Scenic Aperture

I must not be the only nature photographer whose wife needs periodic check-ins for peace of mind. I frequently find myself off the grid in places where my iPhone serves only as a mediocre flashlight or paper weight. So when I’m shooting in areas with no cell phone service where I cannot be reached, my wife imagines the worst. Throw in a later-than-expected return home and she is ready to call out the Marines as she is sure I’m freezing to death at the top of a mountain with a broken leg while being stalked by a rabid porcupine.

All kidding aside, as nature photographers we occasionally take some risks to get the shot. Just stepping off the curb is risky. Add the inherent risks of being isolated in remote wilderness areas and a relatively minor accident can quickly become serious or even life threatening. To help mitigate these risks and to help my wife’s peace of mind, I’ve just acquired a new gizmo that will provide a life line when standard technology is useless.

SPOT Connect turns your smart phone into a satellite communicator. This very cool device uses bluetooth and a smart phone app to  send messages to contacts or to emergency response personnel.

From the SPOT web site, “Simply pair your smartphone with SPOT Connect, and get connected to a global satellite network that lets you send messages and GPS coordinates from virtually anywhere on the planet. Update Twitter and Facebook. Send email and text messages. Request non-emergency help from professional service providers. And in the case of a critical emergency, send an SOS message requesting emergency assistance.”

SPOT offers three levels of messaging. Which one to use depends on your circumstances:

• SOS sends your GPS location to the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) for emergency assistance in life threatening situations.
• HELP sends either custom Type & Send or Predefined messages to recipients in your contact list for assistance in non-life threatening situations.
• CHECK-IN/OK sends your messages and your location to friends and family for casual updates. These messages can also be simultaneously sent to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

However, assuming this thing works as advertised – and I have no reason to doubt that it will – it seems like a pretty cheap insurance policy and essential camera accessory for the serious nature photographer. At a minimum, it will provide my wife peace of mind. Worst case (or would that be best case) it might save my life. I hope I never have to use the SOS button.

Tweet

As a nature photographer, autumn is my favorite time of the year. For a few weeks every year, the landscape lights up with brilliant fall color that never ceases to capture my attention.

However, fall color can present considerable challenges to the photographer. To make the most of the fall color opportunities provided by Mother Nature, the savvy photographer will use a series of filters to capture the drama and beauty of the Autumn landscape.

I never leave home without three types of filters; polarizing filters, neutral density filters, and graduated neutral density filters. Polarizing filters help reduce glare and improve color saturation. Polarizers will also darken blue skies. They work best when positioned perpendicular to the direction of the sun.

Neutral density filters simply reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor which allows slower shutter speeds for dramatic affect. ND filters are especially useful when shooting running water. Graduated neutral density filters are used to control dynamic range of a scene – when exposing for the foreground results in a blown sky for example. Some suggest GND filters are obsolete in the digital age. I disagree. Although I am the first to take advantage of technology, I would rather control the dynamic range of a scene, when possible, in the field rather than correcting it by merging multiple images in post. Just one man’s humble opinion.

Below is a link to an article published in Outdoor Photographer that covers these filters and their use in great detail. I found it particularly useful.

The Right Filters For Fall Color – Outdoor Photographer | OutdoorPhotographer.com.

.

Tweet

smc PENTAX A* 600mm f/5.6 ED IF

Martin, from southern California, recently contacted me to inquire about the Pentax smc A* 600mm f/5.6 ED IF super telephoto lens. He is considering investing in this fine piece of glass produced by Pentax from 1984 to 2000. I’ve been using this lens to shoot wildlife for a couple of years now. So for Martin, and other Pentaxians out there, I will attempt to provide some information about this lens and a recommendation as to whether it is a good investment for the wildlife photographer.  Here’s the short answer: the smc PENTAX A* 600mm is a fantastic lens – buy it if you can find one.

The longest lens in the current Pentax line up is the DA* 300mm f/4.0 ED [IF] SDM.  It is an exquisite lens but at 300mm is a bit short for wildlife. So if you’re committed to Pentax and need more reach, the no longer manufactured A*, F*, and FA* lenses are your only choice today. These beauties are well known for their image quality and are still in high demand but their availability is limited.  Although I have heard rumors some can be special ordered from Pentax Japan, I believe they are primarily obtained today from such places as eBay and KEH. Occasionally you see them on eBay – I bought mine from a Japanese eBay seller about two years ago. For reference, I paid $2,600 USD plus $125 for shipping. Mechanically the lens was fully operational and the glass was perfect. However, there were a few dings and scuffs on the barrel which kept the price down a bit. Even so, it was an uneasy leap of faith to send that much money to an unknown seller in a foreign country, but I have not regretted it for a moment.

I currently use the A*600mm with Pentax K7 and K10D DSLRs. Both combinations have served me well.  With a maximum aperture of f/5.6 it is not the fasted lens around but wide open it produces tack sharp images with creamy bokeh. The biggest limitation of this lens is manual focus. You have to be quick to shoot wildlife. For me, “manual focus” and “quick” do not necessarily go together. However, to become efficient with any long lens you must emphasize your technique and spend lots of time in the field practicing. Despite manual focus,  over time I have become fairly proficient with it. Here are the technical specs:

• Optical – 8 elements in 6 groups
• Aperture Range – f/5.6 ~ f/45
• Number of Aperture Blades – 9
• Minimum Focusing Distance – 18 feet
• Maximum Magnification – 0.12 X
• Special Features – extra-low dispersion element(s), internal focusing
• Front Filter Diameter – 112 mm
• Rear-Filter Diameter – 49 mm
• Max Diameter – 5.25 inches (hood retracted)
• Length – 15.2 inches
• Weight – 7.25 lbs
• Special Features – tripod collar, built-in hood
• Cap – soft leather tie-on cap, 112 mm
• Case – aluminum trunk

As you can see, like most high quality super telephoto lenses, it is big and heavy (somewhat top heavy) which makes your choice of tripod and head very important and a key factor to getting good results.  My support solution is a Feisol Tournament carbon fiber CT-3342 tripod with a Wimberley II gimbal head and P-50 mounting plate.  I’ve also used a Manfrotto 393 head which is less expensive than the Wimberley head yet quite functional. I like the Feisol line as I believe you get a lot for your money and the Wimberley II head simply reeks of quality.

Traveling by air with the A*600 is tricky but can be done.  I have two camera bags that can accommodate this lens that fit in over-head bins on most airplanes. The one I use most frequently is a Tenba  Shootout Large backpack style bag. The A*600 fits down the center of this bag with room left over to accommodate one or two DSLRs and a couple additional lenses. I am currently on my second Tenba bag as the main zipper failed on the first one. To Tenba’s credit, they replaced it for no cost and the zippers on the second bag were considerably heavier than the first. I’ve had the second for well over a year now, traveled with it extensively, and have had no additional problems.

The other bag I use with this lens is a Thinktank Airport Security v2.0 roller board style bag. It is designed to meet USA domestic carry-on size standards and has some nice security features for traveling. Like the Tenba, the Thinktank can accommodate the A*600 and one or two DSLRs and a couple additional lenses. If you use the optional short dividers, it will also accommodate a laptop computer. My only complaint is it weighs about 12 lbs empty so once you have it loaded up with gear, it is VERY heavy. However, with the weight comes a lot of padding and serious durability; both necessary for frequent air travel.

The bottom line is this:  The smc PENTAX A* 600mm f/5.6 ED IF is a great lens for wildlife photography if you are able to manage its size and manual focus. Here are a few sample images taken with this lens (click FS in the lower right corner for full-screen images):

[facebook_ilike]

[facebook_ilike]

Tweet

In preparation for a summer trip to Yosemite and a fall trip to Maine, I’ve been studying images of waterfalls. There is no shortage of fantastic waterfall images all over the web. IMO, the best ones combine high dynamic range with perfect exposure, depth of field with the image tack-sharp front to back, as well as falling water that has just enough “motion” in it to make it smooth and creamy yet it retains some detail.

In addition to a polarizing filter, the best waterfall photogs seem to universally use an assortment of neutral density (ND) filters to reduce light in order to shoot at a slow shutter speed to blur the water. Lightcraft Workshop makes an adjustable ND filter (Fader ND) that lets you get by with carrying just one ND filter. It’s adjustable from 2 to 8 stops and looks and works a lot like a polarizing filter. As you turn the outer ring, the amount of light coming through varies. I ordered one a few weeks ago and it finally arrived this past week. I bought it from a Hong Kong eBay seller – apparently the only source. Singh-Ray also makes one, but it is about twice the price of the Fader ND.

There aren’t a lot of waterfalls in my neck of the woods so practice with the Fader ND filter prior to my trips will be difficult. However, there is a very small one at a state park about 30 minutes from my home. I went there this morning for a test run. One thing is certain, more practice is necessary. These shots were taken with Pentax K7 and Pentax smc DA12-24mm lens at f/16.0 with a shutter speed of 6 or 8 seconds. Although I am not certain on the amount of light reduction I set on the Fader, I believe it varied from 4 stops to 6 stops depending on the image.

I welcome C&C and any advice on technique:

Click to enlarge

.

Click to enlarge

.

Click to enlarge

.

[facebook_ilike]

Tweet

To my good friend Larry, who is now the proud owner of a Sigma 50-500mm (affectionately known as “Bigma” in many Internet circles) I offer the following tripod advice.

Camera support seems like it should be a simple topic.  However, there are so many options related to weight, height, strength, material, operation, personal preference, and of course cost that it quickly becomes a very complicated equation.  I am no expert on tripods and I have not invested in top-of-the-line models but  I am convinced that I take better photographs when I use a good tripod, not only because it steadies the camera for long exposures (necessary to manage depth of field for landscapes) or with heavy telephoto lenses, but also because it causes me to slow down and think about composition.

Feisol CT3342 w/ Manfrotto 393

I, like so many others, have owned and discarded many tripods over the years as we learn that the light weight inexpensive models we start with do not provide the steady support, durability, or ease of use that is necessary for serious photography.   For me, the first “real” tripod I owned was the Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro and Manfrotto 322RC2 ball head.  I used this combination with very good results for a long time and still use them from time to time in certain situations.  The 322RC2 ball head proved to be less than satisfactory with long, heavy lenses like Bigma so I added a poor-man’s gimbal head, the Manfrotto 393 which I still use to this day with my newest tripod.  There are smaller and lighter heads for long lenses but they come at a serious price premium.  Functionally, the Manfrotto 393 does the job very well with its weight the only significant compromise.  I carried this combination all over Alaska, Oregon, the Florida Everglades, and countless other places with very good results with it and the Sigma 50-500.

Feisol CT3342 with Manfrotto 393

All was peaceful – the tripod issue closed – until late one Sunday night LBA (lens buying addiction) struck and I “won” an eBay auction for a Pentax smc A*600mm super telephoto lens which weighs in at 7.25lbs.  The A*600mm mounted to a 1.5lb K10D was more than my Manfrotto combo could handle.  I knew that as soon as my bank account recovered I would have to upgrade my tripod.

Someone on DPreview recommended the load capacity of a tripod should be 2x your heaviest camer/lens combo.  This is when I really learned about the 3-legged stool (er, tripod) of capacity, weight, and cost for camera support. Carbon fiber (CF) tripods offer the best combination of load capacity to weight – but at a cost.  CF triods are much stronger, lighter, and  unfortunately more expensive than aluminum tripods.

After a lot of Internet shopping and research I settled on a FEISOL Tournament Class CT-3342 with the following options:

• Center column CT-3342
• Ball head CB-50D
• Leveling base LB-7567 (for use with the Manfrotto 393 and the A*600mm )

These lightweight CF tripod legs and ball head have a load capacity of 22lbs and weigh in at only 3.5lbs.  IMO, that’s a pretty sweet combination for the price.  I don’t recall the other big-name tripod manufactures having similar setups for twice the price.  One cavaet though, I’m not crazy about the Feisol mounting plate system (that thing you attach to the bottom of your camera to allow you mount it on the tripod).  It is much harder to use and slower to mount, than the Manfrotto system.  So when I have to be quick and weight is not a factor, I will revert back to the old Manfrotto ball head.  The only other concern may be durability.  My sense is some other, more expensive CF tripods might be a little more durable than Feisol.  However, I put it through some grueling paces during 5 days in the Monument Valley desert last April with no problems.

[facebook_ilike]

Tweet