Safari Help

[bigbanj]

Hi there!

I'm new to photography and at the moment only have a bridge camera (Canon SX20 IS). I'm off to Kruger on Friday and was looking for advice on how to take some good photos with the limited equipment I have. I went on safari in South Africa a few years ago with the same camera and although I got some good pictures I was disappointed with a lot of them. I found them blurry when zoomed in and some pictures were particularly grainy.

I have been on an introduction to DSLR course since then so hopefully I know a bit more about it and can take better photos. However, any help is much appreciated!

Cheers,

BB.

 

[BIGEYE]

You could hire a DSLR camera body, Mifsuds would probably do a good deal, then hire a couple of lenses from Lenses for Hire. You probably want a long zoom like the Canon 100mm to 400mm (get an extender as well if budget allows), and 24-70mm f2.8L as a good all rounder. Probably consider a tripod/monopod, this would be a big help. All this is hefty kit, but you need it for safari. You are leaving it very tight to get organised.

A bridge camera will not get you the shots you want, if it were that simple, all the pros would be using them. There would be no point in lugging around £1000's of gear if a bridge camera would do the job. They do however have their uses.

If you don't want to get the above kit, then certainly consider a tripod/monopod at the very least for your bridge camera.

Hope this helps.

 

[LCPete]

You could hire a DSLR camera body, Mifsuds would probably do a good deal, then hire a couple of lenses from Lenses for Hire. You probably want a long zoom like the Canon 100mm to 400mm (get an extender as well if budget allows), and 24-70mm f2.8L as a good all rounder. Probably consider a tripod/monopod, this would be a big help. All this is hefty kit, but you need it for safari. You are leaving it very tight to get organised.

A bridge camera will not get you the shots you want, if it were that simple, all the pros would be using them. There would be no point in lugging around £1000's of gear if a bridge camera would do the job. They do however have their uses.

If you don't want to get the above kit, then certainly consider a tripod/monopod at the very least for your bridge camera.

Hope this helps.

good advice I would reccomend hireing the Canon 100-400 and if you cant rent a camera body buy a secondhand one and resell it
give yourself a few days before you go to get used to the kit

I would in your place use it as an opportunity to move up to a DSLR and buy the kit but of course dont know your budget

 

[hollis_f]

If you can't get a dSLR with a 100-400 (which would be, by far the best option - but don't bother with a tripod or monopod, they're useless in the back of the vehicle; and don't get an extender, it won't work) then here's some advice -

Switch off Digital Zoom. It's not crap. It's worse than crap.

Use Av mode, set your aperture to f4 or f5.6 and your ISO to 800. That should give you a shutter speed fast enough to freeze motion (you really want a shutter speed of 1/500 or better). If your shutter speed goes faster than 1/1000 then you can start dropping the ISO. If your shutter speed goes slower than 1/500 then drop the aperture to f2.8 - if it's still too slow then put the camera in the bag and just look at the animals.

If you're lucky enough to get the chance to shoot fast-moving animals then remember that the distance between you and them will be changing rapidly - so they will be running out of the focal plane. Holding down the shutter button will result in out-of-focus images after the first few. Remember, shoot in short bursts - fire, release the shutter, fire, release, etc.

 

[bigbanj]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the great advice!
I'd love to upgrade and it was my intention (I even had a Canon 650D with twin lens lined up) but my fiancee has pointed out that moving house and getting married all in the same year does not leave any money available to indulge my hobbies. Sadly even hiring equipment is probably a stretch too far at the moment so I need to make do with what I've got. The holiday to SA was booked before the wedding and house were planned.

I have a tripod as I love taking scenary shots and I find it helps a lot in low light. I can set my shutter speed to a max of 1/3200, so I think I am ok with the high aperture. What would you recommend for the ISO?

The advice on how to shoot the animals is great, I'll try to remember but I may get too excited.

I really wish I had a better camera but sadly this is the lot I am dealt.

Thanks again for all your advice and help!

BB.

PS What is an extender?

 

[Phall82]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the great advice!
I'd love to upgrade and it was my intention (I even had a Canon 650D with twin lens lined up) but my fiancee has pointed out that moving house and getting married all in the same year does not leave any money available to indulge my hobbies. Sadly even hiring equipment is probably a stretch too far at the moment so I need to make do with what I've got. The holiday to SA was booked before the wedding and house were planned.

I have a tripod as I love taking scenary shots and I find it helps a lot in low light. I can set my shutter speed to a max of 1/3200, so I think I am ok with the high aperture. What would you recommend for the ISO?

The advice on how to shoot the animals is great, I'll try to remember but I may get too excited.

I really wish I had a better camera but sadly this is the lot I am dealt.

Thanks again for all your advice and help!

BB.

PS What is an extender?

Your fiancee should understand priorities... If you love each other then there is no need to prove it... Just buy a bigger camera instead

 

[bigbanj]

Ha ha ha!
I love your thinking but sadly not.
She does, and she did agree to it. But when we sat down and went through all the finances it was a choice of downlights in the new house or a new camera. As the new house is hopefully one for the next 10 years, I can get a camera later. Sad but true...