pnsnkr

Yep, that's why I included the 2x in my list. On a 7D, the combo extends the range to 640mm f/5.6.

The 10-22 will also come in handy on the hike/climb up the mountain as well as getting gorgeous wide angle shots from atop the summit.

Jeffmiyagi

Just curious, and you'll tell I'm a total noob with this question, but when I zoom on my cell cam, the images appear extremely grainy! And if someone is taking a picture of me on zoom, I like Mel Gibson from "The Man Without a Face." I'm guessing this problem is eliminated with a bridge and/or DSLR?

txflyer77

Yes, because phones (other than the iPhone 7s Plus and maybe a handful of others) only have digital zoom, which is just interpolation. Optical zoom doesn't suffer from this.

But, and please keep in mind that I mean this with all due respect, an African safari is not the place to be learning basics like this. That said, if you're going to do it anyways:

* Buy a body. I'm a Canon person so I'm not familiar with other manufacturers, but their current entry-level body will be fine.
* If you go Canon, pick up the 24mm STM. It's dirt cheap and a wonderful lens. This is your default lens. This is also your learning lens.
* Go find someone local who offers photography classes that you can take in the next few weeks so you at least know how to use your new camera.
* Rent a telephoto for the safari. Lensrentals.com is reliable and their rates are reasonable. You can rent a 100-400mm for <$200/week. Rent a tripod too (or just buy a beanbag and use that).

This gets you a really great beginners setup for maybe $600 (basic body and the 24mm pancake). Plus, you have a telephoto for the safari.

Here's the thing about buying camera gear: for a beginner photographer, there's really no difference between an entry-level body and a high-end one. You're actually better off with a cheap body. They lack the fancy features that will get in your way, are built for people transitioning into DSLRs and are generally smaller. Same with lenses: a cheap lens is pretty much as good as an expensive one. This doesn't apply to supertelephotos since there are no cheap lenses in that category, but spending $1,400 on, say, the Canon 16-35mm would be a waste compared to the 10-22mm EF-S ($600) or even just the 24mm pancake I mentioned ($140).

Plus, if you have cheap gear, you don't care so much when it gets battered around. I used a Canon 350D—released in 2005—for ten years and got some great photos out of it before finally replacing it earlier this year. Beat to hell but scuffs on the casing don't make a difference in the end.

Jeffmiyagi

tx that is excellent, excellent advice. I thank you! Do you have any thoughts on the RX10 III bridge cam I mentioned earlier. Has an excellent sensor and zoom lens. The only drawback will be capturing the animals as they run but they won't always be running.

txflyer77

Never heard of it.

I pay approximately 0 attention to news about new camera gear. Little comes from obsessing about the latest releases other than an empty bank account.

Jeffmiyagi

I guess the FZ1000 is pretty solid as well for the bridge cam market.

DeepUnderground

I used basically the same setup as above on my South African safari. I will list everything below that I took with me:

Camera Body
Canon EOS60D

Lenses
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
Sigma 2X teleconverter

Stabilization
I shot almost all of my pictures using a monopod which i extended against the floor of the land rover. I used a gimbal head.
Manfrotto Monopod
Gimbal Head
Footplate Mount for 70-200mm lens for gimbal head

If 200 with a 2x is not long enough, you're not getting close enough. There are 100-400 zooms available but they will have crappy low light performance when you don't really need the long reach. I use my 70-200 without the teleconverter in low light all the time.

Here are some shots with the 70-200 plus 2x plus monopod.





That is correct, you will not have the same degradation with a DSLR zoom because it is using optical magnification versus your cellphone using digital magnification. It's obvious from your questions that this will be a new learning adventure for you so I highly recommend getting the gear ASAP along with a basic book on photography 101 and practice practice practice before your trip! Good luck! ^

DeepUnderground

I came across very, very few animals that were running during my safari.

Jeffmiyagi

Deep, love that pic of the lions drinking the water.

Any thoughts on how bridge cams perform in low light? I happen to love shooting in low light (early morning or late evening) because many times I get to avoid crowds this way.

DeepUnderground

No idea, I have nothing between my iphone and the DSLR.

Jeffmiyagi

Thanks, I'm still undecided. Reading on the net, some have said that switching lenses in the heat of the moment on a safari is problematic (i.e. you're shooting an animal far away but then the animals comes up to the vehicle, you'd have to switch). With the bridge, switching views is easy.

DeepUnderground

I didn't have that issue much with the 70-200mm. The only case is that close up of the elephant's head since he was only about 4 meters away. That was fully zoomed out. I didn't bring multiple lenses out on the drives. Most animals, save for elephants, didn't really move around much, especially come closer to the truck.

Jeffmiyagi

It's a tough decision whether to go with some of your DSLR recs or maybe the FZ1000 Bridge cam. I have a ton of trips planned including Colombia, West Coast Road Trip, Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Maldives etc. So it makes me wonder if I should just bite the bullet and make the investment in the best glass.

Any thoughts on this lineup:

Canon EOS70D Body
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM OS FLD Large Aperture Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital DSLR Camera




Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens - DEFAULT LENS

DeepUnderground

For Safari? Unless you are really really REALLY close, those aren't going to cut it.

Jeffmiyagi

Edited my post. The 40mm is just the default lens. The 15-85mm is a good one but I don't think necessary for this trip. I added the zoom lens for the safari.