I have questions bout what gear to take on my trip and what gear to take on the day trips for our Alaska cruise on Princess. We stop in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway and will take the three day inland trip . In Ketchikan we are scheduled for the Neets Bay Bear Watch & flight, but could take the Neets Bay Bear Cruise or the Bear Country & Wildlife Expedition. In Juneau we are scheduled for the whale watching & Mendenhall Glacier photo safari. In Skagway we are scheduled for the Alaska Nature & Wildlife Expedition. Questions are as follows:
Should I bring my carbon fiber tripod and Wimberley Gimbal on the trip and if on day trips which ones? I also have a carbon fiber mono-pod I plan to bring.
What gear should I bring on my day trips?
If someone has taken this cruise and was focused on photography during, I would love to discuss equipment and what to expect. 562-233-1336
Posted by Marty Kramer on September 9, 2012 at 2:37 PM
I made a similar trip a couple of years ago. I brought with me:
Canon 7D, 100-400mm, 18-55mm, and 28-135mm. I also brought my carbon fiber tripod/Wimberley gimble head. I also brought: 2 extra camera batteries w/charger, a LensCoat Raincoat came in real handy on two occasions, 3 16GB compact flash cards, card reader, 500GB LaCie (rugged) portable hard drive/cable, iPod Touch w/eBird and Sibley apps, binoculars and my laptop...all of which was carried in my Tamrac backpack.
Don't bother bringing a tripod or monopod on small boats it is useless, however, if there are going to be beach trips from the boat excursion I would bring it. I used the long lens a lot for wildlife shots including the whale watching and the wide angles for all of the great landscape, sunrise and sunset opportunities.
Have a great trip!
I’ve never shot in Alaska and I’m sure that Marty has more experience in field photography than me, but I don’t see the need to bring along a lap top, hard drive or similar gear, especially when memory cards are now so affordable. I can see on the camera display if I got the shot.
I don’t think I would even want to edit photos on the ship at night. There is plenty of time to stare at the monitor when I get home.
In my older years I like to travel as lightly as possible and without extra risk.
As little gear as possible
Wide angle through telephoto lenses / lens cleaning kit with lots of wipes for shooting in the rain.
Carbon fiber tripod with a good head
Bear spray
If alone, a bell that makes noise while walking.
Two extra batteries
Lots of memory cards/ masking tape and pen to mark the cards when full.
Many uses for the masking tape, no need to bring the roll, simply wrap a good amount on one of the tripod legs or other imaginative place. I place a few strips of it on the inside of my pack over the clear plastic pocket window.
Zip lock sandwich bags for batteries, cards and other small items.
Rain gear, small folding umbrella, camera specific rain gear, or a few kitchen sized garbage bags
Bug repellent and mosquito net for face, depending on the time of year
Food
Water and filter
An open mind to shoot things other than what I expected to
Posted by jack jaeger jr on September 9, 2012 at 8:41 PM
Most important piece of gear in Alaska-Rain Gear !
Posted by Jim DeWitt on September 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM
You'll find a lot of tips for late-season Alaska photography over in the AKNP forum. In southeast Alaska, the keys are very good rain gear and layers of fleece. Rubber boots if the ship doesn't provide them.
Be aware that Goretex gear is okay for light rain or drizzle but usually fails to keep you dry in serious rain.
Discussion
4 repliesShould I bring my carbon fiber tripod and Wimberley Gimbal on the trip and if on day trips which ones? I also have a carbon fiber mono-pod I plan to bring.
What gear should I bring on my day trips?
If someone has taken this cruise and was focused on photography during, I would love to discuss equipment and what to expect. 562-233-1336
Canon 7D, 100-400mm, 18-55mm, and 28-135mm. I also brought my carbon fiber tripod/Wimberley gimble head. I also brought: 2 extra camera batteries w/charger, a LensCoat Raincoat came in real handy on two occasions, 3 16GB compact flash cards, card reader, 500GB LaCie (rugged) portable hard drive/cable, iPod Touch w/eBird and Sibley apps, binoculars and my laptop...all of which was carried in my Tamrac backpack.
Don't bother bringing a tripod or monopod on small boats it is useless, however, if there are going to be beach trips from the boat excursion I would bring it. I used the long lens a lot for wildlife shots including the whale watching and the wide angles for all of the great landscape, sunrise and sunset opportunities.
Have a great trip!
I don’t think I would even want to edit photos on the ship at night. There is plenty of time to stare at the monitor when I get home.
In my older years I like to travel as lightly as possible and without extra risk.
As little gear as possible
Wide angle through telephoto lenses / lens cleaning kit with lots of wipes for shooting in the rain.
Carbon fiber tripod with a good head
Bear spray
If alone, a bell that makes noise while walking.
Two extra batteries
Lots of memory cards/ masking tape and pen to mark the cards when full.
Many uses for the masking tape, no need to bring the roll, simply wrap a good amount on one of the tripod legs or other imaginative place. I place a few strips of it on the inside of my pack over the clear plastic pocket window.
Zip lock sandwich bags for batteries, cards and other small items.
Rain gear, small folding umbrella, camera specific rain gear, or a few kitchen sized garbage bags
Bug repellent and mosquito net for face, depending on the time of year
Food
Water and filter
An open mind to shoot things other than what I expected to
Be aware that Goretex gear is okay for light rain or drizzle but usually fails to keep you dry in serious rain.