So many erroneously believe that they can crop endlessly with modern mirrorless cameras. As your example shows, cropping has its limitations.

As this is an indoor shot, you probably used a higher ISO setting. Cropping highlights noise from the increased ISO setting and accentuates the relative softness of your lens.

So my advice on cropping is simple: don't. Get the shot right when you take it. Crop with your feet and/or your zoom lens. If you want a portrait of the boy, take another picture zooming in on him.

Yep, you can't display prints online.

Flickr ain't bad--at least you can upload the original file size so your image can shine with all its details--not on a smart phone though.

If you are serious about this, you might create your own web site.

I agree with that. El Yunque National Forest is very close to San Juan, and driving in PR is easy.

I was in PR a year ago and booked a day trip from San Juan to El Yunque National Forest. This was a real bust. All these tours hype the waterslide at Las Paylas, which isn't even in the El Yunque National Forest. The area might be lovely, but it has become a victim of overtourism. On the way back, we stopped at a mediocre beach. There was little of photographic interest on this tour.

If you decide on a tour I would book specifically a photography tour. If I could do this again, I would rent a car on go off on my own.

I am not questioning the SAB testing. All I am saying is that we should understand what they are testing and what the parameters are, otherwise we might over interpret the results. If SAB specifically tests which lenses are best able to provide the resolution that a 61mp camera requires, then this test has a limited validity if you shoot at 24 or 33mp.

I would not disagree with this. However, many people do not shoot at 61MP now and may not in five years. In that case, a test that specifically examines a lens when attached to a 61MP sensor may not be as relevant.

I think that it makes a big difference whether you test a lens on a 61 MP or 33 MP body, which is the sensor OP is using. Older lenses, like the Sony 28mm lens, show their limitations on high-resolution sensors while performing well at lower resolutions. This is why the Sony Alpha Blog tests have to be taken with a grain of salt.

Size matters--at least for street photography. The Sony weighs 200g, while the Viltrox weighs 367g, and is accordingly a lot larger. I have used the Sony 28mm f/2 for street and liked the results. Yes, the Sony 28mm is an older lens, but it performs well in every respect. I use the Sony Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 more frequently as I prefer 35mm for street. Plus the lens at 120g is tiny. To me, speed doesn't matter much for street as I shoot at f/8 anyway to increase the depth of field.

Dear Linda,

Congratulations--I think that this is a good choice.

Let me address some Kenya-specific issues that have come up, as I live in Kenya most of the year.

Malaria primarily is endemic near Lake Victoria and at the coast. Kenya is different from other safari destinations because many destinations in Kenya are at a much higher altitude. My house near Naivasha is at an altitude of 2,100 meters, so there is no malaria here. The same is true for other destinations like Nairobi, Nairobi NP, Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate NP, Lake Nakuru NP, Aberdare NP, and so on. Even in Maasai Mara, malaria is rare. Generally, in altitudes above 1,500 meters the risk is much lower. In other, lower-lying destinations malaria is mostly seasonal: risk is highest during the rainy season and right after. Depending on where you go, bringing a good mosquito repellent and protective clothing will suffice. I am sure your travel provider will give you more information on that.

Other illnesses: I would check with your medical provider (or travel clinic) to make sure you have the necessary immunizations, like yellow fever, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, cholera, and typhoid. If you start planning now you have plenty of time.

Food safety: your tour company will take care of that. I eat on the local economy all the time and never had a problem. When I eat out, I generally stay away from uncooked foods. Fruit at the market is fine. Always drink bottled water, which is easy to find in Kenya. Lodges, hotels, restaurants, even little stores, etc. have it readily available.

Climate: in higher elevations, Kenya has a moderate climate. In Naivasha, where I live, temperatures don't ever reach 30 degrees Celsius--a really hot day is 28 degrees (82F). The nights are generally cool and even cold, so bring long-sleeve shirts (also for malaria protection) and a light sweater. In lower altitudes temps are little warmer but not intolerable. Only the Lake Victoria area and the coast experience really tropical climates. Keep in mind that the sun is very intense so it may feel very hot and uncomfortable in the sun. Bring a good hat, sun screen, sun glasses, and protective clothing.

The main rainy season here is April and May (we are in a dry spell now, but a wet Easter is forecast). The secondary rainy season is late September to late November. Patterns can shift a little, particularly due to climate change. Since you plan to travel in September you will be at the end of the dry season--I assume you picked the date because it is migration season at Maasai Mara.

Scammers. Most people are honest here, just like everywhere else. Scammers do exist, with a bit of common sense they are easy to spot. On a safari, you will be mostly sheltered from that anyway.

Snakes: they do exist, obviously, and some are venomous. Frankly, I have seen only one so far, a harmless one. You will spend most of your time in your safari vehicle as in Kenyan national parks you are not allowed to get out except for in designated areas. There are some exceptions: you are allowed to walk in Hell's Gate NP because there are no big cats there.

If you have any questions please send me a private message.

Have a great trip, Peter

Seriously? Are we still having this conversation? This ship has sailed. I still drive a 5-speed 2003 Subaru. Both living anachronisms.

Great album on Flickr! These are truly amazing wildlife shots. Personally, I am just as interested in landscapes and scenery as I am in animals. I am adding pictures from a recent trip to Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zug55/albums/72177720311370578/
There are different ways to approach a safari photographically, and what you want to get out of this will determine the equipment you will take.

As ricardo00 stated, Africa is a big place, and without knowing where you plan to go it is difficult to give good advice. I would agree with pretty much everything he said.

I want to stress that changing lenses in the field is not advised because safaris tend to be dusty. So I would take two bodies, each with a dedicated lens. I use Sony full-frame equipment, and I put my trusty 24-105mm on one body and the 100-400mm GM on the other. I also have the 1.4x extender that gets me to 560mm. (The set from Lake Nakuru that I posted above was shot entirely with these two lenses.) You want to have a standard zoom because often animals get very close and because there are ample opportunities for great landscape shots.

Your 150-600mm lens (300-1200mm 35mm equivalent) would be great for birding, but probably too long for everything else. For all practical purposes, 600mm (full-frame) probably would be enough reach, certainly for larger animals.

Traveling during rainy season can be tricky (depending on where you go). Roads can get impassable during heavy rains. (I just noticed that you mentioned South Africa in a later post. There, roads tend to be a little better, depending on where you go.)

There are many safari threads on UHH--I would take some time to dig them up

2-3 hours does not give you a lot of time in Dresden. I would definitely visit the Zwinger, the Hofkirche, and the Frauenkirche. Walk along the terrace overlooking the Elbe. That's your 2-3 hours. If you travel by train, Dresden Hbf (main station) is an easy ten-minute walk from the center. The Grünes Gewölbe is a world-class museum, but you need half a day for that. Plus you have to book a ticket ahead of time.

Meißen would be a lovely alternative, particularly if you travel by car. But your timeline does not allow for a stop in both Dresden and Meißen.

If you take a direct route from Prague to Berlin, Dresden would on the way. It is worth a stop. If you are interested in Reformation history, Wittenberg is a must.

If you take the detour via Nürnberg, Bamberg is a must, as already pointed out. Erfurt also is a beautiful city.

These are great shots. Big Bend NP truly is a scenic place with opportunities for great photographs. Keep in mind that it gets very hot here, so I would visit between November and March. I have been here many times--here is my best set of photographs from Big Bend.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zug55/albums/72157625628449351/

I have used peak design straps for years and love their system. They have three different straps.
Peak Design Leash Camera Strap: strong enough for mirrorless camera with prime or small zoom lens (I own two of those)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1352297-REG/peak_design_l_bl_3_leash_quick_connecting_versatile_camera.html
Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap: I use this for large zooms (I have one of them).
They also make a heavy-duty Peak Design Slide Camera Strap--I never saw the need to get one of those.

The straps are long enough to wear crossbody even for a big person and are fully adjustable. The beauty of the system is that you easily can take of the strap when it is not needed.

In place of a harness I use a peak design clip that easily adjusts to the strap of your backpack or sling bag. You can easily clip in your camera when you don't use it and take it off just as easily. I would not use this with a very heavy kit, like with a large telephoto lens.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1372683-REG/peak_design_cp_bk_3_capture_camera_clip_black.html

Looks like you have done your homework. I would skip the monopod--it will be too unwieldy in this environment.

I live in Kenya mostly, and I always travel with two full-frame bodies (Sony A7III and A7RIII) and two full-frame lenses (24-105mm and 100-400mm.) I have plenty of primes, but they don't make the cut when I go on safari. I am happy with this kit, although occasionally I wish I had a little more reach. I have a 1.4x extender, but putting it on in the field won't always work. With your 100-400mm APS-C you should have enough reach.

Taking both the Tamron 100-400mm (4.5-6.3) and 18-400mm (3.5-6.3) seems like overkill. I do not know these lenses. I would take the one that gives you the better image quality in the 100-400mm range (this is definitely where IQ matters) and put that on the better of your cameras, definitely the D7200. You said yourself that you probably should put the 100-400 on the D7200, and this seems like the best option.

You don't mention a standard zoom--you might be able to pick up a good used one before your trip. You probably will not need an ultra-wide lens, but going to at least 24mm full-frame equivalent (16mm APS-C) would be nice. There will be ample opportunities to take great landscape shots, and often animals will be too close for a telephoto lens. In my D7100 days, I used a 18-140mm lens (although not for safaris); it was a decent lens but not outstanding.

Good luck, and enjoy your safari.