Monopod or Handheld on Alaska Marine Highway Ferry

[jcgamble]

I'm going from Bellingham, Wa. to Kodiak Island, Ak. on the ferry this August. I'll be shooting my Z9 with 100-400 and 500 pf. I was wondering if my monopod would reduce or increase vibration to the photos? A tripod may not be an option. Anyone have experience shooting off of ships?

 

[vulpess]

I would shoot handhold from a boat. The floor usually vibrates quite heavily from the engine and I would suspect that any form of stabilization on the floor would transfer these vibrations to the camera. You as a person (plus stabilization from camera and lens) are much better equipped to counter both the vibrations and the rolling movements from the waves.

 

[jcgamble]

I would shoot handhold from a boat. The floor usually vibrates quite heavily from the engine and I would suspect that any form of stabilization on the floor would transfer these vibrations to the camera. You as a person (plus stabilization from camera and lens) are much better equipped to counter both the vibrations and the rolling movements from the waves.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[tclune]

I haven't tried it myself, but I have seen other photographers use a belt pouch to support their monopod while shooting with long lenses. That may give you a decent compromise between vibration isolation and support for heavier lenses. Just a thought.

 

[Warren D]

I'll second that. Over 200 whale watches and the vibrations from the boat will come up thru anything resting on boat parts. Your body does very well at dampening so hand holding is best.

 

[jcgamble]

I haven't tried it myself, but I have seen other photographers use a belt pouch to support their monopod while shooting with long lenses. That may give you a decent compromise between vibration isolation and support for heavier lenses. Just a thought.

Thanks

 

[jcgamble]

I'll second that. Over 200 whale watches and the vibrations from the boat will come up thru anything resting on boat parts. Your body does very well at dampening so hand holding is best.

Thanks

 

[John Navitsky]

yah, i'd hand hold. it's been a long time since i've been on one, but the deck on the ferries vibrate a lot, you can feel it through your feet. and the 100-400 and 500pf aren't so heavy that hand holding should be a big problem for most folks.

 

[Barbara]

I have done that ferry ride, and handheld will be fine -- it's a stable platform though it does vibrate as others have said.

 

[Activert]

Handhold is the best way

 

[BrianMM]

I took the AMHS ferry Columbia (clean cabin, excellent dining room and the cafeteria was good) from Haines to Ketchikan and then a few days later from Ketchikan to St. Rupert, BC on Matanuska (clean cabin, good food in the cafeteria) in September 2019. I took all my photos (including a whale breaching, rising full moon and numerous gulls) hand held with my Nikon Z7. I did not have a monopod and a tripod would have been impractical for the whale photos due to the large crowd of passengers lining the railing. Typically I found it best to lean against a convenient support column and stabilize the camera with my elbows against my body or support my elbows on the top of the deck railing. All the long distance shots were taken with a mix of my 200-500 and 80-400 lenses. All round I found the ferry journeys were an inexpensive and excellent experience and FWIW I would not hesitate to travel that again in the future if I travel back to Alaska by vehicle.

 

[jcgamble]

Thanks for all of your comments.