Shooting from a boat - monopod?

[anil_sud]

<p>I am going to Antarctica this winter travelling on a 54 foot yacht and will be bringing along a canon 200-400 tele. My plan is to do some shooting while on the boat and wanted advice about what type of support to use for shooting birds, icebergs, etc.<br>

Between the lens and the 5DMKIII body, the weight will be roughly 10 pounds to support and I'm a smallish frame so hand-holding for anything more than brief periods will probably be impractical. I'm debating using a bean-bag type setup or monopod. As I've never photographed from a boat before, I'm not sure what to expect trying to track moving subjects while on a moving platform.<br>

Tentatively, I plan to bring a tripod for use on the mainland but am looking at getting the Gitzo GM5541 monopod and the Wimberley C-12 QR clamp as the lens will have an Arca-Swiss compatible QR foot installed. I didn't have any intention at this point to bring a gimbal type setup nor an articulating head to mount on the monopod.<br>

How practical is it to use a monopod from a moving boat? Would an articulating head greatly assist following moving subjects or should a fixed QR clamp suffice? <br>

Any advice appreciated.</p>

<p> </p>

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>A monopod will probably transfer the boat's vibrations directly to the camera, so it does not seem a good option to me. I hope others have suggestions what to use instead.</p>

[William Kahn]

<p>Jos is right about the vibration, but another factor is the sea itself. Unless it's calm and flat, which is unlikely, a monopod would be pretty much useless. Definitely take a tripod for use ashore, but underway, just shoot handheld with high ISO and shutter speeds. A nice IS lens wouldn't hurt, either...</p>

[SteveH]

<p>You know, a tripod is just a monopod with two extra legs: practice with just one leg extended. To dampen vibration, I've seen folks use a foam pipe insulation/gaffer's tape "bootie" around the foot. Pipe insulation around the upper tripod legs is helpful in the cold as well. I agree, though, that handholding for bird photography is probably your best option. There will also be lots of landscape to photograph from the boat, so don't forget your wide angle. Have fun. It's an awesome place. </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>In my experience in the past, I'm afraid I just shot holding the camera in my hands. I have shot from helicopters and planes where vibration was severe, and you definitely don't want any kind of firm connection to transmit the vibration. The vibrations from engines on a substantial ship were not very noticeable. A 54-foot yacht may be another matter.</p>

<p>A beanbag strikes me as a good alternative, but if you're going to be on ship most of the time and don't have to lug it around, throw in a monopod or tripod and try it out.</p>

<p>This is one of those places where "image stabilization" or whatever it may be called in a particular line is definitely an advantage.</p>

[DickArnold]

<p>I get it about the boat vibration but let me tell you I shot sports for a newspaper and I used a three pound 70-200 2.8 lens which is the same weight as yours and my 100-400. My arms would get so weary after a night football game or day game for that matter, that I couldn't hold the camera up. A monopod saved that agony and made the fourth quarter bearable. If you are going to use that lens a lot or while hiking off the boat I would take one. I picked up the monopod to run away from thundering fullbacks at the sidelines and I shot a lot of shots with the monopod retracted. If nothing else you can rest your biceps with it. My editor never gave a damn about sharpness he just wanted the ball and a local face in the picture and he would run it. If you wanted to rest your arms on the boat you could pick it up a bit to shoot and as was said use the IS on the 100=400 although if things are moving like a swimming walrus it won't work that well. I kid you a little. Maybe it would be ok docked in calm waters. I keep mine in my car where it is handy.</p>

[Mike D]

<p>One trick I use in bumpy conditions is to attach the un-extended tripod to the camera/lens and let it just hank in mid air. It allows an extra degree of motion dampening. It's tough on the arms though. </p>

[gdenyer]

<p>I've been on a few Southern Ocean journeys - and agree with most of the above. When the vessel is in motion handheld is the only real option. A monopod could be useful to give your arms a rest when you are more or less stationary in flat water for photographing ground animals like seals or penguins. But for flying birds or when the vessel is in motion handheld is really the only way.<br>

The small fast birds like snow petrels are particularly difficult - they present a small fast moving target that changes direction constantly. There's no substitute for long fast (unfortunately therefore expensive) glass for those birds. I bought a 300mm f/4 IS prime for my second trip specifically to get the flying birds and then sold it afterwards!<br>

Other tricks for the flying birds - continuous high speed shooting , servo focus, shutter speed minimum 1/500 (1/800 - 1/1000 better), f number sufficiently large to get the whole animal in focus, and plenty of sea sickness medication (nothing like chasing birds with a long lens on a moving boat to make you chunder).<br>

http://www.photo.net/photo/12912975<br>

Good luck!</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Dick - Anil's using the new 200-400 f/4, not the older 100-400 f/3.5-5.6. It's worse than you think!<br />

<br />

Anil: Sorry, I too would be trying to hand-hold in order to absorb the rolling of the boat, but I agree that you're going to feel it after not very long. (I'm okay with my 200 f/2 for a few minutes, but I suspect the 200-400 is more front-heavy.) All I can suggest is some weight training.<br />

<br />

If the boat's not moving too much, a monopod and some form of gimbal head (even a Manfrotto 393) would save your arms and give you a decent chance of tracking wildlife - but you'd have to hope that the sea was fairly calm and that the boat was drifting for the vertical motion of the deck not to be a problem. Legs are very good shock absorbers. Good luck - I envy you the trip.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Have you considered clamping your tripod or monopod to one of the rails on your boat? Really Right Stuff makes their

Safari gear for this ( http://reallyrightstuff.com/Items.aspx?code=SafariGear&key=cat) which is very good but pricey. Combine their mounting gear with a gimbal type mount.

 

Clamping to the boat doesn't eliminate the vibration and ship movement issue - you are coupled directly to the boat - but eliminates the problems of the tripod or monopod potentially going flying or slipping around on a wet , icy deck. Quick release attachments for the camera, lens, and even the gimbal head to the support will allow you to deploy and stow gear quickly.

[anil_sud]

<p>Thanks Ellis, I hadn't considered the RRS option you had presented. I didn't perceive slipping on a deck or gear going flying due to an aberrant wave hitting the boat as a significant problem but I suppose it doesn't hurt to plan for the worst. I'll check out the RRS rig you suggested.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Also look into high strength clamps like the Cardellini clamps from http://www.cardelliniclamp.com/ . You just need to attach an Arca-Swiss type quick release clamp to a Cardellini and then attach a gimbal or standard type head to

that. http://www.cardelliniclamp.com/inc/sdetail/97/120

[2Oceans]

<p>Anil, the boat you will be on is "small" and I would not clamp my camera/lens to it even with Canon IS. Your body is the best camera mount on a moving or anchored vessel. Much better to hand hold. I use a Bushhawk brand gunstock also called a shoulder support or shoulder mount that allows me to mount the camera to my shoulder quickly and with little fatigue all day long. My system has an Arca style clamp and electronic shutter release and cost about $300 the way I am set up but you can get more elaborate. B&H has many different brands of shoulder support and I would suggest you take a look. I would never mount/clamp my camera to the bulk head of a constantly moving or vibrating object and expect a sharp result. This is also a no no for aerial photography. Good hunting.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

The point of using the clamp is to eliminate the use of an unsecured tripod or monopod. the purpose of the suggested

gimbal mount is to let it carry the weight of the camera/lens combination while you control the camera and lenses

motion. Is it a perfect solution. Hardly but it's better than solely using your body as a camera support with a long heavy

lens.