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Archive 2015 · photography n a.....

  
 
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · photography n a.....


Kayak.

open topic all positive comments welcomed.

i am thinking of buying a stand up motorized kayak for wildlife photography. and of course fishing.

i already own a 4 hp suzuki long shaft motor, magellan gps, and interphase dual transducer phased array forward looking sonar unit. i am thinking of one of these:

https://www.sailboatstogo.com/img/catalog/accessories/IMG_7129-1.JPG

http://www.scottypaddlesports.com/kayak-fishing-equipment-accessories/stabilizers/images/302_stabilizer-Kit.gif

http://micronautical.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2hp-outboard-motor-mounted-on-fishing-kayak.jpg

and this 100% waterproof duffle bag 15"x15"x36" by sagebrush dry goods, it should hold the 500mm w camera mounted in shooting position, 100-400mm w camera mounted two flashes with flash brackets and BB. all other accessories in my TT shape shifter back pack.

http://www.sagebrushdrygoods.com/images/thecavern.jpg

thus far. plus this is way cool hide,


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/WidgeonmanGH/wavewalkduckblindpre-camo038_zpsf391ad21.jpg

http://www.wavewalk.com/FishingKayak/camera%20with%20telescopic%20lens%20mounted%20on%20stable%20kayak%20for%20photography.jpg


Edited on Oct 25, 2015 at 10:31 PM · View previous versions



Oct 25, 2015 at 06:56 PM
PetKal
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · photography n a.....


RH, if I had the money, I'd get a gondola.

Edited on Oct 28, 2015 at 08:20 AM · View previous versions



Oct 25, 2015 at 07:29 PM
surfnron
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · photography n a.....


A lot of us shoot from kayaks and really enjoy it. You mention "stand up kayak". Why would you want to stand up? One of the advantages of kayak shooting is the low shooting angle you get from sitting in the yak ~ Ron


Oct 25, 2015 at 07:41 PM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · photography n a.....


petkal i am trying to achieve a one man launch and be able to remove from it from the vehicle. i am a disabled person. albeit, that thing surely looks good and dry.

surfnron, i can't sit in the legs extended position with my infirmities. however, with the stand up kayak i could lay down if need be in the Wavewalk 700 to achieve the low angle. if one was to add a base mount for a mono-pod equipped with a gimbal head ie. super side kick one could surely achieve a low shooting angle by positioning one's self further back in the kayak, also.

the primary reason for the stand up design is stability. if one was to add the stabilizer float kit shown above, capsizing the rig is removed from the equation. i just can not phantom going over board with my 5D MKIII/IV with a 500mm L attached to take a swim.

oh, i forgot to mention i will be fishing also.



Oct 25, 2015 at 07:57 PM
Monito
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · photography n a.....


Meaningful thread titles are more effective at attracting meaningful responses.


Oct 25, 2015 at 09:19 PM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · photography n a.....


so does OT irrelevant meaningless negative non-contributive commentary. you have added no value to my thread. end of line.....


Oct 25, 2015 at 09:33 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · photography n a.....


Great subject for the General-gear Forum, unless of course it is only for Canon gear.

Positive comment, end of line............



Oct 25, 2015 at 09:52 PM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · photography n a.....


since i only shoot canon it is appropriate. and for you markle, since you shoot canon from a kayak, beginning of line.....


Oct 25, 2015 at 09:59 PM
coppertop
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · photography n a.....


I recently started shooting from a sit-in kayak. First attempt was with a 300mm f2.8 with converter on a Canon 1D MKIII. Used a Pelican Case to keep things dry during transit. Wasn't very comfortable, the weight of the camera shifted the balance of the kayak and I was extremely nervous.

Since then I have scaled down the operation to a 70-200mm f2.8 with converter on a Rebel SL1. I use a large dry bag to keep everything dry during transit. Still need to overcome some of the nervousness but the smaller rig takes up far less space and can be handled one-handed if needed (free's up the other hand to paddle).

There are a lot of photographers who shoot from kayaks and someone with more experience than I may know better, but the stand-up kayaks in the pictures just doesn't look safe for a camera. I experience a significant shift in balance when I carried the 300mm rig and I would imagine you would experience similar with any of the rigs pictured.

And losing balance in sit-in kayak is worlds different than losing balance on a stand-up kayak. Even with the stabilizers.

Also... another issue to consider regardless of the camera use is that if you put a motor on the kayak you will likely have to register it with the State and pay the annual license to use it. I realize every State is a little different but that is the way it is down my way.

Good luck with it. If you can find a way to get out on the water, you'll enjoy it. Now that I've got a set up that I'm comfortable with, I try to find an excuse to get out on the water every weekend. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't always buy into my excuses.



Oct 25, 2015 at 10:47 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · photography n a.....


I did not realize that Canon made DSLR Kayaks...


Oct 25, 2015 at 11:12 PM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · photography n a.....


but the stand-up kayaks in the pictures just doesn't look safe for a camera.

that is an excellent point. i have zero experience with kayaks. hell, for that matter no kayak looks safe for a camera. the question is will it be stable enough for a camera? good example of why i started this thread.

I experience a significant shift in balance when I carried the 300mm rig and I would imagine you would experience similar with any of the rigs pictured.

very important point. i will be using a 500mm rig along with a 100-400mm rig and 24-70mm f2.8l rig. actually i don't plan on standing for shooting images at all. i will install a seat on the kayak. i will use a mono-pod or modified tripod mounted on the center axis of the kayak similar to the one pictured above. if possible a bean bag, gimbal head + base plate while laying down in the kayak. this may prove to be the best and most stable position from which to shoot. provided i don't get hit by a large wake and rolled to an extreme angle. uh, forget the bean bag base plate idea unless the mount is tethered on very short leashes to both sides of the hull.

if you put a motor on the kayak you will likely have to register it with the State and pay the annual license to use it.

the same is true here in cali.


Edited on Oct 26, 2015 at 05:22 AM · View previous versions



Oct 26, 2015 at 01:06 AM
jeremy_clay
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · photography n a.....


I hope there are 50 shots of birds from Canon kayaks in this thread shortly.


Oct 26, 2015 at 01:17 AM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · photography n a.....


I hope there are 50 shots of birds from Canon kayaks in this thread shortly.

better yet, I hope there are 50 shots of kayaks rigged to shoot with Canon gears in this thread shortly.

Edited on Oct 26, 2015 at 09:35 AM · View previous versions



Oct 26, 2015 at 01:41 AM
Frogfish
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · photography n a.....


R.H. Johnson wrote:
better ye, I hope there are 50 shots of kayaks rigged to shoot with Canon gears in this thread shortly.


What difference does it make if it is Canon or Nikon or even Mamiya or Pentax 645 ?

Personally I'd have titled this thread 'Help required with Kayak Camera Rig' and posted it to both Canon and Nikon forums (you can do this via the forum selection available at the bottom when creating a new thread). You can in fact still do this now and since the brand is not relevant, and the title important, it could get you more pertinent responses. BTW I'd post to those two forums since both have the heavy 500/600m lens to which you are referring.

I'm sorry I'm not able to contribute but I find the thread interesting and hope more people can offer you advice.



Oct 26, 2015 at 02:27 AM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · photography n a.....


Frogfish, agreed. i did cross post in the general gear-talk forum.

What difference does it make if it is Canon or Nikon or even Mamiya or Pentax 645 ?

it doesn't but for the thread/topic patrol. i posted here because i know that there are a few of the regulars that do shoot wildlife from kayaks. i was hoping for some relevant input from them.

just a little history. i had a very bad motor scooter accident in feb. 2015. i went down at 65 mph from a combination of being cut off and a mechanical failure on the freeway. i was already disabled from nerve damage. i am finally getting my legs back under me and regaining some mobility.

so, long story short. i decided to go and buy a clunker. a toyota sr5 4runner with a sun roof. so i load the dang thing up with my gears and off to the lake i go camera in tow. to my demise when i get there and walk up to the shore line the damned birds go further out to sea. beyond the range of my trusty 500mm + 1.4x tnc. that just pissed me off. so around the lake i go from the north shore to the south shore to the east shore same thing. the darn critters go out to sea.

then i see this:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/753/21864243609_4ccde022d3_o.jpg

and i meet another old fart retiree, paul.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/738/22298555890_91ee3a9441_o.jpg

and paul talks to me about kayak technology. needless to say a light went off in this old man's soft computer. there are guys right here on FM that shoot from kayaks. well there you have it in a nutshell. i am searching the web all over trying to do some research on the topic.



Oct 26, 2015 at 03:55 AM
arbitrage
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · photography n a.....


I bought my kayak a month ago and due to weather have only made it out once and probably won't be out till spring but I saved a bunch of money by buying end of season stock so that was fine by me. Mine is a sit in Recreational/fishing kayak although the fishing attachment was extra and I didn't buy it. I don't have any experience with the type of kayak you are looking at but the beauty of kayaks is that most of the birds are much less scared of you then they would be otherwise. I'm not sure if standing up in one would negate that affect or not. Using a blind and lying down as you mentioned would be best if you can manage that.

Here are some shots from my first and only outing this year in my own kayak in the Yukon. I also did lots of kayak shooting in Nanaimo BC this summer with my brother-in-laws' kayaks.

In Nanaimo I used 7D2 and 100-400II. In Yukon I used the 300 f/2.8 and 1DX. I tried with a tripod setup in the kayak with my gimbal head but I much preferred just keeping the lens between my legs ontop of my backpack and then lifting it to shoot. My next purchase will be some sort of quick release paddle holder on the side that I can stow the paddle away instead of balancing in on my lap while shooting.



























Oct 26, 2015 at 08:58 AM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · photography n a.....


Geoff, thanks for your reply. how is the balance when shooting your 300mm?

lovely pictures.



Oct 26, 2015 at 10:21 AM
Tenn.Jer
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · photography n a.....


I've used a kayak for photography for three years now...

From the beginning I've carried the camera and lens in my lap, with a small towel laid across it to catch the errant drop or two. My personal ironclad rule is to always have the kit secure in a dry bag whenever I'm entering or leaving the boat, but otherwise I keep it ready and close to hand. I've used a 300 2.8L, with and without extenders, a 100-400 zoom, a 500 f/4L IS, and finally have settled on the 400 DO, first the older version and now the Mark II. I usually carry a small waterproof point-and-shoot (a canon D20 currently) for sunrise and scenery photos.
I found the 500 to be unwieldy and awkward to carry; it actually stuck out over the side when resting in my lap. The 300 worked as well as the 400 DO, but was heavier and lacked reach. I think I've hit the sweet spot with the DO II, because I can add the extenders without IQ or (much) AF speed compromise.

Let me stress that I'm only going out on quiet southern rivers with little or no current, or secluded woodland lakes with no motorized boat traffic. When I've been on flowing water, everything needs to be sealed up in dry bags. Kayaks (those without added outriggers or buoyancy floats) are inherently unstable, and I would never stand up, lean over, or even reach out very far. All my gear is insured, but that doesn't mean I can be careless with it - it would still be a huge, expensive hassle to replace...

OP, I understand you're physically limited with regards to bending or sitting for extended periods - a numb butt from hours in the seat is normal for my kayak time - but it seems you have stronger concerns than that. I can empathize, since my inability to handle the weight and bulk of a canoe is what prompted my move to the kayak. But to be honest, even looking at your examples (and others on line), I just can't imagine standing up (even in a double-hull) and feeling comfortably stable. I wish you luck, and I hope that you practice - without the cameras - exhaustively to get to that level of comfort...

There have been threads in the Nature Forum with photos of several rigs with outriggers and tripod setups; even a few with built-up blinds. They were all sit-in boats, but you might try a search.
It is a great way to approach some wildlife, though some are equally skittish whether you're on the water or shore. It's also a great tool for early-morning solitude and reflection...
Have fun,
Jerry



Oct 26, 2015 at 10:31 AM
R.H. Johnson
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · photography n a.....


Jerry, thank you for your much valued input. i will modifying the kayak for SOT. but, only going out on quiet southern rivers with little or no current, or secluded woodland lakes with no motorized boat traffic.

i wish that were the case in southern cal. jet skis boats and wakes. wakes are what concerns me most.

It's also a great tool for early-morning solitude and reflection...

now you're talking. there is nothing wrong when we talk to God...



Oct 26, 2015 at 11:33 AM
arbitrage
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · photography n a.....


R.H. Johnson wrote:
Geoff, thanks for your reply. how is the balance when shooting your 300mm?

lovely pictures.


I had no issues with stability on this recreational/fishing one or the ocean one I used in Nanaimo. I was swinging the 300 around as the ducks flew and wasn't worried in the least about the stability. There are even more dedicated sit on top fishing kayaks that are more stable but more easily let in water over the sides which is a no-no for me

As I'm paddling I put a towel over my camera-lens just to keep the splashes off.



Oct 26, 2015 at 12:15 PM
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