Re: Another safari lens question: 70-200+tc or 100-400? or ?
blueimage wrote:
Steve, is short...you do not need to make any big gear changes from what you have. My recommendation, without blowing your budget, would be to take a 24-105mm (or something equivalent) and a 100-400mm - your two bodies will do just fine. This is my standard minimalist recommendation, which many of my safari guests have found quite satisfactory - evidenced by the great images they\'ve taken. I would try and shoot with the 5DII as much as possible...and use the 40D as a back-up ...and when you really need to reach out with the crop factor. Yes, many people, including myself, take a lot more gear than described....but it is far from necessary. The points made about whether or not you\'ll be on a photo-centric safari or not are very true. Wielding big glass and placing large gear bags in the vehicles really only works with 3 or 4 people max in the land cruiser.
In general, on South African safaris you use / need less focal length than in Kenya or Tanzania. In South Africa, the 70-200mm comes into play often on wildlife...in the more open savannas of the North, you would use it more as a landscape lens.
You\'ll owe your wife big time for pushing to do this....I\'m sure you\'ll have a fantastic experience. Take lots of memory...and have fun!
Jim
I have to agree here - the reach you need really does depend on the countries you plan to visit. I do the two-body, two lens set up (24-70 and 100-400) and don\'t remove those lenses while on a game drive. Have something like a garbage bag or some people use a pillow case or jacket to keep the gear on your lap and covered if you want it handier than in your bag but sort of protected from dust. (Assuming open vehicles).
The one thing I will tell you from personal experience with the 40D: In good light you will be fine. But once dusk hits and the sun goes down, and there\'s a whole herd of ellies with their young...you want a camera that handles high ISOs well. My 40D images were so noisy as to be almost unusable. I like Jim\'s idea of using the 5D as much as you can, and esp. in these lower light situations. Many times fast focusing isn\'t needed. I was so disappointed I came back and sold a lot of gear to buy the 1DIV for my next trip. I am considering taking my 70-200 next time, but the 100-400 has been my workhorse. My friend uses the 70-200 with no complaints. We\'re talking southern Africa though, not Kenya or Tanzania. Good luck. I promise once you go, you\'ll go back!
Mar 02, 2013 at 03:24 PM
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