Vacation to South Africa

I am traveling to South Africa in a few weeks. I will not be able to take a tripod due to size. I was looking at a "bean bag" item as a substitue. Any other ideas?

I have a 20D with a 17-40, 24-105, 1.4EX, 580, and a 70-200 2.8 along with a G5 and video. Do I need anything else?

Thanks

You did not say what you are going to be photographing. Most game viewing in SA is done from open vehicles so a bean bag is often not very useful. In East Africa they often use closed vehicles where you shoot out a window or an opening in the roof, both of which are good for using bean bags. It is difficult to find something to rest your camera on in an open vehicle, but a folded tripod or monopod can be used if you can get your driver to turn off the engine. IS is your friend in these situations.

I usually rent my own vehicle and build a window-pod that mounts on the vehicle window for good results.

You will need an adapter plug to plug your battery charger into the SA wall sockets. Most chargers can handle the 220-240 volts if you have an adapter. I also carry a charger that can work off the 12v cigarette lighter outlet in a car or truck. If you are camping or staying in some remote chalets there may not be an outlet for charging.

I assume you already have a sensor cleaning kit, spare batteries, spare CF cards and something to store photos on.

I take two camera bags. One is a large one that will allow me to keep my long lens with lens hood mounted when travelling. The other is a small one that I use for my shorter camera and two shorter lenses for hiking or walking about town. The one I am not using stores equipment I am not using at any given time.

You might consider getting a 2x converter for you 70-200 if you want to take pictures of birds and small animals and lizards.

I hope your are getting excited. I am. In September I am doing a trip through Swaziland, Kwazulu Natal and Lesotho.

Thanks for the info. I will be in Kruger four days maybe five. We will be staying at Lion Sands River Lodge and taking photos of the animals from an open vehicle, a morning drive and one just before sunset.

The beanbag is for sunrises and sunsets. I think that I can handhold while in the truck. I will have IS with my 24-105

I am going to purchase an adapter once I get there. I will have a charger that will work off the 12v cigarette lighter outlet in a car.

I will have to get a sensor cleaning kit. I have everything else.

I am taking two camera bags. One large and one small.

I have a 1.4X that will have to do.

I am very excited.

You have a great trip. I will post pictures when I get back. I will also be in Paris for three days before returning home. I expect to see pics of your trip soon.

Thanks,

Jay

Kruger is great, especially if this is your introduction to Africa. We visited it several years ago. On her first visit to Africa my daughter saw three of the "Big Five" in her first few hours in Africa. We saw lion, cape buffalo and elephant, as well as many other species, on the drive from Skukuzu where we landed and picked up a vehicle and Lower Sabi camp where we had a chalet.

We drive right by Kruger this time, but decided not to stop because of time limitations. It was very tempting though.

Scott

Any chance you going to visit any of our cities? You simply cannot miss out on Cape Town

Sorry, we are not getting to Cape Town this trip. We are flying into Johannesburg for the night. Then flying to Durban and spending three days. Then off to Nelspruit for a few days. Four days at Lion Sands then off to Pretoria for a few days and then fly out of Johannesburg to Paris for a three days, then home to Atlanta.

you missing out on the best city

mellowd wrote in post #3725939
Any chance you going to visit any of our cities? You simply cannot miss out on Cape Town

Cape Town is a beautiful city, but I found that it is not a good idea to pick up a car downtown and have to negotiate the traffic circles before your brain has converted from driving on the right side of the road. Cape Town drivers are not exactly sympathetic to confused tourists. I did like the "Look right" painted on the curb at the crossing outside the hotel. Next time I land in Cape Town I think I will book a winery tour the first day and pick up a car after I have adjusted a bit.

This year I get to visit one of my wife's high school chums from Rhodesia in Durban and my in-laws in Port Elizabeth.

FA_Productions wrote in post #3722584
Thanks for the info. I will be in Kruger four days maybe five. We will be staying at Lion Sands River Lodge and taking photos of the animals from an open vehicle, a morning drive and one just before sunset.

The beanbag is for sunrises and sunsets. I think that I can handhold while in the truck. I will have IS with my 24-105

I am going to purchase an adapter once I get there. I will have a charger that will work off the 12v cigarette lighter outlet in a car.

I will have to get a sensor cleaning kit. I have everything else.

I am taking two camera bags. One large and one small.

I have a 1.4X that will have to do.

I am very excited.

You have a great trip. I will post pictures when I get back. I will also be in Paris for three days before returning home. I expect to see pics of your trip soon.

Thanks,

Jay

Hi Jay,

I was at Lion Sands River Lodge in June this year and you will love it. We were there three nights after spending four nights at Simbambili in the north. We saw plenty of lions and the rest of the big five in the first two days. While in Simbambili we also saw cheetahs, which was a rare treat.

As for equipment. I took my 20d and 17-40L, 100mm macro and 75-300IS lenses. I also took an Artic Butterfly sensor cleaner, 580 flash, Zig View (unused!) and micro trekker bag. I also managed to squeeze into my hold luggage (wrapped in clothes) a Manfrotto 190MF4 tripod - my Neotec was not taken as it was too long and heavy. From the vehicles I never had a problem as the IS on the lens allowed for hand holding. The only time I used the tripod was for evening and sunset shots when we were stopped for our 'sundowners'. One time I could have done with the tripod was when, after sunset, we saw a pride of lions kill a buffalo but then I just upped the ISO to 1600 and with the tracker's spotlight managed to get some usable shots. I also took a bean bag filled with polystyrene balls but didn't use that either. I must say that at Sabi Sands the wildlife were so close at times that my 75-300 lens was too long and I missed several shots. Take plenty of CF cards though, on the day we saw the cheetahs I took over 200 shots. Luckily I had taken a lap top to download them to each evening. It did help that I had an assistant (my daughter) who did carry a little of my kit on the flight.

I am really envious of you going there, I am aiming to go back again very soon.

Have a great trip.

ScottE wrote in post #3729756
Cape Town is a beautiful city, but I found that it is not a good idea to pick up a car downtown and have to negotiate the traffic circles before your brain has converted from driving on the right side of the road. Cape Town drivers are not exactly sympathetic to confused tourists. I did like the "Look right" painted on the curb at the crossing outside the hotel. Next time I land in Cape Town I think I will book a winery tour the first day and pick up a car after I have adjusted a bit.

This year I get to visit one of my wife's high school chums from Rhodesia in Durban and my in-laws in Port Elizabeth.

Ah, the tropical city and the windy city. To be honest I've only been to Durban once when I was a kid. PE is nice, although a little quiet, though you are going on holiday so it makes sense. I think we are sympathetic drivers, unfortuantely there are just too many people on the roads who are bad drivers

Jane Emery wrote in post #3730780
Hi Jay,

I was at Lion Sands River Lodge in June this year and you will love it. We were there three nights after spending four nights at Simbambili in the north. We saw plenty of lions and the rest of the big five in the first two days. While in Simbambili we also saw cheetahs, which was a rare treat.

As for equipment. I took my 20d and 17-40L, 100mm macro and 75-300IS lenses. I also took an Artic Butterfly sensor cleaner, 580 flash, Zig View (unused!) and micro trekker bag. I also managed to squeeze into my hold luggage (wrapped in clothes) a Manfrotto 190MF4 tripod - my Neotec was not taken as it was too long and heavy. From the vehicles I never had a problem as the IS on the lens allowed for hand holding. The only time I used the tripod was for evening and sunset shots when we were stopped for our 'sundowners'. One time I could have done with the tripod was when, after sunset, we saw a pride of lions kill a buffalo but then I just upped the ISO to 1600 and with the tracker's spotlight managed to get some usable shots. I also took a bean bag filled with polystyrene balls but didn't use that either. I must say that at Sabi Sands the wildlife were so close at times that my 75-300 lens was too long and I missed several shots. Take plenty of CF cards though, on the day we saw the cheetahs I took over 200 shots. Luckily I had taken a lap top to download them to each evening. It did help that I had an assistant (my daughter) who did carry a little of my kit on the flight.

I am really envious of you going there, I am aiming to go back again very soon.

Have a great trip.

Jane,

Thanks for the information. I think that the three lenses that I am taking should work great. I was looking at purchasing a 100-400 but saw how close the animals were and went for the 24-105 instead. As for a tripod, i am not going to be able to take one with me. we are not going to check any bags. I was going to get a bean bag just to have as a substitue. I was going to get a monopod for the game drives. Do I need it?

As for memory, I will have 8GB of cards and my laptop with me.

How old was your daughter? My assistant will be 10 and shooting with her G5. The wife will be shooting video.

Thanks,

Jay

Hi Jay, I am staying in Pretoria. The best city in South Africa!!!

If I read a post like yours I am proud to be a South African. I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautyful country.

Where are you going to stay in Pretoria.

You can see from my site http://www.rawimages.c​o.za that I spend a lot of time in the Kruger. Have also spent a lot of time at Lion sands, Which one are you visiting, River lodge, or Ivory lodge, Ivory lodge is very upmarket.
A bean bag will work fine to rest on the rail in front of you. I use a manfrotto fluid head on a manfrotto G clamp. The 24-105 is far to short although you do get close to the animals. A 100-400 is ideal and I would suggest you get something with that length. I see you have a 70-200, add a 1.4 converot and you should be fine.
If you need any info what so ever pls feel free to pm me or e-mail me.

FA_Productions wrote in post #3736005
Jane,

Thanks for the information. I think that the three lenses that I am taking should work great. I was looking at purchasing a 100-400 but saw how close the animals were and went for the 24-105 instead. As for a tripod, i am not going to be able to take one with me. we are not going to check any bags. I was going to get a bean bag just to have as a substitue. I was going to get a monopod for the game drives. Do I need it?

As for memory, I will have 8GB of cards and my laptop with me.

How old was your daughter? My assistant will be 10 and shooting with her G5. The wife will be shooting video.

Thanks,

Jay

Jay,

I debated taking a monopod but as I said I had no trouble at all and because most of the photos were taken when we were not moving I could rest the camera on my bag on the side of the vehicle if necessary. I didn't need to do that very often.

My daugher is 20 and this trip was her treat for getting a first class honours in marine biology and a PPL this year. She really, really wanted to see cheetahs so you can imagine how pleased we were that the guide went out of his way and way past his boundary to find some! She took an Ixus and also a camcorder and has made her first ever video and posted it on YouTube. Her photos were not too bad either, and she was using a point and shoot!

Have a great trip, I am sure you will fall in love with Africa.

Jane

karien wrote in post #3736195
Hi Jay, I am staying in Pretoria. The best city in South Africa!!!

If I read a post like yours I am proud to be a South African. I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautyful country.

Where are you going to stay in Pretoria.

We do not know yet. Do you have any suggestions? 2 adults and 1 child.