Alaska photography questions

[auntrenae]

Hi everybody,

 

We're new to HAL and Alaska cruises, so I thought the experts might be able to help me with this. I have a digital Canon Power Shot with 5 megapixels and 4x optical zoom. I think I'm going to need a telephoto lens to get good wildlife and scenery shots. Is that true? Any advice on how much zoom I will need to add? Also, have any of you used a polarizing filter? Did you really need it? Is there a lot of glare on the water? Any advice on getting good pictures of this first Alaska cruise would be greatly appreciated!

 

One more question, I've seen websited for some Alaskan photographers who have amazing shots! Are there galleries or bookstores up there where I could buy prints if my pix don't come out as good as I want them to?

 

thanks loads,

auntrenae

[djallar]

Hi Auntrenae,

 

I'm not sure which Powershot you have, but it looks like the A530 is a 5.0mp with a 4x optical zoom. This model has 16x total zoom, when you include the digital zoom along with the optical zoom. 16x should be plenty, but remember, when you get into the digital zoom range, the quality will suffer some because the camera is just enlarging the pixels it records. I don't think you can replace the lens, but maybe there is an "add-on" for it. Anything you put in front of the lens will affect the qaulity of the image the camera records.

 

A polarizing filter is needed whenever you are trying to shot a reflective surface (like water), but it is especially needed when you are fortunate enough to have those bright blue skies. A polarizer deepens the blue sky without changing the other colors.

[richcrow]

I used a Canon G3 before I upgraded and went to the Canon SLR 20D so I good change lenses. To go to a longer lens with your camera, as the previous poster stated, you will either have to use digitial zoom or use an add-on lens over your exisiting lens. With my Canon G3 (which is a 5.0 MP), I found that the add-on lens gave much better resolution than using digital zoom.

 

BTW, when are you cruising to Alaska. DW and I are sailing out of Seattle on May 27 on Oosterdam

 

Richard

[Crescoia]

Auntrenae,

I would have to reiterate everything djallar posted, with an emphasis on not depending on the digital zoom. Since you didn’t mention it I assume you aren’t planning on using it. Your 4x, 5 Megapixel canon will give you wonderful scenics and landscape shots, and that is the vast majority of the shooting that most people do in Alaska. I am guessing from your posting that you are thinking of buying a new camera? I say that since as djaller mentioned you can’t really change the lens in a Canon Powershot, and if they have devices to put in front of it to act as a telephoto, I would say save your money and pass on anything like that. Also I am not aware of anyway to mount a filter to the front of a Powershot, although you certainly can successfully hold those Cokin type filters in front of your camera with acceptable results. If you are thinking of upgrading to a digital SLR the Canon 20D that Richcrow bought is an excellent one and it takes all Canon EOS lenses so you have a lot of lenses to choose from. The 20D will give you some automatic increase to your telephoto shots since it effectively multiples the length of the lens by 60%. The reasons for which are beyond the scope of this post.

One tip from having taken two Alaska cruises and several other land based Alaska trips is that your best wildlife photos and scenics will come from shore excursions, either thru the ship or ones you book on your own. I’m particular partial to the boat rides in Kenai National Park if your tour is going there.

As for websites of Alaskan photographers there are many. My personal advice is that in your various ports you’ll find no end of shops with books, posters and to a lesser extent some prints. You can either buy them when you see them or make a note of the print and shop and decide when you get home after you see your prints. That said two of my favorite Alaska photographers are Art Wolfe, artwolfe.com, and Fred Hirschman, who you can find his books in Amazon or most on-line book store.

[Mosaic]

Hi auntrenae,

 

Excellent info so far, I will just make it a bit more simple. Your camera will take very nice Landscapes. It will not do well with closeups---bears/eagles, because you cannot get close enough. That takes a big(telephoto) lense.

[tickleddpink]

Hi auntrenae --

 

You've got lots of great replies. A mega-zoom digital might be a good solution if you're planning on buying a new camera. Adding telephoto lenses to the powershot series means getting an adapter and a bulky convertor telephoto lense attachment. Not like working with an SLR or DSLR where a couple of quick twists will change the lense. Also, I don't think that series of Powershot will take filters without an adapter, such as the polarizer. It all adds bulk to a compact camera.

 

I'm taking a cruise to Alaska May 6-13 and am having the same dilemma. I have a Canon Powershot Pro1 which is 8 megapixel and has a 28-200 zoom and takes incredibly detailed pictures. I love the camera, don't care that it's "old technology" because it was introduced 2 years ago. I've contemplated Canon's new S3 IS, but that's not due to be in stores until May. So that would mean the S2 IS, which is also a good little camera. It has a 12X zoom of 36-432MM and image stabilization. Panasonic also makes megazooms with image stabilization. I've done the SLR route with film and don't want the hassle of all the equipment when I travel. The Pro1 is big enough!

 

Good luck with your photography and hope you get lots of great pix on your cruise. I'm hoping for the same on my cruise.

 

Jane

[Thunderbolt]

My vote is for the Circular polarizer to tame the TOO sparkly water. In fact I used it with my film SLR in Alaska almost all the time. Usually I use it to make the sky pop out but in Alaska I needed for the water sparkle.

 

My SLR with 300mm lens/circular polarizer came in real handy for the whale watching excursion.

 

I use a Canon Powershot now and have an adapter with a 52mm size thread that holds both a Cannon telephoto and a wide angle lens and I bet you can get these for your Powershot also. I also attach cokin filters to the adapter using the 52mm cokin adapter.

 

However….

 

Going to Alaska I would just by a whole new digital camera. If you can, get the Canon S1 as has been mentioned before. Optical zoom is far better then digital zoom and you can attach filters to that camera as well.

 

 

Now go hunt for some bear, eagles and whales... happy snapping.

[Budget Queen]

Where are you going??? Interior Alaska or just a cruise?? Denali Park is a must for wildlife but so is Kenai Fjords. As already mentioned, you need tours.

 

Here is a sample of my last trip with a Canon Powershot S2 IS if you care to look. http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

 

It definately paid to have good rechargable digital batteries. Were very long lasting compared to some.

[OldCodger73]

Going to Alaska I would just by a whole new digital camera. If you can, get the Canon S1 as has been mentioned before. Optical zoom is far better then digital zoom and you can attach filters to that camera as well.

 

If you do get a new camera, be sure and buy it far enough in advance so you'll have time to use it enough to be totally familar with it and have a feel as to what it's capable of doing. Explore all its features. Shoot plenty of pictures beforehand. And be sure and bring the instruction book with you on the cruise.

[bbsteh]

We plan on using our digital camera most of the time, but how many people take a movie camera, and do you use it? We are doing an Alaskan tour cruise in Aug. Thanks.

[Thunderbolt]

If you do get a new camera, be sure and buy it far enough in advance so you'll have time to use it enough to be totally familar with it and have a feel as to what it's capable of doing. Explore all its features. Shoot plenty of pictures beforehand. And be sure and bring the instruction book with you on the cruise.

 

Yes yes yes...I almost forgot...practice and bring the instructions or you will be paying for the internet to look up something on canon.com:(

 

Budget Queen...very nice shots... the zoomed Whale shot is fantastic. Our whale watching boat had a microphone in the water and you knew when they were going to come up which made photography a lot easier. Looks like you had the same or were really really fast.:)

 

bbsteh... I was a Audio Visual tech in my youth and will never be a human tripod again so no "moving pictures" for me at all.:rolleyes:

 

Have fun in Alaska for those that are going. (And if you are not going just have fun):D:rolleyes:

[Theta_Potata]

Where are you going??? Interior Alaska or just a cruise?? Denali Park is a must for wildlife but so is Kenai Fjords. As already mentioned, you need tours.

 

Here is a sample of my last trip with a Canon Powershot S2 IS if you care to look. http://community.webshots.com/user/budgetqueen

 

It definately paid to have good rechargable digital batteries. Were very long lasting compared to some.

 

Budget Queen- I just wanted you to know that you took some awesome photos! I really loved them. My hubby and I have the same camera and love it!

Although I am not going on an Alaskan cruise this year, I have a lot to look forward too. Thanks for sharing!

Diane

[nanashirl]

We are taking the Westerdam on June 4 - Hubbard, etc.

I have a Sony Cyber-Shot 7.2mp - Carl Zeiss 3X zoom lens Do you think I will be able to get very good pictures with it.

I took it on a trip last year and had great pictures, but it was not on a cruise - afraid it might not be enough zoom for pictures from ship?

 

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen...very nice shots... the zoomed Whale shot is fantastic. Our whale watching boat had a microphone in the water and you knew when they were going to come up which made photography a lot easier. Looks like you had the same or were really really fast.:)

 

:

 

 

Nope, this was a repeating breeching whale, no delay on the camera and actually got probably 15 breech shots that trip. :)

[Thunderbolt]

Nope, this was a repeating breeching whale, no delay on the camera and actually got probably 15 breech shots that trip. :)

 

Well they are darn good and I would frame the best one.