wildlife

<p>Hi everyone,<br>

I'm looking for some quick advice. Can anyone suggest a combination of camera and lens suitable for wildlife (South African game reserve) and particularly birds?<br>

Although I can outlay around £2,000 I intend the cost to be as low as possible, I'm thinking around £500 max. In other words I'm intending to recoup most of the money. I'm living in Europe. Hiring equipment in South Africa is fraught so it is my intention to buy a camera and a single telephoto zoom lens in the UK and sell both when I return.<br>

My question for the forum is what camera and what lens. I'm considering either Nikon or Canon. I'm posting here because I've been banned from the Nikon forum - I managed to irritate a moderator. I'm thinking either Nikon D7200 and 200-500 lens or an appropriate Canon camera with the latest 100-400 lens. I am more familiar with Nikon DSLRs but have owned a film EOS camera in the past.<br>

Any thoughts?</p>

<p>I'd be most grateful.</p>

<p>I can see a 100-400 lens (mark I) on ebay.co.uk for 600 GBP buy it now. That is probably the cheapest you will get it. Then an older Canon camera body can be picked up for quite little (Canon 30D or 20D for under a hundred pounds). If you want the Mark II version of the lens then it will be way out of your budget.</p>

<p>In equatorial Africa most animals are fairly inactive during the heat of the day, and start moving at twilight. But that makes it hard to photograph them with enough light for a fast shutter speed. I imagine that South Africa, although a bit cooler, is broadly similar in this.</p>

<p>So, if I understand correctly, you're willing to spend 2,000-pounds up front and hope for a net of 500-pounds or less, on resale. Given that, I agree with Ed on the lens, but would suggest a 7D for the body, with a more recent sensor, better AF system and higher frames per second that the xxD series. With luck, you might find a used 7D MkII in the 1,000-pd range. Buying used, I'd expect that you'll recover 80% to 90% on prompt resale, post-trip. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Thanks very much for your replies. A friend has alerted me to a website that has caused me to rethink this. The last time I was in SA I tried to investigate hiring but was unsuccessful. Perhaps this was because I was only looking at a Nikon rig. It seems though that I will be able to hire Canon equipment in Durban and it will be a lot cheaper than buying and then attempting to resell. That said, I think I've come to the conclusion that if I were to buy I'd probably be prepared to spend a bit more and get the 7D and the Mark II version of the lens. It would have a better resale value anyway.</p>

<p>Again, thanks a lot for your contributions.</p>

<p>With your budget you could buy a used or refurbished 70D and the version I of the 100-400. I use this combo with a great deal of satisfaction. Photos taken with this combo are very sharp. In the past I used the Nikon D300s and 80-400 AF-D lens with good results as long as I stopped the lens to f8 or f11 which was that lenses sweet spot. The sweet spot for my 100-400 is also in the f8-f11 range which is probably typical for lenses in this focal length range. BTW, I checked eBay and KEH.com and other places and the D300s or D7000 + 80-400 D lens combination can be had in the sub $1100 range and is well within your budget.</p>

<p>You may want to rent the gear BEFORE you come to SA. This would allow you to test, debug, and familiarize yourself with the gears.</p>

<p>The 400mm sounds right. When I was in East Africa, I used my FF body + a Canon 400mm + a 1.4X TC. I rarely used the 100-400mm. But that was me. Your situations could be different. Really depends on the guide who drives the safari truck. He/she determines the shooting range.</p>

<p>The 100-400mm lens has small maximum aperture. That will limit you to shoot wildlife in the morning or late afternoon, when wildlife are most active and abundant.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>For South African Private reserves either a 100-400L (better) or a 70-300L(more useful for normal photography) will be good. A 70-300 IS would be the bare minimum.<br>

For a body all are good, but latter ones will offer better low light capability. Some game reserves offer twilight and night drives. You will need a 7D or later if you wish to get shots on these.<br>

Good luck, trip of a lifetime.</p>