Canoe/Kayak Photography-back country multi day trips

[Grant]

I have gone down the rabbit hole researching water proof cases that I can use in my kayak and or canoe for multi-day tripping and photography from the boat.

I have traditionally used a dry bag with some DYI sleeping pad closed cell foam as a mediocre means to add some protection. The benefits of this set up is weight, size ( easy to fit between my legs) and fast to access and put camera away. Down side is not great protection, even in a dry bag and especially for hauling through portages and laying around camp over night etc.

I began looking at cases -Pelican, Nanut, SKB and they are on the large size, (and expensive!) They might work in my canoe but no way I can see a hard shell case being accessible in a kayak. Since I need to be able to pull the camera out and shoot as subjects quickly come in and out of view, fast access is a must.

Any thoughts from the group? Is there a best practice solution to what I assume is a pretty common use case- wildlife photography in the back country by human powered water craft?

I shoot stills with Nikon Z8- Z600PF specifically for this use case to allow small size, lightweight , hand held shooting.

I would love to have a second lens accessible like my 100-400 but just having one camera and lens ready for action seems challenging enough.

Any sage advice?

 

[Jbear]

First thing I suggest from a mindset perspective is that you accept that your gear may not remain pristine, but the images that you can capture with that mindset are far beyond what you'll get saddled with worry about getting a scratch on something. That being said, I'm not suggesting throwing caution to the wind...you do want to be deliberate and careful. I use a deck bag (NRS Taj M'haul and Sea to Summit Access) secured to my kayak and usually there are some lenses and tc's in there. I carry two bodies on my lap while I'm moving, and if I'm in rougher water (like the ocean or larger lakes with confused seas or in windy conditions with spray), I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LEQ3MU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

It fits my pro-size DSLR with a 500PF or 200-500, and another with a wide or macro. Mine is now 8 years old and has been used heavily and it's still in great shape. I do this type of thing all of the time, and finding boats brought new life to my photographic life. Have a great time!
Best of luck!

 

[jeremyjohnsonphotos]

Yeah, this is a tough one to answer well, I think. It really depends on weather, sea state, size of your kit, and likelihood of shooting on the water. On a blue bird, calm day, I just go “naked” with my Z9 in small RHIBs up to bigger boats. If the wind kicks up and starts sending spray, and/or it’s raining, I start thinking about a camera cover.

For small boats, I use a roll top waterproof backpack or duffel bag to stow my gear if needed. An fstop ICU fits in some waterproof duffel bags from Grundens. I’ve also used a small thinktank chest pouch with rain cover on some of the wilder trips (bar pilots: it was “calm” with 4’ seas and I got soaked by spray on deck ). For a video I produced, we used the duffel bag and ICU combo to shoot from a 10’(?) RHIB launched by the tall ship for us. Calm day, small boat in Puget Sound still means “wet”. A bit hairy to do a lens change from the 24-70 to 14-24 …

On a bigger boat, like a fishing boat, I’ll use a Pelican case knowing that work boats are rough environments and it’s going to get knocked around, stepped on, fallen in, etc.

Also consider that there’s more than a waterlogged camera to worry about - a catastrophic failure. There’s also keeping the front element clean and dry, and cleaning your camera every night with a damp cloth.

Keep in mind that a boat is a moving platform to shoot from so you may need to adjust your shooting style and technique to match - ie shutter speeds a bit faster, DoF a bit wider, and compositions a bit looser to crop in from.

Pro tip: pack some paper towels and use a UV filter for your front element. Microfiber clothes are not absorbent and only smear moisture around. Paper towels are VERY absorbent by design. Save your microfiber for after the nightly cleaning to rub out water spots.

Hope that helps!

 

[Jbear]

I used to use high quality UV filters on the water but I don't anymore, and havehad no ill effects. Also, piggybacking on Jeremy's advice...a little salt spray isn't a big deal if you do a freshwater wipe down after, but (big but)...a true dunk in saltwater will not be repairable.
In the beginning, I might recommend staying on the more protected side of things. As you get more comfortable handling your gear-boat systems, you can probably lighten up.
I sometimes jeopardize my gear...I never jeopardize my safety.

 

[Calson]

The fish bags made for use on kayaks work well as dry bags and their shape lends them to use with a camera and mounted lens setup.

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[jeffnles1]

I use a "dry bag" when photographing from my kayak. I will connect the strap of the bag to the gunwale of my kayak. If the boat flips, I'm going to be far more concerned about getting my fat but to solid ground than I ever will be about saving camera equipment. At least if I tie the dry bag to the kayak, I may get lucky and be able to save it. I have had clothing of overboard in a dry bag, and when I found it washed up along the shore a few hundred yards downstream, the closing inside was as dry as it was when I loaded it at home.

What advice I would have centers around how much room you have in your boat and how you would arrange things. Canoe and kayak are great ways to be on the water, get some exercise and shoot some good photos. However, none of these watercraft are super stable. I like to keep stuff I'm going to use frequently within arm's reach where I don' have to turn around or risk getting off balance. They are more stable than you may think but sudden movements or a quick jerk if you lose your balance can end up with things or you floating around in the lake or stream hoping none of your friends witnessed the event and are laughing at you. The Pelican type cases are great for what they are designed to do but seem kind of bulky for ease of use inside a kayak or canoe.

Hope this is helpful.

Jeff

 

[Palouse]

Check out Northwest River Supply : https://www.nrs.com/