EOS 20D....which Lens for Safari photography

[andrew_thomas5]

please offer advice to a novice.....

[mark_chappell]

Safari...... where? What are your interests (scenery? big mammals? birds? people?).

 

If this is a classic East African See-The-Charismatic-Megafauna type safari and you really

want to bring only one lens, I'd suggest the Canon 100-400 IS. But if you have any

interest in landscapes/scenery you will find this lens pretty confining at the short end. I

think you might be happier with the 100-400 and something like a 17-40 or 17-85.

 

Or you might try the 70-200/2.8 IS with a 2X converter instead of the 100-400.

[mark u]

Location and time of year is important in helping with lens choice. If you're on the wide plains of the Masai Mara or somewhere where offroad driving is forbidden you will need longer lenses. In bush country, longer lenses are often only useful for birds or a few small mammals. In some highly frequented tourist areas the animals may not be shy of being within a few feet of your vehicle. Time of year dictates whether you will see mass herds migrating, or smaller groups of animals, and how lush the vegetation is (and therefore how far away you can see an animal on the ground). Animals gather at water holes in the dry season, but not so much when water is abundant. Heat haze and dust may limit useful visibility in hotter seasons. Different areas have different kinds of animals that you will see. There may be interesting macro subjects too such as colourful lizards, frogs, and insects. So my advice is start by researching your location and the season for the planned time of your visit.

 

One thing though: plan on taking a second body, even if it's just a film point and shoot. If conditions are dusty, you won't want to be changing lenses any more often than absolutely necessary, and sometimes something will happen suddenly that will make you wish you had a different lens mounted anyway.

[yakim_peled1]

What is your budget? Will you use tripod/monopod? What will you be shooting? From what distance? Which lenses you currently own?

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[wingedrabbit]

This lens should be good enough to count the hairs on an lion's eye lashes.

 

http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/images/images17.php

http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras_lenses_accessories/super_telephoto_lenses/ef1200mmf56lusm.html

 

Of course, you might need a permit to carry one of these things around. Somone might think you're a terrorist.

[rpallagi]

if you are sitting in one place... the longest lens you have... in the jeep shoot with 100-400IS, on the ground walking---- 35-350L. Depends on what kind of safari...

 

good luck