Heading to Tanzania : Suggestions on equipment

Hi all,
In a few days I'll be in Tanzania, and will dedicate 10 days to game photography. 6 days in Ruaha National Park and 4 days in Serengeti.
I'll took the equipment as follows :
- 1DsMkII with EF 24-105 L IS
- 5D MkII with EF 500 L IS plus 1.4x and 2x.
- 40D with EF 200 L.
- Ricoh caplio GX 100
- Monopod with RRS MH-01
- MacBook pro and chargers, batteries, ...........

For weight questions I'll try to switch the 1Ds MkII for a second 5D MkII (I'm in "business" with a friend of mine to lend me his body...).

My main doubt is about to take the EF 200 L or the EF 100-400 L IS ¿?¿?¿

The 200 gives excellent quality, lightweight and it "becames" a 320 with the 40D.
The 100-400 gives excellent versatility but increases weight and, as you know, the quality is not the same but it's stabilized.

What will you do ??

On the other hand, vehicles in Ruaha are totally open, but have no way to use a bean-bag, nor a tripod. That's the reason to use the monopod. What do you think ??

I'll really appreciate your oppinions - suggestions on the equipment.

Best

If the IQ is better with the 200 plus converter, I'd take it. For me, IQ is far more important than the convenience of a zoom that probably produces lower quality images.

Joan,

I have been to Tanzania several times on safari and I can offer a few suggestions.

1. I would take the 100-400 over the 200. There will be many times when the zoom lens will be a life saver for getting a particular picture. The 200 will lock you in to a fixed focal length and you will often want the ability to zoom out. Make sure to stop down the lens some (shot at f/8 or f/11 most of the time) and the image quality should not be too much of a problem. Also, most people I know say that the 100-400 is sharp except at the long end. If you have the same experience, you can always switch to the 500 instead of shooting at 400. IS will also be very helpful.

2. The monopod sounds like a good idea when you are in Ruaha since you can't use a beanbag.

I hope that helps.

I think I would start out with the question of how much weight? Are you flying in/out of the Serengeti? That will restrict weight. If not flying but driving, then weight is not an issue except for transport on your airline.

If it were me, I would set up and use:

1. The 1Ds Mark II with the 500mm f/4.
2. The 5D Mark II with the 24-105mm.
3. And, I would take the 100-400mm.

With this combination, you have a range of 24mm to 500mm (or more with your extenders).

One big issue is dust. The 1Ds Mark II will fare much better than the 5D Mark II. You might pack some plastic garbage bags to keep your camera in while driving. Pack lens cleaning materials and a good sensor brush. Dust, dust, dust.

Take a light weight jacket and hood. The flies will eat you alive, and the hood can be a life saver. A cheap over the head net and hat will keep the flies at bay as well.

The monopod will work in an open vehicle, if you aren't too cramped for space. I am surprised that you will be in an open vehicle, most vehicles in Tanzania have pop-tops and allow photographers to shoot while standing -- and here a good beanbag is essential.

If you use the vehicle cigarette lighter and a power inverter to recharge batteries, make sure that your inverter can handle 24 volts as some vehicles in Africa use them. Make sure you have the right electrical adapters for recharging your batteries while in camp.

Take a good small flashlight, you will need it.

But, most, relax and enjoy the trip, it is something you will never forget.

Best regards,

Bill

As much as I don't like the 100-400 I would take it over the fixed focal length 200 due to it's versatility and you may not have time to put on a teleconverter or miss the action. I would say I took more than half of my photos with that lens when I was there.

Thanks all,

Bill, I've been several times in Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, South Arfrica) but this will be my first time with the "Big Gun". All previous travels have used the 100-400 and, my god, it's a dust suction pump !!!
I knew very well all the troubles with dust, but never mind about flies in Tanzania. Are they so abundant there?? They are really a problem in the dry season ??

This is the type of 4x4 that I'll use :
About flying : yes. I'll fly from DES to Ruaha, Ruaha-Arusha, Arusha-Serengeti, Serengeti-DES. So I think weight is an issue.

And, finally, I could obtain a second 5D MkII body from my friend. So, one of them will be with the 24-105, and the other one with the 500.

I kind of reflection on the 200 vs. 100-400, based on my previous experiences with the 100-400.

- Often, the 400 is not enough. This time I'll have the 500 (an converters if needed).
- With very tame game, I used to set the 100-400 to 100-150. For those situations I'll have the 24-105.
- Intermediate situations can be covered by the 200 on the 40D.

This way I'll not change lenses (unless converters are needed), and I didn't use the "dust sucking pump".

Just thoughts. Final weight (and final intuition) will be the determinants.

Thanks again for your opinions and suggestions,

I agree with the recommendation for the 100-400. It covers the range you are missing and the zoom allows better framing as you can't leave the roads in Tanzania.
I also bring three bodies so I don't have to change lenses. Reduces the dust issue.
Mike

I think you convinced me. I'll take the "100-400 = Dust Sucker".
In the past I run some tests with my copy against an EF 400 L f/5.6 and it performed not too bad. Closing to f/8 and avoiding the 350-400 range it gives really good IQ.
I'll mount the 100-400 on the 40D and I'll try to not use it in the (300)350-400 range. The EF 500 will be on one of the 5D's with the 1.4x.
This way I have 24-105, 160-480 and 700mm with the possibility of the 2x.
Think this combination will work fine.

Thanks again for your inputs.

Best,

Joan,

As a follow on, I spent three days in a similar vehicle while in South Africa, and I had the same issues with supporting the camera. My monopod worked well. The only issue I had is that the seats are held on a metal frame up from the floor and the steel frame interfered with the placement of the monopod.

I was in Tanzania in March, and the flies were terrible in the Serengeti, I mean really terrible. The biting flies were the worst.

I have owned and used both the 100-400mm and the 200mm f/2.8L -- the 200mm is among the sharpest lenses I have ever used. However, my workhorse lens has been the 100-400mm which I used on two trips to Africa. Dust pump or not, the flexibility of the lens paid off many times. Since you have been to Africa several times, you are well aware of the need for flexibility, but if you prefer the image quality of the 200mm over the flexibility of the 100-400, then by all means take the 200mm. Besides it is smaller and weighs less than the 100-400.

Another lens I will mention is the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO. It is small and really produces sharp images and a perfect match for the 5D Mark II. Although you will need to boost contrast when post processing. But, for light weight and flexibility, I have not found anything better.

Have a great trip. I am totally jealous.

Best regards,

Bill

Thanks Bill. I appreciate your thoughts.
Hope the flies will be less agressive in the dry season !!! Otherwise I'll became a skull !!
At the end there are some items in the gear that are essentials :
- 2 x 5DMkII bodies
- 1 x 40D body
- EF 500 L IS
- 24-105 L IS
- 1.4x and 2x.
- MacBook Pro 15"
- Ricoh Caplio GX 100 (I like this small camera. It's great !!! (At ISO 80..))
- Giottos monopod and RRS MH-01
- Batteries and chargers

Deppending on the final weight and the local flyghts limitations, I'll add the 200 or the 100-400. Most probably will be the 100-400.

After paying the travel bill, I'm a poor man , and can't not afford a 70-300, neither an egg dozen for dinner

Best,

I am a huge fan of the 100-400mm lens, even though it has flaws. I did a quick look in my Lightroom database with over 60,000 African wildlife images, and the 100-400mm was the most often used lens. This tells me that flexibility is more important than MTF charts or anything else.

Well, the decision is taken and I fly tomorrow.
That's what I've done :
I owned an old Lowepro Photo Trekker and decided to convert it into an Airport Security while saving $370. External measurements are exactly the same.
Removed from de LPT all the straps, padding, add-ons, ........ = Initial weight 4.5 Kg. Final weight 1.1 Kg. Now it's not a back-pack, but it's a perfect photo bag. I just saved the bottom and external (round) padding.
Then I bought a spare wheel cart (10€) that weights only 800 gr and the bag fits perfectly with one elastic band.

The equipment that I'll carry inside will be :
- 5DMkII + 1.4x + EF 500 L IS
- 40D + EF 100-400 L IS
- 2x just in case....
- Ricoh Caplio GX 100 : 24-70mm, shoots RAW, excellent macro capabilities. At ISO 80 and f/5.6-7.1 gives enough quality for my needs.
As I'm not a well skilled landscape photographer and my main interest is wildlife, I'll leave at home the EF 24-105 L IS and the second 5DMkII in order to save weight.
And, in fact, with a 100-700 focal lenght you can have excellent landscapes and sunsets in Africa.
- MBP 15" with free 300 GB.
- External unplugged HD 250 GB for second copies.
- Batteries and chargers

Total weight is 13 Kg and will be my hand luggage while flying. The maximum allowed by KLM is 12 Kg and hope to have no problems.
The Giottos Alu Monopod with RRS head and the bean bag (empty )will travel in the checked luggage.

Once again, thanks a lot for all your oppinions and advice.
Hope this will work and hope to show you some nice photos in september (at least 1 or 2 ).

Best,

Have a great time !! Travel safe.
Lou

Joan,

Sorry I am late....but probably the thing that would be at the top of my list is a beanbag and a skimmer ground pod to place on top of it if you are shooting from an open top vehicle..

Hi all,

I'm back home and let me tell some issues about the trip :

- Finally (because of weight restrictions) I picked 5DMkII+1.4x+EF 500 L IS, 40D + EF 100-400 L IS and the Ricoh Caplio GX100. The Monopod worked pèrfect in the open vehicles, and a hand made Bean Bag filled with 2.5 Kg of rice I think is the perfect solution for closed vehicles with open roof in the Serengueti.
- It would be nice to have the EF 24-105 but this way, with only two bodies, I never changed a lens, so, dust has been not a problem.

- No Bite Flies in the Serengueti, but lot of them in some areas in Ruaha N.P.

-All Photo objectives covered (mainly "Big Cats") only failed in Wild Dogs (Have been pested by rabbish last year and are in a very critical situation) and also we've been not able to find sable antelope. "You allways must keep something for the next time".

Impressed by the high ISO capabilities of the 5DMkII, but wishing for the "fast as the wind" focus I had in the 1DMK2n..........

Best,

Welcome back, Joan!