Sample Images: Pentax 560 MM Lens

 Some Bird Shots

It will take a month or two for me to write an honest review of this monster lens.

I decided it would be a good idea to post a few photos before they get buried in my files.

This Northern Shoveler, launching into the sky was taken on the morning of November 22, 2020.

Using  1.4 Teleconverter the focal length of this image was 784 MM.

The Great Egret image was taken December 8, 2020, shortly before 9 AM.

Focal Length: 560 MM

Other Equipment

A Gitzo tripod and Wimberly Gimbal with Arca-Swiss quick release plate.

Unless walking a short distance, shouldering the contraption, a backpack is required.

My favorite spots (hiking) for wildlife photography are kilometers away from home.

I backpack the big lens, while I shoulder the tripod and camera with a 300MM lens attached.

Nearing a location where the big lens will be needed, I unpack and build my big rig.

One of these days, I'll have an assistant photograph the old guy hiking with all his gear.

Meanwhile, just use your imagination!

Hanging Out to Dry

When Travel Is Over

 

 

The cameras get put away and all other items find new homes.

The backpack and camera bag, have to be hand washed, with soap and a scrub brush.

And, they will be air dried for a few days.  All the saltwater spray has been rinsed out of them.

It's been a long, hard week and, I just realized, it's Friday, all over again.

The sun has gone down and the baggage is airing out in the office now.

So, I think it's high time, I got out of here and go find a watering hole to sit in.

Have a great weekend !

Packing to Travel Light Takes Practice

12 Photos from First Rehearsal

 

 

Today, I decided to start about a week early, getting organized for this trip.

It's an annual event, I've been doing for the past few years, where, I go off island.

 First, the contents stored in the pack, had to be taken out and examined.

There are lots of things,  that will be unnecessary for this journey aboard a boat in June.

Woolen socks, insect repellent and, a can of tuna fish shouldn't be needed.

Getting rid of all the unneeded junk, would lighten up the load, I'd be carrying.

A little bit at a time, I started making room for more important stuff, to pack away.

The sailing sabani boat races, I'm attending, will be out in the ocean.

So, all the cameras and lenses, stand a good chance of, getting wet.

The two cameras (above) are the Pentax K1 and K3, I'll be using a 300MM lens, at sea.

For closer up shots, the Pentax 18-250 and 15-30MM will come in handy.

 Battery chargers and a USB wire for the smartphone are important things to carry.

Two changes of clothes and some plastic bags, I'll bring for sweaty laundry.

In case, I get stuck, washing my clothes with body soap, I brought along some clothesline.

Don't giggle at my underwear. Somebody else, buys and folds it Not me.

 When all this, thinking about packing, started to get on my nerves, I remembered something.

Get the Aspirins and Rolaids ready, to stuff in the backpack. Just in case.

 Some additions (above) were, a spare belt and camera straps.

Normally, I wouldn't use straps, on the camera but, this time they may, come in handy.

Bouncing around on a fishing boat, shooting a camera, can be dangerous.

So, I might rig up a contraption, to keep me from falling overboard.

A circular polarizing filter, was added, in case, I'm shooting on a bright sunny day.

Certain times of the day, there's a horrible glare, off the ocean, to be dealt with.

With that thing, mounted on the end of a lens, glare can be eliminated.

As things started, getting stuffed in the backpack, more things were thought of.

Like a Mickey Mouse towel and the laptop power supply. Important stuff.

A laptop and gadgets, plus a surge protector, almost complete the required load.

Then, I remembered to throw in a USB wire for the Android.

Add, a light weight windbreaker jacket and the pack is getting full.

The Lowepro camera bag which, is hardly ever used, got called into action.

That's because, the cameras, aren't in the backpack, yet and it's getting full.

The two hours, spent on this exercise, wasn't a total waste of time.

It just taught me, it will take more practice at packing things for the trip.

Just for the heck of it, I reduced the images down, to make a 20 second video:

 Previous Zamami Island Excursions:

 
2013 Packing List for an Overnight Island Hop

2014 Scenes from Zamami Island Sailing Sabani Race

2015  Animations from the Sabani Sailing Race: Zamami Island

On the Way to Zamami Island: Lookout for Flying Fish

The Kerama Islands Were Just Ahead

 

So, I figured everybody hanging over the side couldn't wait to jump ship.

That's when I started noticing the fish

They weren't just jumping out of the water.  They were flying, like birds.

 See that little guy, down there ?

Danged if I didn't leave my big lens down below, in my backpack.

Knowing, they'd stop flying if I went to change lenses, I shot with what I had, an 18-250mm.

 The next time I go out on a boat, I'll be ready to catch better shots of them.

It got me thinking.

Do you suppose they taste anything like chicken ? 

RyukyuMike's Packing List for an Overnight Island Hop (Image)

Traveling Light

 

This is a quick checklist for a weekend visit to an outer island in Okinawa, Japan.

Not anticipating being able to go online, the laptop and external drive can stay home.

Bags are packed but, here's what it looked like a few minutes ago.

On the bottom of the pile is the Coleman 3 - in - 1 Blanket.


In no particular order, here's a list of things that get stuffed in the pack or, tied on the outside:

Two Pentax DSLRs.  From Sigma a 10-20mm, and a 50-500mm. One Pentax 18-250mm lens.

My flea-market backpack that helps me look like a homeless dude.

A jacket and change of clothes.

The Manfrotto 725B tripod will be hand carried along with the camera used to shoot the photo.

Hiking shoes and an extra pair of yellow flip-flops.

Moist towelettes, baby wipes, whatever you want to call those things that make you smell good.

Flashlight, cigarette lighters, emergency food, lens cleaning gear and a knife.

Toothpaste, toothbrush, body soap, insect repellent and a pair of socks.

A pill box created out of some camera and lens covers, for medicine, Aspirin and Rolaids.

Utility cord, of various lengths, always come in handy.

There are other items, such as a towel and underwear stuffed in the bag for cushioning.

I figured, the ladies wouldn't want to see that stuff.

The only thing I have to remember to do before I travel, is stuff the wallet with lots of cash.

That's just in case they have food and beer on the island I'm going to.

A camera holster will be hanging off my shoulder.

That contains extra batteries, SD cards and model releases.  I'm traveling light.

Can you think of anything else, I should add to this checklist ?





 

Wildlife Photo: The Chinese Bulbul with a Sigma 50-500mm Lens

Here is a practice shot taken with the Sigma 50-500mm lens at 500mm.

The Chinese Bulbul ( Pycnonotus sinensis ) is a bird I've posted here before.

This shot was taken en route to the Okukubi River in Okinawa, Japan.

That's got to be my favorite spot for Photographing waterbirds, because I can walk to the place.

That Sigma lens gets fairly heavy when you're out for a few hours so, I haul it in my backpack.

The Pentax gets an 18-250mm lens until I get near my shooting destination.

While hiking, the camera is in a holster and I can grab it in a split second if needed.

As soon as I'm within a few minutes walk of the river, out comes the big Sigma.

I stretch that lens out as far as it will go just to take some practice shots.

This was my first photo taken on March 29, 2012 and there are a few hundred more waiting.

This week I'll just be doing some quick blog posts because I'm using one of those WiFi spots.

There's a bunch of giggling, yapping high school girls in here.

They make more noise than a whole flock of those noisy Chinese Bulbuls so, I'm outta here !

Photography Tips: Checklist for Overnight at a Festival

Packing up the camera gear for overnight at a festival is not something I do very often but when I do it's serious business.  This photo is a shot taken just before unpacking from my last excursion.

In no particular order here is what I'm preparing to stuff in the trunk of the car for this week's festival shoot:

CAMERAS: All I can muster, clean  lenses, batteries fully charged with SD cards formatted.

CLEANING KIT: Lens solvent, brush, air bulb, lens cloth and lens tissues.

SPARE BATTERIES AND CHARGERS FOR EACH CAMERA.

LENSES: Every lens available. The lens you leave behind will be the one you wish you had.

TRIPODS:  Sometimes it's nice to be able to set up and use more than one tripod.  Make sure the quick releases are with you before packing away the tripods.

SHUTTER RELEASE CABLES: A camera's timer is pretty much useless for festival shooting.

SD  CARDS: As many as you can get your hands on.  Again, make sure they are formatted.

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE: Download cameras so you're ready for day two.

LAPTOP WITH EDITING PROGRAM: This gives you a chance to review photos off camera.

EXTENSION CORD, ELECTRICAL OUTLET ADAPTORS, MULTIPORT SURGE PROTECTOR: Use to power laptop, hard drive and recharge batteries.

BACKPACK, CAMERA HOLSTERS, LENS CASES, AND COVERS.

COMFORTABLE HIKING SHOES AND A TOWEL WIPE YOUR BROW.


A change of clothes, health and comfort items, food and drink, prayer beads, insect repellent, sunscreen and all that jazz is up to you. This is just my photography tips for an overnight festival in Okinawa, Japan, not a packing list for THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY.