Svalbard

[Chris Wahl]

Are you giving up on Polar Bears?

[elsa hoffmann]

Chris - I hope not. But at the moment I dont see much light!
I am however planning to speak with 2 friends who did the trip a year ago - but only next week.
I mean - the dream trip is $14250...... I can almost retire on that amount of money (if I only live another year)

[Bjørn J]

A gathering of Nikongearheads in northern Norway summer 2016 would be fantastic!
I can take care of all the arrangements, and I know the area well and will be your local guide 
This is a brilliant idea!

[elsa hoffmann]

that really sounds cool. Many of you already in Europe which helps

Can I be the head lady?

[Chris Wahl]

Oh yes ... 14k + flight for the dream trip is a lot and if going alone you probably have to share rooms with an unknown person which has the potential to spoil the whole trip ...

[elsa hoffmann]

With Johua - you get your own digs

probably why its so expensive!

[stenrasmussen]

Polar bears are "easiest" to meet in the northern and eastern part of Svalbard. When I was up there (a loooong time ago), we saw and met quite a few of them. One particular one came too close and ended its days there and then...

[Asle F]

The first time I was at Svalbard, we saw polar bears in the north (around Liefdefjorden), in the east (Hinlopen, Edge Island, Barents Island and Halfmoonisland) and in the south west (Hornsund and Bellsund). Some of them are at my flicker gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/afoton/sets/72157629599971070
I was mostly using focal length from 180 to 300mm.

The second trip was shorter, so we was just seeing one bear in the Liefdefjorden before we headed west for Greenland.

For looking polar bears, one have to travel far away from Longyearbyen. The easiest way is by boat, and that is also the safest way to come near a bear.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks Asle - did you notice your name is the same as mine ? just spelled backwards ? 

Very nice images ! And useful info on the focal length most used. That was a serious concern for me - although no guarantee one could get close enough for those shots.

I also see there are a number of polar bears in Alaska....

[Chris Wahl]

Indeed nice images and useful info that the 300 is long enough!

Elsa, damn ... just when I thought I was out, you pulled me back in.

[elsa hoffmann]

Chris.... and Alaska is cheaper..... and almost affordable (if you dont eat the rest of the year)

[Chris Wahl]

who needs food anyway ... but Alaska? hmmm...

[elsa hoffmann]

Alaska...
http://www.expeditionsalaska.com/phototours/polar-bear-photo-tour.html

then there are grizzly bears too...

[Chris Wahl]

I asked Joshua about the recommended lenses and this is what he wrote: "In general, a lens around 200-400mm with inbuilt 1.4 TC is sufficient for polar bear photography. 600 and 800mm can also be used but are not as versatile in my  experience. I prefer the 200-400 for most use. You don’t need a 600mm or 800mm as well as the 200-400mm. One or the other is sufficient."

Regarding Alaska ... the price point is not much different to Joshua's trip (relatively seen). It is 8.900 + 1.500 (single fee to make it comparable) + more expensive flight (for me) for 6 days versus 14.2k for 9 days. Actually if you consider the cost per day Joshua offers the slightly cheaper one but it will be more or less the same I guess ... or maybe my calculus skills are just too bad early in the morning ...

[mprager]

A gathering of Nikongearheads in northern Norway summer 2016 would be fantastic!
I can take care of all the arrangements, and I know the area well and will be your local guide 
This is a brilliant idea!

This sounds great - I would love to come and it would be my wife and me