Big Game in Africa with a Canon

cdiver2 wrote in post #14348895
I have decided against the tripod but I am going to take the monopod, I am hoping to tether to a laptop and lower the camera down to a ground view in situations were it would not be prudent to get out of the vehicle. .... I do plan on doing shoots around the camps with the campfire going I will just have to find something to rest the camera on.

For resting the camera on something, the POD http://www.thepod.ca/ good for the car window and whatever else.

Just remember, you will have your arm out the window holding that monopod. Arm is just as tasty as any other part of the body. At one point in Kruger we were in a pack of wild dogs, one sat under the side mirror staring up at me, as much as I wanted to stick a camera out for a picture, so close, I knew better. Long, long way from major medical help.

JAZZ D.P.G. wrote in post #14349987
For resting the camera on something, the POD http://www.thepod.ca/ good for the car window and whatever else.

Just remember, you will have your arm out the window holding that monopod. Arm is just as tasty as any other part of the body. At one point in Kruger we were in a pack of wild dogs, one sat under the side mirror staring up at me, as much as I wanted to stick a camera out for a picture, so close, I knew better. Long, long way from major medical help.

NOTED I was not planing on going through the window, it would take tooo long to close. I am thinking of lowering from the open roof. I know cheetahs often climb onto the vehicles but I have not seen any reports of the other predators doing this?.
The POD will probably do for panos from the vehicle but I think a table for photographing the camp-fire at night would be a better option.
Thanks for all the suggestions Jazz

yeah, definitely pay close attention to the rules your guides set....I stood up once, not thinking, in our open truck, and it could have cost me...luckily, the leopard was more than 50 yards away and not looking our way.
this guy was about 35 feet from me, and coming towards the truck. He caught the motion of the camera plus flash extender, and locked eyes with me...and kept walking.... just keeping an eye on us...he walked directly towards me, then turned and went around the back of the truck like a dog in a driveway....
http://jstorey.smugmug​.com …s#!i=1575875408​&k=XdqwJ7b
You don't get a second chance....shoot hard!

saabstorey wrote in post #14364321
yeah, definitely pay close attention to the rules your guides set....I stood up once, not thinking, in our open truck, and it could have cost me...luckily, the leopard was more than 50 yards away and not looking our way.
this guy was about 35 feet from me, and coming towards the truck. He caught the motion of the camera plus flash extender, and locked eyes with me...and kept walking.... just keeping an eye on us...he walked directly towards me, then turned and went around the back of the truck like a dog in a driveway....
http://jstorey.smugmug​.com …s#!i=1575875408​&k=XdqwJ7b
You don't get a second chance....shoot hard!

I certainly will listen to him and asking for a lot of advice. We found out one of the guides had done a lot of work with film crews and was knowledgeable about photography so we requested him, and got him

I would love an experience like this though http://www.africadream​safaris.com/blog/?p=64​92

yeah, we were here, http://www.djuma.com/ an amazing place. They have a leopard, Karula, who appears regularly around the camp with her two cubs, and is absolutely amazing. check out the blogs there, and the video archives. They used to run a live webcam drive around the preserve daily...they also have a 24hour cam on a watering hole as well, just amazing.

Looking good...

The Clock Tower in Arusha is the center of Africa, you can get some tourist shoot there

During the game drive all our drivers were in the hurry all time, and we only had about few mins during each stop unless we're waiting for the lions hunted their prey. If you want a pano shoots, you do need to be quick.

We did carry a travel tripod, which only used in the lodge twice.

A fully charge battery for my 5D2/5D3 gave us a bit over 750 shots. If you charge your battery every night, you don't have to carry a spare one. Just for the record, we did carry 3 spare batteries.

We used 5D3 + 28-300L / 24L (for parties / functions shoots only) and 5D2 + 200L f/2.8. So your 7D + 100-400 / 28 & XT + 55-250 should work out nicely.

Our next Safari plan will be replace 200mm prime with 400mm prime for my self, as my wife likes to zoom.

BTW about 6:30 - 7AM in Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, there'll be some beautiful sunrise shoot over the Crater, and you can get some nice pano there for sure.

Enjoy you trip, can't wait for your photos in POTN

x_tan wrote in post #15062912
Looking good...

The Clock Tower in Arusha is the center of Africa, you can get some tourist shoot there

During the game drive all our drivers were in the hurry all time, and we only had about few mins during each stop unless we're waiting for the lions hunted their prey. If you want a pano shoots, you do need to be quick.

We did carry a travel tripod, which only used in the lodge twice.

A fully charge battery for my 5D2/5D3 gave us a bit over 750 shots. If you charge your battery every night, you don't have to carry a spare one. Just for the record, we did carry 3 spare batteries.

We used 5D3 + 28-300L / 24L (for parties / functions shoots only) and 5D2 + 200L f/2.8. So your 7D + 100-400 / 28 & XT + 55-250 should work out nicely.

Our next Safari plan will be replace 200mm prime with 400mm prime for my self, as my wife likes to zoom.

BTW about 6:30 - 7AM in Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, there'll be some beautiful sunrise shoot over the Crater, and you can get some nice pano there for sure.

Enjoy you trip, can't wait for your photos in POTN

Thanks for the tips xtan. I chose this particular company as a friend had just come back from his trip and gave them a 10+. They stayed as long as they wanted at any particular spot. In fact a couple of times they wanted to move on and there guide told them to stay a while longer as things were going to get interesting...and they did.
The only disappointment they had was Cheetahs, they saw them but to far away to get any decent shots (I hope the fact that we can go off road will take care of that) but he did get some fantastic shots of a few Leopards
I have seen a few photos of the sunrise at Ngorongoro crater and that is on my list of wants.
My friend said there luggage was not cheeked for weight at all so the gear list has changes slightly. For me 7D with battery grip 2 batteries, 100-400, 10-22 and a 1.4 III extender. For my wife a 60D one battery with a Canon 55-250 or a Tamaron 70-300 (not sure on IQ yet) and a Canon 24-105L. One week to go

Your welcome
We didn't see any cheetahs or leopard in Tanzania at all.
We were told 7kg for carry-on, and 15kg for check-in for internal charter flights. Soft bag / case only.
As you can see here, some of the people were well over the limit and HARD suitcase, too.
.

x_tan wrote in post #15064183
Your welcome
We didn't see any cheetahs or leopard in Tanzania at all.
We were told 7kg for carry-on, and 15kg for check-in for internal charter flights. Soft bag / case only.
As you can see here, some of the people were well over the limit and HARD suitcase, too.
.

Holy Mackerel !, I hope all that was not for just one bush plane?

cdiver2 wrote in post #15064289
Holy Mackerel !, I hope all that was not for just one bush plane?

The small one carry 10 passages and all their stuff, and none of us or our luggage need to go to the scale - very good sign

The largest one landed on the field can carry about 35 - faster and bit more stable during the fly, too.

As our group near 100 people, so we had about 6 planes landed on the field

They all fly by middle-age African, which I feel much better than someone over 60 - if you keep the eyes on the local / international news for small missed planes, which almost always had those pilots

One more thing, as most soft bag / case use zip this day. Soon or later the zip will become loss and accidentally open during the trip. You do need a suitcase reinforced belt for your check-in luggage.

You've received some good advice here. I tend to double up on certain things. Always carry spare batteries for the camera. Charging 1 battery every night is ok but what if it goes wrong and your battery dies. Always have two card readers with me. Laptop & 2 ext HDDs. 2 chargers. Tend to leave the tripod at home, it just doesn't work in the vehicle. A gorilla tripod for some camp pictures is fine. Carry most of photo equipment in handheld luggage. Got charged for it in Kenya but USD 34 for 17kgs is cheap. I did have another bag at 15 kgs with me.
Also when camera bag goes in the hold of a local 8/20/30+ seater I attach a big label with the text "Fragile" on it and hand it over to whoever is packing it in to the hold together with a dollar bill. 'Asante sana' is the Swahili word for Thank you.

Well the time has finally come only 2 hours before we start our journey.
In spite of all our preparations there has been a couple of miner set backs, charged all battery's this morning and checked every thing is working....flash not working. Called British Airways at 5am to get seat assignments...sorry no window seats left only the center row. I find it amazing I can book and pay for a seat 300 days in advance but not get a seat assignment until 24 hours before flying, unless I wish to pay $135 more per seat. Apart from that I am ready for the Serengeti