Reading mode: Light Dark

San Diego Zoo

Go to last post
F

fabiolad

Well-known member
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
Miami, FL, US
We are going to have the opportunity to spend a day at the SD Zoo, I understand it's one of the (if not the) best in the world.

Going to make good use of my 100-400L that is on its way from B&H (yep, I got one of the used ones early in the morning).

Is there any advise or special areas that should be given special interest? I understand the aviary is open again,
Any advise would be very much appreciated :)
 
Fabio:

A bit O.T. You might try the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Tram Ride, inland of the Zoo. This park has a wide variety of animals in a simulated natural habitat that is much bigger than any stall in the San Diego zoo. The 100-400 IS is perfect for this park. And the shots can be spectacular (Zebra chasing each other across what appears to be savannah, among herds of other animals, etc.)

As for the Zoo... lots of opportunities there, too, but maybe the 100-400 is a bit of overkill. Bring a shorter lens, too, since many animals are either large (elephants) or close, or both. I find a wide angle to be useful in the aviary, too. Enjoy - it's a great zoo!

Bashan.
fabiolad said:
We are going to have the opportunity to spend a day at the SD Zoo,
I understand it's one of the (if not the) best in the world.
Going to make good use of my 100-400L that is on its way from B&H
(yep, I got one of the used ones early in the morning).
Is there any advise or special areas that should be given special
interest? I understand the aviary is open again,
Any advise would be very much appreciated :)
Click to expand...
--
Brian...
 
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
 
If you have a choice between the SD Zoo and SD WAP I HIGHLY recommend you go to the wild animal park instead. If you check out the website for the park you can get the details for taking a truck ride on the interior of the park (in addition to the tram).

Enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed at either place.
JMF said:
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego
Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in
useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
--

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so
 
We are headed to the Wild Animal Park in about two weeks. Do you know if they still have the butterfly area? I would love to try out my Canon 100mm macro there.

Lance
(Native San Diegan who currently resides in Seattle)
RGOJR said:
Enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed at either place.
JMF said:
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego
Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in
useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
--
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their
apparent disinclination to do so
Click to expand...
 
Geez, thank you for the info, we are going to stay one more day to go to WAP, will take 100-400 and 70-200 f4 with 1.4 converter and light tripod. Is it OK to take tripod?
Lance said:
Lance
(Native San Diegan who currently resides in Seattle)
RGOJR said:
Enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed at either place.
JMF said:
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego
Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in
useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
--
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their
apparent disinclination to do so
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Your 100-400 should be all you need in the way of lenses. Take a light tripod or a monopod. This time of year the animals are all looking for shade after 9:00am, and there is plenty of it. You'll probably find yourself using ISO 400 and shutter speeds between 1/60 and 1/30 for the shade shots. There is a LOT of construction going on. Many of the small primate exhibits are closed. The new Orangutan enclosure is now an all glass exhibit. The gorillas have two or three non-glass viewing areas. The tiger enclosure also has only one non-glass viewing area, but it is worthwhile to wait for them to come into view in these areas. Lions have a 20 foot tall chain link fence in front of them due to pending construction. The Wild Animal Park has less species variety but NO glass...:^) The WAP train ride can produce some nice images. If you have $50 to spare, sign up for the 'photo safari'. This takes you down into the 'savanna' in a stake bed truck for real close-ups. Personally, if I were visiting, I'd not go without the photo safari option...See my SD Zoo and WAP photos at http://www.sphoto.com

Cheers, Steve
fabiolad said:
We are going to have the opportunity to spend a day at the SD Zoo,
I understand it's one of the (if not the) best in the world.
Going to make good use of my 100-400L that is on its way from B&H
(yep, I got one of the used ones early in the morning).
Is there any advise or special areas that should be given special
interest? I understand the aviary is open again,
Any advise would be very much appreciated :)
Click to expand...
--
Steve
 
I would recommed the WAP over Zoo as less people out there and wide open spaces. Early morning or sunset should be very good. But animals are very active even during the hot afternoon.

Some of the shots from last month's WAP visit with my 10D and 75-300IS.







Pradeep
fabiolad said:
We are going to have the opportunity to spend a day at the SD Zoo,
I understand it's one of the (if not the) best in the world.
Going to make good use of my 100-400L that is on its way from B&H
(yep, I got one of the used ones early in the morning).
Is there any advise or special areas that should be given special
interest? I understand the aviary is open again,
Any advise would be very much appreciated :)
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/pradeepmn (pbase supporter)
 
Living a short 15 minute walk from the SD Zoo has offered me more opportunities over the past 18 years to visit than I care to count. My lens of choice is a 70-200mm 2.8L, usually combined with a 1.4X TC. A polarizing filter is useful for taming reflections off the glass enclosures and the many ponds of water. It also helps add color and interest to our frequently hazy, cloudless skies. I don't normally use my 28-70mm 2.8L unless I'm more interested in photographing family and friends during their visit to the Zoo. If you are willing to spring for the 40 minute double-decker bus tour, either side of the top deck offers the best photo opportunities. If you are relying on public transportation, the Zoo would be your best choice since the Wild Animal Park (WAP) is about 30-40 minutes north of town. Also, the WAP is located in the desert and regularly has temperatures in the high 90s, on the other hand, the Zoo is 4 miles from the ocean and is much cooler at 75-85. Both do offer outstanding photo opportunities.

Other things of note for your visit to the Zoo...

Be sure to visit the Hummingbird (actually, small bird) aviary. You will find it between the children's zoo and reptile house.

For lunch, I highly recommend Albert’s in gorilla tropics for casual, sit-down, order-from-menu dining. Very good food and service in an inviting African Rainforest decor. A $12 meal from Albert’s beats an $8 hot dog and curly fries boxed in styrofoam from the Panda Cafe hands down. Get there between 11:00 and 11:30, by noon there is a 20-40 minute wait for seating.

I have had the opportunity to visit zoos all over the world and the U.S. While each zoo has animals it manages to display exceptionally well, the San Diego Zoo is the best overall. We San Diegans are proud of our Zoo/Wild Animal Park and rightfully so. I hope you enjoy your visit and let us know how it went.

Curt S.
San Diego, CA USA

Digital photographers never run out of 1's and 0's. They just run out of room to store them.
 
I'm not sure if the butterfly area is open or not.
Lance said:
Lance
(Native San Diegan who currently resides in Seattle)
RGOJR said:
Enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed at either place.
JMF said:
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego
Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in
useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
--
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their
apparent disinclination to do so
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so
 
if you go on the photo safari at the WAP, they sometimes let you hand feed the giraffes and rhinos (the rhinos are the signature animal of the WAP) which means you'll be VERY VERY close. The last time i was there, we were in the truck and had 6 giraffes within 3 feet of us and fed the rhinos "pellets". Getting photographs was difficult until i switched to a wide angle.
fabiolad said:
Lance said:
Lance
(Native San Diegan who currently resides in Seattle)
RGOJR said:
Enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed at either place.
JMF said:
I took the following images with a Tamron 28-300 at the San Diego
Zoo. The Gorilla Tropics exhibit is big, so your 400 may come in
useful there. I found 300 was, in most cases, easily enough.









Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
--
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their
apparent disinclination to do so
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so
 
Fabio,

If you do go to the Wild Animal Park...take the photographer's tour...it's a bit expensive at $90 per person for a 90 min tour but it will get up close and in person with the giraffes, rhinos, wildebeasts and many more "African/ Asian wilsd animals. For me, it was really worth it. I used the 70-200mm f/4 L with the 1.4 extender and the 17-40mm L and it was very adequate. Since you have the 100-400mm, you shouldn't have any problems with getting some great shots.

Here are some of mine...







Have a great time!
 
The last shot of the standing bird is beautiful - I love the way your background has fallen out of focus and into a nice painterly light - just great.
Ninad said:
Fabio,

If you do go to the Wild Animal Park...take the photographer's
tour...it's a bit expensive at $90 per person for a 90 min tour but
it will get up close and in person with the giraffes, rhinos,
wildebeasts and many more "African/ Asian wilsd animals. For me, it
was really worth it. I used the 70-200mm f/4 L with the 1.4
extender and the 17-40mm L and it was very adequate. Since you have
the 100-400mm, you shouldn't have any problems with getting some
great shots.

Here are some of mine...







Have a great time!
Click to expand...
--
-- A.T.McClain, Wide Open Eye --
please visit http://www.wideopeneye.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top