For nature and wildlife photography we are interested in three main areas, Landscapes which need focal lengths in the range of 25mm, Macro lens (for those small flowers and creatures) with reasonable working distance and telephoto over 400mm for the birds and other wildlife

Camera Body

We currently own two Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT), an entry level canon DSLR released in 2005. The present model of this range is Canon EOS 1000D (Rebel XS).

The first factor in choosing this range was the cost. This body cost less than $800.

Another plus you get with entry level (As well as mid – range) Canon DSLR’s is the 1.6X crop factor which multiplies the focal length of any lens by 1.6! I love it because it makes my 400mm prime lens an amazing 640mm effectively. Well you suffer on the wide angle side since your 17mm will effectively become 27mm but wide-angle lenses are much cheaper than long telephotos.

Having used the 350D for two years now we are thinking of upgrading to a canon 40D, a mid-range DSLR (still with 1.6X crop).

The imaging core of this range is identical to that of the entry level but 40D has got many value added features as well as faster and better focusing system.

What really makes us move from entry level (350D) to mid range (40D) is the focusing speed. I have realized that the 350D (or even the present 1000D) cannot keep up with our L series telephoto lenses in tracking fast moving animals (such as birds in flight). If not for that I have no real reason to upgrade to mid-range from the entry level.

Wide Angle Lens

With the 1.6 crop factor you need at least an 18 mm lens to get an effective focal length of 28mm which is my minimum requirement for landscapes. The kit lens which comes with the entry level bodies (canon 18-55mm) was not good enough in image quality so I settled with a Sigma 17-70mm EF-s lens.

We have used this Sigma for about two years now and I can say that it is superb value for money. Reasonable Image quality, solid built and it can also be used as a Macro lens to a certain extent (the working distance is not enough though). We can recommend this to anyone who needs decent quality with a tight budget.

Our next upgrade in this range will be the canon EF 17-40mm L. Twice as expensive as the 17-70mm Sigma but this is much superior in image quality.

Recently canon has unveiled a 17-55 F/2.8 IS EF-s which people claim to be better than the 17-40mm L (hard to believe that Canon will produce a non “L” lens which is better than a competing “L” lens). The lens specifications looks very interesting with F/2.8 through-out making is a nice portrait lens as well (even though I’m not in to people photography)

Telephoto Lenses

I wanted a minimum of 400mm in my telephoto lens. Anything shorter than 400mm is not long enough for most animals and birds except the very big ones (like elephants). Even the 400mm is short for birds if not for the luxury of 1.6 crop factor of the camera body which makes the 400mm a 640mm lens effectively.

Again working with a tight budget we started with a used Sigma 170mm-500mm, and it is a true “Value for Money” lens. Good image quality (tend to become some what soft at 500mm) and solid build. On the negative side it takes it’s time to achieve focus and the zoom creeps. Still you cannot complain since you get this good glass for just $600 where as the cheapest 400mm in the professional range (like Canon L) costs over $1000! There are some memorable shots we have got with this lens and some of them have been enlarged up to 24”X36” with acceptable results. If you are on a tight budget and still want a decent long lens this is THE lens.

Later we bought the canon 400mm F/5.6 L which gave me the true taste of professional prime lenses. Image quality is unbelievable and focus is lightning fast (now I realize the limitation of the 350D entry level body).

When we were researching on this lens we infact had another option. That is Canon 100-400mm “L” zoom. We bought the 400mm prime instead of the zoom and a year later I can confidently say that we made the right choice.

The reasons are,

1. The zoom is about $300 more expensive than the Prime
2. The zoom is heavier than the price (make is difficult to shoot hand held)
3. The zoom is not as sharp and contrast as the prime (remember no zoom lens can beat the image quality of an equivalent prime lens since a zoom got more glass elements in it)
4. The only feature I miss in my 400mm prime is the lack of IS (Image stabilization) but since I always shoot from a tripod or a bean bag I don’t miss IS it too much

Our next upgrade in the telephoto department is the Canon 500mm F/4.0 L or a Canon 600mm F/4.0 L.

Macro Lenses

There are two important aspects in choosing a macro lens

Magnification – The size of the object that appear in the sensor(or film) compared to its life size

Working distance – The distance between you and the subject at maximum magnification

Generally for nature photography it is advisable to go for a lens which gives 1:1 (life size) or at least1:2 half life size magnifications. Most Macro lenses in the market offer this range.

Second most important aspect of a Macro for nature photography is working distance. Remember the little creatures you want to photograph with a macro will not like too much if you have only few inches between the lens and the subject!

During our search for a Macro we narrowed down choices to two lenses, canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro and canon 180mm F/2.8 L Macro. The second lens costs more than double the price of the first one and therefore we bought the Canon F/2.8 100mm Macro.

After using it for more than a year I can say that it is a superb piece of glass. Excellent image quality (sharpness, contrast), light weight, quick focusing and fair working distance at 1:1: magnification.

I presume that the Canon 180mm F/2.8 L would be better than the 100mm in all the above aspects especially considering the longer working distance it would provide (180mm Vs 100mm). If we ever upgrade to the 180mm this would be the sole reason for that.

Tripod

Nothing improves the quality of work of a nature photographer more than a solid tripod with a ball head. I’m using a Bogen tripod with a Bogen ball head which costs about $200. There is much better and lighter Wight ones (carbon fiber tripods and better ball heads) if you can afford.

Using a professional tripod for nature photography takes a significant amount of practice. When you first start using them you will find it a pain. You will miss more shots than before but you will slowly realize the frames that you do manage to capture are of highest quality. We have made “Huge” prints with our pictures because the tripod made it possible to get a tact sharp image.

A tripod will also allow you to compose a frame, evaluate and re-compose many times without going through the pain of holding the camera. This is specially true with landscapes and some of the macro work.

Bean-Bag

For shooting from a vehicle and for extreme low level macro work needs a bean bag. A bean bag is simply a cloth sack filled with some mid size grains which you can use to rest the camera or lens against on a car window or ground.

Using one of these will improve the quality of the shots that you take from a vehicle dramatically. A bean bag is the only practical support that you can use without compromising flexibility while shooting from a vehicle (especially if you have to drive as well) ]]> http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/equipment-guide-for-nature-photography-in-sri-lanka.htm/feed 0 http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/equipment-guide-for-hiking-in-sri-lanka.htm http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/equipment-guide-for-hiking-in-sri-lanka.htm#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 03:00:31 +0000 lakdasun http://www.lakdasun.com/wp/?p=349 Over the years we have tried various tools and equipment and we feel that now we have worked out a fairly solid, affordable pack optimized for hiking in Sri Lanka.

You will realize that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to put your hiking gear together and more importantly you do not have to go to specialized hiking supplies stores which are not very popular in Sri Lanka

What to wear

The most effective we have found is a pair of cargo pants (longs) and a t-shirt. Newer wear shorts for a hike. Trails through forests always pose the challenge of thick undergrowth. Wearing shorts is a sure way of getting a countless number of painful scratches. Even though the possibility of a snake bite during a hike is extremely low, wearing a thick cargo pant will reduce the damage significantly even if the unexpected happens.

Always remember to wear something dark (preferably dark green) so that you will blend with the surrounding and will not scare-off animals and birds. Wearing dark color clothing dramatically increase the chance of observing wild-life by avoiding you beign spotted by them before you spot them.

Shoes

Choose a pair of light-weight, leather or canvas shoes. Make sure that what ever you buy has a thick rubber sole. This is to provide the required grip when walking on wet rocks in streams and waterfalls. A sure way to check whether the sole has a good grip is to compare it with a pair of bath-room slippers.

A pair of hiking boots will be better, again for additional protection against the rear possibility of a snake bit, but this is not essential. Note that, loose work boots are not suitable for long walks.

Leech socks

One of the main things that keep people away from tropical rain forests is the presence of leeches. The common answer to leeches is to use a repellent. Soap, Dettol and Salt are the most popular.

Though most people are not aware, wearing leech socks is the perfect answer to this problem. We have used those for years and they are 100% effective.

How to make a pair of Leech Socks?

Get hold of a pair of old cotton trousers. Cut the two legs pieces, about 2 feet long from the bottom. Stitch the wide end and put an elastic band or a code around the narrower end. Wear your regular socks, then wear a cotton trouser and put on the leach sock over regular sock and the cotton trouser. Tie up the code or elastic band.

Wear you shoes or boots over this setup. The magic is that leaches cannot penetrate cotton (they can easily penetrate regular socks!). They will still get on to your shoe, may go in your boots and may even try to crawl up along your trouser from out side. But they can’t bite you! It’s also important to wear a t-shirt tucked in to the trouser and wear a belt juts to make sure that the brave ones walking up will not get a chance to move in.

Swiss Army knife

A simple muti-tool such as a Swiss-army knife is a helpful thing to carry. I have used mine for everything from cutting bread and cheese to repairing my jeep! Remember to buy a good brand like “Victorinox ®”. They are reliable and extremely durable. They may cost more than a cheap product but will last much longer and will be at service when ever needed. The last thing you want is to find out that the only tool you have is broken or has gone blunt when you need it in the middle of no where

Basic compass

You might ask “Who need a compass in the day and the age of satellite based navigation”. Remember no GPS can replace the good old magnetic compass!

A GPS is unarguably a more convenient navigation tool and it’s extremely accurate and reliable. But it has two major flaws. First it’s batteries have a finite life. Second, in thick jungle they some times tend to lose satellite lock and become completely useless! So never venture in to forest without a basic basic map reading compass (like “Silva 1-2-3 ®” ). When everything fails and you get really lost, the compass will help you to walk in one direction without circling which will gurantee that you will come in contact with civilization fast.

Compass Compatibility (Magnetic Inclination effect)

(Contributed by Priyanjan in the thread Purchasing A Magnetic Compass for use in Sri Lanka on Lakdasun Forum)

When purchasing a compass check if it is one that is meant to be used in Sri Lanka. Hold the compass level and see if the needle is completely horizontal even when it rotates. If one end of the compass needle always dips (slopes downwards) it is not meant to be used in this part of the world. Also, see if the letters ‘ME’ are engraved on the compass (usually on the base plate of the compass). If it is any other letters (ie. MN, NME, SME, MS), that have been engraved, then, it is one that is not meant to be used in Sri Lanka

A torch or a head lamp

While it is true that most hikes are planed for the day-light hours, we have no control over the sun going down once in every 12 hours! value of a head lamp will be realised the day you have to find your way back in thick darkness through the forest!

A torch for hiking should be light-weight, compact and reliable. A head lamp will have the added advantage of leaving both hands free as you wear it on your fore-head. Over the years I have used a Maglite Mini ® which was very reliable and bright. Always use alkaline batteries in these devices as they do not damage your equipment even if stored with batteries for a long time.

The Energizer ® head lamps widely available in most of the super markets in Sri Lanka are aslo perfect for this purpose.

Water bottle

1000ml of water should always be carried with you and remember to top-up the bottle from every water source you come across because the stream you are crossing right now may be the last water source until you reach the same stream on your way back!

First-aid

Take the following packed in to a small air-tight plastic box

1. Panedol – A type of Paracetamol
2. Siddhalepa (a popular ayurvedic pain relief balm)
3. Detol
4. Plasters
5. Cotton wool
6. Crape band aid
7. A pair of scissors and a sharp blade if you do not have a swiss-army knife with you

Leech Socks

Leech socks are the most effective and most convenient way of avoiding leech bites while hiking though rain forests of Sri Lanka. This simple technique involves wearing a tick, long, cloth sock covering up to the knee which will effectively prevent leech bites. To add to the plus points it is very simple to make your own pair of leech socks!

Get hold of a pair of old cotton trousers. Cut the two legs pieces, about 2 feet long from the bottom. Stitch the wide end and put an elastic band or a code around the narrower end. Wear your regular socks, then wear a cotton trouser and put on the leech sock over regular sock and the cotton trouser. Tie up the code or elastic band.

Wear you shoes or boots over this setup. The magic is that leeches cannot penetrate cotton (they can easily penetrate regular socks!). They will still get on to your shoe, may go in your boots and may even try to crawl up along your trouser from out side. But they can’t bite you! It’s also important to wear a t-shirt tucked in to the trouser and wear a belt juts to make sure that the brave ones walking up will not get a chance to move in
Siddhalepa

Beetle Leaves

Salonpas Spray

Using a repellent

Using a repelant can be effective if you can apply it in a way that does not easily get washed away when you walked in wet forest floor. See below several tips and tricks contributed by the members of Lakdasun forum.

Siddhalepa and Salonpas Spray over socks

(contributed by Lochana in the thread To Siripada via Palabathgala Route on Lakdasun forum.)

In order to keep off the leeches we wear knee length rugged socks on which we apply Siddhalepa (a local, Ayrvedic, pain relief balm popular in Sri Lanka) and sprayed SalonPas. We found this to be effective in keeping off the leeches plus the excessive amounts of Siddhalepa meant we had no after the hike joint pains.

Socks soaked in Beetle leaves mixed water

(contributed by Lochana in the thread To Siripada via Palabathgala Route on Lakdasun forum.)

When researching various methods of keeping leeches off we came across a natural repellent. That is to make a knee high pair of socks out of raw cloth, then soak it in water mixed with ground/chewed beetle leaves and then dry them by sun light before wearing the socks.

Tobacco & Salt Spray

(contributed by Chamil in the thread To Siripada via Palabathgala Route on Lakdasun forum.)

Take 2 or 3 Tobacco leaves and cut them into small pieces, boiled them in water and add handful of salt to it. By using a sprayer you can apply it on your legs and this mixture is 100% active, tested several times and recommended. You will feel bit of an irritation but it would be better than the leech bite

Tobacco

Treating a Leech bite

(contributed by Priyanjan)
with all the preventing measures in place, occasionally one or two may still bite you!
In the event a leech does manage to have a bite at some person and (obviously) tries to suck him/her dry, one (the victim) must NOT pull the leech until the poor fellow gives up on its ‘meal’. Instead apply a little salt, soap or Detol at the place where the ‘sucker’ bites into the skin. This will force the sucker to let go of its hold. Usually any other insect repellent will also bring about the same result. Remember if the leech is pulled out, then the wound will not heal for a long, long time.

Next is the important thing to do. Clean the wound with a little water or with what ever solution one may have. Then on the wound, apply a little ash (Alu). Usually a wound caused by a leech bite will not heal quickly but will scratch for ages and ages. As I have experienced applying of ash will stop the wound from scratching. Although I am a non smoker I always carry two cigarettes when I enter an area that has these suckers. The next best is news paper ash. But one must remember not to create an unwanted fire.
]]> http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/leeches-preventive-socks-repellents-treatments.htm/feed 0 http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/gps-devices-for-hiking-in-sri-lanka.htm http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/gps-devices-for-hiking-in-sri-lanka.htm#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 15:12:28 +0000 lakdasun http://www.lakdasun.com/wp/?p=372 Leaving technical descriptions aside it’s a little battery powered gadget that can find out exactly where you are (in terms of longitude and attitude). Most devices now days can continuously record a series of points, effectively “memorizing” the path you walk. Most devices today can also calculate total distance traveled, speed, and trip time and can also take you back on a recorded trail to the origin.

GPS is a free service. You only have to pay for the receiver which you will carry around.

Important Note: There are restrictions on using GPS based devices in Sri Lanka. Check this discussion on Lakdasun Forum for more details.

Who use GPS devices?

from militaries, aviators, sailors to hikers like us can find this technology unbelievably helpful.

We carry a GPS receiver when we hike because:

1. It tell us where exactly we are and can help find our way to a known point (where we already know the co-ordinates) or can take us back on a track we have recorded. This gives you a great confidence in venturing in to unknown terrain since you are sure of finding your way back

2. It also provide us trip information such as Distance traveled, travel time, elevation etc, which are really useful in making decisions during a hike, andmany other interesting information such as the average speed, top speed, sunrise sunset times at a given location etc

3. It help me to record trails we travel and record points of interest so that we can share our experience accurately and consistently with other people (That’s exactly what we do in Our Trail Guides)

What to look for in a GPS receiver

It depends on what you want to use it for. If you want to use it as a street navigator you will need features such as map support. But if you only intend to use it for hiking (like us) the most basic GPS receiver will be more than enough

What should you look in a GPS device for Hiking in Sri lanka

1. Good signal reception – Most of our hiking trail go though thick forest canopies, mountain lopes, valleys and ridges. So a high sensitive GPS device is absolutely necessary. Otherwise you will lose satellite lock most of the time making the device completely useless.
2. Good battery life
3. Sturdy built – waterproof, shock proof
4. Small size

What I don’t necessarily need in my Hiking GPS

1. Map support – Map support is where you can load a digital map in your GPS so that it can help you navigate along street and guide you from place to place. In sri lanka we still don’t have digital maps with sufficient details yet and even if we had those, such maps will not have nature trails mapped in those. Update: Now there are digital maps of Sri Lanka available online
2. Colour display: during a hike, all the information you need can be very effectively displayed in a simple LCD display. Colour displays will add little value and reduce battery life
3. Large Display: again the same point. Since we are not using the device for navigation with map we do not need large displays which intern will make the device bulky and difficult to carry

Garmin etrex H

What have we used?

Garmin etrex: This unit had all the features that is desired in a GPS for hiking except that it was little weak on the signal sensitivity. Under thick forest canopy and in deep valleys the satellite lock was frequently lost. This does not mean that this unit is completely useless for hiking in Sri Lanka. We used an etrex device for about 4 years with satisfactory results and we still own one of them.

Garmin etrex H: in 2007 Garmin upgraded its basic GPS receiver to a newer model called etrex H. apparently “H” stands for “High-sensitive”. We upgraded to this model about an year back and it really is high-sensitive. Look, feel, and features, all very much identical to the previous model but this unit have been able to keep consistent satellite lock under almost every circumstance. Thick forest canopy, deep valleys no longer an issue. Many users have suggested that the etrex H got lower battery life compared to the etrex, but we haven’t noticed any significant difference between the two.

A last but an important remark

Don’t forget your compass. High tech comes with the obvious possibility of sudden failure. So don’t leave your old but faithful compass behind. I haven’t taken it out in a trail for years but I always carry it with me for the comfort of having a reliable navigational aid even if my GPS becomes unavailable for some reason. ]]> http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/gps-devices-for-hiking-in-sri-lanka.htm/feed 0 http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/hiking-in-srilanka-and-guide-to-interpret-trail-difficulty-grades.htm http://www.lakdasun.org/tools-tips/hiking-in-srilanka-and-guide-to-interpret-trail-difficulty-grades.htm#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:32:37 +0000 lakdasun http://www.lakdasun.com/wp/?p=383 Guide to interpret trail difficulty grades.

Easy

Experience is not necessary at this level. Anyone who is fit enough to enjoy a few kilometer walk can manage an easy trail. These hikes are short in duration and there aren’t many steep climbs. Please keep in mind that walking always involves some physical workout. Most of hikes in hills have a reasonable amount of ascent and descent. Normally an easy trail can be covered in 1 to 3 hours.

Moderate

you need to be in good health and reasonably fit to tackle a moderate grade trail. You should be some one who willingly walk regularly as part of day to day life. Moderate trails can be easy long walks or harder short walks. While conditions underfoot will be generally fair, some trails of this difficulty may have sections of rough climbs. Normally it takes around 4-6 hours to complete a moderate trail.

Strenuous

Physical fitness is very important to tackle a trail of this level. Steep ascents and descents are very frequent in these tracks. Cold climate and remoteness will add to the difficulty. Previous hiking experience is recommended but if you are confident of your physical condition you may attempt trails of this level of difficulty even without prior experience. Be prepared to spend around 6 to 8 hours or even longer in certain cases, to complete a trail of this level

Tough

At this level previous experience of hiking is a must. You should have the ability to walk and climb for many hours without a break. Rough paths on steep mountainsides through dense forest is quite regular in this type of trails. Extremes of weather may also be encountered. Stamina is absolutely required. Most of these trails take more than 10 hours to complete. Some of the trails will require over-night camping.

Be a responsible trekker

Please remember that a nature trail belongs to the ecosystem around it. You are a complete stranger! Protection of the environment around you is much more important than your pleasure or comfort. Please read the following tips carefully and become a responsible trekker by making sure that you do no damage to the environment during your hikes

Please do not talk loudly while on a nature trail. Nature is peaceful and quiet. Do not disturb the rhythm of Mother Nature.

Don’t take even a leaf home as a souvenir. Everything around you belongs to the environment around you.

Don’t leave anything non-biodegradable behind. Plastic, polythene, paper, wrappers etc do not belong to nature. They are absolutely harmful stuff made by people. Take all of that back to where people live!

Remember again “Take only pictures, leave only foot prints”!

Do not carry any tool bigger than a Swiss army knife. Axes and large knives can do serious damage to delicate eco-systems.

Always carry a reliable torch. Preferably a head lamp. It becomes dark for approximately 12 hours, every 12 hours!

Please keep together with others of a similar pace. Getting lost in a forest is not a pleasant experience!

Always carry a basic compass (like Silva 123). Even without a map, it will help you walk in one direction without circling. Sri Lanka is a small country, so are our forests. If you avoid circling you will reach a civilization within 48 hours even if you are lost in the most remote wilderness.

Do not make cuts on tree trunks or break branches to mark paths. Carry a small tin of yellow paint and make a small mark on a rock or a trunk if absolutely required to do so.

Take first aid. paracetemol, plasters, surgical spirits and some bandage should always be carried with you