Gear for Kenya and Uganda

Hello

Later this year I am going to Kenya and Uganda. Will be classic safari in Masai Mara followed by a string of national parks in Uganda, ending with Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking.

Right now I have this equipment:

Z50 with the 2 standard lenses, Viltrox 13 mm 1.4 and Z180-600

I recently sold my Z6 with 24-70 F4 to replace it with either Z6iii or Z8 with 24-120.

I was planning to bring 2 cameras + my wife have a new iphone.

The FF with the 180-600 and the Z50 with 24-120 (36-180)

Another option is to rent a Z6 for the 24-120, and let my wife use the Z50 with the 50-250. Still bring the new FF with the 180-600.

Which option would you prefer?

Another question is regarding the gorilla trekking. I have read that due to possible low lighting in the forest, it would be smart to bring a 70-200 f2.8. Any thoughts on this? I would prefer not to bring or buy yet another lens.

Don't know about the low light part, but would encourage you to consider a 18-140 instead of the 24-120 on the Z50.

I plan to buy the 24-120 anyway, so that it why I was considering using it for the z50 - or rent a z6 to use it on.

Raavig said:

Hello

Later this year I am going to Kenya and Uganda. Will be classic safari in Masai Mara followed by a string of national parks in Uganda, ending with Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking.

Right now I have this equipment:

Z50 with the 2 standard lenses, Viltrox 13 mm 1.4 and Z180-600

I recently sold my Z6 with 24-70 F4 to replace it with either Z6iii or Z8 with 24-120.

I was planning to bring 2 cameras + my wife have a new iphone.

The FF with the 180-600 and the Z50 with 24-120 (36-180)

Another option is to rent a Z6 for the 24-120, and let my wife use the Z50 with the 50-250. Still bring the new FF with the 180-600.

Which option would you prefer?

Another question is regarding the gorilla trekking. I have read that due to possible low lighting in the forest, it would be smart to bring a 70-200 f2.8. Any thoughts on this? I would prefer not to bring or buy yet another lens.

Click to expand...

re the gorillas it’s darkish in Bwindi and a fast lens and a decent sensor are most useful. A 70-200 f2.8 is excellent - but the Tamron 35-150 f2.0 to f2.8 looks like a perfect alternative

--
Kandid
'It ain't over till it's over' - Yogi Berra

Raavig said:

Hello

Later this year I am going to Kenya and Uganda. Will be classic safari in Masai Mara followed by a string of national parks in Uganda, ending with Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking.

Right now I have this equipment:

Z50 with the 2 standard lenses, Viltrox 13 mm 1.4 and Z180-600

I recently sold my Z6 with 24-70 F4 to replace it with either Z6iii or Z8 with 24-120.

I was planning to bring 2 cameras + my wife have a new iphone.

The FF with the 180-600 and the Z50 with 24-120 (36-180)

Another option is to rent a Z6 for the 24-120, and let my wife use the Z50 with the 50-250. Still bring the new FF with the 180-600.

Which option would you prefer?

Another question is regarding the gorilla trekking. I have read that due to possible low lighting in the forest, it would be smart to bring a 70-200 f2.8. Any thoughts on this? I would prefer not to bring or buy yet another lens.

Click to expand...

I didn’t need f/2.8 in Bwindi because “our” family were resting near a river which broke up the canopy slightly. On the very challenging hike to where the gorilla family happened to be that day, the bulk and weight would have been a negative. Since the animals were often an arm’s length away I shot the 24-200 that I rented below 70mm pretty often. Lens changes are best avoided (the wet and the bugs).

The hike will be different on any day - they move every day - and you may have one porter per guest to carry lunch, water… more water, and gear bags. Did I mention water yet? Sweating doesn’t help but that won’t stop your body from trying. Bring tip money for the porters, trackers, and rangers. They all earn it.

In Tanzania, sometimes at the Kenya border, I never changed lenses during a drive. It’s so much faster to set one camera down and pick up another.

--
Wag more; bark less.

Raavig said:

Hello

Later this year I am going to Kenya and Uganda. Will be classic safari in Masai Mara followed by a string of national parks in Uganda, ending with Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking.

Right now I have this equipment:

Z50 with the 2 standard lenses, Viltrox 13 mm 1.4 and Z180-600

I recently sold my Z6 with 24-70 F4 to replace it with either Z6iii or Z8 with 24-120.

I was planning to bring 2 cameras + my wife have a new iphone.

The FF with the 180-600 and the Z50 with 24-120 (36-180)

Another option is to rent a Z6 for the 24-120, and let my wife use the Z50 with the 50-250. Still bring the new FF with the 180-600.

Which option would you prefer?

Another question is regarding the gorilla trekking. I have read that due to possible low lighting in the forest, it would be smart to bring a 70-200 f2.8. Any thoughts on this? I would prefer not to bring or buy yet another lens.

Click to expand...

I have been to African safaris several times, but the only time I went to Kenya was way back in 1997. The 180-600 with an FX body seems like a good plan. The Z8 will be great there. I cannot comment on a non-existing camera the Z6iii. Not sure that will even be available in your travel time frame, and if it is, how it is like. The 24-120 should also be great.

I have never gone on a gorilla safari, but I understand that in general, they are in the forest and it is dark. Something like a 70-200/2.8 would be great. If that is not a lens you need in the long run, that is something perhaps you can rent. In the US, renting digital camera bodies seems expensive, though; lenses may not be as bad.

I'll attach a sample from my recent trip to Bwindi. The situation was not ideal: The Z6 is said to have a bad autofocus, the 24-200mm is fairly slow, it was a cloudy day, the image is extremely busy and the dark gorilla eyes look away from the light. Plus, behind the camera there was probably the worst operator on earth.

It's not the best picture in the world but I saved it because I find the result impressive from a technical perspective. Despite the abovementioned challenges, the Z6 did a really great job and has exactly the part in focus I wanted it to have (ignoring especially the twig right before the gorilla face). It also held up reasonably well at high ISO.

So my 2 cents would be that even in less than optimal conditions, modern cameras will give you decent results. If you know what you are doing, this sample will definitely be a low bar you will cross easily.

I would also second the comments re: porters. You will be able to do the gorilla trekking on your own if you are reasonably fit. But those guys are a great help - and your 30 USD bring food on the table or a kid to school, thus incentivize people to protect the nature. Please keep in mind that when you get to the gorillas, you will leave bags and walking sticks behind for the 1 hour - so a two camera approach would be difficult. Also, please take some moments to just enjoy. :-D









For Kenya, the 180-600mm should be excellent at this particular price point if you are willing to accept the weight.

It’s warm it’s dark it’s very challenging terrain at considerable altitude (Mountain gorillas ). Do use a porter. Wear recommended clothing (Safari ants) have plenty of water and take a fast lens - 35-150 is good as they move near to far and back pretty quickly….wonderful experience

Surely you would use the 24-120 on the full frame and the telephoto on the Z50?

Isn't the 180-600 fairly large and heavy? Can you hike with this? As others have said, you cannot count on hiking on a nice trail. You go where the gorillas go. If that is up a mountain through the rainforest, that is where you go. You might just take the 24-120 on the hike, or something like 24-120 + 300pf. I assume you want the 180-600 for the safari part of your trip.

ah, forgot: Where will you be going chimp trekking? I had the 24-200mm in the Kyambura Gorge - that was too short. The 180-600mm would be a nice reach - but the climb down is also not easy - a lighter lens would be better. Also, the 180-600mm might be too slow - it's again right in the forest. Situation was similar in Nyungwe. In Kibale, they were relaxed and a mobile phone would have been sufficient. But could have been a good day as well..

Bonus idea: If you do QENP, I'd suggest stopping by the Lake Katwe. Not because it's particularly beautiful - but just as a reminder how tough life can be. It's seasonal work though.

Thanks for the reply. We are going to Kibale for the chimps. We are also going to QENP afterwards, but I can´t se any mentions of Lake Katwe, but from pictures it looks like a hard life.

It sounds like most people recommend the 70-200 2.8. It is not a lens that I own, or plan to own. So I will have to look into renting. Its around USD450, not to bad.

You have a good outfit.
For gorillas you can get very close so the 24-120 on a DX would be good with f4. But you need something stronger too.

Chimpanzees are very active and in low light a faster zoom will help. I used a 300 mm f4 PF on D500 in Budongo and struggled to get above 1/60 second shots and many were blurred

The rest is good for Masai Mara

I fly to Uganda on Monday

God bless,

Friedrich von Hörsten

I hesitate to even offer the following as I can in no way offer any knowledgeable answers for a safari. I have occasionally had dreams of such a journey, but nothing closer than that. That said, a relative of mine and his family moved to Uganda late last year to work in a mission field. They have since shared wildlife and scenery photos with us on a regular basis and I have been simply amazed especially by the wildlife photos as I know the photos all come from their personal not top of the line smartphones. They do not own a real camera, but their photos have been nothing to be ashamed of as far as I am concerned, and I'm a died in the wool ILC camera/telephoto fan.

Moral of my offering here is that I really imagine whichever body and lenses you choose will be perfectly fine and the decision as to what should be taken should be controlled most by which equipment you most favor using and are the most familiar with.

Have a nice trip!

Would you think that the Z105 macro would be good for gorillas? I know it is not as fast focusing as the 70-200, but for slow moving gorillas, I would guess it would be fine.

I would find more use for that in the future, than the 70-200.

Raavig said:

Have a nice trip!

Would you think that the Z105 macro would be good for gorillas? I know it is not as fast focusing as the 70-200, but for slow moving gorillas, I would guess it would be fine.

I would find more use for that in the future, than the 70-200.

Click to expand...

Bit inflexible as they can move pretty fast - also they are in pretty large groups and a fast zoom gives you many more options in the middle of an ever shifting family….

Raavig said:

Would you think that the Z105 macro would be good for gorillas? I know it is not as fast focusing as the 70-200, but for slow moving gorillas, I would guess it would be fine.

Click to expand...

I'd prefer a zoom lens. Remember, you can't zoom with your feet. You'll likely be in a group of 8 guests all with the goal to have the best view, so it's helpful to zoom past other people. The environment will also limit your movements - there are shrubs/trees/other stuff in the way (both your view and your body) and potentially you are standing on a steep slope.

Chrissi_82 said:

Chrissi_82 said:

Would you think that the Z105 macro would be good for gorillas? I know it is not as fast focusing as the 70-200, but for slow moving gorillas, I would guess it would be fine.

Click to expand...

I'd prefer a zoom lens. Remember, you can't zoom with your feet. You'll likely be in a group of 8 guests all with the goal to have the best view, so it's helpful to zoom past other people. The environment will also limit your movements - there are shrubs/trees/other stuff in the way (both your view and your body) and potentially you are standing on a steep slope.

Click to expand...

It costs a lot of money to go on an African safari. By all means bring the right equipment for your photography if that is important to you. If the 70-200mm/f2.8 is not a lens that you will need in the long run, you can either rent one or buy one used and the resell it after the trip.