robert51

Going on African safari looking for recommendation for DSLR camera and lens for a beginner

barryb Loc: Kansas

First question is do you have any previous SLR lenses? If you do, go with that camera. Most Nikon people would tell you Nikon, and a Canon person would tell you Canon. Go to a good camera store get both in your hands, and see which one feels more comfortable to you. Since it's your "first DSLR" put more into the glass than the camera body, and since you'll be on safari, look closely at long telephoto lenses, up 300 to 500mm. Good monopod would also be a great idea. BTW, that's on my bucket list too!

Johan

Agree with Barry. Try and get as fast a lens as you can, e.g. f1.8-2.8.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

get the camera and use it prior to trip, read the manual, bring the manual, extra batteries and cards

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Welcome to UHH. Good luck on your trip and take extra SD cards and batteries + charger so you can take lots of pictures. Remember, take as many pics as you can, you can always delete later. Enjoy.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Not only take the charger but also get an electricity converter so you can use it.

Donwitz Loc: Virginia Beach, VA

We went to Africa last Summer. I was shooting a D7000 with a 70-300 Nikkor lens, my wife got this shot with her Panasonic Lumix FZ100. I have several lenses that cost more than Judy's camera! It is admirable that you want to master a DSLR, but a superzoom point and shoot can be a powerful tool to nab some great shots out in the bush. My arms got tired holding that heavy camera and lens outside the roof of our safari vehicle. You certainly don't want to change lenses in the dusty, windy conditions. Yes, I did get some once in a lifetime pictures with the Nikon, but there is a wonderful selection of big zoom cameras out there right now, many with RAW capability...

The elusive one

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Since you're just getting started with this, don't load yourself down with lots of lenses. If you had something like an 18-200mm or 18-300mm, that would cover quite a spread, and you wouldn't be changing lenses and risking getting dirt inside the camera.

Whatever you decide to get and bring, practice, practice, practice. When a lion comes at you at 40 mph, you don't want to be thinking about settings for you camera. Also, don't tell people you're going on a safari to shoot some wild animals. They might get the wrong idea.

ricofoto Loc: Adelaide, Australia

I strongly recommend a Lumix FZ100 for safari. It does pretty well all that a DSLR will plus a few things more. It has a super zoom, 2.8 Leica lens, so no need to carry extra glass. It also focusses down to one cm. so good for macro at a pinch. I use this as my walkabout camera and leave my DSLR.s at home for more serious stuff.

tbayster1 Loc: North Carolina

Having returned from just that I recommend a long lens and low light camera. Most animals are out early morning at or before sunrise.

I used a cannon super zoom and was not happy.

TAB

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

The game lodge will call and wake you before sunrise giving you time to shower, dress and get to the main hall for breakfast. The seasons are reverse from the US so make sure you dress in layers for the weather where it is cold and wet at times.

Once gathered your game warden will help you into the 'jeep'. Typically a Land Rover with three rows of bench seats on platforms with a canopy but no sides. Most of the trails are dirt roads and fairly easy to keep a camera steady on, but at times you will think you were in a rowboat on the open seas when you are trying to get a shot on the run. The warden will stop when they see something interesting though and make sure everyone has had a chance to get their shots and then some.

At brunch the warden will find a place overlooking the valley and setup of a tray on the front of the truck with coffee, tea, fruits, nuts, South African biltong, etc. Depending on the weather I suggest coco with a little Baileys!

About an hour later you will return to the lodge and wait out the day. Lunch is always good and the time is yours, but other than birds very little moves.

A few hours before dusk you will be called to the evening game drive and the process starts over with you coming back just after dark. Dinner is always good!

With that said here are some points to think about.
- If this is your first time, do you want to worry about photos or enjoy the moment? While a DLSR (even in Auto) with a nice telephoto lens is a good way to go some of the posts have also pointed out that a Point-N-Shoot is also a good choice.
- Your shots will either be on the run in the back of a bumpy truck or dead still on a platform and to make things interesting the animals will either be quite a ways away or several feet from you. A long lens sounds good, but is heavy and needs a monopod while a short lens will miss some shots. A telephoto is a good choice.
- And finally remember that you will mostly be shooting after sunrise and before sunset. A polarized filter is nice, but learn how t use it and when. A lens hood may be a good choice too.

I took at Canon T2i with the kit telephoto lens along with a UV and polarized filter in a backpack for my first trip. I read the manual on the flight over, but felt overwhelmed at the time and left the camera in Auto the entire time. I wish I had taken more time to learn how the polarized filter worked. On the game drives I varied between shooting and just staring in amazement.

Don't forget to buy a power adapter for your electronics. They run 220 there and have a very different wall adapter. The front desk may have one, but don't rely on it.

Hints
Contact your lodge for information on everything: Transportation, weather, power adapters, etc.
Ask questions about everything! They are very well trained.
- My guide Jon said the more questions you ask the more he will show you.
Don't expect to see anything, but be ready for anything!
- On a very rainy morning my guide said he would go if I wanted, but warned we wouldn't see much and of course I wanted to go. Right out of the gate we saw a few zebra and I was happy. A few minutes later we saw a huge herd of deer and I was happy. Seconds later we found two cheetahs that had just made a kill and stayed there for an hour just watching. He was happy!
Do not leave the vehicle unless you are told too.
- Two men went around a large bush to... and moments later ran as fast as they could screaming all the way to the the truck with a rhino chasing them! LAF

If you want a DSLR, then buy a nice one with the best lens you can afford, but once you are there focus more on the experience. A game drive will change your life!

Turbo Loc: Raleigh, NC

It's not a different "charger" that you need. The one that came with the camera will do just fine ( as long as ) like most new equipment it is Ok to use from 110 to 240V and 50 to 60 Hz.

What you need is a "plug adapter" so that you can plug it into whatever shape wall outlets they have there.

I found mine at Radio Shack but other places may carry those.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Do like so many do; buy the best money can buy, put it in automatic mode, go to Africa, get average pictures, come home with disappointing images, buy a point and shoot, then sell your awesome equipment here on UHH for cheap or PM me I'll buy it. My sister did this but she was afraid to use the camera so when she went to the UK, she never even pulled it out of the bag. I tried to teach her to shoot in aperture priority mode, but she couldn't grasp it. So I sold all if it on eBay or Craigslist and she uses her iPhone now. Simple. Problem solved.

Of course I'm not serious that YOU should do this, but no matter what, using a DSLR isn't something you go and buy and start taking expert images out of the box. I wouldn't buy one and take it to Africa unless I had plenty of time to learn to use the camera and all of it's functions, learn to shoot wildlife, if that's what you plan to shoot and learn to shoot portraits or shoot landscapes. They all use much different techniques and require a lot of practice to do them right. So if you aren't already experienced with DSLR's or don't have time to learn to use one, a less advanced camera is what I'd recommend.

ALYN Loc: Lebanon, Indiana

Barry: Go to "The WILDS" in central Ohio. The rare and endagered animals run wild while the tourists are protected.
Here is an address:www.thewilds.org
One other thing: know what you are looking at. Recently some "Hog" posted a picture of a "LION"; actually it was a CHEETAH. :roll:
ALYN

ALYN Loc: Lebanon, Indiana

Barry: Go to "The WILDS" in central Ohio. Thewir the rare and endagered animals run wild while the tourists are protected.
Here is an address:www.thewilds.org
On other thing: know what you are looking at. Recently some "Hog" posted a picture of a "LION"; actually it was a CHEETAH. :roll:
ALYN