It is highly improbable that a shark will associate a person at a beach with a cage-diving boat in South Africa. Reasons being:

To observe the white sharks they must be attracted to the boat and the cage. Chumming is the process in which a chum slick or odor corridor is created to guide the sharks to the boat.

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Flexibility is the biggest advantage of zoom lenses. Their ability to zoom reduces the need for multiple lenses. Instead, one lens can serve a variety of purposes. However, you may find yourself sacrificing quality and cost for convenience. Zoom lenses generally fall within the higher price brackets, yet fail to deliver the quality associated with prime lenses. They can also be quite big and bulky and don’t always offer the wide apertures that prime lenses do.

Zoom lenses are powerful tools that cover a variety of needs. Whether you’re shooting landscapes or sport, zoom lenses offer a convenient solution by providing a variety of focal lengths. Depending on the range, you could use one lens for anything from landscape to portraiture.

Wide angle: As the name suggests, wide angle lenses still offer a very wide angle of view, but with less distortion than ultra wide angle lenses. Ranging from 24mm to 35mm, they're suited to many different types of photography, from landscapes to group portraits.

Put simply, lenses are pieces of glass that have been shaped and polished to magnify the light so that they’re useable optical instruments.

Sharks have a sixth sense: the ampullae of Lorenzini are sensory organs spread mainly throughout the snout and head of sharks and allow the sharks to sense magnetic fields to find prey in darkness or murky conditions. The shark cages and boat generate a magnetic field to which the sharks are sometimes drawn by curiosity. The shark may mouth the cage or engines in a gentle testing manner. The cage is indestructible and you will be safe from the sharks.

Autofocus is another common feature on lenses nowadays, with most offering the alternative to switch between auto and manual focus. Most DSLR cameras offer different autofocus options too.

Observing shark cage diving is not recommended for children under 10 years of age. In most cases, you will be asked to sign additional liability waivers for those under 18 years old.

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I've outlined the different focal lengths below, but you can see the results each one produces in this video here, where I shoot a number of different images using everything from an ultra wide angle to telephoto lens.

I’m just starting learning about food photography, I bought a macro lens :TOKINA PRO DM 100mm/2.8 , and as I understand I need another lens to shoot from the top, but I couldn’t understand which one I need if possible can you advice me if themodel bellow is good for this type of photography:

You will launch between 8:00 am and 10:00 am, depending on the tidal range. Return to shore is generally four to six hours after departure.

Yes, if it is done with respect towards the sharks, the other wildlife in the area and the general ecosystem according to the regulations in place. Though chumming and attracting wild animals with food remains controversial, scientists have been unable to show any form of habituation around Dyer Island. Through educational excursions, people's mindset and attitudes towards white sharks are changed. This change in the public's perception is vital to establish an appreciation, and thus conservation, of this wonderful species.

No, but in some cases you will be provided with a voucher that will allow you to come back on another excursion free of charge.

Aperture is an important feature to consider when buying a lens. The aperture is (in part) what determines how much light the lens lets through to the sensor. If you often find yourself working in low light, a lens with a wider aperture will be your best bet. Having a wider aperture will also allow you to use faster shutter speeds when photographing handheld or fast moving subjects. Lenses with wider apertures also allow you to increase the bokeh, which is the aesthetic quality of the out of focus background blur.

Super telephoto: Super telephotos are very specialist lenses usually used by professional sports and wildlife photographers. Their focal range, which ranges from 800mm to 2000mm, is also useful for astro photography and surveillance.

Before buying any lens, you should find out your camera's crop factor and use it to calculate the lens's effective focal length. For example, a 50mm lens will have an effective focal length of 75mm when used on a camera with a 1.5x crop factor. Although the focal length remains the same, the angle of view is reduced by the smaller sensor.

No. This is for the comfort of all passengers, as well as for safety hazard reasons due to the amount of fuel carried on the boat.

Lens selectionchart

Our Equipment section also provides a number of short, informational videos with valuable tips for cleaning and looking after your lenses, which you may find useful.

Shark cage diving is one of the most thrilling—and unpredictable—travel experiences in the world. To help you know what to expect, Ker & Downey has compiled some of our most frequently asked questions regarding shark cage diving off the Western Cape in South Africa.

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Lenses are an essential piece of photographic equipment, but with so many options available it can be difficult to know what it all means and how to choose the right one.

Chum usually consists of minced tuna meat, mashed sardines, and/or fish oil, which are mixed with sea water in a drum. This mixture is then ladled back into the ocean, and will slowly drift away from the boat, creating the chum slick. Once the shark enters the chum slick, it will track it back to its source: the boat.

Remember, lenses are an important piece of kit, so it’s worth taking the time think about your requirements, read reviews and, if possible, maybe even rent the lens before buying it.

NOTE: The focal lengths discussed below are all in relation to 35mm format. You can view the medium format equivalents here.

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Prime lenses are lenses that feature a fixed focal length. Available in a range of focal lengths, prime lenses are known for delivering high quality images. They also generally offer much wider apertures compared to zoom lenses. Size wise, prime lenses tend to be smaller than zoom lenses, which can be a definite advantage if you’re wanting to travel light. With less moving parts, prime lenses are often also cheaper than zoom lenses.

It’s certainly worth investing in the best lens you can afford, but if you’re working with a limited budget, it may be worth looking at buying a second hand lens.

To choose the best lens for you, it’s worth taking the time to think about the factors mentioned above. What will you be using the lens for? Does your work require a zoom lens with image stabilization or will a prime with a wider aperture be better suited? Think about what you’ll be photographing, what you need and what you don’t need.

No. It is not guaranteed that you will see white sharks from the surface or from the cage. On average, the success rate is higher than 80% throughout the year.

Most camera manufacturers will design lenses specifically for crop or full-frame cameras and it’s worth keeping in mind what sensor your camera uses when looking at lenses.

You will snorkel in the cage. In most conditions, it is preferred not to use scuba equipment because it produces a lot of noise and bubbles under the water, which often keeps the sharks from coming close.

Hopefully not, but seasickness may be part of the experience. You may have spent some time on boats before and believe that everything will be fine, but you probably have never spent time on an anchored boat, and that is when problems may occur.

Lenses are an essential piece of equipment in any photographers bag, so it's worth taking the time to understand the different types. These two classes in particular explain the differences between various focal lengths and shows you the results from each.

Lens selectioncamera

Here I explain different types of lenses, how to choose the best one for you and why it’s worth considering buying second hand.

Diving conditions are best from May to August when the underwater visibility is generally higher around Dyer Island. Diving is often limited during the months of September through February as the underwater visibility is often significantly reduced.

I cover this in much more detail in the video below, but in short, it’s worth checking the condition and appearance of the lens. Scratches and dents may indicate the lens has been mistreated. Check for mould or loose elements in the lens too and also see if the aperture blades are working correctly.

Short telephoto: Short telephoto lenses, ranging between 85mm and 135mm, are the ideal lens choice for portraiture. They offer the most flattering and accurate perspective and allow you to work at a good distance from your subject too.

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Ultra wide angle: Ranging anywhere from 8mm to 24mm, ultra wide angle lenses offer a very wide angle of view and are distinguishable by the extreme amount of distortion (especially noticeable in fisheye lenses). Because of this, they are not very well suited to portrait work. However, they are ideal for interiors, wide panoramic landscapes and cityscapes or even more artistic and creative work.

They come in a variety of shapes and sizes with a number of different features, which I’ll look at in more detail below. When looking at which lens is best for you, it’s worth looking at these features and considering which are most relevant to you and your needs.

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May to August also corresponds to the austral winter, and the Western Cape is known for its huge storms during this time. Consider staying two to three nights in the area in case your shark trip needs to be rescheduled.

Only children 12 years or older will be allowed into the cage, and only if a parent accompanies them. Parents will have to vouch that their child has previous snorkeling experience and is comfortable in an aquatic environment. You will be asked to sign additional liability waivers for those under 18 years old.

Yes. The South African cage-diving industry is regulated by a Code of Conduct and regulations from the Marine and Coastal Management Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Apart from minor injuries due to the boat or cage, seasickness, or dehydration, no injuries or accidents to guests have been recorded in more than 10 years.

When deciding on which camera lens is best for you, it’s worth taking your time. Take the time to consider the points I’ve mentioned above and, if you’re struggling to find something to fit your budget, take some time to save a little more. Buying a camera is a big investment, but buying a lens is a far more long-term investment because you usually keep your lenses when you upgrade your camera. It’s not worth making sacrifices, because I can assure you you’ll only regret it and it will end up costing you more later down the line.

South Africa is one of the few white shark hot spots in the world, offering the best opportunities to observe these sharks in their natural environment. The year is divided into two main seasons. January/February to August/September is when white sharks are observed mainly around Dyer Island; during the remaining months of September to January, the sharks use an area located one and one-half miles to the north in a shallow bay known as Shark Bay.

If you develop severe and unbearable seasickness, a shuttle can be organized to collect you and bring you back to shore. These shuttles are run by an independent company, and a $50 surcharge per shuttle (not per person) will be your responsibility.

However, you’re also limited with prime lenses. Having just one focal length means you may need several lenses to cover all your needs, which can quickly add up both in terms of cost and weight.

Generally the time a white shark will remain around the boat is between five and 10 minutes, but this is completely unpredictable and no one can guarantee the length of any viewing period.

If you insist on using scuba equipment and you are a qualified scuba diver with a PADI Open Water diving certification, then you will be provided with a regulator to dive in the cage once everyone else has had their share of the snorkeling experience in the cage.

There is not a set time that it will take for the first white shark to appear around the boat. The wait can be a few minutes, several hours after anchoring, or the sharks may occasionally not show up.

For more information about adding a shark cage diving excursion off the Western Cape in South Africa to your next Ker & Downey journey, or for information about any other destination, contact your travel professional.

The main potential risks involved in the shark cages are from injuries climbing in or out of the cage, and swallowing water or drowning. Make sure that you get used to a mask and ensure that you feel comfortable before entering the cage.

Telephoto: Larger telephoto lenses can offer focal lengths anywhere from 100mm upwards to about 800mm. These are a popular choice for sport or wildlife photographers. Their zoom capabilities make them a good all-round lens choice suitable for a variety of subjects.

The cage remains afloat with about one foot of the cage above the water at all times. The cage is also solidly attached to the boat with two thick ropes that further prevent it from sinking or drifting away from the boat. The bottom of the cage is about six feet below the surface.

No. Alcohol increases your chance of seasickness, and it is recommended that you abstain from alcohol the night before to avoid an unpleasant trip.

Your chances of observing sharks from the surface are higher than 90% from April through December. Sightings from January to March are difficult to predict, but the success rate is still higher than 50%.

Further advantages of using prime lenses is that it encourages you to explore your scene more. Being restricted to just one focal length means you have to move to find the best composition, rather than just experimenting with different focal lengths.

Designed to reduce blur in images, image stabilisation can be a particularly useful feature when working handheld or in low light conditions. While it is a common feature on newer model lenses, it’s worth checking to see if this feature is available on older model lenses. Image stabilisation is indicated using the letters IS (for Canon’s Image Stabilisation), VR (for Nikon’s Vibration Reduction), OS (for Sigma’s Optical Stabilization) or VC (for Tamron’s Vibration Control).

Reports that you may have read or images you may have seen involving white sharks attacking cages have all been triggered by the crew on the boat and are the result of unnatural provocation. The cage, although attached to the boat, is free floating, so should a shark charge the cage at full speed (which would never happen in a normal unprovoked situation), the cage will just bounce off and absorb the impact force.

Every day is different at sea and we can never forecast what the conditions, situations or encounters will be like. If you want to see a white shark, then one day should be enough. If you are a shark lover, then we would recommend that you spend at least two days to get a better feel for the variety of white sharks. You should also schedule more than one day during the austral winter months (April through September) to avoid any disappointment due to bad weather conditions.

Standard lens: Starting from 35mm, standard lenses offer a more accurate reproduction of what the human eye sees in terms of perspective and angle of view compared to ultra wide and wide angle lenses. Ranging from 35mm to about 85mm, standard lenses are a popular and versatile choice for many photographers.

White sharks present different personalities. One shark might come up to the lure, have a quick look and not feel confident about the situation and leave. Another shark might be more relaxed and remain around the boat for hours.

This will mostly depend on the number of people on the boat and the number of people who wish to go into the cage. Your first cage dive will be relatively short, just long enough for you to see a white shark. We will then alternate all the people who wish to dive in the cage. Once everyone has had a chance to see the sharks from the cage, you then can return for a second dive.

Whether you’re shooting food or fashion, you really want the right lens for the job, so it’s important to understand the differences between prime and zoom lenses as well as the various focal lengths and what they’re best suited for.

Everyone wants a perfect trip, but not everyone knows how to plan one. Ker & Downey creates custom itineraries that take the pressure off planning, immerses you in new cultures, and allows you to experience the world in a whole new way.

To help give you an idea of what lenses are best for different genres of photography, I’ve outlined the lenses I commonly use below.

No. White sharks are very active at the surface and can be observed from the boat without having to go into the shark cage.

The water is warmest from June to August (59-68 degrees Fahrenheit) and coldest from November to March (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit).