Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

I am going to South Africa and Botswana next month and am trying to decide what kit to bring. We will be doing some sightseeing in Cape Town and at Victoria falls but the majority of the trip is centered around three safaris in upscale private camps in Sabi Sand (next to Kruger N.P.), Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans(Kalahari desert). In all of these, off roading is the standard so you can often get quite close to the game. I plan on doing the usual nature work, some birding, landscape and night photography. Weight limits on the small planes are an important consideration. Also, changing lenses while in the bush is not desirable due to dust etc

My current kit includes: Nikon D850, 70-200 f 2.8, 24-70 f 2.8 and a 16-35 f 4 plus SB 900flash, 1.4 and 2.0 nikon tel extenders and a canon G15. I am thinking of renting a D500, 17-35 f2.8 and 80-400. and leaving the 24-70 and 16-35 at home. I would generally pair the D500 with the 80-400 for reach. During most game drives I would mount the 70-200 on the D850 for close in and low light nature work. The 17-35 f2.8 would be for landscape and night photography. I would bring the 1.4 tel extender "just in case".

I considered renting a second D850 so I would have two of the same with which I am very familiar but decided the extra reach (yes I know you can select a crop sensor size on the 850), saves me some money and I assume the menus are very similar on the two bodies.

My questions are:
1.) Does this make sense and what am I missing?
2.) If someone with experience uses both a D500 and D800, are there any tripping points?
3.)Is cropping a D850 at 200mm to the same field of view as a D500 at 300mm equivalent result in inferior images?
4.) With the flash on my little Canon for after dinner interiors and other snaps, do I have any need for a flash?
Thanks for your consideration.

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

I think this is a carefully thought-out plan, except don't leave the house without the 24-70. Leave the 16-35 at home. Or the 17-35. (Why rent a 17-35 if you have a 16-35? Just the one f-stop?) I think that people always overestimate the usefulness of ultra-wides for landscapes. You mostly just get clutter in the foreground and a horizon line you barely can see in the back. Ultra-wides have a real purpose, but they are niche lenses. The 24-70 will be perfect for your landscape shots in Africa.

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

I’m thinking of Milky Way with the 17-35 2.8. One stop is the difference between iso 2,000 and 4,000 or more. Most of my landscape work is st 35 or wider and 35 is a nice lens for environmental portrait.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bikerguy

In Sept. 2015 we did a very similar trip. I took a Canon cropped sensor, a 10-22, 17-85 and 70-300 and a S-100 point ans shoot. The 10-22 and 17-85 were for Victoria Falls and Cape Town. I do not think that the 200 is long enough. Even at 480 equivalent I cropped some images. Space and weight are important. 10KG of carry on on the small planes isn't that much camera gear when you are looking at the D850, a backup and lenses. Think lighter and weigh your pack before you finalize your equipment. If you are going to shoot the Milky Way you will need a tripod just to add to the weight. Also, especially at night, you cannot just wander around to find the location you want, lots of activity at night. Much if which can cause you harm.

Bird Dawg Loc: Georgia

I went on a similar trip with 2 Nikons. I rented the 80-400 which was great for wildlife and I put on my 24-120 on the second camera. This was a perfect set up for me. You are in for a wonderful experience. Everybody should have this opportunity. PS - you will love Cape Town.
Have a great trip.

TheoP Loc: Cape Town

I regularly go to Botswana & Namibia. Expect wide open spaces and wild life - both near and far.
Also consider that all that gear need to be carried and kept safe somewhere.

I find that the following works fine on my D750 ( with a D7500 as spare) -

For Wild life & Birds : 150 - 600 Sigma lens, 1.4 teleconverter, 100 -400 sigma lens. Some sort of support ( eg bean bag or similar)
All the rest - 24-120 mm and maybe a 105 macro for the small stuff.
Tripod & wide angle lens helps but only if you are into astrophotography - which is great in the Kalahari. But that is a lot of weight to carry for limited use.

TheoP Loc: Cape Town

And oh yes - leave your flash at home.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I never took the 100-400 off of my main camera. I carried a small pocket camera for the occasional sunrise, sunset, or landscape shots, rather than worrying with changing lenses or carrying two bodies, although I did bring a second body "just in case". Not sure where you will be doing night photography. At the lodge in Sabi Sands where I stayed they had an electrified wire running about ten feet off the ground around the lodge. "That is to keep the elephants from destroying our nice flowers and other plants around the buildings. Notice there is only the ONE wire. It will NOT keep the lions away, so we highly recommend that you do not leave your room after dark". No argument on my part!

Dossile

You’ll want a 35 mm equivalent of 500-600 for big game and birds. At night in the game reserves you are generally either inside a tent or building, in a well lighted fenced compound, or, if out and about, you are a potential meal. Maybe I’m wrong about the danger, but I think you’ll have plenty to shoot without the Southern Cross as a subject. If you’re taking a D500 body, I’d take a long zoom with it. On the safaris, I’d mount the 70-200 on the D850 and the long zoom on the D500. Everywhere else, I’d walk with the 24-70 on the D850 with your 16-35 in the bag. I lived in Cape Town for a little less than a year and did some smaller parks and Kruger. One of my best pictures was of a cooper finishing a brandy barrel at a Stellenbosch winery. You will see beautiful scenery and magnificent animals. Dip your left leg in the Indian Ocean and your right in the Atlantic if you get the chance.