Small Boat, Big Lens

[rexboggs5]

I do a lot of bird photography at the Murray Lagoon here in Rockhampton and have often thought it would be nice to get out in a boat to try to: a) get closer to some of the birds and b) get a different angle to the usual one shooting from the shore.

And surreptitiously I just came across this article a few minutes ago on how to use a large lens in a small boat .

http://www.johnshawphoto.com/small-boat-big-lens/

Has anyone else come up with a solution to this problem?

Cheers, Rex

[ameerat42]

To introduce another aspect of this venture: Boating Conditions.

The picture in the link shows a small boat under "full steam ahead!".
If you will not be doing any such sailing - and here's what I didn't see
addressed in that article - what about the built-in lens stabilisation?
I'm sure it should suit you well enough on Lake Placid, Babbling Brook,
and the like.

That device looks as if it would have some use, but what about its own
limitations?

[Tannin]

Hi Rex,

I have found that handholding is the way to go on the ocean in a small boat. Nothing else provides any real ability to compensate for wave motion. (My experience has been using a 500/4 Mark 1 and a 100-400.) Tripod is out of the question; resting on boat structure (seat back, gunwale, etc.) is hopeless; I don't own a monopod but can't imagine that it would work. But this experience is on ocean swell and small to medium waves with (sometimes) a lot of chop. Essentially, you are providing the compensation for large movements (as the boat rolls and pitches), the in-lens IS is taking care of small ones. It seems to work pretty well, though as you note it is quite hard work with a big lens.

As for a small boat on a calm surface, I reckon you are on the right track with a gymbal head on a monopod. I've never shot from a small boat on a lake or river, but it strikes me as a good way to go.


I'm

In you