Nikon 200-400 vs. 80-400 for short safari trip

<p>I'm planning to use a better lens for my upcoming safari trip. I've also worked on my technique, since last time I made a number of mistakes summarised at <a href="/beginner-photography-questions-forum/00WYjc">http://www.photo.net/beginner-photography-questions-forum/00WYjc</a>.</p>

<p>My current lens is the Sigma 120-400, and the body is a D800 (so happily I will be able to use much higher ISO values and still get acceptable IQ, and should be able to AF at f/8). I'm considering either either hiring or buying the new Nikon 80-400 (i.e. the 2013 model) or hiring (buying us out of the question) the Nikon 200-400. The safari trip is 3d (though 11 days away from home, which drives the rental costs up; there is no possibility to hire the 200-400 in South Africa, I already called the two hire companies I could identify in South Africa).</p>

<p>The 70-200 would also work for this purpose with a TC, but I figured I'd get better results with either of the other two options.</p>

<p>All the photography will be done from inside a vehicle. Since the vehicle will be open-sided with a canopy, my existing support probably also will not work (it's a "Wind-Bag", a beanbag adapted to secure itself on a half-open car window). I have a monopod, but never used this for safari before since they're usually not useful in a regular car and I was advised they take up enough space in a shared vehicle to be annoying to others. However, I can bring it if this is my best option. Equipment size is pretty much a non-issue for travel, since I'll be flyign with a Think Tank Airport International 2, which should accommodate the bodies and either of the long lenses. I'll be driving to the safari park, so no problems with small aircraft.</p>

<p>The resulting images will be printed at 8"x12" if good. If bad, hidden away on a secret disk drive forever, or deleted.<br /> I need your advice on which of the long lenses to choose and how to support it.</p>

<p>(I will also use a D700 with a 24-70 for non-tele stuff, that's all under control I think).</p>

<p>I did already search for information on the forums on these lenses, but most of the hits in the first few pages dated from about 2005, well before the release of the current version of either of the lenses I'm considering.</p>

<p>I have been to Africa for safari twice, back in 1997 and 2000 during the film era. If I were to go again, I would bring a 200-400mm/f4 on an APS-C body. I have used both lenses in question here extensively. To me, f4 still has its advantages. It lets you capture under dimmer light and use lower ISO. Since you will mainly be in a vehicle, the weight is not as important an issue. I was in Kenya and Tanzania and used bean bags from the top hatch. You may need to use a monopod from an open vehicle.</p>

<p>The 80-400mm/f4.5-5.6 AF-S VR is considerably smaller. Therefore, it is good for hand held birds in flight type images. It is also much better for hiking.</p>

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<p>Hello James;<br>

The advice from Shun to consider using an APS-C body to compliment your FX D700 makes a lot of sense, especially when you are not making wall-sized prints. That is what I am doing later this year.<br>

I have an upcoming trip to Botswana and will be carrying the APS-C Nikkon D7100 in the 1.3x crop mode. That gives one approximately a 2.0 rather than the 1.5 factor of the normal DX mode. In simplistic terms that means a 100mm lens acts more like a 200mm lens rather than 150mm.<br>

Mounted to the body will be a Nikon 300mm f4 so there is the view of a 600mm lens. Mount a Nikon TC to it and, if the light is decent, you will have even more "reach". <br>

My trip is for ten days so I will also have a D4, Nikon 28-300mm VR and the new 80-400mmVR, a monopod, beanbag and the 1.4 and 1.7 teleconverters to round out the trip.<br>

Using the 28-300VR on the D4 gives me a reach of 28-300 in FX or 42-450 in DX mode. Then I will have the 300mm f4 mounted on the D7100 with a 1.4TC which will give me a reach of 840mm since the D7100 will be in the 1.3x crop mode. <br>

The 80-400mm, with another D4 body, is my insurance policy should there be an equipment failure. <br>

Just thoughts to you from a serious, not overly technical, amateur photographer.<br>

Al</p><div></div>

<p>While I can see the point of a DX body, I don't have one so I'll be using the D800 on the longer lens. Hypothetically if I use it in crop mode (I likely won't, I'd guess I'll crop in post-processing), I'll have more than enough pixels to print at 12x8, and likely twice that if I chose. So at this stage I don't think it's worth spending another €800 on a D7100. Having said this I'm seriously considering using the 400mm zoom (whichever one I end up choosing) with a 1.4 teleconverter (even the f/5.6 lens should still autofocus with it on the D800) which I'd have to buy or rent with the lens (I don't own a TC).</p>

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<p>IMO, Mr. Sandberg's suggestion is a good idea. For the price of a new 80-400 you could buy a new D7100 and a good used 80-400 (version zero). While the autofocus on this lens is notoriously slow compared to modern AFS types, in my experience it isn't much of an issue unless you are shooting birds in flight. The combination of the 80-400 with the DX format and 1.3x crop mode will give you all the reach you could ask for. Whatever route you choose, I recommend you get the new equipment right away and practice with it as much as you can before you go. You don't want to be fumbling with an unfamiliar camera/lens combo to get a particular setting as the shot of a lifetime is turning to walk away.</p>

<p>About the monopod: I have used one successfully on board boats and on the shuttle bus in Denali Nat'l Park in Alaska. But there's a danger - engine vibration. If the vehicle engine is running, the monopod will transmit the vibrations to the camera, and the results will be awful. I had some success resting the foot of the monopod on the top of my shoe to dampen the vibration, but if the vehicle has some shake to it, that will be too much of the technique.</p>

<p>James, you have gotten some good advice here. I am biased towards the 200-400mm f 4.0 choice for this safari , but I would never attempt such a trip without two camera bodies. You can shoot your D 800 in FX mode or in crop mode without too much of a sacrifice in megapixels. A second camera body could be another D 800 or a D 7100 or a D 300s. There is merit to having your second body being a DX body with a shorter lens attached to it so you will not be changing lenses during peak action shooting times. I guarantee you will be faced with these situations. For maximum stability from your vehicle, make sure your bean bags are up to the task especially for shooting with your D 800 where everything has to be as perfect as possible to get really sharp images Bring your own bean bag if you have to. Check out the ones made by Gura Gear, especially the Sabi series. I would take a monopod with me if I were using a 200-400mm lens or anything bigger. When I was on a safari, and the vehicle was stopped the engine was always off. You may need the monopod to support the lens if you are shooting out the low windows.</p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

<p>Joseph, as I already wrote, I do have two bodies: a D700 and a D800. So there will be no need to change lenses.</p>

<p>As for engine stopping, this is variable. It mainly depends, I believe, on what animals are about. If there are rhinos or elephants close by for example, the driver will never shut off the engine, for safety reasons.</p>

<p>I have used none of the above, but recently read Brad Hill's opinion here: <a href="http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html">http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html</a> .<br>

He specifically addresses the choice between the 80-400 and the 200-400.</p>

<p>Brad Hill's blog is about a specific location.</p>

<p>I have had the 200-400mm/f4 AF-S VR since 2006. I added the 80-400 AF-S VR recently, of course, since that lens (with AF-S) was only introduced earlier this year. Both lenses are useful for different reasons. Again, for African safaris, since you will mainly be inside a vehicle so that weight is not that important an issue, I prefer the 200-400mm/f4 if you have a choice.</p>

<p>For such trips, I bring a minimum of 3 camera bodies. To me, APS-C/DX has a big advantage. Whether you are willing to acquire/rent and carry so much equipment for travel is another topic.</p>

<p>My safari was long ago, but I didn't find that I used 400mm focal length as much as I had expected.<br /> All the same, on the point of 'cropping', don't crop the image in the camera - definitely, as you suggest, do any cropping needed on the computer much later on.</p>

<p>Noise (from higher ISOs) is going to be better than shaky pictures.</p>

<p>If it were me, I'd buy even one of the intro level APS-C bodies for the long reach. It would almost certainly cost you less than renting some hugely expensive lens.</p>

<p>Using lenses like those from above makes me really feel great. I love to look at my pictures.</p>