez2010, on Flickr
Looks like this photographer used some sort of 400mm lens to take this shot, but the body certainly didn't hold him back. Looks like a prime example of why getting a cheap body and an expensive lens is better than an expensive body and cheap lens.
Let us know what you end up with! Good luck!
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Thanks!
Do you know what these excursions were?
Teri
I am a DIYer when it comes to excursions, but this is what I remember:
I think in Icy Strait Point, it was the "Whales, Wildlife & Brown Bear Search" - through Royal Caribbean
For Juneau, we booked with Adventure Bound Alaska - if you are lucky that your ship is in port long enough, it is well worth it!
For Skagway, just rent a car and drive out towards Emerald Lake.
Now I think about it, we did see a bear in Ketchikan while kayaking. We booked Southeast Sea Kayaks Orcas Cove Tour.
Good luck!
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We did Orca's Cove and I don't think you will have a problem with the kids. The guides take very good care of you and you will feel safe in the tandem kayaks. You stay fairly close to the shoreline. There are several groups that go out at the same time, and when we went, there was a guide for every three kayaks.
I think you'll love it.
We had no experience and we were fine. We had some issues with some wind in spots and sometimes our rudder got stuck in the shallows, but our guide was good about towing us when we got stuck.
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The t3i does not have in camera HDR. You will have to bracket your shot and then process them afterwards using an HDR program (Use google to learn how to bracket and some HDR programs). If you use Magic Lantern, you can get around the 3 shot bracket limit that the t3i has.
Another option is to just shoot video.
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When we went to Alaska (late may/early june...same ports), I heard that there was a successful bear excursion in Icy Strait.
We also saw this bear foraging for food on our way to Tracy Arm (long excursion out of Juneau). The captain pulled up right next to him for a moment before he disappeared back into the brush.
Bear at Tracy Arm Fjord by ikirumata, on Flickr
I also heard of people finding bears along the road on the way to Emerald Lake from Skagway.
Im not sure when the salmon run happens, but from what I have read, seeing bears is a lot more frequent during that time.
Good luck!
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We did the Orca's cove excursion and on our way back we saw some people kayaking around Ketchikan. Based on seeing where we went and where those were kayaking, I would say that Orca's cove was a more scenic experience. We got to see bears, eagles, seals (one was curious enough to pop his head out right next to us), otters, starfish (all kinds of colors and textures), and squirting clams.
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Last 2 cruises were Alaska and NE/Canada. Two totally different cruise experiences.
Alaska Pros - Scenery and wildlife
Alaska Cons - Touristy ports (complete with diamonds and chinese made crap...seems like the tourism has pushed out a lot of Alaskan culture. I really appreciated Icy Strait where tourism hasn't ruined it...yet)
Physically demanding excursions
NE/Canada Pros - Food (there is so much good food in NE/Canada! From blueberries to lobster. The seafood is much better in NE/Canada than in Alaska). Ports are less touristy (I don't remember a Diamonds International at any of the ports we went to).
Amazing fall color.
Lots of history in Boston
Culture
Excursions are cheaper than Alaska
NE/Canada Cons - Not a lot of wildlife. Some interesting sea birds, but nothing like Alaska.
So basically, for me, if I want to see nature and wildlife (which I am a huge fan), I say go Alaska
if I want great food, history, and culture, I say go NE/Canada.
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We also did the Orca's Cove kayak tour. I was also hoping to see some whales from a kayak, but we werent in any kind of deep water for that...which is good for us as we realized how hard kayaking really is in wind.
The tour was pretty cool. We saw lots of starfish, eagles, seals, a bear, squirting clams, and an otter. At the end, we got to munch on some smoked salmon and crackers!
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The only reason why I would want to rent a car in Vancouver is if I wanted to visit areas outside the city, like some provincial parks or taking a ferry to Victoria. Vancouver is a very walk-able city and taxis are abundant (water taxis are cheap and fun too). From what I remember, there wasn't a lot of parking around town. I could see that being frustrating. Oh, and not to mention the traffic. Vancouver traffic can get pretty bad.
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From what I remember of our cruise to Alaska (during the same time period you are going), there wasn't much light in the early morning, so wildlife watching was pretty limited (I was up early every morning). That being said, wildlife viewing from the cruise ship is not optimal. You can see spouts from way far away, but its very rare that you would see much more from the ship. The coolest thing we saw was a line of dolphins that stretched from horizon to horizon, but that was during the day and pretty far off.
Take a small boat tour in Juneau if you want to 'experience' whales.
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inside cabin in May. :) Save your money for excursions. The best way to see wildlife is on an excursion. Views from the ship are usually far off. Seriously, if you can afford a balcony, then go for it, but if I had to choose between a balcony and an inside with a couple small boat whale/helicopter/dog sled excursions...its no contest, inside with small boat whale/helicopter/dog sled excursions wins! Around $1000 per person buys a lot of excursions, even in Alaska.
On the Radiance, the decks were never crowded and there were tons of seats with windows for inside viewing. Plus sharing experiences with others on the ship is a wonderful way of meeting people. One of my favorite memories is waking up early in the morning and headed to the front of the ship and watch for wildlife with my camera as we pulled into port. Got to know a few other wildlife photography die-hards
I think King Salmon season starts late May/early June.
Have fun!
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I would head southwest through Glen Rose, work your way south to Llano (stop in at Coopers for beef on the barbie. Take a look see at our mini Uluru, Enchanted Rock before passing through Fredericksburg Head to Austin and then San Antonio.
On your way to Glen Rose, make sure to stop in Granbury and check out their historic town square!
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I'm working on my packing list....
I'm flying into Vancouver a day early, 7 day northbound cruise, a full day in anchorage before flying home....
Can I get away with just a carry on bag?
Based on my last trip to Alaska, I think I could do it:
1. if I did not participate in any formal nights and only ate in casual places
2. by wearing my 3 pairs of light snow pants at least twice each
3. if I was ok with using just the included in cabin soap/shampoo products.
4. if I only brought sneakers
5. by bringing maybe 4 pairs of t-shirts and a pullover (buy a shirt or two at Ketchikan)
6. by bringing only one heavy jacket (to wear/hold on the plane..put gloves, scarf, and beanie hat in the pockets)
7. by leaving my dslr (and accessories/lenses) at home :(
8. by keeping toiletries to a minimum (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, floss, contact solution if needed)
9. if I hand washed and hung dry my socks (4 pairs) in the sink
10. ...underwear...would be hard to compromise here for me...I suppose commando is an option :eek: ...men's underwear takes up more space than women's for sure.
11. lots of cash/credit for anything else I might have to buy.
so...yeah, I could probably do it, but I love dressing up for dinner and I would hate to be without my dslr, especially in such a beautiful place as Alaska.
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Our cruise started late May (I suppose it was June by the time we made it up to Hubbard). The day was a little rainy and cold, but we had clear water and got close enough to really enjoy the experience.
Hubbard Glacier by ikirumata, on Flickr
CalvingHubbard by ikirumata, on Flickr
fwiw, our Tracy Arm excursion was bright and sunny. We took a small boat and got super close to both the glaciers! So its really a crap shoot.
Sawyer Glacier by ikirumata, on Flickr
I wish you good luck!
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Back in 2012, while the DW was shopping, I stopped at a small fish and chips shack on the cruise dock. Their fish and chips were pretty good...perfect end to a day of shopping and sea kayaking!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/alaskan-surf-halibut-and-chips-ketchikan
Its the little white and green shack labeled 'Fish and Chips' at the end of the cruise dock.
HOWEVER, looking at the yelp reviews, it seems that this place may not be the same place that I remembered stopping at back in 2012 :( . Has anyone tried this place since then?
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The one thing that I realized from my Alaska cruise 2 years ago is that the King Crab in Alaska tastes the same as the King Crab from Costco in Dallas.
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NOOOOO!!!! SAY IT AINT SO!!! Looks like they removed the Mushroom Souffle. :(
That was by far the best dish they served. Of all the meaty goodness that was served at Chops, My wife and I dreamed about their souffle.
Im such a sad panda right now.
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HI All,
We'll be sailing on the Brilliance in October for our very first New England/Canada cruise. We're not new to cruising, but we've never sailed that region before. I tried searching the forums but it was useless with the normal search function being down.
So... If anyone has written a review in the last year or two and they happen to have the link, I'd love to read through it. Pictures are a plus!
OR.. If anyone has suggestions for us in the ports (Halifax, Saint John, Bar Harbor, Portland) we'd appreciate it. We're early 30s and traveling with our (then) 19 month old. We're willing to leave him in the care of the nursery once to do a tour with just the two of us. Please don't suggest we leave him home. We've already cruised with him once, he's about to go on his second cruise in May. He's a well traveled kid already. We know he won't remember but we will and we enjoy having him with us.
Also interested in knowing which port is best to do on our own vs a excursion/tour.
Thanks in advance :)
Went this past October! Pics and review are in my signature!
Enjoy!
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We did that same itinerary a couple years ago. Here are my quick thoughts:
Ketchikan - Get all of your souvenir shopping done here.
Icy Strait - Whale Watching
Skagway - Rent a car...get out of Skagway. Drive up to Emerald Lake. Enjoy the scenery and hopefully some wildife!
Juneau - If you have time/money, take a small boat tour out to Tracy Arm. It may be a bit dicey with the weather, but you never know. We went about the same time as you and it was a warm sunny day at the Arm. We got really close to both glaciers! We even spotted a couple whales (and tons of eagles) on the way there!
Alaska is very port intensive. We always came back tired and even skipped dinner a couple of times.
Have a great time!
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For me:
Caribbean - relaxing in the sun
Alaska - hiking, wildlife, kayaking, scenery, being active in nature
New England/Canada - history and food (tons of localized food treats all over the North Eastern coast from lobster to cannoli)
New England/Canada is also a bit romantic with all of the seaside towns, breweries, and local shops.
Keep in mind, I come from Texas. The north east is a whole different world! :)
I think you and your partner will have a great time together!
New Waterproof Canon or Risk it with Canon DSLR?
in Photo & Camera Discussions
Posted
For sandy beaches, I leave my DSLR at home for these reasons:
1. my camera is no where weather sealed (not that I would trust it even if the manufacturer says it is).
2. Modern p&s cameras (heck even cell phone cameras) are just fantastic, especially in good light. I imagine that beaches being your destination, you should have plenty of light...at least for any memory of your family you want to keep.
3. I want to have fun in the water too without constantly looking over my shoulder to see if anyone is stealing my DSLR.
Stick with good composition and you will have all the great memories without the hassle of dragging along your DSLR.
Now, nothing says that you can't pack the DSLR and leave it in your room when you go to a beach. I don't know where you are going, but you will have to decide if there is anything worth shooting. For me: Thailand/South Pacific?* Definitely bring. Caribbean? Not so much.
Make sure you come back here and post the good ones!
*I was going to say Alaska, but there isn't much sandy beach in Alaska.