Nikao

I will be going to Tanzania in Januari for a safari in the northern circuit (tarangir, ngorongoro and serengeti) and Zanzibar.
I will be taking my digital SLR photogear with me for the first time, and I was wondering what you people are bringing with you;

So far I have a Nikon D70s with the following lenses:
Nikkor AF-D 80-200MM F2.8 77S
Nikkor AF-D 24-85MM/2.8-4.0 72S
Nikkor AF-D 50MM/1.8 52S 52mm

No Im looking for some additional gear and was wondering whether I should buy an extender for the 80-200 lens, and whether I need polarization filters or not

Besides that Im thinking of buying an Image tank (portable HD) but I'm still wondering whether I could bring 3 memory cards of 2gig with me and whether that would be enough...

any tips and thoughts?!

steeliejim

There are lots of great fodor photographers, but I'll get it started. First, if you plug in the search words, "camera, photography" in the Fodor's search box, you will get lots of photo tip hits.


I think you need more cards AND backup. Several here like the Epson in different models. It used to be "Film is cheap. You can never have too much." Now, the same is true for digital--never too much storage." I took 42 rolls of film and we had two digital P and S's. I still had to ration film by the end of the trip.

As for reach, even with a telex, you may be disappointed in your ability to fill the frame with smaller/shy animals. And birds will be even tougher.

I use Canon, and my 300mm F/4.0L IS with 1.4 telex, was good on my film slr's (no crop factor), but I could have used more for birds (a minimum of 500mm full frame equivalent). BTW, the image stabilization (IS. For Nikon it's VR-vibration reduction) was invaluable. I would never shoot another tele lens without it. You will be amazed. And remember, when you figure the cost of the safari, and the fact that good glass never goes obsolete, a good tele is an investment--at least that's exuse you can give to your significant other.

I love to use polarizers, but, didn't use mine much, except while on the water in the middle of the day, and never on the tele's. It would be good to protect your front element with a UV filter, though.

If getting more glass with VR isn't in the cards for you, make sure to take a beanbag, and, if you are going to do any walking, a monopod. I like to do some wide angle photos, and I notice that your widest lens is 50mm, which means 75mm equivalent. That's going to limit some of your shot opportunities. I kept 2 slr's at the ready, one with the tele, and the other with a wide angle zoom (24-105mm) Worked great, and it gave me a backup body in case one pooped out. Although they were a bit hard on the neck when walking.

Also get a good flash for night/low light shots as upping the ISO only gets you so far, and most cameras get really noisy much above an ISO of 400.

Extra batteries and charger, too. Make sure you have the right plug adapter for where you are going.

At least have a P&S along for backup. Also, do not forget to take something with which to clean your sensor--esp. if you have only one body and have to change lenses a lot. The sensor is a dust magnet, and dust will affect the quality of your pix. And, of course, a good lens cleaning kit--liquid cleaner and lens tissues, plus micro fiber cloths.

Finally, you mention that it is the first time you will be taking along an slr. Don't know if you have had much time with it already. If not, take lots and lots of pix (esp. low light) under different conditions before you leave so you are familiar with it's workings, and know its "sweet spots" as well as its limitations.

These SLR's have so many options, but I find I have a favorite setup so I don't have to fuss much when something good comes along. You don't want to be messing with settings too much.
Okay, enough for now.

Keep us posted on what you decide, please, and don't forget to post your pix when you get back.

Jim

cary999

Jim covered most of the important things for you. IF this is brand new camera kit for you, start using it now all you can. How are your "post-processing", i.e. Photoshop, skills? If you have none, then what you get out of the D70 may or may not be what you like. So, again, practice with the D70 until it gives you what you want. It will, it just has to know you better.
I'd likely leave the 50MM at home. The 24-85MM is wide enough. Probably get an extender for the 80-200, a 1.7 TC would give you another 140-340mm range which will be very useful. Although, on my last safari my longest lens was 200mm (equivalent to 300mm on my D200, like you have now) and it was ok. But I did crop many photos with Photoshop to be more like 400mm I'd guess. (Next safari probably getting the new Nikon 70-300mm zoom, even though I really don't like a lot of kit).
How long will you be on safari? I'd guess you will need minimum of 1gig of card per day, 2gig per day would be better.
regards - tom

Nikao

thx for the extensive reply!

I forgot to mention I will be able to borrow a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6

My own widest lens is 24 though, so I think I'll be ok for the landscapes

im definately going to bring a beanbag, and cleansing gear.
Im still thinking of the polarisation filters and extender though. But hearing your story I think I definately need the extender (i found the 80-200 2.8 expensive enough for now.. hehe)

I have this camera now since march or something, so I know my way around with it alreadt.. made sure I didn't need to test things on safari

cary999

You know 200mm, the 80-200mmm will work, did good job for me. (Actually I had the Nikon 18-200mm). And post-processing cropping is not a bad way to go, gives you another chance to edit the composition. Take RAW or big-fine jpgs to work with. If you don't have a back up camera, and only, just, another $300 to spend, I'd probably get a Canon S2. It would kill me to be on safari and have the only camera with me fail. I'd do that if I had to choose between a tele-extender and back-up camera. But maybe you've got that covered already.
regards - tom

Nikao

hi tom, thx for the replies.

AS for my photoshop skills, I know quite a bit of it so I will be fine adjusting color levels and cropping and layermasking etcetc ( i took a 10 lesson course in digital photography, which included photoshop)

You are making a strong point about backup camera, difficult thing though is that Im more willing to spend on new stuff rather then on backup stuff haha, altough I totally agree I wouldnt want to be without any camera.

I will be on a 9 day safar, 7 days on zanzibar of a total of 21 days of vacation. id better get myself the imagetank i guess...

ohw by the way.. is there much difference for my camera between type 1, 2 or 3 compact flash memory?

divewop

Take a back-up camera! Whether it be another DSLR or a point & shoot. Heed my advice. I cannot stress that enough as I was foolish enough to learn the hard way.

My only camera (on the trip) failed right in the middle of photographing a group of hyenas stealing a kill from a cheetah while in the Mara. And it was a relatively brand new camera.

The problem was nothing I could fix nor could anyone else. It had to go back to the manufacturer.

If it wasn't for the generosity of one of the camp managers loaning me his
35mm SLR for the remainder of my stay in camp, I would have been SOL.

cary999

Backup camera for me is easy, I just take my previous best camera. Although I will say that when in 2005 three of us took three new Canon S2s, I did buy a Canon S60 just for back up for any one of us to use. I knew that if one of us lost their S2 they would be crushed without a camera while the other two shot away. (Didn't have to use it). Maybe you can borrow one for backup?
Compact Flash 1, 2, 3, you mean like the SanDisk I, II, III? I use SanDisk Ultra II or Ridata Pro, in USA, cost about $45 for 2 gig from amazondotcom or neweggdotcom.
We had a lot of discussion about imagetanks on the forum probably just 2 weeks ago. See if you can find it, look for "Safari photo storage help".
regards - tom

afrigalah

You've had excellent advice. I can add that I prefer the 'reach' of at least 500mm. As I still use film cameras, I have no cropping factor to consider. Presently, my maximum focal length is 600mm (a 300mm lens with a 2x TC). I have taken 800mm on safari (400 + 2x). At times, even this was not enough with small critters, so I guess there will always be times when you'll wish for greater reach.

Like the others, I take two cameras (sometimes three when I include a small medium format job), with the backup camera fitted with either a wide angle lens or a macro lens.

I wouldn't bother with a polarising filter for wildlife, but would use one occasionally for landscapes.

I nearly always use a beanbag, monopod or tripod. IS or VR lenses are certainly a boon, and I wouldn't be without one now, but not essential. Technique and camera support (beanbag etc) are just as if not more important...technique in the case of combos of all shapes, weights and sizes, and support in the case of light-medium to heavyweight combos. Some of my best photos were taken with a non-IS 400/2.8 lens and 1.4x or 2x converter. And no doubt people are already tired of hearing me say my wife gets better results at high speed basketball action with her handheld non-IS 70-200 lens than many of her IS-equipped rivals.

John

afrigalah

I might add (I haven't been game to reveal this before but I know she'll take it kindly ) that my BH is 5 ft 2 in., in her 60s, with arthritic hands...while her rivals are big, strong, usually young men. Technique and fast reflexes are among her strong points.

John

steeliejim

Uh, oh. This is like the old Ford vs. Chevie debate. Or, more currently, Honda vs. Toyota, or BMW, vs. Mercedes, or Canon vs. Nikon. But just had to add a comment.

No question that if shooting action like boxing, basketball a non-IS lens with a larger max aperature will work better than an IS lens with smaller aperature. But most of my shots in Africa were of slow-, or non-moving critters, and for shooting right after sunup and near sundown, and out of a boat, IS works wonderfully, as well as for panning on flying birds.

Portability, handholding in low light, and from non-stationary platforms, for me at least, outweighed one extra stop that a larger aperature provides. I managed my SLR with the 300mm f/4 L IS plus 1.4 telx at the ready around my neck on my walking safaris and out of a canoe (along with another SLR with a short zoom, also IS). I quite doubt I could have done the same with the 2.8 version. Very nice lens but big and heavy. And, if you move up to the 400 or 500mm, forget it wo a tripod.

And, BTW, I DO love big glass. I have the older 500mm f/4.5 L FD lens and have gotten great shots after doing 3000 foot climbs in Denali. It's quite a load, though, a tripod or monopod a must, and I'm not getting any younger. Also, no way I would consider checking it on flights.

For example, the new Canon f/4.0 70-200mm L IS lens is half the weight and a much smaller package than the f/2.8 version. The IS version has 4 stops of stabilization and corresspondents on photo forums (fora, forae, fori?) are reporting good results handholding down to 1/20 of a second. It will be my next lens acquisition.

One last thing: Both Canon and Nikon are doing better all the time with lower noise at higher ISO's. Doubling ISO is like going from a f/4.0 to f/2.8 lens. And, believe me, lots and lots of the best photo ops will be in low light.

Finding out what is the highest ISO at which you can still get good results, and how much you can post-process noise out is worth doing some pre-safari experimenting.

Jim

Jim

Nikao

thx all for tha valuable comments, I will try to find the image tank discussion on this forum.

As for the backup camera, I have my point and shoot camera with me, along with the analog point and shoot of my girlfriend. So I won't be withou a camera, but hate to be without an SLR though ...

About the polarization filter, I at first thought I would only use it on zanzibar with all the water, but someone told me I should use it all the time because of nice colors. Especially if you're shooting during the day when the sun is high.
(I probably wont be out there much at sunrise, at least last year we weren't...)

afrigalah

Nikao,

Polarising filters are wonderful things but they have their disadvantages, too, especially if you're not sure what you're doing.

Among other things, they reduce the amount of light reaching your film plane/sensor. That's not helpful when a lot of the best wildlife activity occurs in low light situations. Why handicap your camera?

They certainly enhance colour saturation, such as deepening the blue of the sky, but depending on the angle of the sun, can create an uneven sky...very attractive to some, ugly to others. You should experiment to see if you like it. And google the subject to find more detailed information.

They reduce reflections off water and glass (but what if you want a good reflection?) and hot spots on surfaces like wet foliage. They're good for boosting colour saturation in dim forest shots. They're also good for producing unnatural colour, which some like and some don't-- try looking at a scene through your polaroid sunnies, then taking the sunnies off.

Anyway, that said, I have a number of polarisers for various cameras and lens diameters. I just use them very judiciously (and that means very rarely indeed) and I wouldn't recommend that anybody stick one on the end of their lens and use it for all occasions.

John

Nikao

thx all for the helpfull replies..
I decided to buy myself a
soligor 2x converter
That way I will have 400mm (x1,5 = 600mm )

bought another 2gig compact flash card +
StorVision PSC-100 40Gb
I think I will be ok with that (I already have 2x 1gig CF cards)

steeliejim

Don't know if you've pulled the plug on the telex, but in my experience, and that of others, it's best to stay with a telex of the same brand as the lens to ensure the best in optics compatibility. Do you have the opportunity to actually do a check of how well your 2x will work with your lens before committing? The other potential issue is that sometimes the loss of light (a full stop) with the 2x makes autofocusing for the camera more difficult. That's why many people go to a 1.4 telx with it's loss of 1/2 stop.

One more thing about polarizers. By all means take it/them. They take up so little space, and I've gotten really handy at screwing them on and off, and putting them in a dedicated shirt pocket. You can see instantly whether they give you the effect you are looking for. I will admit that as much as I like polarizers, I used them in Africa only mid day, and not on my tele lens. Good luck.

Jim

Nikao

the nikon telex don't work with the nikkor 80-200 lens, so that's why I ordered another one. (they recommended this brand at the store)

Since my lens is 2.8 I don't bother that much for a loss of 1 (or maybe more) stop.
But I can try it out, and if it doesn't work like I would want it to, I can send it back

you make me doubt the polarization filter again hehe... (but thats another 100 euro's... )

steeliejim

Don't mean to be too discouraging re. the polarizer. If you don't already have one, I'd definitely get it, because it really is a very useful item in the right situation, in and out of Africa (easy for me to spend your $$$, eh?). It's another item you should be able to try out at your photo shop. And, after all, the primary person you have to please is yourself.

Nikao

Im just wondering if it really ads the kind of color and light effect that can't be achieved in Photoshop afterwards?

afrigalah

You can achieve many of the effects in PS afterwards but some take a fair bit of work. Easier to use a polariser, I think...but again, you should know what you want it for in a particular shot. Find a good book on photography...John Shaw's Nature Photography field guide is one. Shaw uses polarisers most often to cut glare from shiny or wet vegetation, and least often to deepen the blue of the sky.

John

safarichuck

Nikao,
John makes a really good point here. In nature photography polarization is most used around water (wet leaves) and sometimes to darken a blue sky. Be aware however, that when using a wide angle lens (28mm or less) you will often get an uneven blue sky that is difficult to get out with photoshop (I've tried). This is due to the angle of the sun changing with regard to the sky over a large field. My experience with polarizing filters in Africa and with telephoto zoom lenses is that it just cut out too much light, especially in the first morning hours and at sunset. Sure, at noon go ahead and use a polarizer, not much to lose as the light is so flat that anything might help. You can always adjust color temperature but you can't add the sort of contrast and depth that early morning and sunset provide. One additional thought, if you do get a polarizing filter, get a good one. Otherwise you will be placing two mediocre pieces of glass in fron of your nice lens.
Chuck