Costa Rica Lens / Vacinations

[anthony_bridges]

<p>I am thinking about visiting Costa Rica in mid-March. Being a tourist mostly visiting La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio.</p>

<p>I was planning to take my 7D. I wanted to photograph flowers and perhaps some birds as well. The lenses I have are: ef 28 f/1.8, ef 50 f/1.8, ef 85 f/1.8, ef 100 f/2.8 macro, ef 24-105 f/4 and the ef 70-200 f/2.8 is. I thought about taking the 28mm, macro and the 70-200. Would the 70-200 have enough reach to photograph the birds and perhaps some of the monkeys? I can easily rent the 100-400 or the 300 locally but I need to reserve ahead of time.</p>

<p>Also, did any of you do vacinations for tropical diseases before you left? The Lonely Planet forum mentioned it.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

Anthony</p>

[Ken Katz]

<p>A few years ago, my 70-200 + 1.4x on a 1.6x camera was still short for shooting birds and monkeys in Costa Rica, so the 100-400 seems like a good idea. We got whatever vaccinations recommended by my company's medical department, including malaria (which was probably a bit over the top precaution for Costa Rica).</p>

 

[JDMvW]

<p>Given the increasing resistance of many diseases to modern post-infection treatments, I'd always recommend getting whatever innoculations/etc. you can get ahead of time. Being careful of water and fresh uncooked foods is always a good idea. There are some mostly effective vaccines for cholera, which is widespread and not just in Hispaniola. Costa Rica is probably less of a problem than most places, all the same.<br>

200mm might be a little limiting for bird photography, but on a 7D it would serve. If there are shelters/hides at your bird-watching locations, it would probably do fine.</p>

[alexander_hare]

<p>Hi Anthony,<br>

My wife and I are off to Thailand for a stock photography shoot shortly and she asked me whether she should take her 70-200. What I said to her applies here too: it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!<br>

From a technical POV you will struggle to get frame filling shots and I think Kenneth has good advice about the tele converter-it's what I use to beef up my own 70-200 without the cost and weight of an additional 'super zoom.' I think, unless you are prepared to hire and carry some heavy artillery, you just have to accept these limitations and work on creative solutions to them. Mind you the 300mm plus a tele converter would solve the problems!<br>

Have a great trip and show us your results when you're back.</p>

<p>Alex Hare</p>

[photo_galleries]

<p>I was just there a couple of months ago. My longest lens was a 70-200/2.8 with 1.4X TC and it was too short for the rare occasions that we saw birds. But I wasn't really after birds. I was after snakes and frogs, and I found a lot of those. If you are after birds, you need reach and plenty of it. But you also need a fast lens -- the fastest 400 or 500 with a teleconverter would be good.</p>

<p>Check out my Costa Rica gallery on <a href="http://kalahi.net">my website.</a></p>

[john_heiam]

<p>Last year we spent two weeks in Costa Rica and I tried to photograph birds using my 50 - 250mm lens on my Canon Rebel. With a lot of cropping I got some acceptable shots. I have tried using the 100 - 400mm lens and it is too long for me to handhold. I am much happier with my 70 - 300mm lens, and it about half the weight and one third the price. The problem I found shooting birds was that they were all strongly backlit. I saw some serious birding photographers from Europe that were using the 100 - 400mm lens plus a big flash with a strange lens attachment for the flash to concentrate the light of the flash. The birds don't sit still long, so I think a tripod would be of limited use.<br>

I think you should also go to Savegre (up in the mountains between Manual Antonio and Jan Jose) to photograph the resplendant quetsal. I am going to try and add one of my photos of the bird to this post. If you want more information email me (<a href="mailto:johnheiam@charter.net">johnheiam@charter.net</a>).</p>

[arie_vandervelden1]

<p>You should get Hep A+B (twinrix).<br>

For more info about inoculations check here:<br>

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx</p>

<p>Bring the macro lens for sure. I managed to get monkeys, sloths and a few easy birds with my 90 mm macro. You'll do fine with your 70-200.</p>

<p>I think you're a bit weak on the wide end. I used my ultrawide quite a lot. Think seascapes at Manuel Antonio.</p>

[anthony_bridges]

<p>Thanks everyone for the advice. I think it would safe just to get the vaccinations.</p>

<p>Nice gallery Keith. I think a teleconverter might be best option instead carrying another heavy lens.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link Arie. I'm more of a medium to telephoto guy. I recently visited Point Reyes, CA and used my 70-200 more than my 28 mm with a 5D. I would probably take more photos of the beach rocks than the beach. :)</p>

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[costaricaweddingphotograph]

<p>I visit Costa Rica often. Your macro lenses will be great! And, of course, your longest telephoto since the birds and mammals are incredible!<br>

I was told at my travel clinic that you don't need to worry about vaccinations for malaria since there isn't malaria in costa Rica. However, they do have dengue and unfortunately, my husband did get it (it's rare, but unfortunate). <br /><br />There is no vaccination for denge and there is no cure. However, my travel clinic did sell me some very expensive bug lotion (not spray) that is somewhat okay (well... it has deet so take heed) for skin while being a good repellant. Make sure you wear socks & long pants if you're hiking. it is easy to get ticks there... especially in corcovado national park area or if you're doing any hiking along the grass near the ocean.<br>

<br />Good luck on your trip. you will LOVE Costa Rica.</p>

 

[mike_hitchen]

<p>If you decide to rent the lens then the chances are you will use it at full zoom most of the time because wildlife in the rainforest is usually high up. Can you go to a camera store and handle the 100-400 and the 300 because I think your choice would be more about how it balances when mounted on the camera and I gather the 300mm f4 has the better IS.<br>

Backlighting can be a problem when shooting updards so flash would be recommended as well. <br>

John - the thing you saw on the front of the flashes would have been a flash extender <br>

<a href="http://www.rpphoto.com/store/default.asp">http://www.rpphoto.com/store/default.asp</a><br>

<a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/better_beamer.shtml">http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/better_beamer.shtml</a></p>

<p> </p>

[tamzid_abu_saleh]

<p>This small Central American country nestled <strong>between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans</strong>, is one of the <strong>world’s most popular destinations</strong>. Costa Rica is known around the globe for its love of nature (<strong>ecotourism</strong>), warm hearted people and amazing <strong>bio-paradise</strong>.</p>

<h3><a href="http://discoverycostarica.com/"><strong>Discovery Costa Rica Travel Agency</strong></a></h3>