Hi Tom
I noticed in your recent Sth Africa/Zambia/Kenya Trip report that along with your D200 purchase you also bought the Tokina 12-24 f/4.
You mention here: (quote) "I also got the Tokina 12-24 zoom, but figured I would not need it for safari photos"
I have just today ordered the 12-24 myself and will be taking this with me to Zambia next year. I was wondering if you in fact took this with you on this last Safari trip?
As this have been the ideal landscape lens!
(or was weight a factor?)
Cheers
Marc

Hi Marc,
I got the Tokina 12-24 and also the Nikon 18-200. Yes, the Tokina is a great landscape lens. But I figured the Nikon with its 27mm equivalence would do fine. So I did not take the Tokina. It was a matter of how useful would the Tokina be in that remaining wide angle NOT covered by the Nikon (18-27mm. I simply decide it was not worth taking along, all things considered. YMMV I took very very few landscape photos. Sure, take the Tokina if you think you'll do landscapes.
I'm now wondering if I "need" another telephoto in place of the 18-200. Perhaps the new Nikon 70-300 that is due out soon. The Nikon 70-200 2.8 would be nice but I'd like to have a bit more telephoto than I now have. Of course if I do this, then I need something for the short range so would I still take the 18-200 or get a 18-70, 17-55? I'd probably take the 18-200. In reality it's probably all about "lens lust" but who cares? Just toys.
What lenses have you been using?
regards - tom

Now Tom, you should know it's not a case of NEEDING a new lens, but WANTING a new lens. Big difference ! Put it down to LENS LUST !
I have on order at the moment the Nikkor f/2.8 300 VR (I've been waiting for nearly 2 months now!). I'll be taking this with me together with the 12-24 Tokina, 17-55, 70-200 VR + 1.4 & 1.7 tc's and 500D Canon close up lens (for some macro shots) and the Manfrotto 680B monopod and I'll be borrowing a mate's D200 as a second body as well. I also have the Sigma 150 f/2.8 Macro lens, however I think I'll be close to my light aircraft luggage allowance as it is ;-)
I can't wait to take delivery of the 300 VR, so I can get out there and practice!
Good luck with your decisions on lens choice.
Cheers
Marc

Marc, you know "lens lust" up close and personal, the Nikkor 300 2.8 VR indeed. Did you check out how much it costs? Of course if you have to ask then you can't afford it. Does have a $100 rebate going for it
I'm glad you are still young and strong to carry all of that. Of course if I'd lose about 20 pounds of weight then with your kit I'd net out to 0 !!!! Don't forget the laptop PC, another hard drive, batteries, chargers, etc. Better make that I should lose 30 pounds. But then I would still have to lose 30 years of age!!!
Remind me, when are you going? (I'm all set for September 2007).
regards - tom

Marc,

Congratulations on the Nikkor 300/2.8 VR. Know of it by reputation only, but as the equivalent of my Canon 300/2.8 IS, my main safari lens, I don't think you can go wrong with it. Yes, a tad weighty, but I walk with mine complete with TC, flash unit and bracket, and monopod...and I'm well into my 60s. In a safari vehicle, it's a breeze. But why are you having to wait so long for it? I would die of frustration.

John

Marc - Since you also have D200 I have question about sensor cleaning. I can do it, I have the Copperhill kit with Sensorswipe, pecpads, fluid, etc. One reason I took only the one lens, 18-200, to Africa was so that I would never have to change it and thus avoid the sensor cleaning thing. You, what have you found about this sensor dirt thing when swapping lenses in Africa? How often do you test/check for it? How often do you actually do a cleaning? ETC?
regards - tom

Hi Tom
I have the Nikon D2Hs and will be borrowing a D200. I use the Sensor Swabs + Eclipse cleaning fluid. I only use them when the sensor has dust on it (By shooting at blue sky, Aperture wide open, and then checking for any dust spots with PS on PC).
You might want to speak to John (Afrigalah) in regards to sensor cleaning on a dusty safari trip as I'm sure he would have more experience than I.
On my last trip I only took my 70-200 VR + 1.7tc & 17-55 on an old D100. I wasn't that happy with the 1.7tc on the VR as I felt the images were a touch soft,(a monopod may have helped) which is why I've opted for the 300 VR and being a prime lens one can get far better results with the 1.4 tc and still very acceptable results with the 1.7tc (according to all the reviews I've read)and which is why I'm keen to practice with it!

John,
The reason why I've been waiting so long for the 300 VR is because there aren't any available at the moment, :'( .
I'm sourcing it here in OZ from a guy on a DSLR forum, while I wait for him to take delivery from HK. Plus I'm getting it for a good price as well ;-)

Cheers
Marc

A bit of correction on sensor cleaning. To view sensor dust the aperature needs to be closed down to at least F16 or better yet F22. The smaller aperatures show more of the dust. Also, when shooting the blue sky, be sure to focus as close as possible (not infinity) so that any spots that show up represent dust and not birds. If you can get away with one of the commonly used brush methods, you might be better off. It is just not that easy to use the wet methods in the field without very good light and the ability to view your images on a PC. Visible dust makes a good but expensive brush. You can get just as good a brush for just a copule of dollars at an art supply store. Just be sure to wash all of the sizeing out of the brush with detergent, before using it on your sensor.

Marc/Tom...

Sorry, no experience whatsoever on sensor cleaning . I use film cameras. My wife uses digital but hasn't yet had significant problems even in the dusty Linyanti...but using zoom lenses, she doesn't have to change lenses.

Marc,

I feel for you. I got my 300/2.8 in a matter of days from NY, but I've just had a couple of minor items (peanuts compared with the lens) take three months to reach me from the States. Not because they were in short supply, but because of postal service problems. I thought the items were lost; they should have got here in two weeks. Next time I'll use the same efficient courier service that brought my lens, even if the shipping cost is higher than the price of the items.

John

Hi Safarichuck
I should have said stepped down, NOT wide open in regards to the aperture and cleaning sensor issue.My apologies.
Cheers
Marc

Marc,
I knew it was just a typo slip, just didn't want to confuse anybody. By the way I tried a neat trip on our last safari. I kept the camera with long lens attached in a waterproof pillowcase while in the vehicle. Seemed to keep the dust under control.

I meant "neat trick". Talk about typos.

Sensor dust check - I don't take a PC laptop with me. Gotta draw the line at something!!! Could use the LCD screen on the D200 but not real easy to do, zoom way in then pan.
Pillow case, even a typical cotton kind would help a lot. But ya know, I've never been on a really really dusty safari. Course I've also never been in the Serengeti either Would be good though to have something like that with you just in case. I usually take a very light wind breaker jacket so could wrap camera-lens in that. Anyway, good to keep in mind.
regards - tom

I recently got the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly for our upcoming trip to Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda. I have used it a couple of times on our Canon 400D and it seems to work very well. It's also very compact and easy to fit in a travel bag.

I don't know how credible it is, but Visible Dust's web site has a whole section talking about how harmful artist brushes are for a DSLR sensor.

I've found that I can see dust spots by just taking an out-of focus picture at F22 of a blank white wall, using the flash if necessary and then looking at the image on my camera's LCD screen. It might not reveal every tiny speck of dust, but it definitely shows the big ones.

Chris

Hi Safarichuck
Tell me more about this waterproof pillowcase?
Do you mean like one of those camping dry sacks? As this is what I'll be taking with me.
Cheers
Marc

Naturally, I don't know how quickly different people want to have their cameras aimed at a target. But I've found anything that <i><b>encloses</b></i> a camera/lens combination (such as a bag or pillowcase) just slows things down an intolerable amount, especially with off-camera flash bracket and flash head attached. The most I'm prepared to do is throw a jacket or blanket over the equipment while on the move, and remove it while the dust is settling around the newly-stopped vehicle (ala tom, except 'wrapping' slows things down too when it comes to unwrapping). Most of the time I've don't even bother to cover the gear at all, because speed is of the utmost importance. Film cameras have the advantage that dust is a minimal problem, even when changing lenses or teleconverters...one of their few (and rapidly decreasing) advantages as technology steadily improves digital cameras.

John

Marc,
The pillow case is really low tech and inexpensive but it works pretty well. I bought a kingsize waterproof pillowcase at Walmart ($7.00). The label says that it is waterproof and impervious to &quot;dust mites&quot;. Has a zipper at one end that you can zip up (slows you down a bit) or just fold over and leave in your lap. It really didn't slow me down. When the vehicle stopped, I just pulled the camera out (lens hood attached and on the right way) and shot. Sometimes the pillowcase would fall to the floor and even be stepped on but the inside remained pristine. Every few days I would take it into the shower with me and give it a good wash. Any sort of camera bag would slow me down too much and the drybag is more tech than one needs for this sort of thing. I use a Lowepro camera backpack to transport my gear. My setup is a canon SLR with a 100-400mm L IS lens and lenshood. Usually I keep it zoomed out to 300mm so its a pretty big package. On my next safari I'll have a larger Series 1 body as well and plan to use the pillowcase method. By the way Chris, I have never been able to see my sensor dust on the cameras LCD. I do have an epson P-2000, but even that shows only the very worst dust. With the wet methods you really need to examine your sensor carefully after cleaning. Sometimes you actually make things worse and need to do it 4 or 5 times. In my experience using the brush method, even if you don;t get all of the dust you don't make things worse. I like this (brush) better for the quick in the bush clean up. If you do spend a night in a nice ledge with good lighting and work area, I would suppose the wet method would be better.

&quot;in a lodge&quot; Another typo.......would a Mac instead of a PC make me a better typist?

Hey Chuck,
I just got the 100-400L Canon lens and it will be making its debut on our upcoming trip. We have been testing it around home with birds, at the zoo, etc. and the results we ge with it are phenomenal. I am very glad we got it.
Chris

Chris,
You will love this lens. I did find that it likes to be stopped down a bit for really shar images. Whenever possible I stop down 2 F stops and by using a Safari Sack (Bean Bag) I'm able to get away with really slow shutter speeds and still have tack sharp images. Just leave your image stabilization on normal setting. Another intersting feature that surprised me was that it is really sharp, even at 400 mm. Andy Biggs likes this lens and has done some wonderful &quot;image blur&quot; type motion effects. You might check out his website for ideas if you haven't already discovered it.