Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
p.1 #1Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
Will have an opportunity to go out on a boat in Massachusetts for my first ever what watch, suggestions on focal length lens would be helpful.
I was thinking the 70-200 range but unsure??
Thanks
Karl
I was thinking the 70-200 range but unsure??
Thanks
Karl
Aug 19, 2026 at 11:39 AM
p.1 #2Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
A 70-200 zoom could be not long enough.
In Boston (in 2008) I used Nikon D300 (APS-C) and AF ED 80-400/4.5-5.6D VR:
NIKON D300 w/80-400 @ 310 mm
NIKON D300 w/80-400 @ 220 mm
NIKON D300 w/80-400 @ 175 mm
In Boston (in 2008) I used Nikon D300 (APS-C) and AF ED 80-400/4.5-5.6D VR:
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Aug 19, 2026 at 11:56 AM
p.1 #3Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
I would use a 24-105 on one body and 100-400 on the other.
EBH
EBH
Aug 19, 2026 at 12:06 PM
p.1 #4Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
To a certain extent focal length will depend on boat size and how close they are allowed to get. My past experience with a Nat Geo trip called for at least a 100-400 lens.
Aug 19, 2026 at 01:29 PM
p.1 #5Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
Depends on what the regulations are in that area regarding how close/far boats are allowed to be from the whales. At least 70-200mm and a fast lens as the whales & the boat will be moving.
Aug 19, 2026 at 05:46 PM
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p.1 #6Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
I went once out of Morro Bay,
Central California, with a 200-600. A smaller boat and not calm. I think the 100-400 types suggested sound good. While the boats aren't supposed to get too close, the whales are moving and can approach the boats. The 200-600 took some wrestling to handle while staying in a safe or steady position.
Central California, with a 200-600. A smaller boat and not calm. I think the 100-400 types suggested sound good. While the boats aren't supposed to get too close, the whales are moving and can approach the boats. The 200-600 took some wrestling to handle while staying in a safe or steady position.
Aug 19, 2026 at 10:42 PM
p.1 #7Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
I've not gone whale watching in MA, but have done a few trips out of California. I'm going to concur with others that; 80-400 or 100-400 is going to be a good bet. Whale are big obviously and if you needed a longer focal length than that, I'd claim the animals are too far away. As mentioned above, if you can have a second body with a shorter zoom that might come in handy. One thing to consider is the size of the boat and number of people on board. On the whale watching trips that I have been on, when a whale is sighted, people typically all move to that portion of the boat so it restricts your movement and position for photographing.
Aug 20, 2026 at 04:22 PM
p.1 #8Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
You absolutely need a 400+. A XXX-600 zoom is ideal. That way if a whale surfaces near your vessel you get the shot.
Aug 20, 2026 at 11:19 PM
p.1 #9Whale watching lens suggestion for Sony E Mount
I know I am a couple of weeks late to post, but I had very relevant experience very recently.
I took Sony 100-400 4.5-5.6 and it was perfect. A shorter lens would be too short. A longer one would probably be too heavy to hand hold for a long time and run around with for most folks. I know the new 100-400 would've been too heavy for me.
Another point about longer lens - atmospheric distortions tend to be more pronounced over the water, so the IQ would go down anyway.
There was a gentleman onboard with a 600 zoom on a monopod, and he struggled with it, kept tripping and not having enough time to get in position to actually put weight on monopod. He missed the fluke.
I also brought 24-70, and switched lenses a few times to get the landscape shots, of the harbor, lighthouse, etc.
(Note slight softness is user error. My SS was a bit slow, and, I know now, I need to shift aperture by half stop).
I took Sony 100-400 4.5-5.6 and it was perfect. A shorter lens would be too short. A longer one would probably be too heavy to hand hold for a long time and run around with for most folks. I know the new 100-400 would've been too heavy for me.
Another point about longer lens - atmospheric distortions tend to be more pronounced over the water, so the IQ would go down anyway.
There was a gentleman onboard with a 600 zoom on a monopod, and he struggled with it, kept tripping and not having enough time to get in position to actually put weight on monopod. He missed the fluke.
I also brought 24-70, and switched lenses a few times to get the landscape shots, of the harbor, lighthouse, etc.
(Note slight softness is user error. My SS was a bit slow, and, I know now, I need to shift aperture by half stop).
ILCE-7M5 FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens 400mm f/5.6 1/1000s 400 ISO 0.0 EV
Sep 01, 2026 at 10:22 AM