need help please- budget canon lens for safari?

[chr1s]

my cousin emailed me earlier asking for advice on a lens for him to take on holiday. i don't know where to start, and was hoping you could recommend something?

he's new to photography and as such doesn't want to spend a fortune on a lens yet, but also wants to come away with some decent shots from his african safari. the shots will be for him and to show to friends/family. he's not under any illusions that he'll be selling them etc, he just wants the best possible for posterity's sake.

i guess he'll want the longest lens he can get, as fast as poss at the long end and all for no more than 500quid!

he goes in march and it's to mount on a canon 400d btw

thanks for your thoughts and comment

[mrganderson]

Hi
I had a simialr problem when i went travelling for 6 months. i chose a sigma 18-200mm lens. equivelent to 28mm to 300mm on a DSLR. cost £289 from jacobs.
It has image stabilisation and gave exellent sharp images. It's alittle on the heavy side but it does mean you only need to carry one lens. the bonus is you dont need to change lens which could be a problem on a safari with so much dust. I really recomend this lens over the canon equivalent. Tameron have also recently released a 18-250 lens which has recieved some good reviews.

[chr1s]

is that long enough? i had it in my head he would need 400mm+ at the long end... maybe one of the sigma superzooms if they could be found on budget?

obviously i'm just guessing, so any more people who've been on safari or take wildlife pics i'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

[mrganderson]

You may have a point. i dont have any experience of safari's so dont know how close youll get to the action. park camera have the Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM for just over £600 if you could stretch your buget, you'll be looking at just over 600mm on your DSLR

[chr1s]

it's not my budget, but i think my cousin is really stretching himself to even get to £500

i think in his ideal world he would get the 100-400mm Canon L, so i was thinking of something cheaper but comparable in terms of features and length. whether this is the best sort of lens for him to take is another matter...

[weasley]

Can't help on a recommendation per se, but my experience of a safari may help. I went to Botswana a few years ago and had a 500mm lens on one body and a 70-300 on another. I wouldn't have been without either, but am really glad I had the 500mm. This was on 35mm film, so a cropped sensor equivalent of around 300-ish would be getting to around the same reach - throw on a 1.4 converter and you're getting up-close-and-personal with the beasties!

[El_Sid]

Once you reach the 500mm sort of length fast and under £500 tend to become a bit exclusive.

I know a couple of people at my camera club who've been on safaris and have had good results with the 74-300mm IS lens.

Even secondhand really long lenses aren't cheap. Best I've come across is the Tamron 200-400mm f5.6 zoom for £279 at Mifsuds. I have one of these and it's pretty decent. It's best stopped down a touch (from about f7.2 on) but even wide open the images are useable. I've used it a lot for local cricket and you can pull the action at the wicket in very well at full length. Remember on a 400D it's 35mm equivalent focal length is roughly 640mm.

[Nod]

lensesforhire? Sorry, can't remember if they're a .com or a .co.uk

[chr1s]

maybe the ef70-300is would be long enough?

he doesn't want to hire unfortunatley, that would be to easy.

it'll also be his 1st new lens since getting the camera and kit lens, so maybe the above would be a good place to start. not too big, heavy, specialised etc...

[weasley]

Don't forget that you can always crop a picture to 'zoom' in some more - there tends to be a lot of light about in Africa, even towards dusk and dawn (when the light 'quality' is simply unbelievable) so ISO can be on your side.

[MickLL]

Don't forget that you can always crop a picture to 'zoom' in some more - there tends to be a lot of light about in Africa, even towards dusk and dawn (when the light 'quality' is simply unbelievable) so ISO can be on your side.

I have to disagree with some of the above. Most of the 'action' happens early and late and although by English standards you might say that there's a lot of light there's certainly not enough to guarantee success with a very long, probably small aperture, lens.

There are number of issues. First you really need to support the camera because you probably won't be able to achieve shutter speeds for reliable hand holding. Given the typical safari vehicle a tripod, or even monopod, is impossible so resort to a bean bag. Ask the driver to switch off the engine (most will do it automatically). Even ask your fellow passengers to stop jumping about for a moment. Attach the bean bag to your wrist with a cord so when you drop it, as you surely will, it can be retrieved without you getting eaten.

Be aware that one of the issues with long lenses is atmospheric haze/pollution. Results can be marred by that alone and it's all too easy to blame the lens.

Dust abounds so take the cleaning kit and use it regularly.

It's actually quite surprising how close you will get to some creatures. So don't miss out on good shots by being fixated on a long lens.

I used to work in Africa and regularly went on photo safari. My kit almost invariably consisted of two bodies. One fitted with a 70 -200mm zoom and the other with a 300mm prime. I also carried a 1.4 and 2x converter so I had the capability up to 600mm. However on reviewing my pictures I find that I didn't often use the full reach and when I did the pictures are not as exciting as ones taken closer. BTW I'm talking film here so the focal lengths don't need any 'digital adjustment'.

Next don't forget the 'habitat shot'. Constant, frame filing, pictures of animals are OK but they have even more impact if they are interspersed with pictures with maybe a small animal but showing the majesty of its surroundings.

It's worth remembering that most safari drivers are in touch with each other by radio and if you find anything interesting the driver will call his mates and soon there's a great crowd. That can have benefits in that you might well be called to an interesting scene but has the obvious downside of 'company'. It might be worth asking your driver to hold off calling others for a few minutes to allow you some unhindered photography.

Finally don't forget the old advice - take loads and loads of film (or storage cards). You will almost certainly use it all.

MickLL

[chr1s]

top advice all

thanks guys, i'm passing it all on!

[donny]

I have found that on safari vehicles that a monopod can be excellent if the leg goes over the side of the truck and down to the ground. I made an extension for mine to allow for the height that you need , some vehicles are very high .
Don

[welshwizard645]

Once you reach the 500mm sort of length fast and under £500 tend to become a bit exclusive.

I know a couple of people at my camera club who've been on safaris and have had good results with the 74-300mm IS lens.

Exclusive lens that 74-300

My GF had one of those - didn't like so she bought the 100-400L to replace it. I know it's the price of an arm and a kidney but it is one of those lenses that you are not likely to replace in a hurry.

Alternatively there is the Tokina ATX-II 80-400. The new Sigmas 120-400, 150-500 are very good I hear on the optical front but some say the HSM draws too much power, which is at a premium in remote places..

My advice is: tell your cousin to find that extra £500, failing that - the Tokina.