David Garcia wrote:
Another question... once you guys have booked your trip and all is arranged and paid for, how much additional Cash do you take along for incidentals?
Also, is a Cash exchange necessary or do they take U.S. Dollars?
On my 3 trips. I have taken $500 in cash. Used it for tipping the guides and service people at the camps. The one camp that charged for premium booze took a credit card at checkout. Also paid for laundry services with a CC just about everywhere.
Here's a guide.
Who? How much?
Guide $10-$20 per day
Tracker $10-$20 per day
Camp staff $5-$10 per day
Butler $5-$10 per day
Transfer drivers $5 per journey
Alan Kefauver wrote:
On my 3 trips. I have taken $500 in cash. Used it for tipping the guides and service people at the camps. The one camp that charged for premium booze took a credit card at checkout. Also paid for laundry services with a CC just about everywhere.
Here's a guide.
Who? How much?
Guide $10-$20 per day
Tracker $10-$20 per day
Camp staff $5-$10 per day
Butler $5-$10 per day
Transfer drivers $5 per journey
Thank you for the break down. This tread has been very informative.
David Garcia wrote:
Another question... once you guys have booked your trip and all is arranged and paid for, how much additional Cash do you take along for incidentals?
Also, is a Cash exchange necessary or do they take U.S. Dollars?
they take usd but local currency is preferred if you tip directly to guides, since they don't loose out on exchange rates.
artsupreme wrote:
Great photos! I love the fast glass style of shooting. As everyone can see, nothing more than a 400mm was needed to capture amazing images.
I see you had the new Sony 300? How do you like it?
One could do it all with a 70-200, 400 and maybe something like a 35.
The 300GM was awesome - small, hand-holdable, and incredibly sharp.
guitardirky wrote:
One could do it all with a 70-200, 400 and maybe something like a 35.
The 300GM was awesome - small, hand-holdable, and incredibly sharp.
Exactly. All you need is a 70-200 2.8 and the 400 2.8. But now I couldn't go there without the 100-300. The 70-200 is still needed for the acrobatic shots while hanging upside down out of the side of the vechicle in very awkward positions.
Wow, fantastic photos! I am still evaluating which tele i should take for Africa, Namibia next summer... The Sony G 200-600 is sure nice... all-in-one... already booked many private game reserves for better photo options than Etosha...
Your shots show me the power of DOF at these longer distances...
At present already own the GM II 70-200mm.. so from 400-600mm i need a second lens... i could buy the new GM300.. use it with the TC1.4 as 420mm F4 (still much better DOF than with zoom lenses, can crop for more reach) or rent the GM400. The GM300 bonus is the easy handheld lens ... no weight, quite compact...
As you had the chance to use both fixed GMs .... 300 and 400... and TC1.4... did you try the GM300 with TC1.4 as 420mm comparing to the GM400? Any input is highly appreciated.
Each lens produced and there were definitely times where I was in APS-C mode with both the 400 and 400 +1.4. The National Parks I was more likely to have the teleconverter on or use the 1.4x on the 400.
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Walter K wrote:
Wow, fantastic photos! I am still evaluating which tele i should take for Africa, Namibia next summer... The Sony G 200-600 is sure nice... all-in-one... already booked many private game reserves for better photo options than Etosha...
Your shots show me the power of DOF at these longer distances...
At present already own the GM II 70-200mm.. so from 400-600mm i need a second lens... i could buy the new GM300.. use it with the TC1.4 as 420mm F4 (still much better DOF than with zoom lenses, can crop for more reach) or rent the GM400. The GM300 bonus is the easy handheld lens ... no weight, quite compact...
As you had the chance to use both fixed GMs .... 300 and 400... and TC1.4... did you try the GM300 with TC1.4 as 420mm comparing to the GM400? Any input is highly appreciated....Show more →
I didn't even try the 300 with a 1.4. The 300 was superb but I definitely used the 400 more for this trip. When I go back, I won't change a thing with my set up. I've gone before with the Nikon PF primes and I won't go back without my faster primes. They're just sharper and they make for cleaner backgrounds. You never know when you're going to get into a scene where the ISO might need to jump up.
I didn't even try the 300 with a 1.4. The 300 was superb but I definitely used the 400 more for this trip. When I go back, I won't change a thing with my set up. I've gone before with the Nikon PF primes and I won't go back without my faster primes. They're just sharper and they make for cleaner backgrounds. You never know when you're going to get into a scene where the ISO might need to jump up.
Thank you! My plan was already to rent the GM400 for the trip. The lighter GM300 just made me curious... If i have the luck that animals are near... i will use the GM II 70200 which I own now 2 years, fully satisfied.
Thank you! My plan was already to rent the GM400 for the trip. The lighter GM300 just made me curious... If i have the luck that animals are near... i will use the GM II 70200 which I own now 2 years, fully satisfied.
Alan Kefauver wrote:
But every now and then you need 1000mm.
Ha, yes! I could have used 800mm on this one of leopard cubs as well. This was with the Canon 200-400 1.4x at the long end with the teleconverter engaged and I still cropped significantly. On my last safari I took the new Canon 100-300 with a 1.4x attached and a 600mm, which I found to be the perfect combo for me so far. Not exactly a compact setup, admittedly.
Alan Kefauver wrote:
On my 3 trips. I have taken $500 in cash. Used it for tipping the guides and service people at the camps. The one camp that charged for premium booze took a credit card at checkout. Also paid for laundry services with a CC just about everywhere.
Here's a guide.
Who? How much?
Guide $10-$20 per day
Tracker $10-$20 per day
Camp staff $5-$10 per day
Butler $5-$10 per day
Transfer drivers $5 per journey
I do something similar:
Staff: $10 per day
Butler: $10-15 per day depending on attention to detail
Guide: It depends. Could be up to $50 per day if I like the way they drive and position the vehicle. Slow and nonaggressive drivers are not what you want. You want a guy who's willing to plow through the bush/rocks and blaze his own trail. All while getting bounced out of your seat, gear flying around, and thorns screeching down both sides of the vehicle. That's my kind of driver. Careful not to take thorns to the face. In the end, it's the driver/guide who gets you the angles and if you score you should tip them accordingly. Drivers will get more aggressive if it's a private vehicle as it's less people/gear to bounce around and less weight for tire punctures.
Tracker: Not required in the mara conservancies as the animals pretty much walk right up to your Landcruiser
Walter K wrote:
Wow, fantastic photos! I am still evaluating which tele i should take for Africa, Namibia next summer... The Sony G 200-600 is sure nice... all-in-one... already booked many private game reserves for better photo options than Etosha...
Your shots show me the power of DOF at these longer distances...
At present already own the GM II 70-200mm.. so from 400-600mm i need a second lens... i could buy the new GM300.. use it with the TC1.4 as 420mm F4 (still much better DOF than with zoom lenses, can crop for more reach) or rent the GM400. The GM300 bonus is the easy handheld lens ... no weight, quite compact...
As you had the chance to use both fixed GMs .... 300 and 400... and TC1.4... did you try the GM300 with TC1.4 as 420mm comparing to the GM400? Any input is highly appreciated....Show more →
For Namibia, if you are also going to be shooting landscapes in Sossus Vlei, the 200-600mm works well and you will need a long telephoto for that. I took my 200-600mm to Namibia and did use it both for wildlife and landscapes and did not regret taking it at all. I don't own one of the fast Sony telephotos, which obviously would be better in low light for wildlife. There was one instance in the very early morning in which my images were just too noisy to use, which was unfortunate, as it was a train of elephants and there was a baby with them. Other than that, the 200-600 was fine. If I had one of the fast primes, I would take it though for the low-light capability and greater sharpness (although my 200-600 is incredibly sharp).
Here is a link to some of my Namibia images and it includes both landscapes and wildlife. All of the wildlife and bird shots in this group were taken with the Sony 200-600mm. I did not use a teleconverter at all. https://adelembuttolphgallery.com/landscape-wildlife-of-namibia/
And, just for info if you are interested, the lenses that I took to Namibia were:
Sony 200-600mm
Tamron 35-150mm
Tamron 17-28mm
Voigtlander Superwide Heliar 15mm III
All of these lenses were used and I did not regret taking any of them.
Right now, I have a Shimoda bag with the large DSLR insert. This was sufficient to carry the gear to Namibia that I listed in the previous post. However, for my trip next year, this bag is not sufficiently large to carry the A1 + 200-600 attached, A1 + 70-200 f2.8 ii attached, and (hopefully) the new 300mm (could be attached depending on which lens that I am using), as well as one or two more wider angle lenses. Is there a bag that will fit at least two of the longer telephotos attached to cameras, as well as the remaining lenses? I was looking at the Kiboko 30L and the Mr Jan Boris.
Also, I need a pack with good support and one that will fit the frame of a smaller person. Any suggestions?
My husband is adamant that I get the new 300mm prime. Lucky me!
Go with the Kiboko 30L. I have the 22L and use it for my trips to TZ which carries my unattached Z 400mm 2.8TC, Z 70-200mm 2.8, x1.4TC and my Z8 and Z9 with room to spare.
Right now I am in SA and I using my ThinkTank Airport XT roller. It carries the kit as above but with my Z 600 4.0TC instead of the 400mm + Swarovski 10x42 binoculars. However, because I’ve added in my 135mm Plena I carry my Z8 in my small carry on.
Abuttolph wrote:
Recommendations for camera bag for safari needed.
Right now, I have a Shimoda bag with the large DSLR insert. This was sufficient to carry the gear to Namibia that I listed in the previous post. However, for my trip next year, this bag is not sufficiently large to carry the A1 + 200-600 attached, A1 + 70-200 f2.8 ii attached, and (hopefully) the new 300mm (could be attached depending on which lens that I am using), as well as one or two more wider angle lenses. Is there a bag that will fit at least two of the longer telephotos attached to cameras, as well as the remaining lenses? I was looking at the Kiboko 30L and the Mr Jan Boris.
Also, I need a pack with good support and one that will fit the frame of a smaller person. Any suggestions?
My husband is adamant that I get the new 300mm prime. Lucky me! ...Show more →
