> I have a Rebel S with my biggest lens a 75-300 f5.6.
>
> Next week I will be taking my family to Cape Cod and hope to get out on a
whale watching boat.
>
> Questions:
> 1. Will I be able to get close enough to fill the frame with the wales? I
might be able to pick up a low end TC (kenko, etc.).
> 2. Keeping in mind the relatively slow focus of the Rebel S, and the f5.6
of the lens, any recommendations for type of print film.
I've been whale watching here in So. California with a 100-300 f4.5-5.6 lens
and unless the boats and/or whales are different there on the east coast,
don't expect much :( First off, you never know where or when they'll surface
so it's hard to be in optimum position. Secondly, the whales (at least all
those I've ever seen outside of trained ones at Sea World) don't completely
breach the water so the best you can hope for is a barely-identifiable nose
or tail breaking the surface. And finally, they won't get close to the boats
so at 300mm you get a tiny tail amidst a whole lot of ocean.
That said, I recall that there is some pattern to the whales' surfacing--I
think it's something like they surface twice, then on the third time they
spout followed by a deep dive which is when you're likely to see a tail
flip. So if you spot one, stay ready because it'll probably surface again
right away. We see the gray whales around here when they're migrating
to/from Alaska where they feed to Mexico where they mate and give birth, so
maybe their behavior is different from the whales you may see in the
Atlantic.
Use a polarizer to help cut the sun's glare on the water. I recommend 400
speed film. Have fun, and don't forget the bonine!
Kim
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