ArticlesPhoto TechniquesGearing Up For An African Safari

Gearing Up For An African Safari

By Dallas Dahms | Published Nov 23, 2011 | Photo Techniques

Tagged with: lenses photo-technique safari travel-photography travel-tips

Getting the most out of a photographic safari requires some pre-trip research and planning when determining the most appropriate gear to bring on your once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Embarking on an African safari is the dream of many a photographer. One that brings to mind immediate justification for the purchase of big, expensive lenses. After all, explaining to your significant other, 'But I need that 400mm 2.8 lens,' carries more weight if you're talking about capturing dramatic shots in the Serengeti of the 'Big 5' rather than the pigeons at your local park.

Yet once you have the green light to drop some cash at your favorite photography retailer, it's crucial that you tailor your gear to where you’re going and the type of operator that will be guiding you. African safaris exist across a range of options and locales, each of which may lend itself to a different set of gear requirements.

Lens support

Stability for your telephoto lenses is the first thing to look into. If you’re going to East Africa to explore the Serengeti, you’re most likely going to find yourself in a covered vehicle with a roof that pops open, allowing you to stand up on your seat and shoot out of the top of the vehicle. This allows for the use of a beanbag as a stabilizer, but forget about tripods and monopods. They are just not going to be much help inside these types of vehicles due to space limitations. Optical stabilization (either in-body or lens-based) are your friends. It's also worth noting two downsides to this type of vehicle. They can make some people feel claustrophobic and your view is seriously impeded with the roof above you.

In some private reserves, particularly in South Africa, the standard vehicle used by safari operators is an open Land Rover/Cruiser with three rows of elevated seating behind the driver (see below). A big advantage of the open-top vehicle is that you really do feel like you’re out in the wild and of course you’ve got a much better view.


A roof-less vehicle not only provides more varied shooting opportunities...	...but also provides bars and/or support arms on which to clamp lens supports.

Be aware that with these open-topped vehicles, beanbags are of little use, as there isn’t really any surface on which to rest them. These vehicles do, however, have a bar in front of each row of seats onto which you can G-clamp a monopod with a Wimberley head (shown below). Alternately, if you’re alone in the row of seats, you can sit in the middle one and prop the monopod up from the base of the seat next to you. Another possibility here is to set up a small tripod on one side of you, keeping a short leg on the seat and two extended legs on the floor of the vehicle, although you may find this setup a bit clumsy to re-arrange should the action switch to the other side of the vehicle. Generally speaking, a monopod with a decent head is your best bet for this type of vehicle.


The Wimberley Head's gimbal-style design attaches the lens collar to either a monopod or tripod allowing for fast, easy rotation around the lens' center of gravity.	The Wimberley Sidekick offers the same functionality in a smaller, lighter and less expensive unit that can be attached to an existing ball head.

If you’re embarking on a self-driven trip in the national reserves and you’re in a rental sedan you should consider investing in some form of window clamp. There are several makes available, some of which allow you to even attach a Wimberley Sidekick (see image above). A beanbag is a good alternative here, and if you decide to use one, here's a simple tip that will make your traveling easier. Buy a beanbag that zips open and fly to your destination with it empty, saving weight and bulk. Once you are in country, simply fill it with rice or beans and you're all set.

Lens choices

As I mentioned at the outset, lens choice is largely dependent on where you’re traveling. In most of the National parks of Southern and Eastern Africa you are not allowed to drive off road at all. So if there is a lion kill happening 100 meters in from the side of the road, you’re stuck where you are will need some reach from your telephoto lens if you want to get in closer. This is particularly true of places like the Serengeti and Kruger National Park.

My advice for these trips is to bring along something like a 400mm f/2.8 with perhaps 1.4x and/or 2.0x tele-converters. Obviously not everyone can afford to own a 400mm f/2.8, but you are trekking halfway around the world with the express purpose of photographing animals. Renting a lens can be a more economical means of bringing the gear you need. Whatever you do, don’t forget the main reason that you're on the safari in the first place; to take great photos.


A fast telephoto lens with a reach of 400mm at its long end is standard gear on a safari...	...since you will often be photographing animals from distances of 100 meters or more.

If you’re shooting on an APS-C format DSLR, a 400mm f/2.8 with 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters will give you a fair amount of reach options. Bring along a full-frame camera with a 200mm f/2 and 2x converter and you have some serious versatility in a shorter package too.

There's another safari option to consider - going to a private reserve. This opens up all sorts of possibilities. By far the biggest advantage you’ll have (weather permitting) is that your ranger will be allowed to drive you right up next to those aforementioned lions feasting on some prey. At such a close distance you can switch to using a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and get some amazing shots. In fact, unless you’re really into birding, you can easily get away with doing a private reserve safari using only a 70-200mm f/2.8 with a full frame sensor and a 2x converter. On our group trip to Sabi Sabi last year this was my most-used combination. I also had with me the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8, but found that I was getting shots of better quality with the other combo. It was lighter and had image stabilsation, which allowed me to shoot without a beanbag or monopod.

Protecting your gear

Something to consider when bringing large lenses, together with a bunch of other (likely expensive) gear, is keeping them safe when you’re flying. On the international flights you can usually get away with bringing your photo gear into the cabin as carry-on. On short haul connecting flights within Africa, though, you are generally restricted to only 8kgs of carry-on in economy class.

An effective solution is to invest in a photographer’s vest. Some of these vests have pockets big enough to swallow up lenses as big as a 70-200mm 2.8, not to mention just about everything else you could fit into a reasonable sized camera bag. By putting everything that would normally be in your camera bag into your vest you can easily carry-on an actual bag that falls within the 8kg limit. Of course, you may get some strange looks from fellow passengers and airline security, but so what? You’re on safari – you’re allowed to look a bit odd.


Photo vests come in a range of styles and while we think of them as providing easy access to gear while shooting...	...they can be invaluable on short-haul flights, as you can 'wear' a couple of camera bodies and lenses, reducing the size and weight of your carry-on bag.

On my trip last year I had the following in my 20 liter backpack:

Nikon D700
Sigma 12-24mm
Sigma 70-200mm 2.8
Sigma 120-300mm 2.8
Sigma 2x tele-converter
Sigma 150mm 2.8 Macro
Apple 13" MacBook (w/power supply, card reader & mouse)
5 x CF cards of varying sizes
Sony Camcorder + 5 miniDV tapes

That bag weighed in at about 14 or 15 kilos. However, I was able to put everything except the laptop and 120-300mm into my photographer’s vest, with space to spare. This brought down the weight of the bag to well under 8kgs.

Should you decide to use a vest to carry your gear like this, you should also look at getting individual lens bags or protective wrappers made out of neoprene. They will give you just that extra bit of protection for your kit, both when flying and then also when you’re on a game drive. It goes without saying that you don’t want two unprotected lenses rubbing against each other, potentially damaging the tools that will see heavy action on your once in a lifetime safari adventure.

Dallas Dahms is professional photographer based in Durban, South Africa who leads both group and custom itinerary African safaris at photographers.travel. Product images courtesy Wimberley, Inc.

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Total comments: 77

If there are any interested persons, we have 2 suites available for this trip for our next safari. The dates are 1-8 August, 2013 and because of the falling value of the Rand, this trip is now much cheaper than ever before (less than US$4300 per person sharing).

If you'd like to join us, please contact me on this address for all the details.

0 upvotes

Thank you for the advice!

I am planning on an African MIGRATION safari. And currently have and planning to take my D50 with 70-300/5.6 AFS VR. Should I also take a TC along? Or is this sufficient reach?

Unfortunately, the f/2.8 telephotos are out of my budget.

0 upvotes

I don't think the TC's work on that lens, unfortunately. Have you considered renting a lens and camera for your trip? For many its a once in a lifetime thing, so you should consider getting the best equipment you can for it.

0 upvotes

Those of you who might be considering a trip to Africa to photograph the Big 5 might be interested in reading my account of last year's trip on our site:

http://nikongear.com/live/index.php?/topic/47573-the-2012-ultimate-big-5-safari-report-part-1/

This will be a series of a few posts showing readers what to expect from one of our trips. You can book on our trips here: http://www.photographers.travel/the-ultimate-big-5-safari/

1 upvote

On my latest trip I used the new Sigma 120-300mm 2.8 OS, which I have reviewed on my site: http://www.photographers.travel/sigma_120-300mm_2-8_os/

You can also see quite a few of the images taken with that one as well as the Olympus OM-D E-M5 on this last safari.

1 upvote

I will be going to a safari in a private game reserve at South Africa. Im perplexed at the lens I should purchase/rent for this trip. My camera body is nikon D90 and I already have a 18-200mm lens.

My considerations are either
1) sigma 120-400mm lens OR
2) nikon 70-200mm f2.8

I have never tried sigma lens before. The nikon 70-200 impressed me because of its clarity and speed.
Can anyone advice which option should I take to bring it for the private game reserve?

Thank you in advance!

0 upvotes

The 70-200mm 2.8 VR is a good choice for the private reserves. If you can also bring along a 2x TC you will be well covered for that kind of trip.

Enjoy the safari!

0 upvotes

Dallas,
Thanks for your informative posts. I am headed to Tanzania (crater, Mara River area and last few days on private reserve) in a couple of weeks.
I have my equipment lined up but would really value your input on two other things...
1) How do you keep the beanbag from falling out of the vehicle? Any tricks?
2) Any suggestions for photo composition when it comes to wildlife that is there?
Appreciate any/all ideas.
Ellen

0 upvotes

Hi Ellen, sorry for taking so long to reply.

On your questions;

1) the beanbags we give our safarians are basically two sacks that are sewn together, so you can balance it on the window of your vehicle. However, that doesn't guarantee they won't fall out, so perhaps consider tying a piece of string to it and the other end to your belt loop. If it does fall out and there are no animals around you just need to ask your ranger to stop the vehicle and they will either retrieve it for you or let you do it yourself - provided there are no predators around, obviously!

2) That's such a broad question! Essentially you don't get too much say in the way the animals pose, but if you are with a photo group your ranger will know where the best position for the vehicle in relation to the light is. When we go on safari we always ask for rangers who are photographers themselves. This makes a big difference.

Hope you have a great trip!

0 upvotes

I agree that the 8 kg weight limit for carry-on should be taken seriously. But usually you get an 8 kg bag (like a backpack) AND another 'small bag' which I use for computer and a few documents.

My lens equipment selection to fit in the weight limit:

All Nikon

300mm f4 with TC-14Eii always attached
200mm micro
18-200 vr
40mm micro

2 bodies (in my case a 7000 and a 5100), a small flash (SB400) and a few odds and ends.

I try to focus on birds/animals OR bugs so I keep 300 or 200 on one body for half a day or all day. The other body usually has the 18-200 for general purpose. The 40 is for unobtrusive places where high quality is paramount, and macro is often mixed in - a market or restaurant for example.

0 upvotes

So many people have posted their idea of safari equipment. I cannot resist to add mine:

Sony Alpha A33 with 500mm/F8 mirror tele
Sony Alpha A55 with Sony/Zeiss 135mm/F1.8

I found these 2 lenses ideal. Close targets were usually just at the right distance for the 135mm. Stopped down to F2.8 or F4, there are few lenses around that are sharper. Color and constrast is very good. At dusk, when there is less light I open the aperatur. At F1.8 with a body that has image stabilization I can still take pictures when others have packed up their gear for the evening.

Wtih the 500mm on a APS-C body I have a lot of reach. This is the only mirror tele with autofocus. Weight: Approx 760g. And it is also unobstrusive. Most 70-300mm zooms are longer. In sunshine I can set ISO 200 and still get < 1/1000 exposure time.

I am planing to get the A77.

In Tansania, go to Singita Faru Faru.

Regards,
Paul.

0 upvotes

I haven't used it (safaris not my thing), but I see that Really RIght Stuff has just released a set of safari-specific clamps and mounting hardware. Seems like it might be worth a look - all their gear I've ever tried has been totally bombproof and incredibly well designed.

link to one of their gear packages: http://preview.tinyurl.com/76nkqjb

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

#1 5D MARK 1+70-200 2.8
#2 1 D MARK 3
#3 300 2.8 IS
#4 1.4 EXT.
#5 2X EXT.
#6 MONO POD
#7 (Q top) QUICK RELEASE & PLATE FOR EACH CAMERAS.
#8 BEAN BAG
The best thing was a kill we came across buy a pride of 7 lions with cubs of a Giraffe. Came back 3 days in a row. first day the kill, 2 day cubs with lions fighting off
hyaena & jackals. 3 day hyaena & jackals & vultures all fighting each other + there was nothing left of the Giraffe just a back bone. Many great shots with multiple species in action. BTW private safari company in Tanzania, booked directly from US.
Moral,
If its happening why leave

0 upvotes

On my last trip to Kruger - about a year ago - I took a small laptop, with the plan of moving the day's images onto the hard drive. I didn't calc HDD size correctly as I was shooting 4GB to 8GB per day, and filled up the laptop's drive three days short. Had to cut back shooting towards the end of the trip. Should got that external drive!

70-200mm + 2x extender was completely adequate most of the time. Bigger would have been better for birds. Beanbag or hand-held with the moderately light lens was great for swinging around inside the car. Easy to fly with, and a normal-size backpack means less conspicuous in civilization.

The year before I went with a Sigma 50-500mm to Kruger and came back with a damaged hand from holding it.

0 upvotes

Yup! Something I forgot to mention was digital storage, so I will cover that in a follow-up article.

On the trips we have done so far our guests shot on average 10GB's per day. If you can afford it buy more cards and use fresh ones every day rather than relying on external drives for storage. Those are prone to failure and we have had a few guests experience drive failure on safari.

0 upvotes

Safari locations are incredibly dusty. I cannot imagine constantly switching teleconvertors in the jeep is going to help with the sensor.

I found a Canon 7D + 500mm (eq 800mm) & 1D IV + 100-400mm (eq 130-520mm) & mobile phone camera covered everything I needed. Oh, and a 64gb cf cards.

No desperately changing lenses while the action is going on, no sensor dust problems.

Sure, there will always be images 'out of reach', but heat haze will mess up anything longer, as I found to my cost on a previous safari.

0 upvotes

Our trips are specifically for photography, so there is no rushing around and there are also no traffic issues on the private reserves. When we come across a sighting we position ourselves in the best location for the light and we wait for the action to happen.

Good rangers will also be able to "read" the animal behaviour and will know when something is going to do down. It's definitely not a scramble (unless you happen to be in the way of a charging elephant or rhino, in which case taking pictures is probably not in the forefront of your mind!).

0 upvotes

Nikon D700
Sigma 12-24mm
Sigma 70-200mm 2.8
Sigma 120-300mm 2.8
Sigma 2x tele-converter
Sigma 150mm 2.8 Macro
Apple 13" MacBook (w/power supply, card reader & mouse)
5 x CF cards of varying sizes
Sony Camcorder + 5 miniDV tapes

=> Isn't it too much? I mean...why not just take the 12-24 + 70-200 with x2 converter? 70-200 + 150 + 120-300 seem to be overkill.

0 upvotes

I took the lenses for evaluation purposes for Sigma.

0 upvotes

then how do you like 120-300/2.8? looks like one-fit-all to me.

0 upvotes

I was supplied with the older, non-OS version and I found it a bit difficult to work with compared to the 70-200mm 2.8 OS + 2x TC.

In the run-up to last years trip I did use it to do some surfing photos from a pier and found it to be more than capable. However, that particular lens did NOT like being attached to a 2x TC. Very soft images which was super disappointing.

I am hoping to get the newer OS version for testing fairly soon.

Comment edited 38 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

For the less well heeled the are much more affordable choices available and the Kruger Park is one of them. Rent two bed bungaloes inside Kruger for about 125 usd per night. Hire a car to give you flexibility.

We visited the park for three days and we saw almost everything, lions, leopard, elephant, crocodiles, buffalo etc.

For equipment I had a full frame body and a half frame as a backup. Lenses a 70-300L IS which covered most of my shooting and use it on the half frame to get a 480mm reach.... more than enough, lightweight and much more affordable than a 400mm f2.8 and you don't need a monopod, tripod or a Wimberley head... I didn't get a chance to buy a bean bag and managed just fine without it. I also took a 24-105L but never really used it.

As for dust, driving in your own car makes lens changes a much less dusty affair.

Have a look at my website on www.ivanmuller.co.za to see what one can shoot for very little and in a very short time in the Kruger Park on a budget..

2 upvotes

You simply cannot compare a self-drive in the KNP with a private safari in one of the neighbouring Sabi Sands reserves. It's a completely different experience.

Not all the private lodges are unaffordable and we do offer several options to visitors coming from abroad.

0 upvotes

Just got back from India Safari - Gir Forest National Park (Oct 2011).
In India they use little Jeeps (Suzuki/Maruti) that can seat 4-5 people and are open top.

Unlike East African Savannah safari, due to the dense Jungle nature of Gir forest just after the Mansoon period I found it would be better to take a zoom (Canon 100-400L or in my case Canon 70-300L) because anything further then 20-30m would be hidden beyond view and also you have better versatility. However a friend of mine wished he had a 1.4x + 600mm for a tiger in Jim Corbett NP once. The point is - if you can afford it take a range of lens.

In Africa (Tanzania / Kenya) reach is everything - I have used the Sigma 100-300 and the Canon 100-400L both on bean-bags. However I also found that spending all day moving a big heavy lens around the car does tire the arms.

Because of this and cost reasons my primary telephoto lens is the new Canon 70-300L for use both on Safari and at home at parks in the UK with my family.

0 upvotes

We just came from 8 days safari in Kenya. I took M9 with 28/35/50/90. Before the trip I was kind of regretting I had sold all my canons years ago. But during safaris I even had to use only one lens - one never knows what will be next and I decided not to make fuss about changing lenses. Thus I had to think more and picture the image inside my head first and only then take it with the camera.
As a result, I took some nice (to my taste) photographs of wild life views with animals and scenery as a good memory of our adventure.
Anyway to me it is more about memorizing good moments of life than about equipment.
With my respect to all other opinions.

0 upvotes

Just spent two months on a DIY self drive safari in Africa; the Okavango, Caprivi, Namibia and the west coast of South Africa. Took one DSLR - a Canon 7D and ONE lens a Tamron 18-270mm IS (effectivly a 400mm). I had decided early to limit the gear I took so left the tripod at home - my only regret! As I was driving and photographing I tool a heavy bean bag to throw over the drivers door window, this worked well. Because of the one lens option I never removed it from the camera and consequently had no dust problems. I agree with 'wetsleet' about the heat and black camera bags and the fast fading light, a good headlamp is a must!
PS also took my old G9 as a back-up and got some fantastic images on that as well!

0 upvotes

The ideal camera would be lightweight, have virtually no noise up to ISO 1600, 16+ MP, shoot 1080p video, have flawless image quality, and an 18-800mm f/4 lens.

The Panasonic GH2 + 100-300mm or Nikon D7000 + non-existent SWM 80-400 are almost there.

0 upvotes

The article author may not rate the GH2 as "big game." Or an f/2.8 lens might be needed. But, dream cameras aside, one's results probably depend more on the season and pure fortune.

0 upvotes

we'll have ten times more pixels, and 8k (33MP) 240p video, but lens is very difficult if possible. 4/3 will need 35-100/1.4 and 100-200/2.0 zooms to compete with 35mm format (these lenses are possible at prices of 2 and 7 grands, if Pana cares image quality its users can have).

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 10 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

think Dallas needs one thing to make his list perfect, "Sigma D700." D300 should be a better idea than a 1.5x teleconverter, especically if it can also fit into pocket.

Comment edited 41 seconds after posting

1 upvote

My experience of safari in Kenya was:
1) my lenses were too long. The big cats came right up to the vehicle, they have factored them into their hunting strategy and use them to sneak up unseen on their prey during the day. The canny drivers of course cooperate, to get you closer to the action. Don't forget that the cat's 'natural' strategy was not to hunt in full daylight at all, so that is a big adaptation. So my 500mm lens was a waste of time (on 35mm film).

2) Dust! Not so bad in the days of film, but with digital you are going to need an answer. All those pump-action zoom lenses!

3) Heat - previously I never questioned why camera bags are always black. How I wished for a white topped camera bag, as my kit baked at oven temperatures if the black bag was ever left exposed to the sun.

4) Bean bag is a must. Have a small tripod for evening atmospheric landscapes (but work FAST, twighlight lasts about 30 seconds, then bang!, it is lights out, pitch black)

5) have a torch - see 4!

8 upvotes

1) If lenses too long, perhaps a good case for something like the Fuji X-S1 with its single 24mm-624mm equivalent?
2) Dust: another reason for a fixed lense X-S1?
3) Heat: would you ever leave any camera baking in the sun? They can't sweat or pant. Perhaps a smaller cam (X-S1) could stay under the shade of one's big-brimmed hat.
4) Bean bag: Maybe a fellow traveler's shoulder would work too. As for short dusk periods, the workaround is to do "safaris" in temperate or polar regions.
5) How about a can of repellent for hungry flies and lions?

0 upvotes

This advice is nearly faultless. I do a lot of the safari thing in South Africa and surrounds (I live here). I do drive to destinations but often fly and pick up a rental. These are DIY ( drive , find game , pour drinks , cook) DIY gives you the sense of adventure by finding and “Hunting” your own game. You also don’t have the hassles of having to go back because someone needs to do a NO.1 or has left their heart medication behind.

Equipment = Olympus E-5/30 Sigma Bigma , 105 macro , Olympus 50-200 , 12-60 . I use a bush bag.like a beanbag but filled with slippery beads and a strap that you can sort of attach it the lens. The E-5= bigma / E-30 = 50-200 attached for low light stuff.

A rocket blower to keep things clean. I take a lightweight tripod but that normally stays in the bag and is only used from static positions. I take a 10” netbook, 250GB Drive I find window mounts pretty useless as the restrict the angle of field down to about 100deg. Oh yes all cams have int. IS.

0 upvotes

I agree, good general advice except for the bar and window clamps.... useless, the locally bought bag of beans is a must and a lot cheaper. Clamps are too restrictive when more often than not your prey is on the move and you are trying to shoot and adjust settings at same time....then something else pops up to your right or left and you have to be dam quick to capture the scene... my 3rd month in namibia ahhhhhhhhh.

1 upvote

Regarding the lenses, while there are good reasons to use the fast super telephoto primes, there are also some against it. The good is that such lenses usually provides excellent AF, extremelly shallow DOF and faster aperture (lower ISO). On the other hand, they are huge, heavy, less flexible than zoom lenses and - possibly most important - they often fail to produce significantly better results compared to zoom lenses. The reason is, that lens quality may not be the limiting factor while shooting on long distances, because the hot air decrease or even ruins the quality very often.

Finally, you can find that the car driver is the most important thing on safari. The driver should find the animals, should find the way to drive as close as possible, predict the action and even understand the light to ensure the best shooting conditions for you. Keep that in mind when organizing your trip and ask for experienced driver, who understand the needs of photog!

6 upvotes

You absolutely right- the driver is always the key to getting to the best light and location. Well said!

0 upvotes

I would like to add few points based on my experiences:
- ask your airlines for the allowance of the bag, there shouldn't be any problem especially given the fact that such flights are usually carried by big planes with enough room in overhead compartments. If you ask them, they will know about you in advance and there are no further discussions and problems at the airport.
- do not underestimate the bean bag recommendation, it is one of the most important stuff for safari
- use 2 camera bodies (at least). I did my first safari with the single body setup and I am never going to repeat this fault. I am currently using APS-C body glued with supertelephoto lens and FF body with wide variety of lenses from UWA to 70-200 (most of the time). Last but not least, you need a backup, so 2 bodies serves for more purposes.
- buy a high quality binoculars as it really helps. First it makes spotting the animals more simple and secondly you can enjoy observing the animals instead of "just" shooting

1 upvote

A great article Dallas, and IMO spot on. The least equipment you can get away with is always best when travelling anywhere.

For me the biggest benefit when going on safari to a South African private reserve is you don't need a long, heavy lens to get the action - you could almost get away with a good P&S. That said, if you are spending the sort of money you will be then take a good DSLR body,3 good fast lenses, a good P&S and of course lots of data cards. I like that you took a separate camcorder Dallas.

0 upvotes

The difference between private and national reserves is huge. Can't really be compared when it comes to photography, as you already know.

All our trips are engineered with photography in mind and so far the Sabi Sands is just about as good as it gets for photos. Not only do the guides drive us around, we also do walking trips with them and those are absolutely thrilling!

Comment edited 58 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Thanks Dallas
We frequently do "safaris" around Southern Africa with the Kgalagadi being our favourite. We try to go twice a year. Other recent trips included Sabi Sands, Chobe, Moreni and Etosha.

My standard gear is a D300s with 500VR and a D3 with 70-200VR with converters. I use both bean bags and a window mount with a Wimberley.
My wife uses a Sigma 50-500 OS on a D200 and gets good results.

To me a low cost/low wieght option would be a D7000/7D with a Sigma 50-500 OS and a shorter zoom on something like a D60/600D. And a 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 for campfire shots.

As far as loading your vest with all that gear is concerned, you have to be very slender to wear that vest and still fit into a regional airliner seat ;-)

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Not true. I went to Uganda with a point and shoot and my wife's S3IS. We got some fantastic shots. This was the trip that made me get interested in photography.
I still look at some of those shots and consider them some of the best I've ever taken.
I now have a 5d mkii and a few "L" lenses. Would I get better shots this time? Maybe but the margin of improvement is not that great.
Great shots are a combination of opportunity, luck, skill and equipment. The latter probably contributes the least.
IMHO : go to Africa. Take your family. Make memories. Record them with a decent camera that will allow you to relive them.
Those who live off selling their pics can justify the expense.

2 upvotes

seems only rich can afford wild life photography :(

0 upvotes

That depends on your definition of "rich".

Our Big 5 trip to Sabi Sabi next year is getting cheaper by the day as the Rand continues to slide against major currencies. As it currently stands a person sharing on this trip will only pay $4320 excluding international airfare to JHB. This is an 8 day trip. Check our site for the full trip itinerary.

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Costs are relative to what you want. If you want to be pampered by the red fez and white coat brigade with saunas etc be prepared to pay a bucket load of money. But if you really want to see wild life you can do it relatively inexpensively. It just takes time in organization and for the trip. We often run into visitors doing the DIY safari thing. They normally come here for 2 weeks.

The dollar/rand rate is very favourable. I have just booked 9 days in Kruger park for next year . The total cost for flights CPT/JHB , accomd./car rental is $1000 for 2 people. I have to add fuel, conservation fees, food etc. I will go big and add $500. The accommd. is tented camp with share ablutions. It’s extremely clean and serviced and comfortable. If one takes off $400 for our fights you are looking at around $2000 ( Added visitor surcharge) for 2 people for 9 days add the international flight costs. The only thing is you must drive from JHB to Kruger (450km) but that adds to the adventure.

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when I went I booked a flight and one night at a Nairobi hotel. From there you can haggle away to get cheap deals for safaris, transport, accommodation, etc.
Sure, if you want to book everything through Treetops from home then it is going to cost a fortune. I went on a shoestring and had the time of my life.

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Not true...I'm not rich, and I went on safari in the masai mara, samburu game reserve and lake nakuru with a canon 50d and 2 L series lenses earlier in the year.
I couldn't afford it, but I did it anyway.

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Hey Col, i did that trip in 2008. Jhb to Kruger. went north to Palabora or whatever its called now.
My advise, catch a connecting flight to Palabora
Our nerves were shot after that trip, there and back. Im ex SA so prob more aware of dangers....
Oh and stayed at Tambotie, for 2 weeks. Magic

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Went on a Kenya/Tanzania safari (and Rwanda gorilla trek) last month with a D700, D90, 200-400 f4 VR (with 1.4x TC), 70-200 f2.8 VR and 24-70 f2.8. The 200-400 VR was on the D90 with the TC most of the time - range is king. But having a second body with the 70-200 f2.8 was also useful for landscape shots.

If you bring the premium lenses on safari be prepared for lens envy comments from other tourists who are trying to take shots with their little P&S's!

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Since most actions take place at Dawn or sunset, imho priority is on Light capability and only after on reach, at least in south Africa private reserves. For the same reason better having a good af in low loight.
My suggestion , if the 400/2.8 is out of range like for me, is an aps-c camera like 7d or d300 for reach with a stabilized 70-200/2.8+1.4/2x extender, and a full frame body with 28-70 or macro lens. 70-300/5.6 lenses area perfect only in good Light.

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Indeed good advise all around, I agree with cary regarding the bodies. I had a trip to Bostswana last year and had a D200 (old) a new D700 for the trip, with extra batteries. Lens combination Nikkor 200-400 mm f/4 VR with or without 1.4 TC and Nikkor 18-200 mm VR. I had no issues with any camera bodies but I was prepared, you don't spent that much money and emotional energy on a trip to Africa and not be able to take photos. As with lenses one can rent a extra body for the trip. I tried tripod in Rang Rover and it is a drag especially when the action turns on you, you may not have the time to disconnect/reconnect and shoot, missed opportunity.

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Many of the people who have come on safari with us have rented equipment specifically for the trip. It's something I highly recommend doing, especially if you aren't going to be using a big telephoto on a regular basis.

Many rental companies will offer you better rates if you take the lenses over a couple of weeks, as opposed to only a few days. So when you go on safari, rent the lens a few days before you leave so that you can get used to it.

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Basically good advice.
But - D300 would be better for telephoto work than D700.
And, one, only one, body??? What if it fails? Happened to me on safari with D200, glad I also had a D40X.

cary

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Cary, I agree. One should always have a back-up camera. For me it's not a big deal because my job on these trips is to look after my guests, not so much indulge in my own shooting.

One of our guests last year dropped his D3s over the side of the vehicle while we were traversing rough terrain off road. Fortunately it wasn't damaged, but it could so easily have put paid to his photo safari.

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On drives in Sabi Sands Pvt Reserve, South Africa, I normally take 1 FF with 24-70 lens, 1 APS-C with my long lens, a Manfrotto monopod with qucik release brackets on the FF and long lens, and a small HD camcorder. As you probably know, sometimes room is limited on the safari vehicle, so you can't take a big bag or too much extra gear on the drive.

I must add here that there is nothing better than having a guide who is a photographer because they will always put you in the right place for the best shot possible. I once had a guide who was not a tog and it was a bit of a nightmare trying to get him to move the vehicle for the best shot.

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Oh yea, for sure. The ranger guides on our safaris are photographers too and this is a massive advantage for us.

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Just returned from 2 week safari in East Africa with 3,000+ photos. Primary gear was Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS on 7D body. Was light limited more than focal length limited for the most part, particularly on late afternoon drives. You can always capture wildlife "in context" which often leads to as interesting a shot as frame filling face and shoulder portraits. And, with 18 Mpxls you can zoom by crop and still have a lot of pixels for printing. For wide angle, I carried a Canon Powershot G12 - a good weight/quality/size trade-off and avoided changing lenses on the 7D during dusty game drives. Do agree that careful pre-planning for a "once in a lifetime" trip is crucial.

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Impressive lenses. It certainly also helps to have expert guides, outfitters, and weeks or more for every setting. If critters don't show up, or get spooked, photos of all the visitors' garb and gear might be entertaining enough!

How do you keep heaps of sunscreen and bug repellant from staining or fouling the cameras and lenses? Think of all the dust whipped up on the trails. Sensor cleaning in the bush?

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Regarding the dust, it all depends on where you're going and in Southern Africa what time of the year you find yourself on the reserves. A trip in the winter time (June - August) will expose you to more dust than a trip in the spring / summer when the rains come.

In a place like the Kruger National Park the main roads are tarred, so the dust factor isn't that severe. A rocket blower will serve you well.

On bug repellent, again, this depends on where you go and what time of year it is. Hasn't been a problem on any of our trips.

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Well, people don't have the slightest idea about how much dust there is in the air, even when you are driving on tar in the Kruger NP. I've been (and will be back in 3 months) a lot of times in these places and every time it is amazing to see all the dust in the light beams of the spotlight or headlights during driving at night.
But even using a EF 100-400 4.5/5.6L Is on an EOS 5DmkII didn't cause me trouble (provided not changing lenses)

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There was a recent article in Luminous Landscape where the photographer decided to go with a M4/3 system for long range photos and a Leica medium format for short range and landscape photos and thought it worked much better. Given his experiences, he argued that hauling, clamping, and constantly connecting was just too much trouble, and that a M4/3 allow far more flexibility and comfort.

... not that I'm personally going on a photo safari any time soon (although I'd like to... )

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Maybe a fixed lens super zoom with only a 1/2.3" sensor would be most convenient. That upcoming Fuji with the 2/3" sensor might be my pick. I couldn't afford the crew needed to haul the big stuff.

To dress up for safari and go to the zoo might be fun! Quite a party.

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I recently was in Kenya with m4/3. I used a GH2 with 100-300 (200-600 effective) and G3 with 14-54 f2.8-3.5. Never changed lenses the entire trip (10,000 shots). Worked out great. Could have used some more lens speed or an extra stop or two of ISO latitude (at the long end). If I were going back tomorrow I would take the same kit.

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It's an interesting approach, but I think that the IQ on m43 compared to something like an FX Nikon will find you wanting more, especially when you are shooting at ISO 6400.

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Dallas Dahmas I see by your email address the Nikon tilt. LOL

However on the nikon side an interesting add on to nikon wildlife gear could be the Nikon 1 with its 2.7 crop. Plug that on the end of a big lens and things could get interesting. That system could be very interesting as a backup.

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@Dallas Dahmas:
Why would you be shooting ISO6400 on Safari? Isn't it the other way around?
Sincerely, this looks like the kind of situation where the m43 compromise should shine. The Nikon 1 paired with a good telephoto lens could be even more adequate giving even more reach without increasing weight when compared to APS-C.

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If you go and have a look at the images on our gallery you'll see why high ISO is important. On our trips we are up before the sun and we also do afternoon/evening drives where the light disappears quickly.

I have also bought into the m43 scene this year and will definitely take my E-P2 along on next year's trip.

BTW, depending on the place you go, reach is not always that important. Sabi Sands is a private reserve and you will get VERY close to the animals there.

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Cheers Dallas.
Thanks for the reply. Keep us posted on your next m43 experience.

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Dallas - I have prints at 17x22 with my m4/3 gear from safari that aren't "wanting". Yes, could I have used an extra stop or two - sure.

I used 2 bodies and 2 lenses 14-54 and 100-300 the entire time with no lens changes (90% from the 100-300 eff. 200-600). I too was shooting at dawn and dusk. This was a kit I consciously put together. I could have gone on the trip with anything I wanted. However, I'm not a dedicated wildlife shooter so spending $3000 on rentals or buying and then selling gear wasn't exactly what I wanted to do.

Here is a sampling

http://www.terrybanet.com/?p=294

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I went on safari with a D300 and a 18-200 and was definitely focal-length-limited at times. But realistically, the times I was focal-length-limited were times when even a 400 or 600 wouldn't have done the job.

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I was recently in Namibia and Botswana with a Panasonic FZ150 and an Raynox 2025Pro teleconverter which the EZ zoom gave 1760 (35mm equivalent) and sometimes that was not enough. Also almost impossible to keep steady. You just have to accept that sometimes the image will only be in your own memory and not on a SD card. BTW the FZ150 IQ was more that adequate and so handy to be able to go from macro for dragonflies to that long zoom for rhinos and elephants in seconds.
For those interested in keeping that big lens on your fullsized DSLR steady - have a look at this site - this is regular visitors do it http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/photographing-from-vehicles.html

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Neil, I like your comment about making photos with your own memory, because this is something that we as photographers often forget to do.

Point in case was on our trip last year. The photo of the yawning cheetah above was taken at dusk. It was the 1st day and 1st drive of our week long stay at Sabi Sabi, so we were all really excited to see what the drive would hold. This cat had woken up from a long sleep when he spied a small group of Impala on the other side of a white rhino and calf. Our rangers didn't think he was going to launch an attack as he had hunted just the day before, but slowly he made his way around the rhino and before you could say Boo! he was at full speed trying to nab one of them. I decided that a moment like this was one that I would rather experience with my mind than with a camera pressed against my face in the hope of getting a frame in really poor light.

The cheetah missed, but boy, did we have something awesome to talk about for the rest of the trip! :-)

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Nice article Dallas. You are quite right in Sabi Sabi they drive you close to the animals you do not need anything over 70-200 2.8 and maybe a converter or two. Even in Kenya and Tanzania more often than not you get up close. I find in Kruger a 500mm is good 400 minimum as you cannot drive off the roads. I spend about 1-2 months a year in the bush somewhere taking photos and big heavy lenses soon become the worst thing you have in your possession. The 120-300 Sigma OS looks promising as an all rounder.

By the way my wife and I will be on your Sabi trip next year.

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I'd dispute the assertion the tripods or monopods are useless for pop-tops of the sort used in East Africa. I got a fair amount of use of my tripod (mainly using it like a monopod) in Tanzania and Kenya last year. I do agree a bean-bag could be handy as a substitute, but when the wildlife is on the move, you'll do better with a monopod.
My number one advice would be to get a private tour instead of piling in with 6 other photogs who will all want the best angle on the shot. If you book it with a local operator instead of a western company you can save a fortune.
A private tour will also let you dictate when and where you go, and how long you stay shoting one scene before you move on.

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Number two advice is stay in accommodation inside the park wherever possible - this will be the only way to get dawn and dusk game drives in some places (e.g Maasai Mara).
Don't expect your driver to always read your mind, especially if you're looking for something a little more unorthodox than head-and-shoulders of the "Big 5". Tell them if you're looking for something in particular - a good driver will have an immense amount of knowledge as to where to find the wildlife at a given time of day.
Don't forget to pay attention to what the wildlife is doing around you. I was standing on the roof of our pop-top landcruiser (in hindsight not a great idea) trying to spot a leopard who had disappeared into the bushes. Soon enough he pops out on the road about 20m away and comes walking towards us. Only when he got so close I could no longer focus did it dawn on me I was completely exposed and well within pouncing distance. He actually rubbed up against the car as he walked past!

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Lastly re glass, I got plenty of use out of my old Zuiko 500/8 mirror lens (on an Eos body with a cheap converter). This was used alongside a Tamron 18-270, and Sigma 10-20. Faster glass would have been great, but I didn't do too badly (I would have rented some, but was only on safari for 12 days of the 35 day trip).

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Renting a big lens is a very cost effective solution for a once in a lifetime trip. I mounted my Canon 100-499 f4.0-5.6L IS on a Bush Hawk shoulder mount. This has a handle for each hand and a trigger finger shutter button that includes a half way down contact. It also has a car window mount. I found booking a pop top van and game guide / driver was much cheaper than from home, using standard tour agencies and a big plus was having exclusive use of our vehicle. Also renting a bare car cost almost as much as with the driver / guide.

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Hi, although I'm fairly new to wildlife photography. However I'm fairly experienced with the African bush. Having lived in Namibia I've often I wish I had better pictures, not only the ones documenting stuff. This year I'm going back to visit The Kgalagadi TP, the CKGR and Khaudum. I'm travelling mostly for the adventure, thus taking picutures where I go and not going there primarily to take pictures. However I'd like to come back with something I could perhaps hang on the wall. I do find really fast lenses with stabilization a tad too expensive, and I assume I need stabilization(?) thus I'm wondering what would go well with my eos 550d?
Is a Sigma 120-400 4.5-5.6 a decent choice? too slow?
Canon 70-200 f4 is?
Canon 70-200 f2.8
Would a cheap one like the Canon 70-300 4.5-5.6 is be enough most of the time?
Speed over stabilization? reach over speed? (I'll shoot mostly out the window of our Landcruiser, either handheld or with a beanbag.Other recommendations?

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Total comments: 77