ddub

Headed to Africa in February. Self driving Botswana for 12 days and then 12 days traditional Safari in Tanzania and Kenya.

How would you set up things if it were you. Here are my options: I can't take everything weight is big consideration due to some small planes.
taking 2 bodies D500 and D810 Which lenses with which bodies
lenses to choose from
200-400 F4
70-200 2.8
24-70 2.8
14-24 2.8
1.4 teleconverter
Wimberley head
Tripod
Apex bean bag

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

That sounds like a great experience.
What are your thoughts on what gear to take?

ddub

I am asking the group. :) The only for sure things, are the two bodies and the 200-400 trying to decide the rest.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

If it were me, choosing from what you have listed, all I would take is the D500, the 24-70mm, and the Teleconverter.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

If weight is really critical, a full frame camera may not be the first choice, but if it is, I would personally go with the 24-70 and 70-200 lenses, and a smaller tripod. Two personal factors are your plans for the pictures--mementos or (perhaps) publication; and your style. I lean toward wide angle views, but scenic vistas in Africa might call for telephoto also (as would wildlife). For stalking game, the long lens is the main instrument, but it is also the most limited--it wants more light and hates movement.

I have travelled with a 4x5 field camera and three prime lenses (90mm, 150mm, 240mm--all quite small) in a small briefcase, plus tripod. Surely what you can get into a small briefcase would be all right--and you can skimp on the clothing perhaps. (I carried the briefcase to Chicago, and a trunk for warm clothes, boots, and formal wear.)

I still prefer prime lenses, especially compared to "kit" lenses (the ones good for popular snapshots), unless they are beastly expensive, so a wide and a telephoto usually suit me. I hardly ever go for a normal lens, unless that is all I have, and I would like two wide lenses better than one. But once I had a twin lens reflex with one built in lens, and learned to do everything with that (without worrying about what I could not do with it). I saw a picture of Queen Elizabeth with one of these around her neck when travelling--a Rolleiflex of course. My was the humble Yashica 124, but it was brilliant too, and millions of yearbooks and weddings were done with those. If you go to Africa with two lenses, you can certainly find plenty to shoot with those, yes?

Another consideration is that the horse need not be before the cart--many great photographers have concentrated on what they can do with very limited equipment, rather than the other way round.

Don't forget close-ups--an auxiliary close-up filter should be enough.

erinjay64

These days, I only take what I can carry on with me. I check nothing. If I were you, I would take the 14-24mm lens, the 70-200mm lens, and the D500 camera, and the bean bag. I'd leave the rest at home.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Based on the speed of some animals and how close you need to get to fill the frame, I'd consider either a 150-600 or a .460 Weatherby Magnum.

Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

My husband and I were in Botswana last September and have also done safaris both in Tanzania and Kenya. We were limited to one medium-sized duffle bag (under 50 lbs.) each plus a backpack.

Most of the time you will be incredibly close to the animals, especially in Botswana where you can go off-road and drive right up to them (be VERY CAREFUL if you are self-driving....!). I took my Nikon D500 with the 70-200 lens and 1.4 teleconverter and never changed that lens, although I did remove the teleconverter a few times in low light conditions. I also took my D7100 (crop sensor) with the 24-70 lens on it. I never needed more reach in Botswana.

My advice is to leave the tripod and bean bag at home. No room in safari vehicles for tripods, a monopod maybe. Just too hard to keep working around it. The safari vehicles in Kenya and Tanzania were the pop-top version and the safari companies provided bean bags.

My recommendations: 70-200, 24-70, teleconverter, and plenty of batteries and memory cards.

What a fabulous trip!!! Enjoy!!! I'm a bit jealous.....

breck Loc: Derbyshire UK

Chances are you will be taking photos from inside a car/safari vehicle, a tripod will be a waste of time get a monopod and take a bean bag empty and fill it on arrival, the D500 and 400 mm lens unless you are going to Namibia in which case the 70-200 mm and tele converter for occational use .(you get much closer to the animals in Entosha)
Best if you can take 2 bodies as it will be dusty and lens changing is not advised

sroc

I returned from an African safari (Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe) three weeks ago. The gear that I took: 2 OMD EM1 bodies, 1 OMD EM1 Mark II body, (lenses are 35mm equivalent) 24-200mm f4, 80-300mm f4 and 600mm f4, 1.4 TC. Did not use a tripod on animal drives or anywhere else. This was the best trip we have ever taken (including the Galapagos and Mach Pichu).

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Personally, I go to shoot animals in Africa, and not with a camera. But, if I was to take a camera, I would go with both bodies and the 200-400 and mount it on the D500 cause I can get 10 fps. I would mount the 14-24 on the D810 for landscapes, again I would not do this cause I would concentrate on shooting just the animals. I hand hold, like I do with my gun, besides, your going to be a a car most of the time so your tripod is useless. The bean bag is good cause I use one with my gun and it works out well. I stalk my pray, I would do the same with the camera. Stealth works, especially in Africa.

Woodworm65 Loc: Lombard, IL

D500, 200-400 F4, 70-200 2.8, mono pod.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

I was surprised at how many do not use a tripod--I was thinking landscapes and scenics (more than animals) for the tripod (with small apertures and low ISO). My default settings for wide angle lenses are f11 or f16, and for telephotos are about f16 or f22--smaller for bigger formats. And I have never taken a picture from a car, so I would have to rethink if I went on safari these days. In the Tarzan movies, they trekked around on foot with carriers for baggage. Those who do a lot of portraits and photojournalism are more skilled at large f-stops and shallow depth of field. A less-mentioned benefit of the tripod is that it slows us down for more careful and rational shooting--too luxurious for photojournalism on the run. Large aperture photography is a different craft from the traditional work. (I still think first of Henri Cartier-Bresson, born in 1908 but he only died in 2004.)

http://www.henricartierbresson.org/en/hcb/

PaulB Loc: Alabama

Been to Africa twice. Took a monopod and a bean bag the first trip and ditched the monopod on the second trip....too clumsy to use in a vehicle. Plus, if you have fairly good light and a respectably fast lens, shooting "handheld" should not be a problem. I used a 70-300mm lens the most, but did carry a 500mm and a 2.0 teleconverter. You will be able to get surprising close to the animals, since they are used to people in safari vehicles around them all of the time. Two bodies is a good idea so that you can set up each with a different lens and minimize the need to change lenses in the field (dusty conditions can lead to equipment problems). Have a great adventure!

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Both bodies

200-400 F4 (D500)
24-70 2.8 (D810 in the early morning or late evening landscapes)
14-24 2.8 (D810)
1.4 teleconverter (just in case you need more reach)