I didn't always listen to my own advice...

Well, kind of...

Whenever driving on non-interstate roads in the West, I always have the longest lens I have with me attached to a camera which is ready to pick up and shoot any wildlife that I see. My rationale is that if I need a shorter lens, I will have time to switch lenses but, if I need the longer lens for an animal; I won't have time to switch.

I recommend this to anyone who is vacationing in the West.

I was driving today in Yosemite National Park, California and I did have my 70-200mm f/4L IS lens attached to one of my cameras UNTIL I CAME UP TO A BEAUTIFUL MEADOW with a pond in the foreground. I did have time to switch to a shorter lens.

I switched to a 12-24mm f/4 Tokina on my 40D and had a 24-70mm f/2.8L on my 30D. These were great focal lengths for the meadows shots but....

A black bear came wandering out into the meadow with her two cubs and they all went for a swim. Naturally, the 70-200mm was back in my vehicle. I certainly didn't want to intrude on that happy family by getting close enough to use my 24-70L and by the time I got back to the car, she and her cubs had wandered off.

Wow,

What a bummer, but it is a good thing you did not get closer to mamma bear as I am sure she would not have welcomed you at all.

My wife and I are traveling to Yellowstone in about a month for a few days, but I am planning to have all lenses with me at all times. I hope I really do have all lenses with me when I need them!

Third camera is needed.

Click click click crop

LONDON808 wrote in post #10214184
Click click click crop

+1. Shoot what you have and crop the heck out of it later!

Better to have a low res cropped version than none.

the things you see when you are set up for wide angles. I agree, better to have the big honking 100-400 on the camera strapped around your neck and kept from swinging with a free hand than in the backpack.

RPCrowe wrote in post #10213583
I certainly didn't want to intrude on that happy family by getting close enough to use my 24-70L and by the time I got back to the car, she and her cubs had wandered off.

Oh, I'm sure the mother bear wouldn't mind you approaching her and her cubs. Try it next time.

I think this is one of those times where a lens like the Bigma (50-500 OS) would have been useful as a standard lens!

Kevin - if you want to try it, I will be about 50 yards behind you snapping away (with a tele zoom!)

asysin2leads wrote in post #10220148
Oh, I'm sure the mother bear wouldn't mind you approaching her and her cubs. Try it next time.

Works a treat if you rub yourself in honey first. At least the bears won't mind.

neilwood32 wrote in post #10220477
Kevin - if you want to try it, I will be about 50 yards behind you snapping away (with a tele zoom!)

Sure, comedy at my expense. Just make sure my widow gets some pictures of me running away.:p

Kevin, don't try it. You'll get in trouble with the park rangers. They're always telling people: "Don't feed the bears!"

You wouldn't want your remains incarcerated, would you?

made my day, reading this.

20droger wrote in post #10232486
Kevin, don't try it. You'll get in trouble with the park rangers. They're always telling people: "Don't feed the bears!"

You wouldn't want your remains incarcerated, would you?

Good point. I wonder if they could find a zip lock bag big enough for my remains.

Depends on how hungry the bears are.