Cruise Questions

Hello forum!

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I figured this would be a good place to ask.

I have never been on a cruise, but I will be experiencing my first one sometime in May or June. The cruise will be a 7-Day Inland Passage to Alaska. Since it will be a first for both me and my wife, we will likely splurge on a balcony room.

Anyway, by then, I will have built up a $1200-1600 budget for photography equipment. My question for you people is about where that money should go. I would like to focus on the cruise, but I want to get equipment that will be useful even after the cruise is over.

So far I have these things in mind:

1. 100-400L or 400 5.6L
2. Rokinon 8mm
3. 17-40L
4. Gorillapod

For the 8mm, I was wondering if it would be a good option. I had the idea of picking up one of the telephotos and using this as my UWA. My idea was to use this lens as a fisheye, but also de-fish (Not sure how well this works) on shots that I just wanted wide angle, not distortion.

I figured the gorillapod would be good to wrap around the balcony to get some landscape and perhaps some telephoto shots.

How do you guys feel about de-fished 8mm vs. 17-40 and 100-400 vs. the 400 prime?
Do you think the gorillapod is a good idea or could I survive without it?

Ultimately, if you had my budget and those options, how would you spend it?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I wanted to make sure I covered everything.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Benjamin

I'm also okay with renting, but I'd rather put the money towards owning.

I wouldn't recommend the Gorillapod (or pretty much any tripod) for shipboard use. There's going to be a low-level vibration from the ship's engines that the tripod will transmit on to the camera during long exposures.

When we did our Alaska cruise I mostly used the 24-70 on board. The 100-400 got some use on shipboard, mostly while we were in the harbours, but much more on excursions (there's an outfit in Juneau offering photographers' whale-watching tours; it's probably one of the offerings for most of the cruise line excursions; 100-400 and 1.4x TC on the 1D3 really got a workout there).
I'd go with the 100-400 over the 400 both because of the IS and because it's a zoom. But that would pretty well blow the rest of your budget, if I'm reading it right. I wouldn't go for the Rokinon unless you really like fisheye effects - the 17-40 on the 1D will be plenty wide for most uses.

Jon wrote in post #13697428
I wouldn't recommend the Gorillapod (or pretty much any tripod) for shipboard use. There's going to be a low-level vibration from the ship's engines that the tripod will transmit on to the camera during long exposures.

When we did our Alaska cruise I mostly used the 24-70 on board. The 100-400 got some use on shipboard, mostly while we were in the harbours, but much more on excursions (there's an outfit in Juneau offering photographers' whale-watching tours; it's probably one of the offerings for most of the cruise line excursions; 100-400 and 1.4x TC on the 1D3 really got a workout there).
I'd go with the 100-400 over the 400 both because of the IS and because it's a zoom. But that would pretty well blow the rest of your budget, if I'm reading it right. I wouldn't go for the Rokinon unless you really like fisheye effects - the 17-40 on the 1D will be plenty wide for most uses.

I never thought about the vibrations, interesting point. It looks like the 100-400 is the obvious choice and it looks like the 17-40 also wins. Perhaps I will buy a used 100-400 and rent the 17-40. I rarely need any wider than 50mm so I think the 100-400 is the more logical choice for buying. Would a 1.4x TC be a good investment? How was the IQ with 100-400 +TC?

Thanks for your reply

See for yourself:

IMAGE LINK: http://jonbarrettphoto​.smugmug.com …/635315357_oPqY​u-X3-1.jpg

I don't see a harpoon on your shopping list? Or a fake wooden leg?

Wow, very impressive! Do you know if it is true that newer copies of this lens are sharper? If so, what is the earliest date code that was improved? I wish I had my budget money now...I would be jumping on Canon's $170 rebate.

No idea. Mine dates from 2004 or so . . . Of course they've released a new TC since then too.

rick_reno wrote in post #13697925
I don't see a harpoon on your shopping list? Or a fake wooden leg?

Very funny

Jon wrote in post #13697932
No idea. Mine dates from 2004 or so . . . Of course they've released a new TC since then too.

I suppose I'll have to do a little research

17-40L because you'll still use it after the cruise. my next option would be the 100-400L which would benefit you on the cruise as shooting from a boat would be difficult without a telephoto lens but you'll use the 17-40 more often after the cruise.

msclman99 wrote in post #13700179
17-40L because you'll still use it after the cruise. my next option would be the 100-400L which would benefit you on the cruise as shooting from a boat would be difficult without a telephoto lens but you'll use the 17-40 more often after the cruise.

I don't usually shoot anything shorter than 50mm though...

More cruise questions OP excuse me for hijacking your post....

I have a sea sickness question...Am i wasting my hard earned paying for a cruise if i suffer sea sickness ? ...Sailing Carribean Crusies Ex Sydney Australia Dec next year Pacific islands Radiance class....

rooeey wrote in post #13704438
More cruise questions OP excuse me for hijacking your post....

I have a sea sickness question...Am i wasting my hard earned paying for a cruise if i suffer sea sickness ? ...Sailing Carribean Crusies Ex Sydney Australia Dec next year Pacific islands Radiance class....

It's better than starting a new thread, help yourself!

The wife and I went on the inland passage on Norwegian last May and I took a T1i, 18-55mm and 70-200mm f4 w/2x extender. I found myself using the 18-55 most, and found the 70-200mm even with the 2x extender too short when actually needing the extended range.

We have booked another trip for this year at the end of May into June for the same trip on Norwegian again. THIS time, I'm going better prepared! Upgraded to a 7d, 10-22mm, 15-85mm and will be leaving the 70-200mm at home opting instead for the 100-400mm with 2x extender.

I also took along a Manfrotto 682B monopod instead of a tripod for use in taking pics off the balcony and it'll go again with us on this coming trip.

The trip up to Sawyer Glacier in the fjord is amazing and sometimes you'll get a chance to see some bears on the shoreline. I took well over 2k pics on the trip and used my laptop to store my images off my memory cards until getting home. I'll be taking a 16gb and a 32gb card along with me this trip as well as the laptop again.

If you're going on the Norwegian Jewel at the end of May, maybe we'll meet!