We are headed to Kenya and Tanzania on safari in January. Would love to hear what camera equipment/film/filters/lenses/etc. you used and how your pictures turned out. What would you change now after having been through the experience? Tell us about dust and dirt. Was it a big problem? What about tripod use, did you need one? How many rolls of film did you use? Thanks in advance for any help.

I am getting an Elan IIe camera with 24-85 USM zoom and (for our Botswana <BR> trip) the 75-300 Image Stabilization zoom. I'm also planning on bringing a tripod. I'm new at all of this, so let me know more ideas. <BR> <BR>Also, make sure to get good binocs!

When I was in Kenya (some l5 years ago) I wished I had brought three things: ASA400 film, a 300ml lense and a good pair of binoculars. <BR> <BR>It was a wonderful trip. <BR> <BR>Enjoy! <BR>

I just returned from photo and hunting safaris in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Dust is certainly there, but standard precautions (UV filter, canned air, soft cloth) will suffice. ASA 200 or 400 speed film will do, depending on your lens. I would recommend a zoom up to 300mm, I brought a 70-300mm lens and it worked great. 200 mm lenses just don't get close enough to the lions or elephants--especially when you get a close up of a lion yawning...amazing! My other BIG recommendation would be to use a monopod. Most pictures are taken from the roof of vans and there just isn't room for all those legs of a tripod. I never used a monopod before this and wouldn't be without one again. Don't spend a lot--$20. is all you need for a good one. A polarizing filter is another must, along with a few colors if you feel creative (sienna for sunsets, etc.) I managed to go through 20 rolls of film in 1 week of photo safari, and I'm conservative. Stay away from the ice and "fresh" vegetables that have been rinsed with tap water, you won't regret it. Have fun, I can't wait to go back!!

On a trip to Kenya and Tanzania, I found a Canon Elan IIe worked well, with a 70-300 zoom. As a back-up, I took along an Olympus 35-70, one of those little jobs you pop into your pocket. I tend to standardize on 200 film. Keeps things simple. Has less chance of getting fuzzed during check-throughs at airport X-ray machines. Keep film cool at all times. Develop immediately on return to the States. I used about 50 rolls in 18 days. Film is cheap; missing a shot is expensive. Take along spare batteries; you can't get them in many places. Tripods are OK; monopods are better on safari. Especially shooting from vans. I came away wishing I had some slower film, strange as it may sound, because so much ambient light fools built-in meters, resulting in over-exposure at mid-day. Keeping one's lenses and mechanisms free of dust is especially important on back roads where clouds of grit surround the vans. If you plan to take along a newly-purchased camera, shoot several rolls before leaving home so that you are totally familiar with its features. You won't want to miss a shot because you had to tinker with it at the most important moment. Have fun!