Safari question - 2nd zoom?

[cutaway]

My wife and I are booked for a safari to Kenya and Tanzania. I'm planning to take 2 cameras with a 500mm f/4 and 24-105mm. Would it be worth it to take another zoom such as a 100-400mm or 70-200mm? I'm wondering if I might miss opportunities with such a wide gap between the 24-105mm and the 500mm.
Pros:
- fills the gap between the 2 lenses
- The 100-400mm could serve as a backup in case of issues with the 500mm

Cons:

- In general I would not want to be changing lenses so how would I decide which lens to have on the second body?
- Additional weight to haul around

Of course in the overall scheme of things, these are good problems to have.

[freddyronny]

A 70-200 lens would be very useful but the best option is (in my mind) the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 OS. Very sharp and great range, complements your 500mm very well.

[Owain Glyndwr]

i went on a safari recently. The 100-400L is an absolute must, it is the "go to" safari lens. Optimally, you should aim to have two bodies, one with a 24-105L and one with a 100-400L. If you have one full FF and one crop, put the 24-105 on the FF and 100-400L on the crop. If you don't have a FF, you may want to consider taking an UWA if you are interested in panoramas (and there are some stunning views).

I would definitely take the 100-400 over the 500mm if I had to choose. I can count on one hand the number of shots I missed by not having anything above 500mm whereas about 80% of my shots where with the 100-400 (mainly because I didn't have a 24-105 and made do with a Sigma 18-250 which isn't as good).

[MCAsan]

We did South Africa in 2010. We took our 100-400s and 1.4TCs. We rented 500s in country. On our trip the vast majority of shots where made with the 100-400. If we had not had the 1.4TCs, the 500s would not have been worth the rental cost handling their size and weight.

During the day drives we would have the 100-400 mounted on a 7D and the 500s (with or without the TCs), mounted on the 40Ds. If we had an animal right up against the vehicle, then we might do a quick

We are lucky enough to headed back to Johannesburg tomorrow for a two week safari. On this trip again we take our 100-400s, 1.4TCs and rent 500s. We will arrive on my 60th birthday. Our guides birthday is the following day. So I image we might a bottle of good red South Arfican wine this week.

We have do some equipment changes since the last trip. We still have our 7Ds. Instead of 40D my wife has a 5DII and I have a 5DIII. She will likely put the 100-400 on the 5DII and the 500 on the 7D. I will do similar with my 7D and 5DIII. The 100-400 on a FF body lets you shoot animals very close to the vehicle. Then we have our 24-105 for the sunrise/sunsets, other landscapes, and the fun around camp shots.

Have fun on your trip. Time to pack!

[Owain Glyndwr]

Originally Posted by MCAsan

We did South Africa in 2010. We took our 100-400s and 1.4TCs. We rented 500s in country. On our trip the vast majority of shots where made with the 100-400. If we had not had the 1.4TCs, the 500s would not have been worth the rental cost handling their size and weight.

During the day drives we would have the 100-400 mounted on a 7D and the 500s (with or without the TCs), mounted on the 40Ds. If we had an animal right up against the vehicle, then we might do a quick

We are lucky enough to headed back to Johannesburg tomorrow for a two week safari. On this trip again we take our 100-400s, 1.4TCs and rent 500s. We will arrive on my 60th birthday. Our guides birthday is the following day. So I image we might a bottle of good red South Arfican wine this week.

We have do some equipment changes since the last trip. We still have our 7Ds. Instead of 40D my wife has a 5DII and I have a 5DIII. She will likely put the 100-400 on the 5DII and the 500 on the 7D. I will do similar with my 7D and 5DIII. The 100-400 on a FF body lets you shoot animals very close to the vehicle. Then we have our 24-105 for the sunrise/sunsets, other landscapes, and the fun around camp shots.

Have fun on your trip. Time to pack!

if you have four bodies between you, why don't you have a 24-05L, 100-400L and a 500
on all the time? I would put the 24-105 on the 5dII, the 100-400 on the 5dIII and the 500 on the 7D. then you still have a 7d for another lens.

[MCAsan]

We each shoot very independently. This is not one photographer using all 4 bodies with half the equipment carried by another person. She has her two bodies (7D and 5DII) with lenses and I have my two (7D and 5DIII) with lenses. We each have 17-40, 24-105, 100-400, 100macro, and a Tamron 18-270. We have the two 500s rented in country. After sunrise we will not need the 17-40 or 24-105 to shoot animals as we will have the 100-400 on FF bodies and can zoom back to 100 as needed.

[Owain Glyndwr]

in that case I'd each go with the 24-105 on the 5Ds and 100-400 on the 7Ds. swap for the 500 if and when you need it, as this will be the least used lens. I'm not sure i would even take the 17-40. 24mm on a FF is quite wide.

[MCAsan]

There no reason for us to not take all our equipment. We will not be on the small bush planes (like in Kenya) where there are major weight limits. We flight to Johannesburg and then take a South African Airlines prop plane to the regional airports at Hoedspruit or Nelspruit. Our guide Stu meets us at the regional airport. We have Lowepro proroller 200 bags. Those roll out to the truck each morning where we load the bodies and lenses into the padded lockers in the middle of each bench seat. The emptied bags are then put in the bed of the truck under the benches.

You can see the truck arrangement on this site. http://www.wild4photographicsafaris.com/wild4ABOUT.htm

[watt100]

Originally Posted by cutaway

I'm wondering if I might miss opportunities with such a wide gap between the 24-105mm and the 500mm.

definitely, that's why the 100-400 is most versatile

[pssc]

I always take my 100-400L to Africa. Don't leave home without it.

Cheers, SSC

[condyk]

The 100-400 will be good for 'lighter' use, say walking around camp. Often you'll get better images out in a vehicle with a 70-200 and 500mm set up and keep the 100-400 to hand for the few times it might be a better option. This assumes you have good maneuverability in the vehicle. TBH I'd leave either the 500 or the 100-400 at home and travel lighter. A good bean bag is a must and will usually give a better shot than relying on IS. You do need to know the kind of vehicles you'll be traveling in to understand best means of lens support.

[MCAsan]

We again mainly used our 100-400s. We used the 500s only when the game was along way away. But that was rarely the case. I usually have the 100-400 on my 5DIII and the 500 on the 7D. The vase majority of shots were with the 5DIII/100-400 combo.

The cheetah brothers shoot was done at ISO3200, F8, 180mm.

[cutaway]

I am the OP. I decided to bring the 100-400mm in conjunction with the 500mm. This worked out very well for us. After an initial culling of photos 60% of my long shots were with the 500mm. My wife used her 100-400mm as her long lens. We shared her second camera that had a short zoom (24-105mm or 17-85mm).

The 500mm with 1.4TC was great for birds and close-ups.

[MCAsan]

Glad you had a good trip!!!

[woodentom]

I am in kruger at the moment and rented a 300mm 2.8 with 2x TC. I have brought my 100-400 but have not used it once. Renting if you can is the way to go