p.1 #1 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
Hi everyone,
I’m planning a trip to Skjervøy, Norway, during the last week of November (24th-26th) to photograph Orcas and Humpbacks from a RIB. As you know, the light will be extremely challenging (twilight/Polar Night).
I’m a Nikon shooter and I’ll be traveling with two bodies and three lenses, but I’m struggling with the best way to 'marry' them for the duration of the boat sessions, as lens changes will be nearly impossible due to salt spray and space.
My Gear:
Bodies: Nikon D5 and Nikon D810.
Lenses: 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, 200-400mm f/4 VR I
The Dilemma:
Given the extreme low light and the proximity of the animals on a RIB, I’m torn between these two setups:
The High-ISO Priority: D5 + 70-200mm f/2.8 (as the main workhorse) and D810 + 200-400mm f/4 (for eagles or distant whales). My concern here is the D810 struggling at f/4 in the indigo twilight.
The Resolution/Crop Priority: D810 + 70-200mm f/2.8 and D5 + 200-400mm f/4 (to use the D5's high ISO to compensate for the f/4 aperture).
A few specific questions:
For those who have been there in late Nov: is the 200-400mm too much 'glass' to handle on a crowded RIB?
Would you prioritize the 24-70mm on one of the bodies, or is the 70-200mm wide enough for environmental shots?
Considering I’ll have an Insta360 on a pole for the ultra-close action, would you leave the 24-70mm in the dry bag?
I’d love to hear from anyone who has faced these specific lighting conditions with a similar kit.
p.1 #2 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
Hi Luca,
It will depend on the policies of the boat operator. Some will stay a good way from the wales while others will get you to about 50 feet. Contact them and find out their policy and if they are one that stays far away you might want to see if there is another option. If you are able to get close and some of this is luck, the 70-200mm f2.8 will be your workhorse yet some wonderful environmental photos will come from your 24-70mm f2.8. Don't planning on changing lens as you are likely to encounter spray which should not be an issue. Your lens hood will mostly protect the 70-200mm front element or filter from the spray yet the 24-70mm lens hood is short and will not help much so bring a few lens cloths along to deal with moisture on your front element or filter. When you get back to your room, you can use a damp towel to remove the salt from the lens body and camera and then dry them with a dry one.
p.1 #3 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
Hi Morris,
Thank you so much for such a detailed and practical response!
Your tip about the 24-70mm lens hood is gold. I hadn't fully realized how much more vulnerable that front element is to salt spray compared to the deep hood of the 70-200mm. I will definitely pack a good supply of high-quality microfiber cloths and keep them in a dry, warm pocket.
Following your (and others') advice, I have decided to go with a two-body setup (Nikon D5 and D810) specifically to avoid any lens changes on the boat. Salt and sea spray are definitely my main concerns after the low light.
I will also strictly follow your 'damp towel' cleaning routine back at the room. It’s a simple but vital step to save the weather sealing and the buttons in the long run.
Thanks again for your help in refining my strategy for this trip!
I would also be extremely grateful to hear from anyone else in the community who has been to Skjervøy or shot whales in similar Arctic winter conditions. Any extra tips, small tricks, or insights from your personal experiences would be invaluable to me as I finalize my preparations.
p.1 #4 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
My trip was fairly different, but it was 3rd week in November. We were snorkeling with the Orcas -- based on a liveaboard, then out in RIBs and then drysuits in the water to find the whales. We went north from Tromso. A little bit of shooting from the big boat: I'd recommend the 70-200 f/2.8 as the RIB will be moving, as will the whales. Boat operators are supposed to keep a pretty good distance from the whales, but there were some who got too close. You'll be seeing the whales spy hop (>50% of their bodies out of the water and fin slap, both of which are very brief (hence the fast lens), other than that, they'll probably just be underwater. They follow fishing boats (literally a moveable feast), so you'll be most likely to see them there. A 24-70 on the 2nd body would be good for landscapes. I bring a chamois cloth in wet environments as microfiber has more of a tendency to smear. The sun came out 1 day out of 10 and the color in the clouds was phenomenal. You'll also probably be seeing the aurora at night, so if you are land based, bring a UWA lens for shooting that. Have a great trip!
p.1 #5 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
Hi Monika,
Thank you so much for such a detailed and insightful response! Your experience from that third week of November is exactly what I was looking for.
I especially appreciate the tip about the chamois cloth. I was planning to rely on microfibers, but you’re absolutely right: in that kind of humidity and salt spray, they can become a mess. The chamois is definitely going into my kit.
Regarding the gear, I’ve actually planned a two-person mission. My brother will be joining me on the RIB to help manage a second setup. This way, I can stay focused on the orcas with my Nikon D5 and the 70-200mm f/2.8, while he handles the D810 with the 24-70mm f/2.8 for those wide-angle landscapes and atmospheric shots you mentioned. It’s the only way to manage two bodies safely in such a cramped and moving space!
Your "1 out of 10 days of sun" statistic actually resonates deeply with my project. I’m chasing that deep, twilight blue of the Polar Night.
And yes, with the help of my brother, we’ll be ready for the Aurora and the Supermoon as well!
Thanks again for the "Voices from the North." Your advice has been a lighthouse for my planning.
p.1 #6 · Gear setup for Skjervøy (Orcas) in late November – Low light RIB dilemma
One other thing for the underwater shots: There will be low light that time of year and, combined with lots of particulate in the water (I couldn't see the orcas until they darn near ran over me! -- only those white patches on their backs alerted me to their presence, and then I thought there was only 1, but in processing the shots, there were up to a half dozen), there will be significant post-processing for those shots. I hope you get to see them carousel feeding!
