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Wildlife Photography Gear
Canada
Registrace 12. 06. 2023
All sorts of stuff you may not know: tips, tricks, techniques, how to use, how to do, gear reviews, equipment prepping and all that sort of stuff. You know, the little things that make a wildlife photography trip/expedition work.
Click the link below to view my wildlife videos.
Click the link below to view my wildlife videos.
600mm & 800mm f11 STM Lens Collar - At Last!!
Make your own lens collar for the super light, cheap and very sharp Canon 600mm f11 STM and 800mm f11 STM.
Using a sling or neck strap of any sort while using these lenses (and other similar long lenses) is a nightmare. The camera mount has to carry the entire load, it's unbalanced, has the lens whacking against your leg and the strap, or any mounting nubs, get in the way of your button, shutter release and eyepiece.
This lightweight ring solves that problem, placing the sling or neck strap back where it belongs.
Tools and parts needed:
Aluminium solid flat strip: 3mm x 19mm (1/8" x 3/4")
Blowtorch of any kind
Aluminium brazing/welding rods
Drill & drill bits
File for finishing
Cup of coffee and some Hilltop Hoods tracks to see you through
Optional:
3/8 tap to create thread in mounting hole
37/64" Drill Bit
Matt black paint
Camouflage pattern gaffer's tape
==================
Amazon Affiliate Links
Quick Release Plate with 3/8 Inch Screw: amzn.to/3LZy1hw
Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM: amzn.to/3SG7XM0
Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM: amzn.to/3ywXDyW
Canon RF 1.4x extender: amzn.to/3AidrWS
Canon RF 2x extender: amzn.to/4dd9IbS
Propane torch head - generic: amzn.to/3MiQgi9
Bernzomatic TS4000 Trigger Start Torch: amzn.to/3LVG8f1
Bernzomatic Aluminum Brazing/Welding Rods: amzn.to/3YDo2G3
Gaffer Power Camouflage Tape: amzn.to/3yzaJvI
=================
00:00 Intro
0:14 Neckstrap and sling attachments
0:46 The problem with neckstraps and STM lenses
1:48 Bending & preppinng the aluminium strap
2:33 Brazing the joint to complete the collar
3:15 Attaching the collar to the lens
3:50 Balancing your new rig
Critter videos with no gear reviews or pushing products: www.youtube.com/@kelvinaitken9020
Great wildlife images and videos on instagram here:
Instagram: kelvin_aitken
Prints, stock library, gallery, photo products here:
Website: kelvinaitken.com
Stuff You Might Not Know - Articles/blog: kelvinaitken.com/articles.html
No AI content on this channel.
All original content. © 2024 Kelvin Aitken. All rights reserved. Do not use without written permission.
Using a sling or neck strap of any sort while using these lenses (and other similar long lenses) is a nightmare. The camera mount has to carry the entire load, it's unbalanced, has the lens whacking against your leg and the strap, or any mounting nubs, get in the way of your button, shutter release and eyepiece.
This lightweight ring solves that problem, placing the sling or neck strap back where it belongs.
Tools and parts needed:
Aluminium solid flat strip: 3mm x 19mm (1/8" x 3/4")
Blowtorch of any kind
Aluminium brazing/welding rods
Drill & drill bits
File for finishing
Cup of coffee and some Hilltop Hoods tracks to see you through
Optional:
3/8 tap to create thread in mounting hole
37/64" Drill Bit
Matt black paint
Camouflage pattern gaffer's tape
==================
Amazon Affiliate Links
Quick Release Plate with 3/8 Inch Screw: amzn.to/3LZy1hw
Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM: amzn.to/3SG7XM0
Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM: amzn.to/3ywXDyW
Canon RF 1.4x extender: amzn.to/3AidrWS
Canon RF 2x extender: amzn.to/4dd9IbS
Propane torch head - generic: amzn.to/3MiQgi9
Bernzomatic TS4000 Trigger Start Torch: amzn.to/3LVG8f1
Bernzomatic Aluminum Brazing/Welding Rods: amzn.to/3YDo2G3
Gaffer Power Camouflage Tape: amzn.to/3yzaJvI
=================
00:00 Intro
0:14 Neckstrap and sling attachments
0:46 The problem with neckstraps and STM lenses
1:48 Bending & preppinng the aluminium strap
2:33 Brazing the joint to complete the collar
3:15 Attaching the collar to the lens
3:50 Balancing your new rig
Critter videos with no gear reviews or pushing products: www.youtube.com/@kelvinaitken9020
Great wildlife images and videos on instagram here:
Instagram: kelvin_aitken
Prints, stock library, gallery, photo products here:
Website: kelvinaitken.com
Stuff You Might Not Know - Articles/blog: kelvinaitken.com/articles.html
No AI content on this channel.
All original content. © 2024 Kelvin Aitken. All rights reserved. Do not use without written permission.
zhlédnutí: 279
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DSLR Battery Pouches - Get this, don't get that, use it like this.
zhlédnutí 50Před rokem
Welcome to video #1 of this new channel. Links to products below, plus link to my "wildlife only" channel. Carrying spare batteries into the field is important to ensure you don't miss the shot when it all goes down. A quiet day with no shots taken can quickly morph into a sweat flying frenzy, so you need extra battery backup to ensure you take full advantage of the situation. Cold weather can ...
Best information video on the whisperlite on CZcams!
Glad you like it. Nothing like a reliable heat source in arctic conditions.
I've heard many wildlife photographers remark they often need to wait a long time for the perfect capture. your Heath-Robinson mount should be great for long periods in the car. You can have the camera setup ready and pour yourself a coffee whils you wait. Great tip. Thanks.
It probably needs some dials, pulleys and steam valves, but yes, it's simple and works well.
Wonderfully helpful ❤
Glad you liked it.
Quick note. Getting fuel on your hands in the cold isn’t just inconvenient. It evaporates extremely quickly causing cooking and can be dangerous in some conditions. It hurts. Edit: also lots of gear is oil based and fuel has the potential to dissolve it
I really liked your creation for the size and the fact that doesn’t cost much. In my bean bag I have inserted the cotton stuffing if an old pillow and it’s super light and stable. Over time the cotton compresses but you can add some more stuffing and will go back to its original fill.
Ha!! I like the inventive thinking. My "go to" option for stills is the beanbag as it's quick, light and easy without having to level it, just level the camera on the bag.
maybe use a ball head no need for door wedge then ?
You can certainly use a ball head which I assume you would be mounting on a window clamp, as shown in the second window clamp image. But there are issues. They always need to be levelled horizontally by quite a lot and you risk window breakage if you are using a big heavy telephoto. But for a light camera setup with a shorter lens, they do work well. The small fluid head that you see on the door clamp is what I used for that.
why not use Aluminum, or is it to light weight?
You need a heavy base for video as any tiny shake or tremour will show up, as you can see in the short owl clip. So I deliberately went with the heavier steel. Also, I can't weld aluminium and a 5mm aluminium plate won't bend without a machine press or maybe an Oxyacetylene rig, neither which I have and I don't think your average photographer would either. The door clamp is not intended for hiking, just car use, so the wieght isn't a logistical problem. As mentioned in the video, the light aluminium door clamp works fine for stills as you usually don't use slow shutter speeds (to avoid blur from subject movement) for wildlife so shakes and tremours are not an issue.
During a snap we have to turnoff the engine.
Nice job. looks like it'll work a treat, am heading to Kruger National Park in Aug, so looking for big lens mount options from car windows ! 🤠😎
11:42 Shutting off the valve here is an important step that unfortunately didn't get recorded in the audio well. Without listening carefully, one could've let too much fuel out on to the stove. But I really appreciate this video.
Sorry. Just to be clear, you really need to turn off the valve BEFORE you have filled the cup, in fact it's good to turn it off when the cup is about half full because pressure, from the bottle, in the fuel line will continue to push fuel out for a few seconds. Spilt fuel can cause a fire hazard.
I would think whole corn would work in the beanbags also
Had not thought of that. Maybe peas as well? Right size but not sure of the weight factor.
I keep pipe insulation in my vehicle for shooting and it works great
Very nice.
very informative and given me food for thought 👍
A bean bag reduces wibrations. I fill mine with polystyrene which is very light. I never raise the window. I also use a folded towel as support.
I'm constantly surprised just how steady a bean bag can be with a super telephoto. With some careful balancing, breath control and image stabilisation, you can get some pretty good quality video. Stills, of course, are less of a problem. Oh, and a bean bag makes a great pillow if you need a nap in the car. Just sayin'.
@@kelvinaitken9020 A pillow is always with me in the car. And I have one to rest my feet on when it is cold.
Always turn you car off,not only for the heat generated but for vibration and noise.
Absolutely. Even when in Park the car's engine generates vibration. Run silent for sharp shots.
My Whisperlight International is set up for Butane fuel as well as kerosene, white gas, jet fuel, unleaded regular gas. Fits in a little kit bag with it's jets and tools and pre heat paste.
International burns gasoline can’t beat its cheapness. A maintenance each time. Not so much I definitely haven’t a never had issues. Just more space and weight. Love mine I’ve also never given mine a 4-50 pumps. I may give it about 12-13. And give it a random 2-4 pumps here and there there. A since it don’t have a second fuel valve like my dragonfly. I actually pump it very very few it I want to simmer. If you have a lot lighter of a pressure. It can help you get a lot lower a flame on this one also.
Yes, less pumps for lower pressure for simmering definitely helps.
Great vid. Subbed!
Thanks. I appreciate the follow.
I can see why a large fluid head, like a Sachtler or Manfrotto, would make things a bit tight in the car window. Thanks for the tips and I certainly agree about the car internal temperature and heat haze issues.
No problem. Check the linked article for more info. Most photographers only have half information when it comes to temperature "fuzzies", or you get so-called professionals that just parrot stuff they saw elsewhere. I hope one of the window mount solutions works for you.
Thank you for the video this is exactly what I was looking for regarding the pressure. Other sources recommended leaving a gap but this seems like it makes more sense
Probably the most important thing is to relieve the pressure after about 30 seconds to a minute. That should do the trick.
Whisperlite universal burns both liquid and canisters plus burns the canister fuel inverted so when the stove is primed it forces the liquid into gas even at cold temps
You are correct. As mentioned in the video, there are things that you can do to extend the usefulness of canisters in sub zero temperatures. However, they do eventually stop working, or it all becomes too difficult to manage them, even when inverted with the special attachment. That loss of efficiency starts happening around 5C and becomes a source of great irritation below -5C. This is because, as mentioned in the video, you need "warm" temperatures to form a gas inside the canister. Even when inverted, it's that evaporated propane/butane gas that pushes the liquid fuel out of the canister, not just gravity. Like liquid naphtha fuel, the canister fuel is then evaporated in the metal loop in the stove head. So eventually, when it becomes cold enough, that evaporation inside the canister stops happening and the liquid flow slows then stops. The more fuel that's used the less pressure, as the reduced volume in the canister is not replace by new evaporated gas. Canisters become inefficient and, eventually, stop working. When you're out in the middle of nowhere, canisters can't be trusted in life threatening situations (if something goes wrong, like falling through the ice on a river, lake or ocean in -50). The best solution is a white gas stove, or a spirit stove if you want to pack light. If the smaller size of a canister is important to you (e.g. lighter and smaller than a 1L primus bottle) you can just buy the smaller 500ml bottle.
@@kelvinaitken9020 wow, thanks for the excellent answer, yea that makes sense about needing at least some pressure even when the canister is inverted. So do spirits (eg denatured alcohol/methylated spirits) burn well even well below -5 C?, I’ve never used it below 0, my understanding is that it is less energy dense than white gas so is heavier to carry for same amount of heat output (although traildesigns custom titanium stove systems come very close due to the efficiency of their design, plus can also burn wood and solid fuel) although the whole stove system tends to be lighter than a total white gas system when carrying a typical alcohol stove, bottle and fuel for just a couple days. I tend to prefer canisters or alcohol due to safety, working with white gas or unleaded makes me nervous it’s just so volatile, I know too many people who got badly burned just passing their hand holding the lighter/match through the vapor around the petrol to light the liquid, mind you alcohol is more likely to be spilt due to open stove design 🤔
@@impermanenthuman8427 To be honest, I have never used a sprit stove as I have had no need to. But I do know that they are preferred by some due to, as you say, thier light weight. But I know that they do work well without the complexity of the MSR setup, althought probably not putting out as an intense heat as canister or naphtha stoves. I have not used car fuel with my stove purely because I have not needed to. In remote areas, such as the arctic, kerosene is readily available and comes in metal or plastic contaners that are small enough to pack. In a remote area where you wanted to use car fuel you would need to buy a small container and go thourgh all the filling drama. So it comes down to convenience.
What do you think of the Optimus Polaris? It is very similar to the Whisperlite Universal in that it burns white gas/unleaded, kerosene and also canisters (both upright and inverted), however the Polaris also burns Diesel and aviation fuel/JP-8. Also the Polaris burns all fuels with the same jet so no need to swap out jets in the field. The British Royal Marines chose the Polaris over the Whisperlite universal, they liked that it is cleaner in terms of less residue of liquid fuel likely to spill into the pot that it can be stored in for cooking, also in the military they have a lot of vehicles that run on JP-8 (although I’m not sure what the difference is between JP-8 and Kerosene?), plus the Polaris can also burn lamp oil. Also the Polaris has a much better simmer. The main thing that concerns me with the Polaris though is that the hose lacks a cleaning rod like the MSR’s have which makes me wonder how long the Polaris would really work long term if only unleaded was available and the hose developed black residue in it possibly? However apparently the holy grail that another couple of CZcamsrs have shown is using the Optimus Polaris pump in the MSR bottle with the Whisperlite Universal, the pump is a little heavier but more durable, and a huge bonus is the pump gives you a second valve so enables simmering with Whisperlite Universal! You might like to look into this as it makes the Whisperlite more useful for cooking.
@@impermanenthuman8427 Thanks for the heads up. I have not used the polaris so can't give an experienced reply. If you are just getting into the market for a liquid fuel stove, it would be worth comparing and going with whatever suits your needs. I would think that both need the same amount of maintenance as it's the fuel that causes minor blockages. The MSR pump shaft has been known to break in extreme cold, although I've never had a problem, so a more robust pump is not a bad thing. In the real world, simmering is not a big deal. The main use for a stove in extreme cold is to heat water as quickly as possible. No one in their right mind is simmering mushrooms while sitting on an iceberg. It would be handy if you're heating food that's not dehydrated, but that would not be normal for expedition camping.
One idea is to use parts from vintage backbacks. Yes I am talking about external frame backpacks. They are widely available on used markets for dirty cheap. Just look for one with a waiste belt or make one yourself. Less likely to damage your backpack attaching a poles.
That's a good tip. You can also buy a cheap utility belt from the hardware store. But, as mentioned in the video, if. you are already taking a backpack (e.g. for short day excursions froma base camp) you can avoid the weight and cost of a special harness. With your backpack emptied, to be lighter for sled towing, you can add some some cord loops (if your backpack doesn't already have loops or D-rings on the bottom) to take the pole clips. It won't damage your backpack if the loops have a solid point to be attached to. At worst, you can put the loops directly around your waistband which is designed to handle decent weight.
Could you please make a video about camping tents?
Will do. I'll put it on the list.
You could have just turned the fuel bottle over and that would have cleared all of the fuel out of the line and it will also relieve all of the pressure out of your fuel bottle..
Really good video and detailed REAL information - I'm a happy globe trotting Whisperlite International user and can vouch for my 'big' volley ball flame and dedicated outdoor user only! Great details on use and especially maintenance and different fuel types.
Thanks. Just got back from a week camping on the edge of a frozen lake photographing wolves. The stove kept me in coffee and hot food without fault.
Excellent video really cleared a few things up eg how many times you have to pump the bottle
Thanks for your comment. Also, you need to redo the pump more when the bottle is full as the air space is quite small.
Nice clear thorough review. I love my MSR Dragonfly. Yeah, that heating flame is the size of soccer ball for sure. A friend loves his Whisper Lite.
When you're in a blizzard in the dark and you just got back to your tent from a hike there's nothing like a stove that works with that wonderful ball of heat telling you all is well.
BTW I do have a question. There is in the manual information that when you're priming the stove and the yellow flame will go off (1)...OR...you turn off the stove after cooking (2)...you need to wait for 5 minutes before you start priming again (1) or relight the stove to cook more (2)....and if you dont wait it's dangerous. Is it? :)
No. They're just covering their butt with possible insurance claims if something weird goes wrong. Same if you buy a bbq - the instructions will demand that you don't relight a bbq until you let it cool off for 5-15 minutes. Sometimes I might forget that I need to heat something so, if the head is still hot, I can just turn the fuel back on and relight it as the metal loop/tube is still hot enough for the liquid fuel to be evaporated into gas. If not, I just go through the priming sequence again. You don't need to repump the bottle if there's pressure already in there, but you can if you want to be sure that it's flowing properly. Of course, this is assuming that for some reason you haven't spilt fuel everywhere. So normally, no problem relighting the stove without waiting.
Wow! I love it. Thanks for the honest and practical review (soooo rare nowadays). I usually use Jetboil which is fantastic IF u want to boil water only (lio food, coffee, tea) - there is of course an attachment (kind of adapter) that lets you use little frying pan however there is almost no flame control - just a turbo super extra big fire....and it uses gas...and you can not take a gas cartridge when flying (neither onboard nor in a checked-in luggage)....which in some parts of globe makes it nearly impossible to buy a gas cartridge without going from the airport to the center of a near city to a sport/touristic shop....just to escape to wilderness :) And that's why I decided to buy an MSR Whisperlite International....but most of reviews are just a featureset overview or a "visual" product manual. Thank you very much for your valuable review.
Glad you got something out of it. What I like about it is that I can fly into somewhere remote without any stove fuel then just use what's at my destination. For example, I go to the arctic a lot and they will have kerosene, diesel and petrol (i.e. unledaded petrol or similar). I can switch the jet in the stove top to use either kerosene or petrol which will work any time of year (a gas cannister if you can find one, won't work in arctic winter).
Thank you for sharing. Enjoyed it.
Thanks for commenting.Glad you liked it.
good video 👍
Glad you liked it. It's a good system, you just gotta use it right.
"Promo SM"
Promo`SM 💯