Safari Photo Gear

After our around the world trip, we have been to Africa a few times now. That’s a few more times than most people so we know a thing or two. We’ve been on a guided safari in South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. We have also driven on our own self-guided safari in Tanzania where we visited the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Our most surprising safari was a guided one-day trip in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park. We probably saw as many animals in Sri Lanka as we have on all our Africa trips combined. If you haven’t considered Sri Lanka, you should. It’s an amazing country that offers much more than just the safari experience.

A pair of green bee eaters. Note the insect in ones mouth.

My camera gear back in the day was significantly different from what I’m shooting now. Back then, money was tighter, I wasn’t doing photography as a full-time professional and image quality wasn’t my primary concern. Size and weight were much more important. Today, I have significantly more experience and I’m using more of my images to make money so quality is more important to me now. Aside from the first camera I ever had, I’ve always shot with Nikon gear since starting my photography journey. Back in 2019, I made the switch to a mirrorless system and over the last few years, I’ve been slowly changing all my glass over to the new system. I’ve also invested more into video gear and various lighting that I use for my profession. However, most of that isn’t really necessary for a safari in Africa.

Back in the day when I went on safari, I brought the following equipment:

  • Nikon D800
  • Nikon D7200
  • Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR AF-S
  • Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 DX
  • Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DX
  • Sirui T-025X Carbon Fiber Tripod

If I were to go on a safari today, my equipment would be much better, but also heavier. Here’s what my gear would consist of and why:

  • Nikon Z8
    This would be the mainstay of my photos. I love the higher pixel count and faster processing speed. It’s a significant upgrade from the 36 megapixels of the D800. The Z8 is smaller and lighter (only slightly) than the Z9 yet offers much of the same features. For moving subjects, the fast accurate focus and high frame rates almost guarantees at least one good shot. And the video capabilities are pretty spectacular too making it a highly versatile camera.
  • Nikon Z7 II
    Safaris are mostly off-road trips in a dry and dusty environment. It’s not someplace where you’d want to swap lenses on a mirrorless body. Even with the sensor shutter on the Z8, the fine road dust manages to get everywhere. Even when I was shooting a DSLR that had a shutter protecting the sensor, that sensor got dirty quickly. Having a second body means I don’t have to worry about dust reaching the sensor or the time lost changing lenses. I can keep my wide-tele lens on the Z7 II and keep my long telephoto on the Z8. The Z7 II also has the same image size as my Z8 so I don’t have to sacrifice pixels when using it. For closer or more stationary subjects, the focusing and frame rates are usually fast enough.
  • Nikkor Z 24-120 f/4 S
    If you’re on safari in South Africa, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how close you’ll get to wild animals, sometimes disturbingly close. When that happens, your long telephoto lens won’t be of much use. I found that this focal range is great for wildlife close to your vehicle and for establishing shots in videos. It also has enough reach and overlap with my long lens to not have to switch back and forth as often.
  • Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S or Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3
    I have both these lenses and deciding which one to bring is a difficult choice. Both are zoom telephotos with about 5.5 stops of vibration reduction. The 100-400mm is an “S” lens, which means it has better image quality because of higher quality optics and dual focusing motors for faster focusing speed. It’s also lighter and easier to pack and the 1/3 to 2/3-stop brighter aperture could mean the difference between a keeper or a blurry photo. On the other hand, the 180-600mm has a longer reach with tighter cropping. If you’re a birder or stuck in the back of a crowd of tourists on the Serengeti, you’ll appreciate this lens. The 180-600mm is also an internal zoom, which means that on a dusty safari, it won’t change size and suck in dust as you zoom. However, this lens is about 1.8 lb. (about 800 grams) heavier than the 100-400mm and is also longer. That could be an issue in a crowded safari vehicle. The 180-600mm also doesn’t have some of the useful features of the shorter telephoto, such as an extra function button for focus recall. It’s also not an “S” lens and the focusing isn’t as fast. If you’re going to South Africa where safaris are mostly on private land and a bit more intimate, the 100-400mm is more than adequate for large mammals. If you’re going to the Serengeti or Sri Lanka where your vehicle will be jockeying for position in a crowd, you’ll want the extra reach of the 180-600mm.
Toque Macaque Monkey mom and baby. Indigenous to Sri Lanka.
  • Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S or Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S
    Out at a safari lodge, in the middle of nowhere, the sky at night is incredible. Depending on the time of the year, the Milky Way is also visible in the southern hemisphere. The 20mm would be perfect for those Milky Way shots without having to carry a star tracker. The 14-30mm is probably too slow for night sky photography, but it’s a bit more versatile and Africa offers lots of opportunities for landscape photos and creative use of foreground elements. Whenever I don’t bring a superwide lens, I regret it.
  • Nikkor Z TC2.0
    Adding a 2X teleconverter makes your already slow telephoto zoom lens even slower. You might extend your reach, but at the risk of blurred or extremely noisy images. Sometimes though, you might just need that tighter crop and having that option can be what makes a great photo. It takes a little bit of advanced planning to know when you might need it. Someplace like the Ngorongoro Crater is where it would come in handy. You can often see wildlife in the distance, but there isn’t a road that will get you close enough.
  • Sirui T-025X Carbon Fiber Tripod
    In the past, I have brought a monopod. I used it for one day and the rest of the time, it sat in our room. In the vehicles used for the safari drives, you’re usually packed in the Landcruiser or Land Rover like sardines. Trying to use one in a vehicle isn’t practical. There isn’t much room to move and even less room to swing a camera and long lens with an attached monopod. Nowadays, with good vibration reduction on our lenses, the need for a monopod or tripod is nearly all but eliminated. Most shots can be handheld and good safari guides will switch the engine off so you can use the vehicle to brace your camera without vibrations. There are often nighttime opportunities to take longer exposures, or where animals are involved, slower shutter speeds that even VR won’t help. These usually aren’t in a vehicle and then a tripod can be useful. And then there’s always the obligatory group shot. You could hope one of the guides can take a good photo or frame the shot yourself on a tripod. The Sirui tripod is small and lightweight, making it easy to include in my kit, and it’s surprisingly sturdy for its size.
  • DJI Mavic 2 Pro
    On our African safari, we splurged for helicopter flights over the Okavango Delta. It’s an unforgettable experience that I would recommend. However, it is expensive and you’re never guaranteed a window seat. The drone makes it possible to do your own aerial safari without the expense of a helicopter. Just make sure you are allowed to fly in the airspace where you’ll be.
  • Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II Camera Backpack
    In the past, most of my gear was in a hard case for these kind of trips. While the equipment is well-protected, the case wasn’t always the easiest to carry around. It also drew a lot of unwanted attention to the fact that I had expensive camera gear. The Lowepro is a little more discreet, and easier to maneuver when there isn’t pavement.

In addition to these essential pieces, I often bring a bag of filters and holders, cleaning accessories, and extra batteries. With the mirrorless systems I have, I need a minimum of 4 extra higher mAh batteries, such as the EN-EL15c. And since I usually have two camera bodies with me, I carry them on a BlackRapid double camera harness.

Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake

 

DSC_4056This large lake is a prominent feature on maps of Cambodia. Its water levels and volume change dramatically from the wet to dry seasons, filled and drained by the ebb and flow of the Tonle Sap River and its confluence with the mighty Mekong. The size of the lake swells to nearly 5 times its dry season size during the rainy season. We went here based on the recommendation of our AirBNB host, Thony, and it’s unique ecosystem and water culture were a complete surprise to Sheri and me. DSC_4119The lake is only 15 km. from Siem Reap, but the roads are only partially paved and took 45 minutes to get there in our tuk-tuk. Our driver brought us to a harbor late in the afternoon where we bought our $20 tickets per person and proceeded to our boat. We later found out that this price is negotiable depending on the boat operator. The boat launch reminded me of our trip up the Little Yangtze River in China; lots of boats trying to dock somewhere that could barely accommodate them all. Continue reading

Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor

Cambodia was our first destination in Southeast Asia. At the time, when I made the flight arrangements, I didn’t see any compelling reason to go to Phnom Penh. I figured we would see more than enough temples throughout Asia and the experience would be similar to Siem Reap, the town closest to the Angkor complex of temples. We only scheduled two nights and three days for Cambodia, and in hindsight, we could easily have afforded to stay longer. Cambodia was probably the least expensive place we have visited so far in Southeast Asia. DSC_4328Tourist who used to flock to Thailand for the travel bargains are now going to Cambodia instead. For me, it seems to offer more of the underdeveloped rural experience than some of the more modern Asian countries.

After reading horror stories about people crossing the border from Thailand, we decided to fly directly to Siem Reap. And although flying into the major airports allows you the convenience of getting a visa upon arrival, we opted to get our visa online while we were in Australia. We waited until just 4 days before our scheduled arrival to get our visa, but they were very fast processing it, so I had it within 2 days of applying for it. Although they are fast, I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute. We printed two copies as instructed and when we arrived, having our visas beforehand saved us from waiting in a long queue to get one on arrival. Continue reading

RTW Camera Gear Finalized

d7200After several months of painstaking research and careful consideration of weight limitations and current equipment, I finally decided on my camera gear. If you’re not familiar with my criteria, you might want to read my other post on travel photo gear. My primary body will be the Nikon D7200. It’s bigger than I originally wanted, but is the best compromise between the functionality I needed, weight and image quality. The D7200 will work with all my existing Nikon equipment so I don’t have to go out and get all new gear specific to a new system. I’m also very familiar with the user interface so I won’t have much of a learning curve. It won’t perform as well in low light as a full-frame sensor camera, such as the Sony Alpha 7 series, but it’s a whole lot better than my previous D300 body. Plus, it has full 1080p video saving me from carrying a separate camcorder.

Continue reading

Sirui T-025X Carbon Fiber Tripod

After trying out the MeFOTO Aluminum Backpacker Tripod, I decided to return it, spend a little more and get the Sirui T-025X Carbon Fiber Tripod. I know that in my review of the MeFOTO I tried to justify not getting a carbon fiber tripod because of the extra expense over an equivalent aluminum tripod, but there was something I didn’t take into account. Carbon fiber is stiffer and doesn’t resonate like aluminum. Weighing in at 1 lb. 14.5 oz. (862 g.), it’s 11 oz. less than the MeFOTO and is helpful in reducing the total weight of my photo backpack. So here’s what I’ve discovered so far about this tripod. I’ll be making some comparisons to the MeFOTO, so bear with me.

THE GOOD

The MeFOTO and the Sirui target a similar audience: travelers looking for a lightweight tripod solution. However, a tripod is more than just its own weight. It must be steady and support the weight placed on it. The Sirui T-025X uses carbon fiber tubing versus aluminum. The carbon fiber tubes are a slightly smaller diameter, but with nearly the same tubing wall thickness. The legs each have 5 sections and fold 180° for compact storage just like the MeFOTO. However, the carbon fiber legs are stiffer than the aluminum ones and they don’t exhibit the resonant vibrations I get with the aluminum legs. The smallest diameter leg sections are where the carbon fiber really shows its stiffness and dampening ability. Even with weight hanging from the center hook, there was hardly any bending or flexing in the legs.

The Sirui’s center column is removable. Even with the center column installed, if I move my camera slightly when mounted on the Sirui, it doesn’t transfer that movement down into the legs. Not something I could say about the MeFOTO. Wind induced vibrations are also reduced, and since the center column is removable, without it, vibrations are almost non-existent. Eliminating unwanted vibrations is one of the major reasons I went with carbon fiber over aluminum. The removable center column also means a minimum height of 10.2″ versus 16.75″ for the MeFOTO whose center column isn’t removable. Good news for those needing to shoot low angles or macro photography. Continue reading

MeFOTO Aluminum Backpacker Tripod

I did a lot of research before buying this tripod. I read all the negative reviews and asked questions. And I finally chose this tripod. What were my criteria? The tripod must allow me to take tack-sharp long-exposures. It has to be light. It has to be fairly sturdy. It has to pack down small. And it has to use my existing camera plates and L-brackets. Why not carbon fiber? Carbon fiber weighed 4 ounces less and cost $100 more.

A little background so you know I’m not just a casual user. I shoot professionally. I have quite a bit of equipment including 4 other tripods. So why would I need another one? I have a large tripod which is a Gitzo G1220 MkII with an Arca Swiss B-1 MonoBall Head and RRS flip-lock quick release. Another tripod was my “travel” tripod. It’s a Gitzo G026 with a Kirk BH-3 Ball Head. The photo of the three tripods compares the MeFOTO to my two Gitzo tripods. You can see how the MeFOTO is very small in comparison to my other ones. It met the criteria for packing down small, however, I have one little complaint that I’ll mention later. Continue reading

Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V16 Camera Slingpack

Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V16 Camera SlingpackSince there doesn’t seem to be an ideal backpack for our travels, I thought that maybe I should concentrate on the expensive things that should be protected. I still like the idea of anti-theft bags and decided that I should try another Pacsafe product after giving such a poor review of the Venturesafe™ 45L GII Travel Backpack. I’m glad to say that this bag is much better than the previous one I reviewed. I think this one will be the one to go with me around the world.

I looked at the comparably-sized Pacsafe Camsafe V17 Camera Backpack (Black) and the slightly larger Pacsafe Camsafe V25 Camera Backpack (Black). Both had very similar features, however, because I already will be using a backpack as my main bag, this sling bag is narrow enough that it could be awkwardly hung in front of me between my other backpack straps when I need to carry both bags for more than just a few minutes. To begin, let’s start with what I like about this bag.

THE GOOD

This camera bag has a 16 liter capacity and can hold a full-size DSLR with a mounted lens along with a second lens. It could also easily accommodate a mirrorless system with room to spare. Since I’ll be bringing a Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 and a 12-24mm f/4 lenses, the size was perfect. This bag is geared for the more casual photographer and not a pro, so if you plan on bringing something larger and faster, such as 70-200mm f/2.8, you may have to reconfigure this bag, carry the big lens in a pouch in the main compartment of this bag, or simply find a different bag. The main compartment is divided mid-way by a drawstring closure, that can be opened up to make it one long compartment. The main compartment is big enough to also carry my large 100×150 filter bag with filter holder and adapter rings, as well as enough clothes and toiletries for a 2 -3 day excursion. Continue reading

Travel photo gear

When I’m shooting for a client locally, I’m not really concerned with the same things as when I’m traveling and taking photos along the way. These are different situations and they call for different equipment. When looking for travel cameras and photo gear, here’s what I consider important:

Quality is paramount

There’s not much point in taking photos if they’re not the best quality available today. Photo quality isn’t determined by the resolution or the camera processor, but by the glass that you shoot through. Good quality lenses make better photos, so I stick with well-respected German or Japanese brands. I explain this in much more detail at Choosing photo equipment.

Resolution is important

Medium format equipment these days can produce 100 megapixel images. Most digital SLRs are between 24 and 45 megapixels now. Even point and shoot cameras can capture 18 megapixels or more. Even though I just said in the previous paragraph that resolution doesn’t equate to quality, it is important, because a higher resolution image allows more flexibility for cropping and manipulation. So if that art director doesn’t want all that foreground that you’ve included in the shot, they can simply crop the photo and not sacrifice too much resolution to get only what they need. A low resolution image can’t be cropped much without some pixelation occurring. For what I’m doing, 20 megapixels is the minimum. Continue reading