pleonardjr

Going on Safari in October. Am planning on bringing my N200 with 18-300 DX lens and my N850 with 200-500 full frame lens. I have a 70-210 nikkor lens, a 28-70 nikkor and a 50 1.4 prime but don't think I will need them. Should I switch lenses on the cameras? I don't know how much reach I need for this, my first extensive wild-life, landscape trip. The N200 is still a dynamite camera, but I am loving my N850.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

The 18-300 should cover 99.9% of what you will see, the 200-500 the far distant animals.

george19

And…you should be able to figure out in short order whether you prefer the magnification advantage of the D200 over its lower resolution, or the other way around.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

With utmost respect, NOOOO!!!!
When in Africa, the 200~500 on a D850 was, and will be in the future, for ME, the go to lens for what I went to Africa for. And if birds are of even the slightest interest, you will wish for something longer every day of your safari! I satisfied that wish by using the 200~500 with the D500 which gave me a 750mm equivalent "reach". And that was almost enough.
The 18mm end of the 18~300 might fit your needs for some shots. The 300mm won't even come close!! IMHO!!

Burkley Loc: Park City

The Serengeti is a wonderful location for wildlife photography. I think you’ll find the D850 with the 200-500 5.6 lens will cover 95% of what you point at. Rarely have I wished for more length. I find myself smiling watching rich novice photographers swing a huge rented 800 mm lens into action and am grateful for the 200-500. You’ll likely see them too and smile. I put a 70-200 or equivalent on my second camera for portrait style closeups as animals move around the Land Rover. I have done some fun panoramic shots with a 20 mm 1.8 prime.

I would probably put the 18-300 on the D200. If the D850 goes down, you will put the 200-500 on the D200, so the added length of the 18-300 wouldn't matter much. But if the 200-500 goes down the 18-300 on the D200 will get you some great shots. I would take the 50 1.4 along for sure. You will make friends and taking evening shots of good times in the lodge captures the memories. You really don’t have anything with a wide angle and that wouldn’t bother me in the least. The Serengeti is so vast that I found capturing the expanse speckled with grazing animals with any artistic impact to be a challenge.

2 cameras with different focal lengths adds needed versatility in the vehicle. I only switch out lenses when at lunch because of dust. Period. No exceptions. At lunch I use a rocket to gently blow the dust off my lenses and then brush out any remaining particles. The mini rainy season can sometimes begin in late October, so hopefully dust will still be a major problem as the long dry season moves to its end.

2 pieces of advice. First, one piece of glass I always recommend taking is high quality binoculars. The guides all have piece of crap low end binoculars. I loan our guide my very nice Leupold binoculars and it makes a difference in what the guide finds among the grasses in the distance. Cabellas or B&H or Optic World or Nikon Refurbished or Adorama will have binoculars on sale for the fall hunt. A nice pair costs $250-500, not $1000-2000. You will see more animals. Second, and most importantly, at times put down your camera and sit in awe at what surrounds you.

Horselover Loc: Maui

[quote. WE have gone on Safari with Micato two times. Your 200-500 will be fine. I used this with a 7500. However, we passed a female guarding two deceased zebras. Around the corner were two pregnant males with their bellies hanging down up in the tree. I could not get the shot as they were too close. TAKE the 18-300




=pleonardjr]Going on Safari in October. Am planning on bringing my N200 with 18-300 DX lens and my N850 with 200-500 full frame lens. I have a 70-210 nikkor lens, a 28-70 nikkor and a 50 1.4 prime but don't think I will need them. Should I switch lenses on the cameras? I don't know how much reach I need for this, my first extensive wild-life, landscape trip. The N200 is still a dynamite camera, but I am loving my N850.[/quote]

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

Safaris are dusty affairs, so changing lenses in the field usually is not an option. So you need to have a combo for wildlife and one for landscapes (and for when animals are too close--yes this can happen).

The D850 with a 200-500 full-frame lens will be great for wildlife, although there will be moments when you wish you had a longer lens. The D850 will give you enough MP so you can crop in post.

I would use the N200 (APS-C) with a standard zoom--which you do not appear to have. The 18-300 DX (27-450mm full-frame equivalent) might be barely wide enough. You also will use this lens to cover the range up to 200mm (full-frame), the range your 200-500mm cannot cover. You might not use this lens at the long end much as you will use the D850 with the 200-500mm lens for that.

I live in Kenya most of the year. I use two full-frame Sony bodies: the Sony A7RIII (42 MP) with a Sony 100-400mm GM lens (often with 1.4x extender) and a Sony A7III with the Sony 24-105mm for landscapes and animals that are closer. This set-up gives me good results.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Few years back to Kruger park with I went with my daughter. I ended up using like 200 to 500 most of the time I’ve got some incredible pictures but I have one picture of an elf at the dock really close to our truck. that is one of the best pictures of ever taken and I shot that at about 18 mm.

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

I would check with your tour provider. They know what you should use.

ronichas Loc: Long Island

Having gone to Africa 3 different times, in 3 different countries, it is best not to change lenses in the field.
I think your choice of 18-300 and 200-500 work well. Bring a towel to cover your gear when driving. It is so dusty everywhere.

I was with 5 Long Island photographers in Kenya in 2019. As you can see in the first image, we all had long lenses on and could not capture this stunning leopard as she walked under our windows. Friends in another truck captured this for us.

The second image, we stayed at the Elephant Bedroom camp. The elephants go where ever they want. Security guards guide the people to avoid the elephants. This beauty, named Obama, came so close to our tent we could reach out and touch him. The security guard was very nearby. My friend in the next tent captured this. That is me with the blue shirt on.

kvanhook Loc: Oriental, NC

Are the N200 and N850 non US versions of the D200 and D850? If so, I agree the D200 (or N200) was a great camera.

kvanhook Loc: Oriental, NC

Horselover referred to two pregnant males. Are there such animals?

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

This is by 200 mm lens.

pleonardjr

Thanks to all of you for the advice. PAL

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

[quote=Burkley]The Serengeti is a wonderful location for wildlife photography. I think you’ll find the D850 with the 200-500 5.6 lens will cover 95% of what you point at. Rarely have I wished for more length. I find myself smiling watching rich novice photographers swing a huge rented 800 mm lens into action and am grateful for the 200-500. You’ll likely see them too and smile. I put a 70-200 or equivalent on my second camera for portrait style closeups as animals move around the Land Rover. I have done some fun panoramic shots with a 20 mm 1.8 prime.

I would probably put the 18-300 on the D200. If the D850 goes down, you will put the 200-500 on the D200, so the added length of the 18-300 wouldn't matter much. But if the 200-500 goes down the 18-300 on the D200 will get you some great shots. I would take the 50 1.4 along for sure. You will make friends and taking evening shots of good times in the lodge captures the memories. You really don’t have anything with a wide angle and that wouldn’t bother me in the least. The Serengeti is so vast that I found capturing the expanse speckled with grazing animals with any artistic impact to be a challenge.

2 cameras with different focal lengths adds needed versatility in the vehicle. I only switch out lenses when at lunch because of dust. Period. No exceptions. At lunch I use a rocket to gently blow the dust off my lenses and then brush out any remaining particles. The mini rainy season can sometimes begin in late October, so hopefully dust will still be a major problem as the long dry season moves to its end.

2 pieces of advice. First, one piece of glass I always recommend taking is high quality binoculars. The guides all have piece of crap low end binoculars. I loan our guide my very nice Leupold binoculars and it makes a difference in what the guide finds among the grasses in the distance. Cabellas or B&H or Optic World or Nikon Refurbished or Adorama will have binoculars on sale for the fall hunt. A nice pair costs $250-500, not $1000-2000. You will see more animals. Second, and most importantly, at times put down your camera and sit in awe at what surrounds you.


This is the best advice I’ve seen so far in this set of postings. I might add that I was able to change lenses when necessary by using an old black film changing bag that keeps dust out, though it was designed to keep light out. Two bodies really aren’t enough, but more is impractical. My wife got some great shots with a Sony Rx100iv and her cell phone. We had no trouble finding places to recharge batteries at night, but others I knew had problems, and I certainly recommend lots of spares; The opportunity for return trips is likely poor, and the batteries’ cost is a fraction of the travel and lodging expense.
My experience is similar to the above posting, though I kept a 15-35 as well for landscape shots when there were moving animals in range or very close; I prefer photo-merged shots with longer lenses otherwise.
We were able to actually touch some rhinos, and were within feet of many plains undulates and giraffes, as well as Leopards, Lions, Cheetahs, and a huge variety of birds.
A 50mm fast lens is always potentially useful.
Canon makes exceptional image stabilized binoculars in several ranges; I prefer the 10X because the 15X is too strong most of the time. The IS is a big help, and Canon glass is as good as there is.
Safe travels, and remember to live in the moment!