Next March I will be going to Tanzania. Having already been to South Africa, Botswana and Kenya, I have a pretty good idea of the photo ops I'm likely to encounter.....namely fairly big animals and only occasional chances for birds, especially BIF. Bodies will be D5 and D850.
In my previous trips to Africa, I used my 500mm/f4 about 50% of the time, and the 80-400 AF-S about 30%. Of that 30% using the 80-400, about 10% was at 400mm and about 15% was between 80 and 225mm.
So, I had thought I would buy the 500mm PF before my next trip. But now I am having trouble justifying a hand holdable 500mm versus my excellent 80-400mm zoom and 300mm PF!
Perhaps the best lenses for me in Tanzania would be:
300 PF - close subjects and low light (and with 1.4 tele = 420mm)
80-400 AF-S Hand holdable zoom
600/f4 + 1.4 tele
I think I've just talked myself out of a 500mm PF!!!!!!
In my previous trips to Africa, I used my 500mm/f4 about 50% of the time, and the 80-400 AF-S about 30%. Of that 30% using the 80-400, about 10% was at 400mm and about 15% was between 80 and 225mm.
So, I had thought I would buy the 500mm PF before my next trip. But now I am having trouble justifying a hand holdable 500mm versus my excellent 80-400mm zoom and 300mm PF!
Perhaps the best lenses for me in Tanzania would be:
300 PF - close subjects and low light (and with 1.4 tele = 420mm)
80-400 AF-S Hand holdable zoom
600/f4 + 1.4 tele
I think I've just talked myself out of a 500mm PF!!!!!!