Category Archives: Wildlife Photography Gear Review
Gura Gear Photography Bag | Best DSLR Camera Bag
I’ll get right to the point, with the hundreds of available photography bags on the market how do you know which is the best camera bag for your needs? When I bought the Gura Gear Kiboko 30L I thought I had found perfection and believe me I have a closet full of not so perfect DSLR camera bags. I will call it near perfection as there were two things I did not like about the Gura Gear Kiboko 30L. One was that it would not swallow my Nikon 600mm lens with the lens hood reversed. Two, it only allowed me to access one half of the bag at a time, given the butterfly flap design, and I often want access to all of my gear at once.
So I always said if Gura Gear came out with a larger bag that could handle my 600mm and a design which permitted access the entire bag while still maintaining the butterfly flap, they would have perfected the photography bag once and for all.
Introducing the Gura Gear Bataflae 32L which hits both of my requirements above and a whole lot more so I am giving it my “Winner Best DSLR Camera Bag Award.” Below are the features I wanted in my camera bag:
- Large bag that can handle a 600mm (and the 800mm just in case I won the lottery)
- Swallows Pro Body DSLR’s with L-brackets attached
- Whole camera bag opens at once to access all camera gear
- Butterfly flaps to access only half the camera bag (great for dusty shoots like safari’s)
- Airline carry-on compliant photography bag
Back pack carrying straps with stowable harness design- Waist belt that is removable
- Many, many dividers for multiple lens configurations
- Wow A DSLR Camera Bag available in more than black. Comes in black, grey or a limited-edition desert tan
- Light weight coming in at 5.3 lbs
- Tripod carrying syste
- Waterproof rain fly which doubles as a ground cover in dirty settings
So if it is so darn perfect what would prevent you from buying one. In a word “cost”. The Gura GearBataflae 32L photography bag is expensive. So if your Scottish like I am dropping big bucks on a camera bag requires careful thought. That is until you frame it up correctly. I drop tens of thousands of dollars on cameras, lenses, tripods and they all get carried and protected by…..yes my camera bag. So why the %$#@ wouldn’t I buy the best damn photography bag money can buy rather than compromising on a camera bag that does not meet all of my needs just to save a hundred bucks? Seems kind of silly when you put it that way.
It’s a no brainer decision, if you travel for photography adventures or hike into the field with your gear, especially with larger lenses, the Gura Gear Bataflae 32L delivers quality, is feature rich and is well worth the extra money. Buy it directly from Gura Gear and save on closet space as it is the last bag you’ll ever buy.
Waterproof iPhone Case by Hitcase
For those of us into wildlife photography we don’t often think of our iPhone for photography, or at least we don’t take of it as a serious tool for photography. I will have to include myself on that list until now. In addition to my DSLR’s I carry a Canon s110 pocket camera for those moments when life happens and I don’t have my DSLR with me, sound familiar? I also recently sprung for a Go Pro to capture those spur of the moment video’s. However all too often we don’t have the pocket camera or Go Pro’s with us and we miss a great opportunity as a result. My wife tells me to take a picture in my head but somehow that just isn’t as satisfying as capturing the moment.
Now if you are like 99% of the people on the planet, you have your iPhone glued to you 7/24 365 which make the iPhone your new best friend for photography the way I see it. The iPhone is no slouch when it comes to its capabilities. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 camera has an 8-megapixel, five-element lens with f/2.4 aperture. And I love the new Panorama mode which stitches together multiple photos in real-time producing pictures at a full 28 megapixels. Not too bad at all except the iPhone is neither waterproof nor shockproof ….that is until now.
Introducing the Hitcase Waterproof iPhone case which doubles as an iPhone shockproof case. The Hitcase makes your iPhone waterproof to 30 feet and was built for sports like motocross and autoracing so it makes your iPhone shockproof as well. And I love this line of thinking, the folks at Hitcase designed the case such that it comes standard with a GoPro® compatible mounts so if you own accessories for your Go Pro there’s no need to buy additional accessories, well done Hitcase. Hitcase waterproof iPhone case accessories such as heavy-duty mounts for your motorbike and suction cup mounts for your car are available just in case you feel adventurous. Every case comes with tripod mount included.
And yes you can still make and receive calls on your phone, use your touch screen and send your pics off to your friends all without taking the iPhone out of the Hitcase.
waterproof iPhone case
Be sure to check out the the Hitcase video and pic gallery for further cool applications.
Jobu Design Pro2 Tripod Head – Serious Long Lens Support
I recently upgraded my original Jobu BWG-Pro tripod head to the newly redesigned Jobu BWG-Pro2 tripod head and man what a difference. The head is so much smoother on the pan and the tilt side, I mean seriously noticeable so my hats off to the engineers at Jobu Design as the original BWG Pro was a serious piece of gear and this new Jobu Pro2 tripod head surpasses the original in every way. The new 100% CNC swing-arm is 400% stiffer in bending and twisting which translates into less vibration through your lens and more in focus shots. They also integrated the arca-swiss compatible quick release clamp saving valuable weight and aligning themselves with the gold standard for camera mounts in Arca Swiss so I was glad to see that continue.
The Jobu Design Pro2 tripod head is rated for a maximum capacity of 35 lbs and weighs in at 3lbs 10 oz. I love the big rubber knobs which can be worked easily with mitts on during cold winter shoots and the mechanism locks down tight through the full range of motion so there is absolutely no creeping when you have your heavy lens mounted and are trying to focus on a static object over a longer period of time. There is also a locking mechanism for safe transport which you’ll appreciate when you are carrying a $10,000 lens over your shoulder.
I love the Jobu Design Pro2 tripod head so much I decided to do a video to showcase it for you. During the video I will show you the features of the Jobu Design Pro2 tripod head along with a few tips and tricks to help you with your wildlife photography.
As an added bonus, at time of purchase enter or mention the code “coolwildlife” and you’ll receive a 15% discount.
Jobu Design HD3 – Voted Best Tripod Head
Jobu Design out of Canada really nailed it with what I consider to be the best tripod head on the market today. If you’re looking for a gimbal head that’s the perfect balance between weight and support for your longer lenses this is a gimbal head that should be at the top of your shopping list. In my opinion Jobu Design has been outpacing the competition, namely the Wimberley tripod heads, with engineering marvels and features for some time now.
This head weighs 0.5 lbs lighter than the Jobu Pro2 gimbal head and is rated for a maximum payload of 25 lbs meaning it can easily support your Nikon 600mm lens or Nikon 800mm lens when it is released. Needle bearings make the movement of the base and swing arm effortless so that 15-20 lbs of camera and lens can be maneuvered with one finger, it really is pretty amazing.
If you’re shopping for a gimbal head or you’re currently trying to use a ball head to manage your longer lenses then it is well worth your time to check out the video review below where I show you some of the features of the Jobu Design HD3 tripod head and just how easy it is to maneuver my Nikon D800 and Nikon 600mm lens combo.
I will also point out some tips and tricks along the way and show you how you can switch back and forth from long lens support to landscape photography using just one Jobu Design HD3 gimbal head.
As an added bonus, at time of purchase enter or mention the code “coolwildlife” and you’ll receive a 15% discount.
Live Out There – Outdoor Gear Canada
If you are a Canadian and a wildlife photographer or simply lead an active lifestyle outdoors then you absolutely need to bookmark the Live Out There site and visit it daily. I discovered the Live Out There site this past summer and while my wallet is a little lighter, ok a lot lighter, I have scored some killer deals on brand name outdoor gear like Arc’teryx, Merrell, Marmot, Icebreaker, Patagonia, The North Face and Mountain Hardwear to name a few. The daily deals present discounts of 48-70%, no joke. My father once told me if it sounds too good to be true walk away. Well in this case he would say browse away because these deals are for real and they are unmatched by any other retailer I am aware of to date. There are two areas within the site that offer you the possibility to save big. The first is the Live Out There discount bin. Here you will find outdoor gear from all the brand names with savings of 25-70% on select items. Consider it the Winners equivalent for Outdoor gear in Canada. The second area and my personal favorite is the daily deals section. This is a one day sale or until stock on that specific item is depleted. To take advantage of the daily deals you need to be aware of a few shopping tips as follows:
- The Live Out There daily deals are posted at 1:00 pm EST. (Exception: If stock depletes before the 24 clock expires a new deal will be posted)
- Popular brands and items will sell off fast. I have seen items be sold out in 15 minutes so you need to act quickly especially if you are a Large size as standard sizes go first.
Bonus: Live Out There offers free shipping and returns within Canada. Don’t ask me how they do that and still offer such ridiculous discounts, they obviously have some great relationships with their suppliers. I have personally shipped an item back due to improper sizing and the whole process was handled online and very efficient. You’ll be provided with a prepaid postage label online that you print and attach to the box and your office to Canada Post. My hats off to Live Out There as they have a winning formula that has me coming back daily and opening my wallet nearly as often, much to the dismay of my wife.:)) Thanks boys for a great outdoor gear shopping experience, keep those daily deals coming.
Gore-tex Service – Gore-tex Warranty is #1 in Customer Satisfaction
I firmly believe that exceptional customer service should be rewarded so I am writing today to tell you about one of those experiences that left me feeling really good. I am sure you would agree that is more the exception than the norm these days so it’s worthy of sharing the experience. So my story starts with a pair of Gore-tex Merrell hiking boots that recently failed to keep me dry one rainy day in October. I own numerous Gore-tex jackets, Gore-tex footwear, Gore-tex pants, Gore-tex gloves, etc. so I am very familiar with the Gore-tex “Guaranteed to Keep You Dry Promise.”
Simply stated, Gore believes in its outerwear and backs it up with a promise: No liquid from the outside will get to you on the inside. This includes moisture from the wet grass you’re kneeling in to the sudden squall you get caught in. We take this guarantee seriously. If you are not completely satisfied with the waterproofness, windproofness, or breathability of your GORE-TEX® product, then we will repair it, replace it, or refund your purchase price. The Gore-tex contact number is 1-800-467-3839 should you ever require it.
Needless to say I contacted the Gore-tex service folks expecting the Gore-tex warranty would cover this Merrell hiking boot even though the one year warranty from Merrell had passed me by. I was greeted by a lovely person on the Gore-tex service line and she advised that they would absolutely help me out and she instructed me on the process to return the boots. As a next step, Gore-tex would run the boots through a lab test to confirm whether there was a leak and notify me of the results. Approximately two weeks later I had a call from the Gore-tex service Consumer Advocate, and he informed me that the Merrell hiking boots were indeed found to have a breach causing a leak and as such offered to replace the boots at no charge to me .
The Gore-tex service folks offered me two options: 1/ Go buy the new Merrell hiking boots and Gore-tex would reimburse me or 2/ Gore-tex would ship the replacement Merrell hiking boots to me. I opted for option 1 and provided the size and new model I wanted for the replacement and within a week the new Merrell hiking boots were on my door step, and that’s from Maryland to Canada. How’s that for great service folks. Oh yes, I must also mention that the Consumer Advocate I spoke with was perhaps the most pleasant guy I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with, keep up the good work Bill and team.:))
I close with a word to the wise. Even though Gore-tex anything is more expensive, sometimes double, the Gore-tex “Guaranteed to Keep You Dry Promise” (which lasts the lifetime of the Gore-tex footwear, Gore-tex gloves or Gore-tex outerwear you purchase) is well worth the extra cost in my opinion and as such I buy Gore-tex whenever possible. Let’s just say these Merrell hiking boots are not the first time I have taken advantage of the Gore-tex warranty.:))
Dailydeals and One Day Sales – Well Worth the Time!
As wildlife photographers we are often faced with inclement weather when shooting, heck we even seek it out to add atmosphere to our wildlife images. As such good quality outdoor gear like a Gore-tex jacket and Gore-tex pants is an investment that most wildlife photographers will make but it’s expensive gear so what’s the best way to save a few bucks, especially if you’re Canadian? Yes we Canadians still pay significantly higher prices than our USA brethren when it comes to outdoor outfitters.
For years I was the traditional deal finder going to local outdoor outfitters and watching for one day sales that usually amounted to savings of 10-30%. The odd time I might find dailydeals or one day sales that would be 50% off retail but that was more rare. And of course this adventure meant I had to listen to radio ads, read flyers and drive all over the city one outdoor outfitter at a time often to discover they did not have my size in stock.
Those days are long since behind me as I have discovered one outdoor outfitter in particular that offers dailydeals, the one day sale and an ongoing sale bin with discounts from 30-70% off and it is in Calgary, Alberta.
Here are a few reasons to shop at Live Out There if you are Canadian: (Sorry they don’t ship internationally at this time)
- Dailydeals in the form of a one day sale offering 40-70% discounts on brand names like Arc’teryx, The Northface, Marmot, Icebreaker, Patagonia and Mountain Hardwear. Tip: Dailydeals last for 24 hours only or when stock is depleted and the standard sizes go fast so get on the deals early and order quick if you see something you want.
- Ongoing sale bin offering 30-70% discounts. I check this sale bin weekly.
- Free shipping and free returns. I have tried the return process personally, it is done online and works as advertised with no hassle. You have 60 days to return your purchase so no risk.
- Live Out There is Canadian and we canucks prefer to shop at home when we can to save on duties and shipping costs right.
I have the Live Out There dailydeals posted on COOLWildlife under the Deals section of my website for your convenience. It is updated as the deals change daily so check back every 24 hours for a new deal.
I support this website through the use of the links in this posting and would very much appreciate it when you make a purchase from Live Out There if you would do so through the COOLWildlife Deals section of my website.
Enjoy and happy shopping folks.
Nikon 800mm Lens – Worth the upgrade?
A friend of mine recently attended a photo show in Toronto and got a little more information for us on Nikon’s 800mm lens. We already know it was to have an aperture of f/5.6 and is fully compatible with all of Nikon’s full frame cameras. And as one would expect it is resistant to water and dust.
What I really wanted to know was the price tag and the weight. According to my source the Nikon 800mm lens will come in around $12,000 CDN and weigh less than the Nikon 600mm lens and have only one lens hood unlike the 600mm which has two. Although most of the folks I know that own the Nikon 600mm lens shoot with just the one lens hood attached anyway so no big change here.
The Nikon 800mm lens is great news for all the outdoor photographers as it is ideal for sports and wildlife photography. Well it is decision time for many of us. I own the Nikon 600mm lens and it filled in a nice gap for the long range that my Nikon 200-400mm lens couldn’t fill. I can’t see myself owning both the Nikon 600mm lens and the Nikon 800mm lens unless I win a lottery so the question becomes which lens to carry?
On the plus side the Nikon 800mm lens gives you 200mm more reach however at f/5.6 you’re losing a stop of light given the Nikon 600mm lens comes in at f/4. With todays low light capabilities in camera bodies like the Nikon D4 and D3S that may not be as big a deal as we can get great quality images at higher ISO’s which allows us to compensate for the loss of light without sacrificing image quality too much. Then there’s rumour of a weight advantage which is always a plus if you’re humping your rig any distance.
I am curious to compare a Nikon 600mm image with a 1.4x teleconverter (effectively 840mm) to an image from the new Nikon 800mm straight up to see how the image quality compares. One would expect an extra degree of sharpness from the 800mm however the proof is what I am waiting for along with a lottery winning so I can afford this beast as I have no doubt it would make a great addition to any wildlife photographers lens arsenal. This is especially so if you like to shoot smaller birds and animals that are tough to get up close and personal with.
No news on a release date yet so this is simply a teaser at the moment to get us all excited. I am hoping to get a look at one up close and personal at the Henry’s Exposure Photography Expo in Ottawa November 16th and will report back if I get any further nuggets on this fine piece of glass.
Tagged nikon 800mm, Nikon 800mm lens
8 Comments
Icebreaker Clothing – Unbreakable Outdoor Gear
Disclaimer: Some, ok 99.8% of you, will consider the events that follow positively gross, but that’s what created the buzz for us and made it worth risking a nasty untreatable skin disease.:)). WARNING DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.
Icebreaker clothing lays claim to being thin and made from natural fibers which makes it warm in cold weather, cool in warm weather, light, breathable, easy care, no stink and no itch. Having worn Icebreaker merino wool in Alaska for 10 days I can attest to all of the above however I was curious just how far the limits could be pushed so I rounded up three co-workers and put it to the test.
Four testosterone-rich Canadian guys sharing one shirt for three weeks to see if they could bring Icebreakers outdoor gear to its knees. We had two very simple rules as follows: 1/ each activity had to produce copious amounts of sweat 2/ no washes, rinses or application of good smelling products were permitted during the challenge.
Our intense sweat-filled activities over the three weeks are listed below:
- 9 8 km runs each @ 90 degrees F plus
- 3 1.5 hour hot yoga sessions @ 109 degrees F
- 36 holes of golf @ 95 degrees F
- 1 1.5 hour cycle ride at 93 degrees F
To give you some idea of what we threw at this shirt, the average male sweats out one liter per hour of activity so this shirt sucked up and spit out approximately 24 liters of man juice from four different guys over a three week period. I KNOW YUCK.
Knowing guys and gals have a very different take on what passes the smell test I made my very “hyper-sensitive to unclean” wife the judge. When handed the shirt at the end of the three weeks for the final verdict the best criticism she could come up with was to say it didn’t have that fresh out of the laundry smell. I will give her that much but what about that nasty don’t come near me smell of body odor? Definitely no body odor smell were her final words. Actually her finals words were, “It’s still gross”.
May be so but for anyone who’s active this little test should serve to reassure you that whatever activity you’re involved for whatever length of time if you’re wearing Icebreaker merino wool you won’t finish up smelling like a barn yard animal in the heat of summer.
For photographers specifically the results of this challenge should bring a huge smile to your face as we often travel for weeks at a time to remote areas that have small plane weight restrictions and no access to laundry facilities. When it comes to photography clothing nothing else can match Icebreaker merino wool. With varying 150, 200, 260, 320 weights available this makes layering for a variety of temperatures possible without having to carry more than 3-4 pieces of photography clothing for your entire trip. When Icebreaker clothing is layered together they lock together like a single garment with air being trapped in between each fine layer to ramp up the warmth. So a few tops and bottoms of varying weights and you’re all set for a week or a month. Icebreaker has a very nice illustration of the merino weights and layering process on the Icebreaker clothing website.
If you want to purchase Icebreaker Outdoor Gear you may go direct to the “Icebreaker Store” (Choose the country you reside in from the drop down menu top left to shop in your preferred currency)
Body Odor No More – So What Is Merino Wool and How Does It Work?
If you’ve got a friend who has a problem with body odor keep reading. Ever since I wore the Icebreaker merino wool base layers in Alaska for eight days straight under heavy sweat conditions with “no stink” I have had a ton of questions on the science behind it and a few skeptics who still don’t believe it.
So in this post I will try to unravel the mystery. First off it is important to note that sweat itself has no odor, if it remains on the skin in time bacteria develops and that is what creates unpleasant body odor. Yes sorry folks you still need to shower. But why does merino wool succeed in eliminating body odor smell on the clothing itself where synthetics and other materials fail? The first plus for merino wool in reducing the opportunity for body odor to generate is that it is more efficient than other textiles at absorbing sweat and evaporating it into the air. Merino wool is renowned for this wicking ability however what I find really amazing is that even though you are sweating heavily the clothing still feels dry to the touch.
That’s because merino wool has a much greater capacity than other fibers to absorb moisture. In fact, it can absorb 35% of its own weight in liquid. The moisture is bound within the structure, and so is not available to microbes which cause body odor. Merino wool fibers are scaly and studies have shown that bacteria are more attracted to the smooth, positively charged surface of a synthetic fiber than the scaly surface of a merino fiber which carries no charge thus bacteria are less likely to penetrate it.
So how good is merino wool at curbing the smell and when does it break? Sir Peter Blake, a legendary New Zealand yachtsman wore Icebreaker merino wool clothing for 40 days and 40 nights while sailing around the globe without it getting whiffy. One mans testimony is fine for most but I decided to take it a step further and take it til it breaks.
I’ve enrolled a group of crazy Canadians to take the Icebreaker “No Stink” Challenge. Big thanks to Icebreaker for providing the test garment, just in case it explodes:))
WARNING SOME MAY CONSIDER THIS GROSS.
In a nutshell there’s one shirt and many participants. Each person will subject the shirt to a series of events that under normal circumstance would generate “mucho stinko” in any other garment. When they are done they pass the shirt to the next participant and so on. Did I mention no washing in between!!! The event launched August 28th where I took it for two days worth of trail runnings. At last report it had done 36 holes of golf and was holding up just fine. I will have a full report for you when we break it, whenever that is.
If you can’t wait for the results and want to buy now go to the “Icebreaker Store” You may choose the country you reside in from a drop down menu at the top left of the site so that you may shop in your currency.
Follow COOL Wildlife Photography
