amycyma

I got a "mother's day " present, an extra camera body..

So now for my Botswana trip I have;

Nikon D80 (this is the one I have practiced with and know how to use)
Nikon D60 (new one, I haven't even looked at it as the battery is still charging)
Tamron 18-270 lens
Canon Vixia HF200 (HD video camcorder) - this is what I expect my son to be using - the graduation "present"

My QUESTION - ( I appreciate your patience in having read this far)
should I take another lens, the Nikon 18-135 that the D80 came with?? or is it just taking up space, and I need not worry about my Tamron lens malfunctioning.

11 days till departure!!!!!!!!!!!!!

again, many thanks for your input

amy

cary999

Oh goody, a camera question, nice change from the mostly Africa and Asia question we get here

Great that you have a back-up body, now you also need a back-up lens, and doesn’t have to identical to your primary lens. Wait, you do indeed have it, the 18-135. Put the Tamron on one body, probably D80, and the 18-135 on the D60. Your son might like to use it when not videoing. And he'll be happy to help you carry all of that camera kit!!! I worry about any of my camera gear malfunctioning, or my breaking it, or it being stolen. And out in a safari camp is not where I want to be if this happens without a back-up. (Or without a gin & tonic).

11 days huh, man-o-man I’d be packed and out curb side waiting for my shuttle to the airport!!!! Hey just 79 days for me!!!

(And likewise, I appreciate your patience in having read this far!!!)

Regards – tom
ps – how’d your duck pictures turn out??? In focus, sharp, good exposure, both in water and flying??
ps ps - you got plenty of camera cards and batteries??

scruffypuma

I am new here, so please bear with me. Absolutely, take the second lens and as Tom suggested, put one lens on the D80 and one on the D60. I always travel with 2 DSLR bodies and usually a small point and shoot as well. You never know when something will quit on you. I had a fairly new Nikon D70 freeze up on day 3 of a 25 day icebreaker trip to Antarctica, no one on board could fix it (it turned out Nikon knew about the problem and fixed it for free when I returned) and if I had not had that second body I would have been miserable. I also have 2 chargers and at least 3 batteries because batteries seem to always go flat just as a great shot appears! Have a great trip! I will try and look at some old posts to see which camps you will be visiting. I don't leave until December, so until then I will just keep reading here!

cary999

Welcome scruffypuma.
Nice to have another avid photographer on (the) board. And especially one that knows the best is Nikon!!! Like myself, have D200 and D40X, for safari a 70-300 on the D200 and 18-200 on D40x. I'd have bigger lenses (200-400, yum) -but- there is a limit to what I can carry . I also take a P&S, Canon S5, which I use mostly for video. Though makes for another acceptable back-up still photo.

Have you been on safari before? You have any photos up on internet??

regards - tom

amycyma

Tom
Of course I will always read through all your posts to my incessant photo questions, for which you have always been the first to reply and have given me most helpful advice.

I actually decided to do a day of practice at the Bronx Zoo, rather than practicing on the ducks, geese and swans. All was in focus, but I did learn some valuable lessons, After reading the Andy Biggs site which I believe you pointed out to me, I was so trying for that"animal in focus total blurred background"" effect. But I really couldn't get it. So I learned to not open the f stop all the way, and will work on the premise that the shutter speed to be about equal to the focal length, and I also learned that i can play around with the ISO for those shots I really really want, but there is just not enough light.

Actually, I also bought device to download the memory cards onto. But as It does not show RAW files, my husband has experimented and finds that if I shout in RAW and BASIC it doesn't use to much more space, and then I can look at the photo on the hard drive thing.

As the Canon video camera also will take still photo, I don't think I need to take an additional point and shoot (which was going to be my backup camera-until my surprise).

i figured that the photo people would agree on taking both lens, and forgoing some clothing items if the weight is tight. That is my weekend plan, to pack and weigh!!!

and today makes it 10 days!!!!!

again thanks for your input (if you have read this far)

amy

scruffypuma

Hi Tom: Yes, I have been on safari, many years ago on an overland trip (basic camping, all chores, pup tents) for 20 days in Tanzania, then 3 times in the last 7 or 8 years, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania. I do not have any photos online, have been thinking about it though, just need to find time to sit down and sort through. Keep all on external, and as you mentioned in the other thread, it works just fine. Do you have your photos online? I would love to see some, I do not get tired of seeing Africa. I usually have my 70-200 on one body and my 80-400 on the other. I just use a beanbag (easier than a tripod) in the vehicle. I have a small pocket Olympus 1030SW that does basic video, am thinking about the new Nikon D90 or D5000. Any thoughts? I spoke at length last weekend with someone who was carring around his 200-400 (wow) and he said that although it is a fabulous lens (it should be for $6000), he finds that he just does not use it much because of the weight.I just bought my daughter the Canon SX10 so we will have that also for December.

cary999

Hi SP - I've been on five safaris since discovering them in 2005. Mostly in South Africa. In fact this Sep again in South Africa at: Kruger, Kings Camp and Kirkmans Kamp. After each I write a trip report with a few photos on line. My trip report from last safari, Sep 2008 -
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35161085

I'm using smugmug to put up photos. They are at -
http://www.tomgraham.smugmug.com/
Thumbnails on first page by year of safari. Not a lot of photos, and half of those are just "record" shots. Smugmug is easy to work with photos, lots of show options, and has good support if you have questions/problems.

We have been using Canon S3 and S5 (predecessor of your SX10) for video. After each safari I put together a DVD of photos and video. The DVD is standard DVD and plays on any TV so easy to share safari with family/friends. Just give them a DVD copy. I use Proshow to bring all the photos and videos together and to edit. Works good and easy to use.

As for new body. Thats tough. Both the D90 and D5000 are good. I'm going to see what the D400 adds but even then not sure it will be that much better for me than the D200. I'd also like to replace the S5 for video with high definition. We'll see. The S5 and the SX10 take very good videos with zoom, auto focus, auto exposure, stereo sound, the DSLR cameras are not doing all of that - yet.

regards - tom

scruffypuma

Hi Tom: Thank you so much for sharing the Smugmug photos. Your lighting is fabulous. Do you always bump up to 800 for the early/late shots? Also, are the night shots taken with just the spotlight (with the exception of the ones you have tagged) or do you have a Nikon speedlight. When I read about your 08 trip and saw "Elaine Youngs", I stopped and thought "THE VOLLEYBALL Elaine Youngs?". I might have had to postpone the safari and to to Beijing. I am a huge fan and have been to many of the AVP tournaments. How exciting!! I had not seen the D400 rumors, but it sounds VERY promising.
Thanks again.

amycyma

Tom,

I think this might be the first time I have had a chance to look at your photos, so thanks for the links. They are great, and i find it always helpful to see others photos, plus it always gets me excited to be doing my own.
9 more days!! ( I am into the single digits)

so when I get back I can I pester you with questions on how to put some photos up on smugmug or whatever???

thanks

amy

cary999

Hi SP -
One of my favorite photo truisms is - lighting isn't the only thing, it is everything. I don't mind going up to ISO 800 if needed. Usually limit it to 400. My first rule is the photo must be sharp. If it is not sharp, nothing else matters. So typically I'm concerned most about shutter speed, then f-stop, and ISO last.

Night shots are usually just "record" shots, I have a SB600 strobe, but the vehicle's spotlight often has the best overall look to it. Like what you actually see at night.
The D400 is expected announced this summer. But will have to decide if it is worth about $2,000 to upgrade.

Cool you are beach volleyball fan. You must be in So California? Huntington Beach is real soon, May 23-24. July 3-5 at Coney Island will be live on NBC. Then Manhattan Beach CA and Hermosa Beach CA, AVP.com has all schedule for anyone curious. And this year Carolyn is indeed going with me on safari, she loves it almost as much as I do!!! Hey, if you're going to be at Huntington Beach, let's say hi there.

Amy -
sure, be happy to help you with smugmug, but, I'm no expert with it or pbase, or flicker, etc. Smugmug is very flexible in how you can show photos, easy to set up and their support is great. I just work with it mostly once a year for my trip report photos. It does cost a few $$ per year.

You can count the days on only two hands!!!! Better get packed and tell hubby to check the tires and gas in the family jalopy!!!

regards - tom

moldyhotelsaregross

Hello!

This is my first post on the Africa forum. I've been hanging out mostly in the Lounge since I've not been going anywhere! I'm normally a Europe traveller or anywhere that hot air ballooning will take me.

I've just lucked into a trip to South Africa w/ 6 day safari this summer. I'm delighted to see the talk of photo equipment since that is on my mind.

I too am a Nikon girl. My newest is a D80 and a 80-400. Reading this post made me think that I should bring my older body (D40x) an an extra lens. My other lens that I'd consider bringing is an 18-200. Would I have need of a wider angle lens than that?

I saw that a beanbag was mentioned for holding the camera. Any other suggestions of accessories? That 80-400 sure gets heavy for me after a while! I just switched to a non-stretchy camera strap and that has been a good change. My body and lenses are presently carried individually in the Tamrac MAS system.


Thanks for any advice.

aknards

amy,

glad to see that you got a way to back up everything. doing that nightly will give you great peace of mind (so will the second camera body.)

jeez, girl, will you get out of here already?

safe travels!
anita

spassvogel

Regarding the technical requirements which haven been bespoken by Tom and others I would like to add some of the odd stuff:

2 bodies ready to shoot: one with a wide angle and one with a powerful tele or macro depending on interest
in order to not have to change lenses while on game drives!
Dust is the worst enemy of any electronic equipment!

Besides a lot of technical equipment (charger, lenses, memory cards etc etc etc which he carries in a huge backpack also on game drives) we take a kikoi to cover the body "on duty" during game drives, a monopod and depending on terrain/goal also a tripod, a beanbag, a shower cap for protecting the lens against humidity if necessary, a big plastic bag to cover the rucksack in case sudden downpour

SV

moldyhotelsaregross

I've never thought of a shower cap. What a great idea!

scruffypuma

Hi Tom: Actually, No. Cal., but have been to the AVP's up here and some in So. Cal., was thinking about next weekend for other reasons, but maybe that would work! I will let you know if I can work it out and we could figure something out.

Amy and MoldyH-I was reading MoldyH's request and was ready to reply when I read spassvogel's reply. Pretty much nailed what I take. Four odd additions that I always travel with: ziploc plastic bags, some kind of knife/screwdriver tool, travel roll of duct tape and a GOOD, small flashlight which really comes in handy on night drives (Surefire makes very good lights, the G@ Nitrolon is powerful, small and you can even get a red lens cover).

Amy: Have a great trip. Can't wait to hear about it.

scruffypuma

Amy and MoldyH- one last item, but one I always carry: a goodpair of binoculars. Some vehicles have 'extras", but they are usually not very good.

cary999

SP -
If/when you decide to come for BVB, let me know, email tdgraham at sbcglobal dot net. And also anyone else going to BVB in So CA, we can have a mini GTG!!!

My basic camera kit is two bags. One with the bodys and lenses, cards, batteries, lense cleaning. The second bag is electronic support stuff. More batteries, chargers, HD backups, sensor/lens cleaning, a few tools, cables, DVM, etc. Both bags go into a carry-on luggage bag that has wheels. Wheels, important. At camp on game drives I take with me only the one bag with cameras.

regards - tom
ps - I will answer all email, if it seems not yours, try again, because my spam filter will catch it first time.

africaddict

Hi Tom

Are you saying that you still haven't purchased the D300 yet?
I'm most disappointed, it must be getting on close to a year now that you were thinking about it?

Cheers
Marc

PS. I'm not much about on this forum these days, especially since the change.

spassvogel

D300 is awesome - based on the comments and "prof. discussions" I have followed between my husband and other photographers. And it's a bargain now in the States.

SV

cary999

Marc - Nope, haven't picked up the D300. Waiting for the D400. I hardly use the Nikons between safaris. And after my last safari (Sep 2008) with weather and light so bad that not even the worlds best camera (D3) would have helped, I just lost enthusiasm for new gear. Also, I'm sure the new D400 will have video capability and thus it could very well become my primary video camera. Or at least a backup for video. Thus saving me taking one body along. Of course the D400 will likely not be available until after my Sep safari so will still use the D200 (and D40x) on it. And that's my master plan (for now).

The D300 (body) is selling for around $1,700 in USA. The D200 is till being sold new (!!) now at $600 (Best Buy stores). Now that is a real bargain!!

And Marc, you must visit here more often, you'll get used to the changes, your postings are missed.

regards - tom