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Safari lens help

StollyOR
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Safari lens help

Thank you for the additional suggestions. As I see it, I should go test out these two options:

On the D7500: 70-200 f2.8 with TC (1.7 or 2x)
On the D5600: Use existing 18-300 3.5-6.3 DX

or

On the D7500: 80-400 f4.5-5.6
On the D5600: 16-80 2.8-4

Am I getting your recommendations right?
I appreciate your help!

May 26, 2023 at 09:57 AM

pwschladen
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Safari lens help

StollyOR wrote:
Thank you for the additional suggestions. As I see it, I should go test out these two options:

On the D7500: 80-400 f4.5-5.6
On the D5600: 16-80 2.8-4

Am I getting your recommendations right?
I appreciate your help!

That would be my choice for F mount DX. I think you will find the 16-80 to be a keeper post safari, the 80-400 perhaps not so much because of its bulk and weight walking around.

I would definitely take the little DX 35 as you have and it weighs next to nothing.

It might be worth taking the 18-300 as both a back and do everything lens if a family member wants to shoot too. If you expect the latter maybe you should take a third body?

May 27, 2023 at 12:34 PM

StollyOR
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Safari lens help

I went and checked out some lenses yesterday. The 16-80mm is a no-brainer (and you all said it would be). For the longer lens, I actually liked the feel of the 80-400mm over the 70-200 (was the VR II I sampled, but would probably go with the newer version). I was all set to order an 80-400, but read some reviews about how much dust gets in them, and almost all fo the used lenses aren't in great shape. It has me a bit nervous, but will I be fine if I am careful or is the dry season in Tanzania just really dusty? At this point, I'm probably simply over-thinking this!

May 27, 2023 at 02:36 PM

1bwana1
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Safari lens help

StollyOR wrote:
It has me a bit nervous, but will I be fine if I am careful or is the dry season in Tanzania just really dusty? At this point, I'm probably simply over-thinking this!

It is hard to imagine the dust in the Serengeti during the dry season. It is not just about it being dry, the soil has been blown in place by the wind, it produces dust that is so fine that it just works its way into everything. It constantly being stirred up by the animals and the Safari vehicles . There are often large depressions in the roads. These are a foot or two deep and twice the size of a car. They are filled with dust so that they are even with the road and impossible to see. I have seen cars totally disappear into a cloud of dust when they hit one of these. It has happened to me many times also. If you stay in the game parks other vehicles have likely blown the dust out already. But in the remote areas I favor they can be a real issue. This same dust creates big problems when it its wet also. I have been dusted, and stuck in the African bush so many times I can't tell you.

The dust in East Africa is real. This is why it is so often recommended to bring two bodies and never change lenses. It makes the sunsets fantastic however.

Anyway here are some clips from the East African Safari Rally that will show you how bad it is when either wet or dry. This is driven on regular public roads in East Africa, not special tracks. This is what you sometimes get. Enjoy!!

May 27, 2023 at 03:25 PM

StollyOR
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Safari lens help

So I should make sure I pack Q-tips (for the humans)! Got it

Seriously, that some impressive dust...and driving. Thanks for the video, it was fun to watch.

May 27, 2023 at 04:39 PM

suteetat
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Safari lens help

This is from Botswana. Dust certainly is a concern but also make beautiful picture sometimes
as the wildebeest was marking his territory with his scent glands in his hooves.
I don't have experience with 80-400 myself but I have seen pro using it in another different kind
of dusty place, Antarctica. Around penguin colonies, penguin poops do turn dusty and changing lenses
around there is not a good idea. But I would imagine that if you have 2 bodies and don't change lenses
regularly, you should be fine.

The 70-200/2.8e FL is quite a bit sharper than the VR ii version. The biggest difference is going to be around 135mm where VR ii is the weakest.
Also the e FL has much less focus breathing at 200mm which is not so important for Safari but significant if you do a lot of portrait.
Certainly the e FL version is generally better and I would get that one rather than VR ii if the budget allows.

May 27, 2023 at 06:29 PM

M. Currie
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Safari lens help

My wife and I went to Botswana a few years ago, and found that 300 was adequate for most purposes, as we were getting pretty close to the wildlife, and the DX cameras (7100 and 7200 here) had a good allowance for cropping. I was handicapped then by the poor quality of my lens (55-300) more than the length. I now have the FX version of the 70-300P, and find it does well for just about anything. This latest version is a little bigger than its predecessors, but still within range for traveling light. The P lens is good and sharp all the way out, and focuses very fast. The DX version is cheaper and supposed to be very good too, but because the D7100 lacks any software for modifying the VR, I decided to go with the FX version which has all the switches.

I definitely like the 16-80 for general use, and it's also sharp enough to be a good alternative to somewhat longer zooms, and fast enough to be useful when the light is poor.

May 27, 2023 at 07:20 PM

StollyOR
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Safari lens help

@suteetat your wildebeest photo is amazing! The dust definitely adds another dimension. Thanks for sharing

May 27, 2023 at 10:00 PM

suteetat
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Safari lens help

StollyOR wrote:
@suteetat@ your wildebeest photo is amazing! The dust definitely adds another dimension. Thanks for sharing

Thanks for your compliment. By the way, I forgot to mention this was shot with 400/2.8s.

May 28, 2023 at 07:26 AM

robert_in_ca
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Safari lens help

Totally agree. The dust in the Serengeti during the dry season was brutal. Having two bodies and not changing lenses is the way to go.

Here’s a picture of my bag that I wiped down daily to give others an idea of what to expect.

1bwana1 wrote:
It is hard to imagine the dust in the Serengeti during the dry season. It is not just about it being dry, the soil has been blown in place by the wind, it produces dust that is so fine that it just works its way into everything. It constantly being stirred up by the animals and the Safari vehicles . There are often large depressions in the roads. These are a foot or two deep and twice the size of a car. They are filled with dust so that they are even with the road and impossible to see. I...Show more →

May 28, 2023 at 08:55 AM

StollyOR
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Safari lens help

Can I ask what you used to wipe everything down? Just a barely damp cloth?

I see an outlet and USB ports in the jeep. It's on my list to ask our safari company about. Was it easy to have things charged, and should I be taking an extra battery?

My plan is to backup photos to my laptop every evening. Is this realistic?
Thanks!

May 28, 2023 at 09:22 AM

robert_in_ca
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Safari lens help

First I wipe down my bodies and lenses with a dry cloth. The dust is so fine that most of it will come off. Then if need be I would use a barely damp cloth. With my bag I would use a damp cloth. Also when you’re driving I would recommend you throw something over your gear - like an old pillow case.

The vehicle needs to have an inverter - don’t use USB ports as they are too slow. However most of the time I would use my PD 25,600mAh capacity power brick. I would take 3 batteries. I wouldn’t just have one.

Yes you can back up your photos daily. Just make sure that you know the hours they will cut the generator back at the camp.

StollyOR wrote:
Can I ask what you used to wipe everything down? Just a barely damp cloth?

I see an outlet and USB ports in the jeep. It's on my list to ask our safari company about. Was it easy to have things charged, and should I be taking an extra battery?

My plan is to backup photos to my laptop every evening. Is this realistic?
Thanks!

iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro back triple camera 4.2mm f/1.6 lens 4mm f/1.6 1/45s 500 ISO 0.0 EV

May 28, 2023 at 11:13 AM

StollyOR
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Safari lens help

Thanks for the tips!

May 28, 2023 at 11:52 AM

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