herman_hiel

There are no road signs in neither Kenya nor Tanzania. In the parks, an experienced driver knows where to take you. You would lose

time and opportunities. So go with a driver, with some simple instructions you'll see what you want. In most parks it is not allowed to go

out of the vehicle. We have been to Tanzania some 5 times and wouldn't dream going without an experienced driver. Enjoy.!

<p>We have been to Rantambore NP a couple of years ago and this April we're going to Kahna NP. We have booked an elephant tour, as an elephant is more mobile than a jeep. Never done this. What sort of lenses should I take? In a jeep I log most of my gear along: 2 bodies, 500f4 IS, 300f2.8, 70-200f2.8 IS. the 500f4 is often resting on a monopod but I reckon that might not be possible with the basket we'll be sitting in. So I guess the 500f4 is out with the elephant? And being higher up, it might be darker? Is a flash necessary? Thanks a lot. Herman</p>

 

<p>Chad,<br>

you don't have 36 solutions; either you stick with your 5DII and get a real u/w housing (consider Ikelite) or look for a P/S. I would never put a 5DII in a plastic bag. When I bought my u/w set-up I was warned: it's not a matter of if but when the housing will leak. I suggest to get the best protection you can get for your expensive camera (and lens!). Good luck.</p>

<p>I've been about 10 times on a safari in East-Africa and I never whished I hadn't brought my 500f4IS. Before it broke down I had a 600f4. Your jeep is not allowed to go aff-road, so you might be some distance away from whatever wildlife you'll see. I once shot a leopard with the 500f4 and a 1.4 and 2x TC stacked. And that's not even mentionning birds, which are also stunning. Don't gett too worried about your cameras: I shoot 1D and 1DIII and my wife and son a 20D and we've never had a problem with dust or dirt. I second the tripod: leave them home and take a monopod and beanbag. And a pair of binocs. You will love it!</p>

<p>I dive about every year on vacation, some 5 dives; so after some 100 dives, I needed a new challenge. My wife started to shoot video u/w again and then I saw an Ikelite house with flash for sale for a Canon 20D; my wife has a 20D and I bought the rig. I bought a back-up 20D, because when you have a leakage, the housing will be OK but the camera is gone. The 20D is an OK camera and cheap (now). I am on OK photog topside, but boy, u/w is a different ballgame. I managed one (1) OK pic so far...It changes your diving and makes you focus more. As we fly to go on vacation, I bought a Pelican case fot the housing and the flash, the cables go in the luggage and the camera and lenses go in a normal back-pack. So far, no problem. I'll continue to shoot u/w; it's a lot of fun. </p>

<p>I used a Jobo hard disk for a while and last year I bought a netbook for 300 €, which allows me to download my cards and I can use the internet. The netbook is small and light so it is no big deal. If you go for extra cards, I'd rather take 2 cards of 16 GB than 1 of 32 GB, as cards break down or get faulty. </p>

<p>I used a Jobo hard disk for a while and last year I bought a netbook for 300 €, which allows me to download my cards and I can use the internet. The netbook is small and light so it is no big deal. If you go for extra cards, I'd rather take 2 cards of 16 GB than 1 of 32 GB, as cards break down or get faulty. </p>

<p>Thanks for all the input; it looks like the verdict is still out. So I'll hold on a bit longer and see what happens later this year. </p>

 

<p>Fellow photonetters, I need your advice!<br>

I shoot for pleasure, a bit at home in winter (garden birds) and some 2 weeks of wildlife on vacation (East Africa

being a favourite). I now have a 1D mark I and a 1D III. I am not too crazy about the 1III because

of the AF button. It is confusing and unnecessary IMO. I do like the higher ISO possibilities as it is

dark in winter in Europe.<br>

Now my wife -bless her - has offered to buy a 1DIV for an important birthday (that's how I got my 1D). Of

course I don't need that camera but I admit to a degree of equiment lust. I like the 1D serie since my

1N HS film camera. They're robust and can take a lot of throwing around, which is necessary on our

trips. I also like the feel and weight.<br>

I like the high fps of the 1D serie as at home I shoot garden birds and some of them are skittish and in

Africa I once mist shooting a crock because of a slow fps and I promised myself that wouldn't happen again, at least

not because of a slow camera.<br>

I sometimes feel I should slow down and shoot slower (sometimes) hence my thoughts on the 1Ds serie, which I

never used. Preferably, it would have the same charger and batteries, which is handy when travelling,

now I have to take 2 chargers, more batteries...<br>

I also have a 20D which I use for scubadiving; I seldom use it top-side as I'm used to my 1D feel.<br>

I have some nice lenses, my favourite being the 500fIS; another lens I like a lot is the 300f2.8 non

IS. The last one I have been thinking about replacing with the IS version, as the non IS is not reparable

anymore (my 600 f4 non IS died and is only usefull to chase away burglars should the occasion arise).<br>

The 300f2.8 IS is almost the same price as the 1DIV and will keep it's value a lot longer. Should I add a

1Ds mark I or II to replace my 1D mark I? Or a second DIII of DIV? I always take 2 cameras on

vacation but don't want to take 3!<br>

So could you give me the benefit of your thoughts? Thank you.<br>

</p

<p>Please let us know how the trip went. The Amazon is somewhere on our to-go list :-) Enjoy.</p>

<p>As a Canon shooter, I can't advise on which camera to buy. I would advise you to bring 2 cameras though, having a back-up is usefull and you could have both fitted with the most used lens, which will prevent you from lens-swapping, which is not advisable in Africa as it can be dusty. The 80-400 will be sufficient for most shooting, but bear in mind that in most of Tanzania you're not allowed off road, at least not in the National Parks. So think about renting a 500f4 lens. Your longest lens will always be too short. I always take my 500f4 and would never go on a safari without it. Enjoy.</p>

<p>Some general adivce: I second the choice for a back-up camera. As for the lenses: it depends what you're interested in and where you're going. It is true that in general you' ll get close to wildlife, however in a lot of National Parks you're not allowed off road; I always (on some 10 trips now) take my 500f4 (and before it died, my 600f4) and sometimes add a 1.4 converter; get the point? The saying is your lens can never be too long. All of this to say that maybe you should use the money to rent some good lenses. I know it's a lot of money, but how likeliy is it you'll ever go to Africa again? Enjoy your trip, you'll love it.</p>

<p>I second the IS version; I have a 600f4 (non IS); the focus motor died and it is impossible to repair. The 300f2.8 is in the same situation, so spend the extra cash!</p>

<p>If you're interested in birds you should have at least a 500mm! Consider renting one. Even for mamals, a long lens is a plus: we once saw a leopard resting on a branch, in a bush. I stacked a 1.4 and a 2x multiplier on my 500mm and I needed it. Don't worry about logging your equipment: you'll be spending most of your time in a vehicle, so it doesn't matter.<br>

Forget about the tripod and flash; I take a monopod and seldom use it. My beanbag is homemade; I fill it up with rice or beans bought locally and at the end of the trip give it away. And I usually take most of my gear and am happy most of the times.<br>

I think nobody mentionned a pair of binoculars; you won't want to be without them.<br>

Since we're going to Tanzania in November, if I have any usefull news, I'll post it.<br>

Enjoy!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I upgraded from a Lowepro mini trekker (no used by my wife) to a Lowepro Nature (green and black) photo backpack to a Lowepro Roller backpack (forgot the name). This one packs an amazing amount of gear, which I seem to stack into it (500f4, 2 big bodies, 100-400, 700f2.8 and smaller lenses, couple of converters, flash, binocs... I simply roll it to the counter when checking in and up to now nobody has said anything. Sometimes the security people want the bag opened, but often that is just out of curiosity... The bag fits -only just- in the overhead compartment on international flights. My problem is that it is so heavy (some 20 kilos) that I can not lift it myself to slot it in nicely...And I am not sponsored by Lowepro :-) </p>

<p >So we will go diving for the Easter vacation on Glovers Reef for about 8 days. Our stay would be either at Dagringa or Placentia. Though Dagringa seem closer to Glovers Reef, most dive books suggest Placentia. Also, we would like to visit the Jaguar Preserve. So what is the best choice, Dagringa or Placentia. We have a 9 year young son and we’re not into nightlife.</p>

<p >Also: since I’ll be lugging underwater photography gear, I am bringing a Canon 20D and a wide angle lens; for the JPreserve I want/have to limit myself to 1 lens and I was thinking about a 70-200f2.8IS or a 100-400IS. Is the forest dense? Is there enough light? That will determine what lens to bring. I also have the Canon converters, but I guess that won’t make much sense.</p>

<p >Any suggestions will be welcomed with thanks.</p>

<p>Yucatan in Mexico and the North of Guatemala.</p>

<p>I wouldn't go on a safari like this without a 500f4; rent one before you go, take some pics of birds in a garden and you'll see why you need a lens like that. Also, most of the wildlife will be close but some are not; on our last trip we saw a leopard in a tree; was I glad I had my 500f4IS! Enjoy!</p>

 

<p>Hi,<br>

you'll find that your lens is never too long, so go and rent a 500f4 or so. You won't regret it. Enjoy.</p>

Kelly, Botswana is the best place I've been to (8 other safaris in East Africa) and generally, you probably won't encounter shops on your trip, so take everything you need.

1. get a back-up camera, ideally the same as you got; if you can get a charger on the carbattery, get one!

2. forget the tripod; only take a monopod if you can squeeze it in; a beanbag is sufficient;

3. rent a long lens and a 1.4 converter (e.g. 500f4IS) as the birds are amazing; you will be close but a lens is never long enough (that why converters were invented!)

4. estimate the number of pics you'll take; double that and then you know how many cards to bring; it's better to bring 2*1GB in stead off 1*2GB (in case of a faulty card)

5. you'll be fine on the mokoros

6. bring a pair of binoculours! if you don't you'll never forgive yourself!

7. buy (or rent from lib) a birdbook (Newman, Collins...)

8. bring a flashlight as around 18.00 it gets dark;

 

Enjoy; you'll never forget this trip!

I haven't flow with Br Airlines carrying a big bag for a while. I did fly out of Brussels to Arusha through Amsterdam with KLM last April; the plane from Brussels to Amsterdam was a small-ish propeller type. My photogear was in a Lowepro Road Runner, wheighing some 20 kilos (40poulds?) and it just fits in the overhead bin in a Jumbo jet. I just roll it when I check in and pretend/hide that it is a 'normal' roll-on. In the small plane it was just stowed with all the other gear inside the plane (I carried it up myself). I had one comment in Brussels from the security people as one agent tried to push my bag on the conveyor belt; she hadn't expected the weight and made a comment and that was it. Nobody else asked or commented, neither in Amsterdam or in Arusha and coming back to Brussels. And I have flown to Kenya a couple of years ago with Br Airlines out of Brussels with the same bag and did not have a problem.

Next time we fly to Kenya I guess we'll fly Br Airlines out of Brussels with the same bag and I'll just take the chance.

Let us know your experience.

Also give some thought how you're going to back up your cards; unless you take a stack of CF cards, you'll need a system to back up your cards. Africa is not the place to look for this kinda stuff...Enjoy.

If I were you, I'd skip Antwerp and visit Brussels instead. Antwerp is interesting, but more the sights are dispersed than Brussels. In Brussels you'll wind up at the Grande Place and go from there. If you need more, let me know. Have fun.

Last month I flew back from Kilimanjaro to Amsterdam on KLM and the passenger in front of us had 2 full-size Masai spears (the ones with the long blade); they were rapped in paper, but if you have ever seen a weapon, that was one! And since they were on board, security and KLM must have let them through.

Anyway, why don't you pack the monopod? I have done that many times with no problems.

I suggest you find out whether the places you stay in have electricity.

A number of safaris stay in camp sites; though they have water and showers, most didn't have electricity. At least not when I was there some 15 years ago. Enjoy.