Africa Safari Lens Choices

[bobhoge]

Hi All,

Nan & I signed up for three weeks in Africa in September! I would like your thoughts on lenses.
Here is my current thoughts:
We BOTH shoot (at the same time).
Cameras D-70 and D-100
Lenses for 'in town" & landscapes: 18-70G (already own) and 28-200G (already own). Also 50 mm f1.8 (already own)
Lenses for wildlife:
70-200G AFS VR (need to buy)
1.7 Extender (need to buy) makes it a 120-340 AFS VR
70-300ED (already own)

Leave behind:
24-85G

Big question: should I also buy an 80-400VR and leave the 70-300 at home? (At the cost of this trip another $1500 seems possible). Would the Sigma 80-400OS be better?
We need to be able to travel fairly light for small aircraft flights into some of the parks. Much of the wildlife will be shot from off-road vehicles, not on foot. The temptation is to leave the tripods & monopods behind and let the VR do its thing.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Bob & Nan

 

[Gale]

Wow Bob :>)))

I love VR VR VR...

Thats all I will say.

I did sell my 80-400 VR and got a 70-200 VR and 1.4...Should have gotten the 1.7... Oh well

Yes I miss the 80-400 VR.. Wish i could afford to have kept both.

 

[jfrancis]

Push the boat out. 200-400 VR :twisted: :twisted:

 

[DiverX]

The 80-400VR is a great choice for Africa. When you are in the vehicle on Safari the engine can even give you camera shake when the vehicle is sitting unless they shut it off each time. The 400mm length will give you some extra reach which you may need from time to time.

I am going back to Kenya as well on 9/24 for 3 weeks. This year I have the 200-400VR and I suspect that will be my main lens on the D2x.

Don't forget to bring a beanbag for support, you will get lots of use from that! You can bring it empty and fill it with rice if you want to travel light!:wink:

If you have never been there before and have any questions feel free to send me a PM from here. I also have a bunch of shots from Kenya on my website from last February.

You will LOVE it there! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[general]

Safari

I spent two weeks in Kenya in 2002 on photo safari and used the 300 f/4 with 1.4 and 2.0 extenders and 80-400 VR with Kenko 300 Pro 1.4 for over 90% of 3600 exposures. Today I would probably take the 200-400 with 1.4 and 1.7 extenders but I had no real problems before. Have fun, it will be the trip of a lifetime. Oh yes, all the drivers I rode with turned off the engine automatically; if they don't ask them to turn it off.