Point and Shoot camera for a Kenyan Safari

Old Jan 6th, 2017, 09:06 AM
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Point and Shoot camera for a Kenyan Safari

My husband and I are headed to Kenya for a safari. I would like a point and shoot camera with enough zoom to be able to capture the animals in photos. Any recommendations for currently available cameras would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
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Old Jan 6th, 2017, 01:47 PM
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I've taken Panasonic "bridge" P&S cameras (not a DSLR but with comparable features) on safari for a decade. The version I now own, the FZ1000, is pretty remarkable. Here's a review: https://www.dpreview.com/products/pa...onic_dmcfz1000

In addition to enough zoom, you need a camera that has very rapid autofocus and which is good in low light conditions, both important on safari, particularly if you're on a game drive in the early morning or evening. The bigger-than-average sensor on the FZ1000 helps hugely, and with 20mp you can crop images and get good results even if you didn't have time to zoom in as much as you'd like.

I have a bells-and-whistles Nikon DSLR that I've simply benched since getting the FZ1000; it's twice the camera at half the weight and a third of the cost. If you don't want to fuss with all the features (but learn how to use them anyway) just set it on "auto" and off you go; you'll get terrific pictures even so.
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Old Jan 6th, 2017, 10:42 PM
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I also take a Panasonic bridge point & shoot on safari and if the FZ1000 doesn't fit your budget there's the FZ200 (that I've used the last 3 years) and the FZ300.

Definitely check them out. And if you decide on a Panasonic Lumix then google Graham Houghton who has several youtube instructional videos on all three that I found very useful.
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Old Jan 7th, 2017, 08:13 AM
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I also take a bridge camera: first three safaris it was the Nikon Coolpix P510, I now have a Sony RX10 iii for the next one.

Whatever you decide to get, give yourself plenty of time to learn it and get out to a zoo, a farm, an animal park, and photograph animals so you're used to it. Also get up early and shoot sunrises and later in the day, sunsets. Both happen so fast in Africa that you won't have time to learn the settings when you're there. Don't necessarily rely on Auto, learn how to shoot in Aperture priority or Shutter priority and make sure your shutter setting is on Continuous: you'll never time a lion's yawn or a leopard jumping across a stream perfectly with one single shot, but if you're shooting continuously, you've a better chance of getting it.
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Old Jan 8th, 2017, 09:33 AM
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We have Panasonic Lumix cameras and they are awesome. I have also used Canon Powershots over the years. Is there a good camera shop in your town? Maybe they would let you borrow one that you are interested in buying, for a weekend try-out? (It is hard to find stores like that anymore, because so many people now just buy stuff over the internet). Actually, because of Costco's generous return policies, I bought a camera about six months before our last trip, to see if it would work for me. (And also, how it worked with my Mac, etc.) I don't remember which it was, because it bugged me for a couple reasons so I returned it. In the end, I went with a Lumix because I liked the quality of photos my husband's camera had consistently delivered. The newer one increased the zoom to 60X optical zoom, and I liked the video options, too.

It IS important to learn things like how to shoot continuously, how to get the best low-light performance (lots of wonderful opportunities for good shots at dusk and in the dark.) I did NOT master that last one well before the trip and it bit me from the first night. I got better as the trip went on.
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Old Jan 9th, 2017, 10:19 AM
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It depends on how big a camera you want, and feel comfortable holding. There were people with cameras and less so huge, i wondered that the jeeps didn't tip over!
There are small compact cameras with zoom lenses; there are larger ones such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC F270 with 60X zoom mentioned by uh oh above. Costs about $250. I used the latter on trip 2 yrs ago--amazing closeups!!
I used the former type two yrs before that, and got great shots, but needed digital as well as optical zoom to increase the size to huge closeups, once I got home and edited the photos. That camera zoomed to 25X optical, but there are newer compact lightweight Panasonic Lumix (and other brands) cameras that go to 30X , e.g. Lumix ZS60. Prices are higher--smaller camera, bigger price, in this case

IF i were getting a new camera for safari, I'd go with the more compact kind, with big "zoom. Note: I am not a "serious" photographer, but of course i love the shots and memories...as well as small and convenient.
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Old Jan 9th, 2017, 10:20 AM
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sorry--typos above. I meant lenses,not "less"!
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 12:45 PM
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I had also posted this question here and on safari talk. we leave late June. I just bought at lumix fx 1000 after a lot of research and talking to camera stores. good luck!
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Old Jan 12th, 2017, 11:37 AM
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webbca2 - hope you'll let us know which camera you decided on and why then maybe post a few pics once you've returned.

Just remember to put the camera down every once in awhile to enjoy the moment. On my first safari I took photos of anything that moved and some things that didn't. Came home with loads of photos but it's the African moments that captured my soul and have stayed with me.
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