LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Regardless of what you get, I hope you leave yourself enough time to totally familiarize yourself with how it works. One would hate to be fiddling with the menus while an opportunity slips away.

hankswan

Take a look at the Nikon P900. Fixed lens but focuses from .5 inch macro to 2000mm (83x). Has 16mp so you have a decent amount of pixels for larger prints or cropped image. If you use a computer, go to You Tube and look for P900. Lots of videos of the P900 in action with reviews by users.. Lots of fun to use but for me it has several drawbacks, does not do RAW and does not have a hot shoe. It does have a built in flash. This camera/lens is light enough to shoot all day with little problem. No changing lens in the field (or at all!). It has a ton of video choices if you decide you want some action in your photos. Has electronic view finder and rear moveable LED (LED is turned in for protection when camera is not in use. The LED turns off when you move your eye to the view finder and turns back on when you move eye away. Official lens designation Nikkor 83x wide optical zoom ED VR 4.3-357mm 1:2.8-6.5. This camera is what is known as a "Bridge" camera. I think this might be a good introduction to digital cameras without a great deal of expense. Have it at your front door for $500 refurbished (by Nikon) or $600-700 new. As a comparison a Nikkor 2000mm lens goes for about 25 grand, a better lens but the size of a small barrel. Lots more information on you tube and you can call B&H photo or Adorama photo for questions. Final statement "is the image quality as good as some of the higher priced DSLRs probably not, but sometimes that becomes moot if you are not into the "best quality, best cameras, best lens, etc. Hope this helps.

RolandDieter

Micro 4/3 will give you all the lens ranges you need with much, much less bulk and weight and generally costs less. You will need long tele to get the animals. You will want wide angle for landscapes. You will want two cameras, each with its own lens because of the dust. An alternative is to get a high end fixed lens zoom camera with 1" sensor. The Sony RX10, either the mark 3 or the just released mark 4, would give you very good results with a wide to tele range equivalent to 24 - 600 in a full frame camera.

BAL

Thank you for your reply and advice on a lens. What camera body did you use on your trip?

BAL

Thanks for your advise. I have several months before I head out and plan to get very familiar with the camera I purchase.

BAL

Thank you for your suggestions and advise regarding camera and lens. I will check with B&H.
BAL

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Whatever camera you get will have a rear LCD screen. Make sure you. Put a screen protector on it. Even if you get something like the Nikon P900 where you can turn the screen in to protect it, that won’t keep the dust from getting on it, and even a slight brush with a finger can scratch the surface of the screen. Africa is a very dusty environment, as has already been stated.

LXK0930 Loc: Souh Jersey

My first safari (1990's) was with a film camera. Film/developing cost convinced me to go digital.
Several tips (I will not get into specific brands or models):
(1) You probably won't be able to do much outside of the vehicle, so weight is not a major problem (but might be an issue for future use).
(2) Get a camera that is easy to switch between AUTO and other modes. Animals sometimes stay for a long time, other times they disappear in a blink. Capture the scene quickly in AUTO, then adjust settings for additional shots.
(3) Most shots will be in the tele range, but some (such as a herd of elephants) will require a wider lens. Get the "fastest" lens that you can, so that you can adjust DOF.
(4) NEVER change lenses while on safari. You will not believe the amount of dust out there!!
(5) You probably will not be able to use a tripod in the vehicle. Bring a bean bag (or a sock that you can fill with beans or rice).
(6) Make sure that you have several batteries and extra memory cards.
(7) Bring a second camera (even if it is an inexpensive P&S). Insurance that you will come home with some pictures.
(8) Don't expect to be the only one around when interesting scenes appear. When the guide sees something, he radios other vehicles. Within minutes, the area looks like a Manhattan traffic jam!
(9) Be careful with your equipment. Things disappear in a flash!!
(10) Aside: Beware of scams. For example, in Nairobi, some guy approached us on the street. He claimed to be our waiter at the hotel (which he named). He then said that he lost his wallet and needed $$$. He would pay us back at dinner. Apparently, he had hung around the hotel, listened for our names, then followed us from the hotel. Several people fell for this scam. There are many others.

Enjoy your trip.

Mundj Loc: Richmond TX

Since you are just staring out, look for a good bridge camera with a good zoom. Plan to have extra memory cards and batteries. If the camera uses a proprietary battery, take a couple of spare batteries, and look for a system that allows quick charging. You may be limited to electric power for charging. In an ideal world a weather sealed camera would be an advantage. But, whatever you choose practice, practice and practice some more before you go. You will not have a lot of time to setup the camera for the one great shot. My preference would be an Olympus or Sony camera with a view finder. Bright ambient light will cause problems for a camera with only a back LCD screen.

Have a great time.

1950Dan Loc: Lockwood, Nevada

Consider going to a Mirrorless System because they are lightweight and compact. My shoulder gets sore carrying my Canon 7d with a long lens so I got an Olympus OMD and it makes photography fun again. Go to a store with lots
of cameras and check out what feels good in your hands.

Travel_pics

I just returned from an African Safari; Rwanda and Kenya. Before you decide on the equipment to haul over there, I would suggest that you know the type of environments first. For example, in Rwanda, I was in jungle looking for the mountain gorillas. A long lens (over 100mm) was totally inappropriate for that scene. I used a 24 to 70mm zoom. In Kenya, we had 2 different environments: Samburu National Reserve and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The Samburu has some wide open plains but is mostly trees and shrubs (at least where the animals were). Again a long lens was not always needed since we were able to be close to most of the game. The Mara is more open grasslands. Here, a long lens was a necessity to photograph the big cats hunting or capture a Hippo / Rhino /Elephant at a safe distance. I used a Sony A7R II and was not disappointed at all.

For most of us, this type of trip is a once in a life time event. Get the best quality that you can, learn it first and focus on the experience, not the camera gear. Have fun !

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Sony RX10 III or IV .... NO changing lenses.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Pay for my travel expenses and I will document it for you and provide you with all photos either RAW or color corrected in JPEG and all for no additional fees.

Thanks!

jjanovy Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

I've been on two safaris, one to Botswana and one to Tanzania, and my book on those trips is being published this spring. We had severe weight restrictions, so I took a Canon SX50 as my main camera, and a Canon SX700 as a backup on the Tanzania trip. For the Botswana trip, I had earlier versions of those two, and there are now later versions. I also have Nikons (D3300 and D610) and a long Sigma lens (150-600mm, plus a 2X converter), which I use when the situation is correct. In my opinion, go with those two Canons because of the weight restrictions, the fact that you're probably not going to be allowed to get out of the vehicle and set up a tripod, and those two cameras are EXCEEDINGLY flexible in terms of zoom and video. I took extra batteries, although we were able to charge batteries in our "tents," so take your chargers. I also took several 32GB cards. In both trips, I came home with 6000-7000 images, 50-100 videos, and 40 or so audio recordings. I took a small, digital, Olympus recorder for night sounds. With the Canon cameras, I suggest turning the digital zoom off (easy menu item) unless you really need or want it for something because it seemed to me that I lost clarity with the digital zoom (although there were plenty of times when my vehicle companions were looking at my screen instead of through their binocs!) In general, unless I'm shooting landscape with those Canons, I keep the icon dial set on the athlete because the autofocus focuses on the middle of the screen. However, when I'm really working on landscape, I use my Nikon D610. I take thousands of photos for a variety of reasons, but I'm certainly not the expert that many other UHH contributors are. Nevertheless, look first at your weight restrictions and go from there. Have a great time; you'll love the trip!!

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Very good as advice. One suggestion. Be a little selfish. Sit in the back of the truck. Get there first and claim that slot. I was in the front and never asked the couple in the back to change seats with me.

Here is another shot.