guitardirky wrote:
I am leaving this weekend for my annual trip to Kenya. I am currently looking at taking the two A1s, the 400 GM, 135GM, 50GM and the 20G plus a 1.4x teleconverter. I'm on the fence with the 300 this year as well as the 70-200GM II. I find it easier to use the primes but I have a little space in the bag that the 70-200 or 300 can still fit! If I took the 70-200 I would skip the 135 and 50.
I would 100% take the 70-200mm over the 135mm and 50mm. Unless you're planning to shoot some night sky images I wouldn't bother with the 20mm either.
I spend roughly 90-120 days each year in South Africa and Tanzania and when on safari if my primary lens was my 400mm 2.8 then I would have the 70-200, whereas with my 600mm 4.0 it was the 100-400mm - for anything wide I just used my iPhone. With that said I can't tress enough to bring your 70-200mm with your 400mm and 1.4x. If you do go with the 300mm then bring a 2x along with your 1.4x and the 70-200mm.
Damn... and that's shot just with the 100-400mm. Really wish Sony would have released the A1ii this month for me to take on my trip next week. Guess I'll have to wait to next year!
Preparing for my safari at the Chobe river through Pangolin at the end of February. My original plan was to rent the Sony 600 f/4, but I've had to spend on different things for my son who is graduating from High School this year, so don't have the planned funds for that and am reorienting the plan. Part of the problem is that if I rent the big 600, I'd also likely need to purchase a high priced camera bag to easily transport it on top of the rental cost.
Current planned kit:
Sony a7r V (owned)
Sony a1 II (renting)
Sony 16-35 f/4 (owned)
Sony 55mm f/1.8 (owned)
Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II (renting)
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 (owned)
sony 1.4x TC (renting)
Plan to use the 70-200 f/2.8 for morning shots and then likely add the TC during the daytime on that lens to pair with my 500, unless the 70-200 focal length ends up working better. I will probably put the 500 on the a1 and 70-200 on a7r V the majority of the time I'm guessing.
I'm debating on taking my f/4 version of the 70-200 that I already own instead of renting the 2.8 version, but feel like I might regret that if I get any low light opportunities.
40Driggs wrote:
Preparing for my safari at the Chobe river through Pangolin at the end of February. My original plan was to rent the Sony 600 f/4, but I've had to spend on different things for my son who is graduating from High School this year, so don't have the planned funds for that and am reorienting the plan. Part of the problem is that if I rent the big 600, I'd also likely need to purchase a high priced camera bag to easily transport it on top of the rental cost.
Current planned kit:
Sony a7r V (owned)
Sony a1 II (renting)
Sony 16-35 f/4 (owned)
Sony 55mm f/1.8 (owned)
Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II (renting)
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 (owned)
sony 1.4x TC (renting)
Plan to use the 70-200 f/2.8 for morning shots and then likely add the TC during the daytime on that lens to pair with my 500, unless the 70-200 focal length ends up working better. I will probably put the 500 on the a1 and 70-200 on a7r V the majority of the time I'm guessing.
I'm debating on taking my f/4 version of the 70-200 that I already own instead of renting the 2.8 version, but feel like I might regret that if I get any low light opportunities. ...Show more →
The best kit is the one you have with you, and you're well covered so I wouldn't worry. Faster glass is always preferred, so if you can swing an f/2.8 instead of an f/4 that's great but if not don't worry about it. Your 16-35mm and 55mm will likely spend most of their time in the bag unless you're planning on landscapes or shots around camp. But if you've got the room and feel better bringing them along then go for it of course. Botswana is incredible and Pangolin know what they're doing, I have no doubt you will have an amazing time.
With the 500mm on the A1ii if you crop to the full-frame equivalent of 600mm you will still have a roughly 33mp file so I think you are good on the long end.
For the lens for the A7RV I’m torn whether it would better to go with a 70-200 2.8 or a 100-400. As you said, it is good to have a f2.8 lens for low-light situations. But a 100-400 is more convenient the rest of the day. I don’t know what the quality hit is to add a 2x to the 70-200 f2.8.
As already said the 55mm and the 16-35 probably won’t get much use.
40Driggs wrote:
I'm debating on taking my f/4 version of the 70-200 that I already own instead of renting the 2.8 version, but feel like I might regret that if I get any low light opportunities.
Definitely take the 2.8 version for not only low light but also subject isolation as well when you are up close to the wildlife.
40Driggs wrote:
Preparing for my safari at the Chobe river through Pangolin at the end of February. My original plan was to rent the Sony 600 f/4, but I've had to spend on different things for my son who is graduating from High School this year, so don't have the planned funds for that and am reorienting the plan. Part of the problem is that if I rent the big 600, I'd also likely need to purchase a high priced camera bag to easily transport it on top of the rental cost.
Current planned kit:
Sony a7r V (owned)
Sony a1 II (renting)
Sony 16-35 f/4 (owned)
Sony 55mm f/1.8 (owned)
Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II (renting)
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 (owned)
sony 1.4x TC (renting)
Plan to use the 70-200 f/2.8 for morning shots and then likely add the TC during the daytime on that lens to pair with my 500, unless the 70-200 focal length ends up working better. I will probably put the 500 on the a1 and 70-200 on a7r V the majority of the time I'm guessing.
I'm debating on taking my f/4 version of the 70-200 that I already own instead of renting the 2.8 version, but feel like I might regret that if I get any low light opportunities. ...Show more →
Personally I would primarily use the A7r5/500 for wildlife. If I was expecting fast action then I would use the A1ii with the 70-200 + 1.4TC so I can shoot at 30fps. I wouldn't want to be stuck at 15fps with the Sigma.
The images from the A7r5 are just that much better than anything from the A1 - visibly cleaner with more detail when viewed on a 5K display. 99% of the time for wildlife. - for big game, perched birds etc. you don't need a stacked sensor shooting at 30fps and 7fps with the A7r5 will be fine and the images you get will be just that much better.
Be sure to use mechanical shutter and drive mode H with the A7r5 - which gives a realtime evf and it is much better at continuous autofocus in this mode. It is no slouch at birds in flight either and while not anywhere near as good as the A1 I find the cleaner more detailed images are worth the extra effort it takes. If you first trip then first get shots with the A1 and then if you have time to spare try get some with the A7r5.
Visually Oriented wrote:
I travel to Africa from Vegas and the legs are tough for me because I cannot sleep on planes. To break-up the travel I usually stop-over somewhere. British Airways via London is my favorite but Amsterdam, Paris, Istanbul and Dubai are other options. Stopping in Europe for a couple of days gets me close to in-sync with Kenyan time.
I usually have no trouble getting in-sync with Kenyan time when I arrive. When I arrive, I just stay up until a normal bedtime and when I wake in the morning I’m on local time. I do like to have a buffer day my first full day in Kenya if the schedule allows. It gives you a safety margin in the case of travel delays and there are things to do in Nairobi. I would never schedule a safari to start on the day I arrive in Africa. I’ve seen some people do this on Tanzania north circuit trips.
I have done the Kenya Airways JFK-NBO flight. Kenya Airways 787’s are some the first built and they look it… The inflight service is adequate. According to reviews, where Kenya Airways seems to fall-down is if there is a long delay/cancellation they seem totally unprepared to deal with the issue. Most airlines struggle with this now-a-days. They do have a generous carry-on policy which is critical.
While I don’t experience jet lag going to Africa, on return to the states I have sometimes lagged a bit. In October, on return from the Mara, I was a bit out-of-it for about 3 days. ...Show more →
Jet lag is a real problem and seems to get worse as you get older. For me it is always bad going east as my sleep time is beyond dawn at destination since I am a night owl. It is much easier coming back to the US.
The few things to try - nothing new here - are:
1. Avoid alcohol on the plane - nothing is worse than that.
2. Do not eat too much, especially when it is midnight at destination
3. Keep well hydrated.
4. Avoid watching movies on the plane during destination sleep time, keep awake during daytime at destination instead.
5. Avoid blue light display on Kindle or phone or tablet/laptop - change settings.
6. Of course business class seats help if one can afford them. I cannot sleep even in these as I have some RLS but they certainly beat sitting all the time.
7. Take melatonin 3 mg one at destination bedtime starting at least one day before departing, this allows your own internal clock to be reset. Continue with it for 2-3 days after arrival. One problem many (myself included) have with melatonin is very vivid and graphic dreams that you remember on waking up. Most of these are unpleasant too. To minimize this, you can try a smaller dose of 1 mg which is only available as gummies for children. I actually only take these anyway, since they work much better for me.
8. Get morning sunlight into your eyes at destination on the first day itself, this triggers your visual receptors and resets your internal clock.
9. If arriving at destination in morning, try to stay up till bed time, helps reset the system. I do this upon returning to the US and it makes it easier.
Regarding Kenya Airways, I've traveled several times JFK-NBO non-stop in business class and I agree, it is pretty average but is the shortest and quickest way to get there for me. I hate Heathrow airport (apologies to my British friends), it is the most unfriendly place to be and I avoid BA if possible. Next month I am trying out Air France, will see how that works out.
Mechanical problems can be an issue with KA. Last trip we were on the tarmac for 4 hrs waiting and then had to return to NBO after 4 hrs in flight. Fortunately they did give us seats on the flight the next day, but it was a bad experience. We've had worse on BA, so nothing unique there.
All said and done, nothing beats non-stop, although now that I am not working, a day or two extra does not matter so much.
duncangr wrote:
Personally I would primarily use the A7r5/500 for wildlife. If I was expecting fast action then I would use the A1ii with the 70-200 + 1.4TC so I can shoot at 30fps. I wouldn't want to be stuck at 15fps with the Sigma.
The images from the A7r5 are just that much better than anything from the A1 - visibly cleaner with more detail when viewed on a 5K display. 99% of the time for wildlife. - for big game, perched birds etc. you don't need a stacked sensor shooting at 30fps and 7fps with the A7r5 will be fine and the images you get will be just that much better.
Be sure to use mechanical shutter and drive mode H with the A7r5 - which gives a realtime evf and it is much better at continuous autofocus in this mode. It is no slouch at birds in flight either and while not anywhere near as good as the A1 I find the cleaner more detailed images are worth the extra effort it takes. If you first trip then first get shots with the A1 and then if you have time to spare try get some with the A7r5.
Thanks for the tips. This has me wondering if I should just go with two a7r V's instead of the a1. I have been using my a7r V for wildlife since purchasing it, and it is probably good enough in AF for the types of shots I'll likely be getting on this safari based on my research. The only time I wish for more is when shooting small BIF usually. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
40Driggs wrote:
Preparing for my safari at the Chobe river through Pangolin at the end of February. My original plan was to rent the Sony 600 f/4, but I've had to spend on different things for my son who is graduating from High School this year, so don't have the planned funds for that and am reorienting the plan. Part of the problem is that if I rent the big 600, I'd also likely need to purchase a high priced camera bag to easily transport it on top of the rental cost.
Current planned kit:
Sony a7r V (owned)
Sony a1 II (renting)
Sony 16-35 f/4 (owned)
Sony 55mm f/1.8 (owned)
Sony 70-200 f/2.8 II (renting)
Sigma 500mm f/5.6 (owned)
sony 1.4x TC (renting)
Plan to use the 70-200 f/2.8 for morning shots and then likely add the TC during the daytime on that lens to pair with my 500, unless the 70-200 focal length ends up working better. I will probably put the 500 on the a1 and 70-200 on a7r V the majority of the time I'm guessing.
I'm debating on taking my f/4 version of the 70-200 that I already own instead of renting the 2.8 version, but feel like I might regret that if I get any low light opportunities. ...Show more →
You are gonna love it.
According to Metadata in LrC, on my time on the Chobe with Pangolin (not counting Dinaka or Kalahari) I shot:
124 shots with the RF 24-105 f/4
438 shots with the RF 70-200 f/2.8
3888 shots with the RF 100-500
351 shots with the RF 100-500 + 1.4TC
554 shots with the RF 100-500 + 2.0 TC
I am going to Amboseli, Masai Mara, Samburu, Lewa, and Shampole in the first 3 weeks of February. with Pangolin
I literally just got off the phone with our travel agent and we were discussing the possibility of adding a Shompole stop to our itinerary for 2026. I have no idea what to expect from that area though. Does anyone know what the game is like around there? We would be staying with Great Plains at their new camp, which I believe is on the lake there. We would be swapping out our Mara stop for Shompole. Any thoughts or experiences on the Shompole area would be amazing!
Also, slightly unrelated, anyone been to Uganda to look for Shoebills?
Alan Kefauver wrote:
You are gonna love it.
According to Metadata in LrC, on my time on the Chobe with Pangolin (not counting Dinaka or Kalahari) I shot:
124 shots with the RF 24-105 f/4
438 shots with the RF 70-200 f/2.8
3888 shots with the RF 100-500
351 shots with the RF 100-500 + 1.4TC
554 shots with the RF 100-500 + 2.0 TC
I am going to Amboseli, Masai Mara, Samburu, Lewa, and Shampole in the first 3 weeks of February. with Pangolin
Cduff406 wrote:
I literally just got off the phone with our travel agent and we were discussing the possibility of adding a Shompole stop to our itinerary for 2026. I have no idea what to expect from that area though. Does anyone know what the game is like around there? We would be staying with Great Plains at their new camp, which I believe is on the lake there. We would be swapping out our Mara stop for Shompole. Any thoughts or experiences on the Shompole area would be amazing!
Also, slightly unrelated, anyone been to Uganda to look for Shoebills?
40Driggs wrote:
Thanks for the tips. This has me wondering if I should just go with two a7r V's instead of the a1. I have been using my a7r V for wildlife since purchasing it, and it is probably good enough in AF for the types of shots I'll likely be getting on this safari based on my research. The only time I wish for more is when shooting small BIF usually. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
I think either setup will work just fine and you could do just fine with two A7RV's. But, sometimes you might appreciate the extra fps of the A1 II to get an animal walking with its legs in just the right position, or an occasional eagle fly by, a fight over a kill, a vulture frenzy, a lion squabble, cubs playing, cheetahs running, etc. For the most part things are pretty stationary or moving pretty slow (other than birds) but there are times when I would want the speed of the A1 II. Safaris are expensive and don't come easy, so I would go equipped with a bag of tools that can do it all.
40Driggs wrote:
Thanks for the tips. This has me wondering if I should just go with two a7r V's instead of the a1. I have been using my a7r V for wildlife since purchasing it, and it is probably good enough in AF for the types of shots I'll likely be getting on this safari based on my research. The only time I wish for more is when shooting small BIF usually. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
I was just on a trip with a photographer who was using A7RV's and his photos had extreme rolling shutter so I'm assuming he must have been using ES. With that said, what is the max fps of the A7RV when using mechanical shutter to avoid rolling shutter?
I was just on a trip with a photographer who was using A7RV's and his photos had extreme rolling shutter so I'm assuming he must have been using ES. With that said, what is the max fps of the A7RV when using mechanical shutter to avoid rolling shutter?
I rarely shoot in ES. The only time would be if I was in a setting like a church where I need to be quiet or something.
I prefer to shoot lossless compressed, which means that I shoot in "high" mode which is 7fps. 10 FPS is possible in "high +" which utilizes compressed RAW
I'm surprised that user was utilizing ES at all since it doesn't give you any advantage with the a7r V as far as FPS.
I rarely shoot in ES. The only time would be if I was in a setting like a church where I need to be quiet or something.
I prefer to shoot lossless compressed, which means that I shoot in "high" mode which is 7fps. 10 FPS is possible in "high +" which utilizes compressed RAW
I'm surprised that user was utilizing ES at all since it doesn't give you any advantage with the a7r V as far as FPS.
Is it possible he was still getting a ton of distortion with MS due to IS or camera shake? Note, we are shooting in the ocean with water housings and dealing with the surf so it's not like we always have steady hands in the water. He was shooting with a 70-200 which is worse than a wide angle or fisheye. We traded files so I have all his files and I was surprised to see the amount of distortion in a lot of his frames.
Anyway, I would definitely take the A1 II if you will be limited to 7fps with the A7RV in Africa. Even an animal walking toward you, or the cats which never seem to look directly at you for more than a split second as they are panning, you will want the extra speed of the A1 II.
artsupreme wrote:
Is it possible he was still getting a ton of distortion with MS due to IS or camera shake? Note, we are shooting in the ocean with water housings and dealing with the surf so it's not like we always have steady hands in the water. He was shooting with a 70-200 which is worse than a wide angle or fisheye.
I've never seen the typical distortion from ES from MS images. I've shot a lot on the water (out of a kayak) so I'm familiar with the challenges, especially at longer focal lengths. I always try to keep my shutter speeds high on the water and err on the side of caution most of the time.
Thanks for the thoughts on the camera bodies. I'll probably stick with the original plan and rent the a1II
Yeah, these hides are popping up everywhere now. This one looks great though.
I just wonder if after some time it will become 'same same' as the look is so identical, just the lighting is different. My own limited experience with hides at Dinaka and Lentorre was rather disappointing in terms of productivity. I know some of my photo buddies love the experience. Maybe I need to get more opportunities and try it out. Going to Kaingo in June, will see how that works out.
Interesting to see the Canon (and Sony) setup Jared Polin is taking on safari this year based on his experience from last year. I have yet to do a safari so can’t speak from experience, but I would likely replicate much of his setup when I do go in the next few years. He isn’t bringing a 600 mm F4 this year. I would tend to agree based on the feedback I have seen with extenders on the 400mm and 100-300mm lenses and the quality you can get from that setup.
I like the idea of R1 with 400mm F2.8 and R5MII with 100-300mm F2.8 and bring along a UWA (10-20mm) and one mid-range (for me would be 24-70mm F2.8). That way you have coverage from 10-400mm with a few gaps but with plenty of speed for low light, fast action, etc.
Wonder if that jives with those that are Canon shooters who have been on safari recently.
