Safari Lens

[Walt]

Looking very much like we may be going on a safari holiday next year, wondering wether i will be able to get by with my 70-200L and Kenko 1.4 converter or would it be better to go with something a bit longer.
The two i am looking at are the Canon 100-400L or the Sigma 150-500 (which a friend has and is full of praise for)
I have read reports saying that the 100-400L can suffer from dust problems and i am thinking safari = dust.
As i would need some, no lets be honest bloody loads of practice before the said trip, permission to purchase well beforehand has being granted from the highest authority.
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated

 

[Just Dave]

I took my 150-500mm its was a good all round lens, had to keep swapping lenses though as we were so close to some of the animals,

 

[joker2006]

What about the sigma stewart at lens for hire might be getting soon

 

[Walt]

What about the sigma stewart at lens for hire might be getting soon

Ye that would be fine, it would just about fill the luggage allowance aswell

 

[Les Key]

You say you are considering the Sigma 150-500

Why dont you have a look at the Sigma 50-500 it will cover most of the range you will want to shoot and no lens changing.

We have the older version which my son has taken over and it lives on his camera for his wildlife and sports stuff

If the newer stabilised version is as good as the old you wont be disapointed.

 

[501cards]

I have done Kenya several times with the Canon 100-400 and the lens is in its element there, I was concered about the dust as well but through the dustiest parks and trips it never gave any problems, I have also used the Sigmna 150-500 and its a good lens but personally feel the 100-400 is in a class of its own

The image below was taken on a monopod from the back of a Land Rover in Kenya, 5DII and 100-400 I have put a link to a larger version of the file, you can see the feather detail it resolves,

My friend used a Canon 28-300 L on the same trip so as not to have to change lenses results were good but still feel the 100-400 were better, and to be honest on a high cost trip like that you should have a backup body, so for wider shots get a backup body with someting to pick up the wide shots, no need at all to change lenses then. (Plus no heartbreaks having a camera failure mid trip)

LARGE VERSION

http://www.stageshoot.co.uk/files/Eagle2.jpg



Enjoy the trip, whereabouts are you going?.

 

[Just Dave]

some of my shots from Kenya all taken with Sigma 150-500mm, all Hand Held

A Long-Crested Eagle East Tvaso National Park Kenya

Bataeuer Eagle

Lilac Breasted Roller

Staited Heron

Dik Dik

 

[awhyu]

Have to say the 100-400 L will be a greatooption for a safari lens

 

[Nikon Fan]

We have talked about going on a safari, and I will probably go for the Sigma 50-500 as it seems to get great reviews.

 

[Just Dave]

We have talked about going on a safari, and I will probably go for the Sigma 50-500 as it seems to get great reviews.

You thinking of going cant believe its 2yrs since we were last there, we stayed at Travellers Hotel Bamburi can recommend it, we would go back there, although we stay in 2 other hotel Saltlick Stilt hotel ,and treetop lodge a wooden hotel all 3 fab hotels

 

[Ross_Curtis]

It very much depends where you go.

If you go to a private reserve you will get a lot closer as they are allowed off the main tracks. We went on safari to ulusaba last year and I found 200mm more than enough for 90% of the photos I took. There was only a couple of occasions where I wanted more reach.

However I found my 200LII and 135L the perfect duo. I'm probably I'm the minority here but it does depend on location, if you're not sure then the 100-400 is probably a better choice.

 

[footman]

Another vote for the 100-400, simply (for me anyway) the IS adds so much more.
OK, people will criticise it's sharpness etc. and maybe it's not as tack sharp as my 400 5.6L but I will get more keepers.


Pied babbler, Madikwe Game Reserve , South Africa

 

[Walt]

Thanks for all the replies, gotta say there doesnt seem to be a lot in it as far as IQ goes but my gut feeling is to go for the Canon. Think it may be something to do with
1. how impressed i am with my existing L lens and hoping that the 100-400L can come up to the same standard
2. it seems to be the lighter of the 2
3. i seem to find images from the Canon more to my liking (the eagle from 501cards really does it for me)

All being well we will be making the trip July-August 2012 for mrs walts 40+vat birthday
probably to the east/west Tsavo region

 

[Walt]

P.S if i come back with some shots anywhere near as good as the ones posted above i will be a very happy(but skint) bunny.

 

[tijuana taxi]

How about the new 70-300mm L , owners give it great reviews and weather sealed as a bonus

 

[Walt]

How about the new 70-300mm L , owners give it great reviews and weather sealed as a bonus

Ye had a look but dont really want to spend £1000 plus to get 100mm extra over my 70-200

 

[hollis_f]

I've taken my 100-400 to Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania - some of the pics are HERE. The 100-400's reputation for dust is totally unfounded, any lens that changes length when zooming will have to let air in and out, along with the possibility of dust. I'd choose the 100-400 over the xx(x)-500 Sigmas because it's lighter, smaller and faster.

My current safari kit is a 300 f2.8 (normally with a 1.4x TC) and a 70-200 f4. But I'm going to be very tempted next time by the new Sigma 120-300 f2.8 OS. Apparently it takes both TCs well to give you a very good 170-420 f4 and a good 240-600 f5.6

 

[Tokkelossi]

It also depends on what and how your going to shoot. in a 4x4 with a clamp is different to walking for a few miles with kit.

Think about weight if you plan on getting remote of very close. That camera bag can feel like a tank at the end of a long, hot hike.

Most high brand lens's will give good results although i must say Canon has the mark ... just. However, a 300 or 400mm 2.8L is not nice to carry or hold.

Go have a feel of a few and see which one you can hand hold the longest

Im like one of thos crabs with one claw bigger then the other.

Have fun

Tom