With modern cameras and editing possibilities you only need one camera and one adjustable lens. If you take multiple lenses you risk dust in your camera and also by the time you change a lens you can miss a great shot. We have found the best shots by doing a long shot quickly and then zooming in for a closeup if the animal cooperates and is still there!
Don't sweat if you miss an opportunity, you will get plenty of other chances and even finding that what you thought was a great shot at the beginning of the trip is just mediocre when you get a better one later on in the trip. Editing takes many hours when you make your photo book. Oh and I think these tours are more than just great photos, it changes you. Enjoy!
How much other stuff will you be carrying? You'll have your duffle plus you can take a day bag or backpack. If you can't fit your camera gear into a backpack-sized Case Logic or Lowepro camera bag, you are taking too much! Forget about a tripod- no place to use it. There is a lot more camera and other info in the K&T forum. You might want to read through it.
The on-tour aircraft are not little planes- the smallest you'll be flying is a Cessna Caravan and others will be larger 2 or 4 engine turboprop aircraft like the Bombardier de Havilland Canada's "Twin Otter" -7 or -8's, depending on the length of the airstrip and number of people on tour. They seat anywhere from 39-78 depending on the make and model of the particular plane used. I posted photos in a older thread in the K&T forum.
I used to carry multiple lenses . . . switching for the type of shot I wanted to take . . . and then occasionally missing that shot. I now pack just a Tamron 16-300. It serves all of my needs! Tamron makes it with mounts for several name brand cameras.
I used to carry multiple lenses . . . switching for the type of shot I wanted to take . . . and then occasionally missing that shot. I now pack just a Tamron 16-300. It serves all of my needs! Tamron makes it with mounts for several name brand cameras.
Yup! That is my "go-to" lens 99%* of the time. That is all I took on K&T, Classic Italy, Best of Ireland, and Peru & Galapagos and used it with my small Canon (SL-1) for shooting both stills and videos. The other 1% of the time I used my GoPro for rare, extra-wide-angle or REALLY close in shots, and for all underwater stills & video.
This is our first trip to Africa and our first Tauck tour. Doing K&T starting June 3rd. Being our first trip and not wanting to miss the opportunity I am taking two camera bodies with a short lens and a longer lens. My longer lens is a Nikon 70-200 with a 1.5 doubler getting me close to the 300 range. I figure with full frame technology and cropping I will still be able to get good length and then not have the size and weight of the longer zoom lenses.
I have seen several discussions regarding sand bags for the top of the trucks, several comments by Alan S, do you recommend using the sand bags and did you fill them on site?
We are excited - family of 5 - travelled quite a bit but my wife is the master planner and usually does all the arrangements herself - this is our maiden voyage into the group tour!
I'll weigh in again. It is possible I suppose, but personally, I really think two cameras is too much to handle on the K&T Safari. That was going to be my plan, but I'm glad I took the advice of rabo and others. Get a 16-300mm lens. When you are not stopped for a photo, you'll be doing some serious bouncing, rocking and rolling in the jeep (stretched Toyota Landcruiser) over bumps, boulders, ruts, mud holes, etc. and making quick maneuvers to avoid the worst, especially when a radio call comes in and off you go racing to a reported sighting- no paved roads on game drives. At times in the Masaai Mara you won't be on a road or trail at all. Bottom line- too much going on, including hanging on for dear life : ) to be messing with two cameras. Also, you don't want to spend all your time looking through a viewfinder which is one reason a lot of folks just take small point-and-shoot cameras.
Sand bags, while they may work to steady your camera to the jeep, they do nothing to steady the jeep! You don't just pull up and park for 10 minutes to observe wildlife- you may stop for a quick shot, a few minutes at most, then the driver (usually/hopefully after warning everyone) will re-position the vehicle so everyone on the opposite side of the vehicle can get a shot, or move the vehicle because the animal(s) have moved or because another vehicle got in the way. The situation is very dynamic. And last but not least, a sand or bean bag is extra bulk and/or weight you don't want to be carrying. At any given moment you may be on the opposite side of the roof opening and have no place to set the sandbag- it can get crowed up there, too, and you don't want to be a photo hog, "Dad, you are in my way, I can't see!!!"
What can happen if the animals are too far/too close for the camera in your hand? I really don't think you'll want both around your neck, so you'll kneel down or bend over, grab the other one from your camera bag, and by the time you stand back up, turn it on, remove the lens cap, adjust and focus it, the animal and great shot are gone!
With six to seven people per vehicle, the roof opening can get really busy and crowded. Remember, also, you'll either need to keep your shoes off, or take them off each time you step on the seats. These photos should give you an idea of the challenges.
It will be almost impossible to hold a camera still when negotiating ravines like this.
This mud puddle doesn't look bad, but it stopped our 4 WHEEL DRIVE safari vehicle and it took the balloon support team tractor to pull us out!
Comments
Don't sweat if you miss an opportunity, you will get plenty of other chances and even finding that what you thought was a great shot at the beginning of the trip is just mediocre when you get a better one later on in the trip. Editing takes many hours when you make your photo book. Oh and I think these tours are more than just great photos, it changes you. Enjoy!
The on-tour aircraft are not little planes- the smallest you'll be flying is a Cessna Caravan and others will be larger 2 or 4 engine turboprop aircraft like the Bombardier de Havilland Canada's "Twin Otter" -7 or -8's, depending on the length of the airstrip and number of people on tour. They seat anywhere from 39-78 depending on the make and model of the particular plane used. I posted photos in a older thread in the K&T forum.
Yup! That is my "go-to" lens 99%* of the time. That is all I took on K&T, Classic Italy, Best of Ireland, and Peru & Galapagos and used it with my small Canon (SL-1) for shooting both stills and videos. The other 1% of the time I used my GoPro for rare, extra-wide-angle or REALLY close in shots, and for all underwater stills & video.
I have seen several discussions regarding sand bags for the top of the trucks, several comments by Alan S, do you recommend using the sand bags and did you fill them on site?
We are excited - family of 5 - travelled quite a bit but my wife is the master planner and usually does all the arrangements herself - this is our maiden voyage into the group tour!
Sand bags, while they may work to steady your camera to the jeep, they do nothing to steady the jeep! You don't just pull up and park for 10 minutes to observe wildlife- you may stop for a quick shot, a few minutes at most, then the driver (usually/hopefully after warning everyone) will re-position the vehicle so everyone on the opposite side of the vehicle can get a shot, or move the vehicle because the animal(s) have moved or because another vehicle got in the way. The situation is very dynamic. And last but not least, a sand or bean bag is extra bulk and/or weight you don't want to be carrying. At any given moment you may be on the opposite side of the roof opening and have no place to set the sandbag- it can get crowed up there, too, and you don't want to be a photo hog, "Dad, you are in my way, I can't see!!!"
What can happen if the animals are too far/too close for the camera in your hand? I really don't think you'll want both around your neck, so you'll kneel down or bend over, grab the other one from your camera bag, and by the time you stand back up, turn it on, remove the lens cap, adjust and focus it, the animal and great shot are gone!
With six to seven people per vehicle, the roof opening can get really busy and crowded. Remember, also, you'll either need to keep your shoes off, or take them off each time you step on the seats. These photos should give you an idea of the challenges.
It will be almost impossible to hold a camera still when negotiating ravines like this.
This mud puddle doesn't look bad, but it stopped our 4 WHEEL DRIVE safari vehicle and it took the balloon support team tractor to pull us out!