Posted by Lisa Trefry on the Big Photo Hunt community board.
I'm heading to Alaska later this month for a 6-day Lindblad/National Geographic expedition cruise through the Inside Passage, with a few days in Sitka beforehand and Juneau afterward. My primary goals are wildlife (whales, bears, sea otters, eagles) and landscapes. Most of the wildlife photography will be handheld from Zodiacs and the ship, with some opportunities from shore.
I currently shoot with a Nikon D750 and own:
- Tamron 150-600mm - Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 - Nikon 24-120mm f/4
I love my D750, but paired with the Tamron 150-600 it's a fairly heavy setup for long days, especially when shooting handheld from Zodiacs. I'm thinking this might be a good opportunity to try Nikon mirrorless.
I'm considering renting either a Nikon Z8 or Z6III, along with a Z 180-600mm and Z 14-30mm f/4.
For those of you who have photographed Alaska or similar trips with Nikon mirrorless:
- Would you choose the Z8 or the Z6III, and why? - Is the 180-600 your preferred wildlife lens, or would you recommend something different? - Would you bring the 14-30 for landscapes, or would another lens make more sense? - If you could take only three lenses, what would your kit be?
I'd really appreciate hearing what worked well for you—and anything you wish you'd done differently. Thanks!
Timothy Valcke
The z6iii is barely lighter then the d750 (0,17lbs)
The z8 is a bit heavier then the d750
the image stabilization wil help a bit with that zodiac motion.
Z8 has a nice amount of resolution to play with and a little bit more dynamic range…
(Below iso 800 atleast)
But I wonder if the z8 in combination with the motion and wobbling on the zodiac would cause any electronic shutter banding?
It’s a tough choice
Jose Reyes
I currently shoot with a Nikon Z6 III, but I don’t have experience with the Z8
While I love my camera, that doesn’t necessarily translate to what would work best for you. It seems you’re trying to find something lighter-weight for your trip, but if you’re willing to trade bulk for resolution the Z8 is very very well reviewed. I do love the mechanical shutter on the Z6 III - there’s just something satisfying about it being present adding a bit of haptics to photography, but at the end of the day that’s subjective.
I’d lean more toward the Z8 for cropping headroom for birds and wildlife.
I don’t have much help in the way of lenses to bring as I currently only have the 24-70 f/4 S
I hope your trip goes well and I’m sure you’ll be happy with whatever kit you end up choosing :)
Dennis Corrick
I have been to Alaska 2X, staying in Sitka for a week the first time, and dividing between Ketchikan and Juneau for about 10 days the second. We weren't on a cruise, but I sailed the Inside Passage on the Alaska Maritime Highway ferry. I bought my Z8 specifically for my first trip, and I took a (f-mount) 200-500 with FTZ adapter. I now own the 180-600 and a Z6iii.
The Z8 is an amazing camera in every way, but if you're shooting at 600, it's the 2x megapixel count over Z6iii that makes the difference. I shot whales, eagles and a bear from a 20-foot boat with the 200-500 and all those images needed meaningful cropping (first two pics). Now that I have the 180-600, I really appreciate how much faster and just flat better the AF is on the Z-mount lenses. If you're looking at getting wildlife at a distance, and it sounds like you are, I'd go with the Z8 and the big lens. Sorry about the weight, but I promise it won't matter when you're seeing a whale/eagle/bear/seal in the viewfinder. Get a beanbag or something else to help; even a good Peak Design neckstrap can help. I took it on a VERY wet Zodiac ride in Juneau and weight wasn't really an issue. I've never been on a cruise ship, but maybe a monopod while you're there?
But I'm not sure I'd recommend the 14-30. You have the 24-120 that you could adapt with FTZ onto the Z8. New from the store, the FTZ is about $250; if you rent it or buy it used, I'd think it would be cheap, and you'd use the 24-120 in towns, on hikes and for places you visit. At the time, I had the Z24-200, and the lighthouse pic attached, from along the Inside Passage, was shot with that, but at 130, and the shot wasn't cropped. The ferry is much smaller than a cruise ship (about 500'), so you might be using the bigger lens. But fair warning; in late June, we only had clear skies for a few hours of the 36-ish hour sail. The view was beautiful, but foggy (your mileage may vary).
My son works on yachts, and has sailed the Inside Passage a half-dozen times. My trip was direct Washington to Ketchikan, but his have involved anchoring in some cool coves, etc., and you'll likely get much better opportunities than I did if you're doing 6 days there. I do think 24-120 and 180-600 will cover most of your bases.
BUT. If you're getting into side coves and spending days at the bottom of mountains, you will want a super wide angle. I still think you'll use the 24-120 and big lens much more often, but you can't capture mountains up close with those. The simplest solution here might be an old f-mount fisheye or wide angle prime and the FTZ. We went to Misty Fjords out of Ketchikan, and every image was with the 16mm 2.8. I just sold that lens for about $150, and it fits in a pocket.
Hope this helps. If I missed or was unclear about anything, feel free to ask. Have a great time; Alaska can change your life if you have the right attitude.
Dennis Corrick
One more thing (does this guy never shut up?). Here are images taken at Misty Fjords, where we were in a small cove surrounded by mountains. All taken with the 16mm 2.8 fisheye. I never considered another lens while there; took some iphone snapshots, but even the floatplane looked better with the 16.
Dennis Corrick
Wanted to share something for your Alaska trip. When I was in Sitka, I got some whale images and uploaded tail pics to Happy Whale (https://happywhale.com/home), which identified the whale, told me her history, and has updated me since on sightings of her. It's a great way to relive the memory!
Lisa Trefry
@[Jose Reyes](001ce4e4-2245-4fec-9600-cb01350c73f8) Yes, I was hoping to trade the bulk for the resolution. I am looking forward to trying the mirrorless camera in hopes that I will make the switch in the future. I am leaning toward the Z8 specifically for cropping.
Lisa Trefry
@[Timothy Valcke](67cbe9dd-f3f4-4ef5-a134-4916a14fcfe3) Thanks! That's really helpful. I hadn't realized the weight difference between the bodies was so small. The autofocus, IBIS, and extra resolution are definitely some of the things drawing me toward the Z8.
Timothy Valcke
@[Lisa Trefry](2448c31c-306f-4106-88f1-c47f00002b38)
Its is the superior camera!
Timothy Valcke
below iso 800…
Ken Deckinger
@[Dennis Corrick](ad1b8b75-3005-4053-b8df-0b65abf1cfda) love these!
Lisa Trefry
@[Dennis Corrick](ad1b8b75-3005-4053-b8df-0b65abf1cfda)Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience and those beautiful photos. Your comments about the cropping flexibility of the Z8 and the autofocus improvements with the 180-600 gave me a lot to think about. Your images are Amazing and have me even more excited for the trip! I had to smile at your comment about the weight—you're probably right. Once a whale, eagle, or bear is in the viewfinder, I doubt I'll be thinking much about the extra weight!
We'll actually be on a 6-day expedition cruise through the Inside Passage, so we'll be spending a fair amount of time photographing from Zodiacs. Before that, we'll have three days in Sitka, including two days on small private wildlife boats (one with a local wildlife photographer and filmmaker). Afterward, we'll have about 2½ days in Juneau, including a glacier and dog sledding excursion. If you have any favorite photo locations, "don't miss" opportunities, or Alaska photography tips, I'd love to hear them!
One last question. Since I'm coming from a D750, do you think it would be worthwhile to rent the Z8 for a day or two before Alaska just to get familiar with the controls and autofocus?
Lisa Trefry
@[Dennis Corrick](ad1b8b75-3005-4053-b8df-0b65abf1cfda) Those Misty Fjords images are incredible. I never would have thought to use a fisheye there.
Dennis Corrick
@[Lisa Trefry](2448c31c-306f-4106-88f1-c47f00002b38) I would. Steve Perry on YouTube has videos on how to set up Z cameras for wildlife, and I recommend them. The Z cameras have an "i" menu that allows one to quickly change select settings (AF, WB, FPS, focus points, etc.). And there are something like 20 programmable control buttons for back focus, FX/DX, etc. Two days of personalizing the camera and getting used to it would not be wasted.
In Juneau, you'll want to see Mendenhall Glacier. Don't know if you'll have a car, but we drove to the ends of the road in each direction, and enjoyed it. Going north, the Jensen-Olsen Arboretum has beautiful flowers (pic attached), and the Shrine of St. Therese is a beautiful spit of land where we saw Marmots! There are scenic vistas with parking along the roads. N by Auke Bay is Forbidden Peak Brewery; good food and beer. Across the street is a cool working marina; think street photography in a marina. The day we were there, we saw a sign by the road: "Crabs". There's a single finger pier in the marina where boats sell their catch, and we got FIVE Dungeoness crabs for about $50, and the deck hand cleaned them for us for a tip. By the cruise ships, there's a restaurant that charges $100 for a one crab meal. If you have access to a kitchen...
In Sitka, the Sitka National Historical Park, at the edge of the urban area, has views and totems with a museum, and the trail ends at a brewery with great pizza! The marina at Eliason Harbor is another cool "street photography" spot. The Sheldon Jackson Museum (S edge of urban area) is a treasure trove of artifacts of the indigenous peoples, and the Raptor Center has lots of Eagles and other raptors. The Fortress of the Bear, which is waay south, has lots of rehabbed captive bears, but I had fun photographing them (long lens). The Bishop's house is interesting, but for a short stay, I'd only choose it in bad weather. We hiked all over Sitka; every trail offers something.
Plan on buying a genuine indigenous piece of art; some fit in your hand. It's a talisman that will take you back. I'm envious; I'd go to either of these places or Ketchikan tomorrow.