Lens or Boat

[90 5.0]

Ok, this isn't exactly a wildlife question persay but it does have to do with capturing wildlife photo's so if it's in the wrong section let me know.

I had been thinking about getting a new lens some recently and some recent post have been making me think of putting the budget twards a small water craft instead. Thus thinking it would add another level of fun and more photo opps than a lens. So I am looking for advice on people that have used something along these lines to get wildlife photos.

Alot of the places I shoot I could launch a small boat and since I also love to fish might serve duel purpose.

I have never owned a small boat before but canoed alot in Boyscouts( I have owned a few skeeter bass boats but while those might be excellent for reaching interesting locals to shoot are out of the current budget lol
)

So here are a few ideas.

A) small aluminum boat, I have an old appliance dolly I could hack up and make wheels for??
And might possibly be able to find used Cheap, but they're not to bad new??

550 before tax 10'

Use Small outboard and trolling motors or just trolling motor to save weight

Thinking this would be the most stable to shoot with and easiest to carry gear/safest from gator attacks lol But least portable

http://www.academy.com/index.php?pag...141-00124-1032




Something like this, lighter but less stable possibly

399-499 depending on size, also has trolling motor mounts, very light

http://www.academy.com/index.php?pag...142-02305-0010



You can get a 30lb thrust trolling motor for under a bill these days, and iirc thats more than the tm on my first bass boat had(iirc it was 24) so that should be plenty for what I want to do, if not a 50 is only 200.

I had also thought about canoes and kayaks, but don't know how that would work out, thinking canoe might have stability issues for shooting, and kayaking in gator infested waters with a bunch of gear just sounds bad.


Thoughts??

I know there are people that do use kayaks for this so please chime in if you have any info as well.

Thanks!

[CaptainTom]

Recently seen

Wanted :
I am looking for a good woman. She should be a non-smoker, hard worker, and good lover. She should like hunting and fishing and have access to a boat.
If interested send picture of boat.

[billbunton]

I've had both a boat and a lens. I still have the lens, but not the boat.

:-)

Actually, I've had two boats. While fun, I really do no longer have either and don't particularly miss them.

[Patticake]

Well Captain Tom....that sounds like me but I don't have a picture of my
house boat.........darn..........hehehe........

Patti

[corralup]

I've done the trolling motor bit in a small jon boat and the battery ran out of juice more than once. No fun having to paddle against current or get stuck a couple miles from the dock. I'd get a 5 horse powered motor for sure. Sounds like you have the blues to get out on the water and with flounder season around the corner I'm sure your itchin. Word of advice a small jon in the paper will probably leak water so get a new one. Academy is probably your best bet.
Since I've done the kayak thing, and jon boat I don't suggest either one for expensive camera shooting. I've gone out sunny and came back soaked from a storm that brewed up even on my 16ft SeaArk boat. All I'm saying is your taking a big risk when it comes to boats, water, and camera. Stick to point and shoot when in a small jon boat at least you won't feel bad when you get it wet rather than 1,000 camera getting ruined.

[90 5.0]

Originally Posted by corralup

I've done the trolling motor bit in a small jon boat and the battery ran out of juice more than once. No fun having to paddle against current or get stuck a couple miles from the dock. I'd get a 5 horse powered motor for sure. Sounds like you have the blues to get out on the water and with founder season around the corner I'm sure your itchin. Word of advice a small jon in the paper will probably leak water so get a new one. Academy is probably your best bet.
Since I've done the kayak thing, and jon boat I don't suggest either one for expensive camera shooting. I've gone out sunny and came back soaked from a storm that brewed up even on my 16ft SeaArk boat. All I'm saying is your taking a big risk when it comes to boats, water, and camera. Stick to point and shoot when in a small jon boat at least you won't feel bad when you get it wet rather than 1,000 camera getting ruined.

We used to rent the jon boats at stranges camp when i was a kid and had a trolling motor i used for that, never ran out of juice but came close a few times. I have however ran out of gas and had to troll back in a skeeter lol.

I am very familiar with getting caught in storms etc and have a waterproof offshore bag that I would use, plus rain sleeves i have already as well.

I found some on craigslist 10-12 fters with trolling motors already for 2-300.

I am trying to stay pretty light so I can put it in the back of my truck and drag it around. Most of the places I want to use it are very shallow and not long distances, or short distances up and down bayous.

I am thinking a 10' at the max with a trolling motor to start then if I want to go further finging a very small out board as well because of weight etc.

Thanks for the replies but I figured more people would have tried this before, and as far as ruining the camera, I have been thinking about picking up a D2h just for that purpose but I'm really not scared of jacking my camera up as that's what I bought it for. I've had it in the Jungles of peru to the north slope of alaska. A point and shoot just isn't what I do. I also have a fugi 35mm underwater camera that can do some cool half submerged shots as well.

I've never been scared to bring any slr I have anywhere. Sitting in the safety misses a lot of shots :)


Floating house from small boat Amazon River Peru

[slickshooter]

Robert
I have thought about another kayak for shooting up close.The sit in kayaks offer lots of protection for you camera gear.You can glide up to subjects very closely with a kayak.Lots of photogs on Fred Miranda use them.I used to have a ocean kayak that you sit on top of for diving.I used it 10 years and caught many a lobster while living in Florida.I only flipped it one time and that was in the very beginning.Sit in kayaks offer more stability and are available with molding that seals out water around your body if you do actually flip.If my back was n't giving me so much trouble now I would consider getting one just for the photo opportunities they present.
As far as investing in a lens;that would be my first goal as glass is the name of the game.Also if you purchase a high quality lens,it will never decrease in value as long as you take care of it.My lens has increased in value in the year and a half I have owned it.

[90 5.0]

Originally Posted by slickshooter

Robert
I have thought about another kayak for shooting up close.The sit in kayaks offer lots of protection for you camera gear.You can glide up to subjects very closely with a kayak.Lots of photogs on Fred Miranda use them.I used to have a ocean kayak that you sit on top of for diving.I used it 10 years and caught many a lobster while living in Florida.I only flipped it one time and that was in the very beginning.Sit in kayaks offer more stability and are available with molding that seals out water around your body if you do actually flip.If my back was n't giving me so much trouble now I would consider getting one just for the photo opportunities they present.
As far as investing in a lens;that would be my first goal as glass is the name of the game.Also if you purchase a high quality lens,it will never decrease in value as long as you take care of it.My lens has increased in value in the year and a half I have owned it.

All points you make are good, I've seen alot of the stuff done on fm from kayaks, and here's my thinking on them.

1) the good ones iirc were over 2k, which is out of my budget.
2) I'm not the most gracefully balanced person on the planet


On the glass, here's what i have been thinking about.

My wide is lacking I have a 18-135 but it's slow and that lens lacks contrast and punch. Also have a 28 2.8d but it's not very wide on dx. Use it more like a "normal" Would like a 17-35 2.8 to replace it with or the 17-55 2.8 but couldn't do ultra wides with it on my film body's(it's a dx lens). Or the 20-35 2.8 which is a ton cheaper than the 17-35 but used prices have skyrocketed since the D700 came out.

Mid range I have pretty well covered, 50 1.4 and 85 1.8

Tele lenght is kinda iffy, 135 2.8 ai-s, don't use much because of metering issues.

55-200vr, excellent cheap through around lens.

70-300, my most used wildlife lens. Completely happy with this accept it's still to short most of the time.

Add to long end either 300 f/4 and 1.4x, or 80-400vr. Both have pluses and minuses not really sure which way i want to go.

But even at 400mm, will that be close enough? As close as i could get sneaking up on water foul, of getting to new areas/angles. Probly not.

Plus I really haven't been shooting much lately, I think this would help bring more life back to my shooting than adding another lens to my line up. And cheaper to boot.

These are just some thoughts I have been having.

So for lenses I have enough to shoot with for sure even though I am lacking in some areas,

Lens line up is

28 2.8 ai-s
28 2.8d

50 1.4d
85 1.8d
135 2.8 ai-s
18-135 af-s
55-200
70-300
cheap no-name ai-s type fish
2x converter ai-s style

ton of other random stuff, flashes pods,filters,gels etc etc etc.

I think the being on the water would add another enjoyable aspect of it, maybe maybe not. Stepping off into deep holes that you don't see wearing waders around gators kinda sucks lol.

[slickshooter]

All I can say is the difference in the two long lenses your looking at.I think the 300f/4 would definately be better than the 80 to 400.The 300 is fast in the focus while the 80-400 is a nightmare when focusing and the 300's IQ blows the 80-400 away.I wish I could handle a kayak now.They really are alot of fun.

[90 5.0]

Originally Posted by slickshooter

All I can say is the difference in the two long lenses your looking at.I think the 300f/4 would definately be better than the 80 to 400.The 300 is fast in the focus while the 80-400 is a nightmare when focusing and the 300's IQ blows the 80-400 away.I wish I could handle a kayak now.They really are alot of fun.

Yeah, the advantages and dis-advatages to both, one faster focus and better iq, the other vr and usability of a zoom(convenience factor). One of the reasons I've never bought either when I've come across good deals. I can't seem to make up my mind on which one I'd be more happy with. Plus waiting seemingly forever for an update of either.

Both are capable if used well and knowing the limitations of both. There are amazing sample photos around from both lenses out there.

[DougC]

A boat is a hole in the water into which you throw your money. The lens will serve you for years with little or no additional cost. Always buy more photo equipment when the budget allows!!!

DougC added 4 Minutes and 38 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by slickshooter

All I can say is the difference in the two long lenses your looking at.I think the 300f/4 would definately be better than the 80 to 400.The 300 is fast in the focus while the 80-400 is a nightmare when focusing and the 300's IQ blows the 80-400 away.I wish I could handle a kayak now.They really are alot of fun.

This is a very wise man, listen to him!

[ttusa]

Lens!!!

I have motion sickness problems, so this would be very easy for me to decide-LOL!

[ngoduyviet]

I had a boat and a lens, now I have lenses ;-) hope that helps

[arlon]

Had boat, sold it and got lenses and cameras. In fact it was the boat money that paid for my first DSLR and lenses, lots of lenses (it was a big boat)..

I recently purchased an inflatable kayak to use as the occasional photography platform. The inflatables are amazingly stable. You would have to work pretty hard to flip the thing (nothing like a hard shell). It also stows in my trunk or back seat. It paddles very well and has a lot of load carrying capacity. This is a high end kayak (google AIRE Super Lynx), not a kids toy from walmart. We also do the 5th wheel thing and the inflatable kayak is easy for us to take and store on the camp trailer. Best of both worlds for me.

[90 5.0]

You guys are not helping lol.













My wallet anyway, the lenses I want are 4x what the used boats I am seeing are hahaha