Hi Jon Paul,
I think you will find 200mm a little short for the wildlife, if you're
still considering the 50-200.
However, I do believe that zoom lenses are sensible in a dusty
environment. Even if the lenses themselves can suck in some dust while
you use them, the lesser number of lens changes will protect the CCD
better. However, if the rains have begun, it's maybe not too bad.
If you're doing a lot of safari, I suggest you bring a battery charger
that will also plug into a 12V socket in the car, such as the GP
TravelCharger. If that's not an option, you'll need more than one
extra set of batteries if you bring a portable disk.
A light and convenient protection against rain could be a couple of
standard hotel shower-caps.
Gee... It's already 14 years since my study trip to Zambia and
Malawi...
I will need to go back some time.
<sigh>
Jostein
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Paul Schelter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 11:39 PM
Subject: Re: Advice on travel to East Africa
Thanks for the heads-up, I'm all fixed for vaccinations and
anti-malarials, and I'll try to keep up some healthy paranoia.
Do I really want to do this? You've gotta be kidding, I've wanted to
do this _forever_.
I'm very much an amateur photographer, and I see this mostly as a
great learning experience from a photography standpoint. If I come
out of it with a few pictures worth printing, I'll be ecstatic.
thanks again,
jp
Don Williams wrote:
The last time I did this kind of thing I didn't have enough bodies
with the right lenses on them to hand when they were needed. It was
much easier when I used guns ... mea culpa. Take as much as you can
and then get someone to help carry it at the other end.
Long lenses are essential. I did get some good results on 6x6 ...
by accident. Expect that all your cameras will be absolutely full
of dust. Perhaps you shouldn't take the lens off your *ist D at all
if you're taking one. In Nairobi things get stolen ... fast. Don't
put you camera bags down anywhere ... hang on to them. Also don't
forget your prophylactic medication. And remember the Malaria
parasite is now resistant to many of the anti-malarials that were
effective a decade ago. Drink bottled water or beer.
Aaaaargh! Do really want to do this?
Don
Jon Paul Schelter wrote:
PDML,
I was off-line for a while, but I'm back, with a query:
I'm planning a last minute trip to Kenya and Tanzania, (I found a
KLM seat sale from Toronto to Nairobi, for 1300$CDN taxes in) and
was wondering if any of you have good advice both on the subject
of things to do, and how best to get around, as well as on
photographic techniques/equipment.
We're leaving in a week, for 3 or 4 weeks, and I'm most interested
in seeing and photographing wildlife, and doing a bit of treking,
possibly diving in Zanzibar. It'll probably be into the small
rains when we get there, and we're looking into a safari of some
sort in either or both of the Rift Valley + Masai Mara (Kenya) or
Ngorongoro Gorge + Serengeti NP (Tanzania). (this looks like a
good toor company: http://www.intoafrica.co.uk/comexpken.htm ) I
have a friend who's travelling seperately, and is looking to climb
kilimanjaro while we're down there, so that 's also an option. I
want to pack as light as possible, since I'll be carrying
everything on my back.
My equipment: ist DS, 1G SD card, FA35/2, A50/2, DA18-55 kit
lens, Tamron 70-300/5.6-6.3, a decent tripod, a couple smallish
camera bags.
I need: spare batteries, charger, 1 or 2 spare 1G SD cards.
something to store more pictures on (iPod, portable HD)?
My wish list: a bigger camera bag, a wide lens (DA16-45, DA14), a
faster long lens ( would the DA 50-200 be long enough? ), a
monopod (instead of the tripod)?
The 16-45+50-200 would be a decent minimalist kit, covering most
of what I'd need, but not giving me much in terms of lower-light
ability.
I don't think I can afford or carry anything like a pentax or
sigma 200/2.8 or 300/2.8.
I'd like to spend as much of my money as possible doing things,
rather than buying gear, but I don't want to be kicking myself
because I'm missing something critical.
Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.
JP
