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Steveo_Hants

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One of my other threads has gone off on a different route so I thought I'd start that new topic off in this thread.

For our honeymoon we are going to South Africa (Kruger) in May next year. Staying at a Private game reserve in an area called Sabi Sands, I can't wait!!!

I am looking for people who have actually been on safari to give their input here.

My current kit and kit I plan to buy before I go are is listed below. What would your suggestions be for body/lens combinations? Do you recommend something I haven't listed? Budget is tight-ish what with a wedding and honeymoon to pay for!!!

Current Kit
D300
Sigma 10-20
Sigma 24-60
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-S
Tamron 90mm Macro
Nikon 70-200 VR
Sigma 300mm f/2.8
Nikon 1.7xTC
Sigma 2xTC

Planned to buy kit!
D700
Nikon 17-35mm

I hardly ever use my 300mm f/2.8 and am considering selling/px it against the new kit so what about a Nikon 80-400VR or a Nikon 70-300VR?

Sorry for all the question, I am seriously confused!!!!:thinking:
 
I've heard mixed reviews about the Nikon 80-400 VR, I've not personally used one, but I've been told above 300mm its very soft.

I have used the 70-300 VR and found it to be a very good lens for the money. A little soft at the top end, but not as bad as the 80 - 400VR, but then most of these types of zoom are soft at the top end.

Hope I haven't confused you even more!

Adrian
 
Sabi Sand is fantastic. You'll have a great time.

Although I'm a Canon shooter, from what I've heard I'd avoid the 80-400. The 70-300 is an f/5.6 lens I believe. If you are having a full frame camera, I'd either think about keeping the 300/2.8 until after May or swapping it out for a Nikon 300/4. Also I'd think about a 1.4x converter.
 
Grumpy Badger that was it! I was trying to remember your name all day today!!!!

The 80-400 is a definite no now.

Are you saying that the 70-300 will be too slow?

I take it my 70-200VR with a 1.4TC (280mm) not be long enough?

I will be taking 2 bodies so what do you suggest, lens wise, for each body?
 
70-300 - if you have a 70-200 and 1.7x or 1.4x on a crop body then that would be a great option. It kind of depends what sort of shots you want to get - enviro portraits or close ups and whether it is birds or mammals.

The greater Kruger area (and southern Africa as a whole) if often more scrubby and less open that east Africa so you can't see as far and so a longer lens is less important.

My last few safaris have been shot using a 500/4 (sometimes with 1.4x) on a FF body. You could get the same field of view on a crop with the 300/2.8 and 1.4 optional.

I think if you can carry it all, I'd be tempted by 300/2.8 (optional 1.4x) on D300 and 70-200/17-35 on a D700. People worry about dust but I've never worried about changing lenses in the field. Just follow good practice and get cameras serviced after the trip.

Paul
 
Cheers Paul I am back to where I originally started now!

I am never happy with results when using my current TC's (Sig 2xTC & Nik 1.7xTC) I might swap them for a Sig 1.4xTC and use that with the 300/2.8. Do you see any issues with not having VR on this set up?
 
Do you use the Nikon 1.7x TC on the sigma 300 2.8? I didnt think that combo would work!

2x converters are not great at the best of times.

Get a Sigma 1.4x TC to go with the 300 2.8 imo.

The 1.7x can be used well with the Nikon 70-200 2.8 for when you need something light and handholdable.

Note: this is general advice not specific for the safari - sorry! :)
 
Joe T said:
Do you use the Nikon 1.7x TC on the sigma 300 2.8? I didnt think that combo would work!

2x converters are not great at the best of times.

Get a Sigma 1.4x TC to go with the 300 2.8 imo.

The 1.7x can be used well with the Nikon 70-200 2.8 for when you need something light and handholdable.

Note: this is general advice not specific for the safari - sorry! :)
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Joe, no the 1.7TC doesn't work on the 300/2.8. I have had real mixed results with the 1.7TC on my 70-200. I am going to get a 1.4TC for the 300/2.8 and use that on the D300 and then use my 70-200 on the D700 for closer stuff.
 
OK your going to a private game reserve in SA, the wildlife will tend to be on your doorstep so to speak from my experience of another private reserve just outside of Johburg, you might get away with just a 300mm lens, or only need the 70-200mm. The lions in the reserve I went too were by the track, so only needed a short lens.

If you were going to the Kurger National Park, that would be different, 300mm would probably be a minimum, so a 300mm plus TC's even a 2x would work well.

Light conditions should be good in SA, so a 70-300mm would work well, but why?, you have a 70-200mm, so your just duplicating lenses and its a slower lens, keep the 300mm, and as mentioned, avoid the nikon 80-400mm, by far one of Nikon's poorest lenses on performance and cost.

300mm (+/- TC's) on one body, 70-200mm on the other
 
That's exactly what I said to Steve on MSN yesterday Pete. Try the 300 with and without teleconverter depending on subject (birds will normally need a touch more reach)

The other thing with the private reserves is they often stay out later, when an f/2.8 at the top end will be much more useful than f/5.6 of the 70-300.
 
Yeah I'd agree the 80-400 is just ok. I used one on safari and without a TC, the reach was good on a crop body. If you are happy with the weight or you can monopod easily, the 300/2.8 with TCs would be ideal on your D300. Will you be able to support the weight though? Space was tight in our Land Cruiser and I was hand holding most of the time, and the 80-400 isn't that light. Can't see space for a monopod but you might want a mini tripod for using on the vehicle roof.

Not sure if you'll need a D700 though. If you have the Sigma 10-20 then you have wide angles covered.
 
Very true Paul, or early mornings as well
 
chrisgeary said:
Can't see space for a monopod but you might want a mini tripod for using on the vehicle roof.
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There will be no roof. Vehicles in SA private reserves (and Botswana/Zambia/Zimbabwe) are open topped.

This is one of the problems with advice threads like these. Safari isn't a single experience.

Many people have experience of the open plains of East Africa and enclosed vehicles but the scrubbier land and open vehicles 1500 miles south are very different.
 
Our vehicle (might not have been a Land Cruiser actually) had a partial roof. We were able to stand through it (8 of us) and there was some roof to lean on and possible use a very short tripod on. I guess you always have other people nudging you to contend with as well.
 
Exactly my point. Your experience in East Africa does not map to Southern Africa where they do things differently. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda all have to have covered vehicles - further south they don't use them - except for self drives.

Another benefit of the private reserves (where Steve is going as he says in his first post and Sabi Sands is one of the best) is that they don't tend to load the vehicle as full. I haven't done a safari with more than 4 guests in a vehicle since 2002!
 
Another benefit of the private reserves (where Steve is going as he says in his first post and Sabi Sands is one of the best) is that they don't tend to load the vehicle as full. I haven't done a safari with more than 4 guests in a vehicle since 2002![/QUOTE]


Agree with this. I am returning to a private reserve (Savannah Lodge) next week for this reason. Open sided vehicles and never crowded. The owner is himself an excellent photographer.

From my previous experience a lot of the animals are within spitting distance - so long lenses are not always necessary.

Would be happy to receive a PM and feed back to Steveo when I get back - mid November.
 
stevecush said:
Another benefit of the private reserves (where Steve is going as he says in his first post and Sabi Sands is one of the best) is that they don't tend to load the vehicle as full. I haven't done a safari with more than 4 guests in a vehicle since 2002!
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stevecush said:
Agree with this. I am returning to a private reserve (Savannah Lodge) next week for this reason. Open sided vehicles and never crowded. The owner is himself an excellent photographer.

From my previous experience a lot of the animals are within spitting distance - so long lenses are not always necessary.

Would be happy to receive a PM and feed back to Steveo when I get back - mid November.
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Hey Steve, just googled Savanna Lodge and it looks pretty close to Elephant Plains which is where I am going. I would love to chat to you when you get back to see how you got on and any advice you can pass on, thanks.
 
I know this is a really small photo but these are the vehicles we will be in.

image.php
 
What about lens rental? I imagine you are going for 2 weeks? How about renting the 200-400mm FR VR. I went back home to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in May last year and rented a 500mm F4 IS (Canon) at the time. I stayed for just over 2 weeks and it cost me around £400 to rent the lens - WORTH EVERY PENNY. This is just my point of view, but a lot of people go to Africa as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity. Why not make sure you have the best equipment to ensure you can get that shot.

Uhhmm, by the way, you may actually want to spend some time with your new wife as well. I did exactly the same thing about 3 years ago. Stayed in the Kruger and in a few concessions for our honeymoon. Just remember, she is there as well and sometimes it is not about 'getting the shot'. I know a few of the guides in Sabi Sands. Do you know exactly where you are staying and when I can do a bit of digging for you
 
delboysafa said:
What about lens rental? I imagine you are going for 2 weeks? How about renting the 200-400mm FR VR. I went back home to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in May last year and rented a 500mm F4 IS (Canon) at the time. I stayed for just over 2 weeks and it cost me around £400 to rent the lens - WORTH EVERY PENNY. This is just my point of view, but a lot of people go to Africa as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity. Why not make sure you have the best equipment to ensure you can get that shot.

Uhhmm, by the way, you may actually want to spend some time with your new wife as well. I did exactly the same thing about 3 years ago. Stayed in the Kruger and in a few concessions for our honeymoon. Just remember, she is there as well and sometimes it is not about 'getting the shot'. I know a few of the guides in Sabi Sands. Do you know exactly where you are staying and when I can do a bit of digging for you
Click to expand...

I don't think I need to hire any lenses, I think I have everything sorted now.

D300 with the 300mm+1.4TC=420mm f/4
D700 with the 70-200mm f/2.8VR or 17-35mm

We are staying at a place called Elephant Plains, do you know it?
 
I just got back from Safari on Thorneybush Private Reserve and took a Nikon 80-400mm out with me (as well as the usual lenses) and had it on a D300s body. It worked very well when the sun was out, but when the sun set in the evening I would have to bump up the ISO or use my flashes (you can't allways do this as some animals eyes adjust very slowly to changes in light and you will end up blinding them for a while) to get good images.

I have used 70-300mm before and was not impressed with it's sharpness, it appears Badger will disagree with me on this. The 300mm lens you have is a pretty nice lens, I'd keep that if I was you and rent a super telephoto lens from somewhere like lensesforhire.co.uk.
 
aliman84 said:
I just got back from Safari on Thorneybush Private Reserve and took a Nikon 80-400mm out with me (as well as the usual lenses) and had it on a D300s body. It worked very well when the sun was out, but when the sun set in the evening I would have to bump up the ISO or use my flashes (you can't allways do this as some animals eyes adjust very slowly to changes in light and you will end up blinding them for a while) to get good images.

I have used 70-300mm before and was not impressed with it's sharpness, it appears Badger will disagree with me on this. The 300mm lens you have is a pretty nice lens, I'd keep that if I was you and rent a super telephoto lens from somewhere like lensesforhire.co.uk.
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I've been told there is little need for a super telephoto in the private reserves of Kruger, 420mm will surfice for most stuff.

No point in me renting from lensesforhire, I am in Australia!!!!!
 
Steveo_Hants said:
No point in me renting from lensesforhire, I am in Australia!!!!!
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Sorry, totally blanked that out when I was writing.

As for lens length, I found 400mm was usually just fine for me, but sometimes I wished for a slightly tighter composition. For example Zebras do not like being close to the Land Rover and because of this I didn't manage to get a nice close up of ones face. Saying that they were only happy to show us there behinds :lol:
 
Oh and when you're getting charged by a male bull elephant you'll want something a little wider - when they get close, they get very close!
 
aliman84 said:
Oh and when you're getting charged by a male bull elephant you'll want something a little wider - when they get close, they get very close!
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Well I'll have 70mm or 17-35 on full frame, hopefully won't need anything wider then that!
 
Steveo_Hants said:
Well I'll have 70mm or 17-35 on full frame, hopefully won't need anything wider then that!
Click to expand...

That should do the trick! Have a great time and I'd love to see some of your pics when your back...

And I hope you two have an amazing wedding :)
 
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