Wildlife Photography while kayaking?

[seuadr]

Hi all,

I've recently purchased a kayak with the intention of trying out wildlife photography whilst kayaking. I love water fowl and shore birds and am hoping that this will improve my luck with capturing these. I am fortunate enough to live in michigan so there are a lot of sources of water to try this out on close to home.

anyone else doing this? any recommendations?

I'll be using the sigma 150-600 adapted on an a6500, most likely hand held as my kayak is a sit on top and i suspect that a tripod is asking for trouble.

i am considering possibly a monopod with a gimbal head though?

Thoughts?

Thanks for your time,

Jared

 

[Doug Herr]

managing the paddle and camera at the same time while currents and breezes push the kayak around can be challenging, but it can be done. I'd skip the monopod and go hand-held
.

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/400 sec
• ISO 400

 

[Lars]

I have a kayak, 9 foot. I have only used it with the 100-400 which I think is the best focal length. No gimbal or tripod. I also have the 200-600 which I think would be too cumbersome to use. The 200-600 is not that sharp at 600 anyway, I have not tried to hold the camera just above the water for a lower perspective, adjusting focus on the LCD screen, would be fun.
i drifted towards the cormorant to a

distance of 12 feet.

 

[seuadr]

well, i tried out what is supposed to be a good area today sans camera and i think it is very doable - but i can see what you mean about the larger lens being cumbersome, that is some food for thought. I have a lumix GM5 that i don't use much that i might sell to fund the new sigma 100-400 - i liked the adapted version well except i'd wished the focus performance would be a little better, i am guessing that being a native mount lens will improve that by a bit.

thanks for the advice all, i'm pretty confident that i can give this a go.