Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/12/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]After completing a magazine piece on the Kenya safari (for those interested, the story is in the Dec. 19 issue of Autoweek) I have found time to go back through the 2,800 images I shot during my 10-day trip to put together a small gallery, which can be found here: http://gallery.me.com/rhart76#100353&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=19 Thanks to Howard, Jayanand and Henning for their tips. My photo gear ended up tipping the scales at 21 kilos (46.2 pounds)...a bit more than the 32 pounds that Safarilink airlines placed as a limit. Plus, I had a bag of clothing...so we were prepared to purchase another ticket if needed. Luckily, the small planes were not crowded and the excess weight was not a problem. The photos were shot in three different different areas of Kenya: Amboseli, Nanyuki and Masai Mara. I stayed in camps run by Porini, all are classified as "eco tourism," camps. And just as an fyi...I didn't have to pay for any of the shots taken of the Masai. The camps lease the land from the Masai and hire the men to work in the camps as drivers, guides, porters, cooks and guards. I would be happy to hear any questions or comments about the gallery. Roger Hart Detroit USA On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 8:59 PM, Roger Hart <rhart76 at gmail.com> wrote: > Henning, > > Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful reply. The depth and > breadth of the LUG never ceases to amaze me. > > I am going for work, so I must take the right gear to come back with > the photos. I will be shooting some things other than just wildlife so > I need to cover everything from a wide-angle to telephoto. I travel > quite a bit, all around the world, and have a regular "kit" that > includes two Nikon bodies (D3S and D700), 17-35, 24-70, 80-200, a 1.4 > converter and two Nikon strobes, plus all the essential cables, > battery chargers, dust blower and brushes, and 12 8-gb CF cards. Plus > a laptop, power converter, mouse, card reader, etc. I sometimes will > also carry my M8 and 28 with this kit. This all fits into a ThinkTank > roller, that with the laptop removed, will fit under the seat of a > commuter plane. But it does tip the scales at just more than 20 > kilos...so it's not lightweight. And for this trip, I'm going to add > at least a 300 f/2.8, and/or if it arrives on time, a 200-400 that > I've had on order for some time. With all the catastrophes that have > hit Japan (and now Thailand), production of the lens seems to be on a > limited basis. Adding a longer lens will mean something will have to > come out of the bag. > > I've been traveling with an iPad since it first came out, and it too, > will be going along for the trip, although I use it mainly for reading > and music, and e-mail. > > My big debate is whether to take the computer, which I would use to > backup all the images from the cards. I may decide to not take the > laptop and take more CF cards...way smaller and lighter. And I might > swap out the 17-35 with a 20mm prime. Smaller and lighter. > > Again, thanks for the tips. I appreciate all the expertise. > > > Roger Hart > Detroit > USA > > On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 1:14 PM, Henning Wulff <henningw at > archiphoto.com> wrote: >> Roger, >> >> As Howard has mentioned I also took Panasonic m4/3 equipment, and the >> majority of the pictures of animals were taken with the 100-300. I took a >> GH2 and a G3 body. Other lenses included the 14-140, 7-14, 12/2, 20/1.7, >> 45/2.8macro and a 75/2 AA Summicron on an adapter for a 150/2 equivalent, >> which I used for maybe 25 shots. The others got used more. >> >> The vehicles we were in were not allowed to go off the tracks, which were >> numerous but not always in the best places for photos. Long lenses were >> essential, but sometimes the animals, especially the large ones and the >> predators would walk within a foot of the vehicles. Zooms were very >> helpful. >> >> I took 320Gb of SD cards which were all Transcend Class 10 in capacities >> of 32 and 16Gb and no computer. I did use someones laptop part way >> through to back up the cards shot to that point onto a small 2.5 in drive. >> >> I've usually taken either a laptop or a Nexto backup device, and the lack >> of proper backup made me a bit nervous, but then with film I never had >> backup. I did take an iPad, for which I got a SIM and data plan in Kenya >> for $20 for 3Gb, which was sufficient. We had good cell reception >> everywhere. I took a couple of pictures of large animals (elephants, >> giraffes) with the iPad and sent them directly from the place they were >> taken to my grandchildren. >> >> I also took a Hyperjuice battery backup for the iPad, for long flights or >> whatever. >> >> All this equipment fit comfortably into a Domke 803. There was a small >> bag with chargers, cords etc in the suitcase. As we were also going to be >> some days in England at the end, I had to take some warmer and different >> clothes as well. My total kit, including clothes weighed about 15kg. >> >> As I don't have or generally use long tells like you, I had to carefully >> consider my options. Last year for an event I had bought a 300/2.8 IS for >> my Canon 5D and 7D, but found that with teleconverters the quality really >> wasn't that good. I also have a 100-400 and compared that to the >> Panasonic GH2 with 100-300. The 7D is a good body and with the 100-400 >> produces a similar number of pixels for an object at the long end, but >> the optical performance of the 100-400 just isn't good enough to get the >> most out of the sensor. The GH-2 and 100-300 at the long end produced a >> bit more detail. That, and the fact that the m4/3 outfit was much smaller >> made the decision easy. >> >> I changed lenses regularly every day, including out on the drives where >> there was dust, but I had no dust problems. The Canon 7D also has a bit >> higher propensity for collecting dust. >> >> On reflection, there isn't much I would change. I would leave the 75 >> Summicron at home and instead of the iPad I would take a MacBook Air >> possibly. Still not sure. If Panasonic had a stabilized lens that went up >> to 400mm, I would take that. I would leave the shorts at home, because >> there was no use for them. >> >> If I was more serious about wildlife photography, I might consider taking >> something like the 500/4 Canon with 1.4 converter and the 200-400 with >> the built in converter, plus 70-200 and other stuff. But dealing with all >> that stuff is suspiciously like work, and this trip was intended as a >> holiday, not work. >> >> Henning >> >> >> >> >> On 2011-10-27, at 3:45 AM, H&ECummer wrote: >> >>> Roger, >>> Jayanand has already answered in detail about his equipment which he >>> used to great effect. >>> In answer to your general questions: >>> 1. Bring as long a telephoto as you can afford, carry. I used the GH2 >>> and the 100 - 300, as did Henning - equivalent to 600mm in FF. >>> 2.I was also worried about charging batteries, especially in those camps >>> with generators and limited hours of electricity, but in practice it >>> wasn't a problem >>> I carried an extra extension cord to plug in multiple chargers but I >>> never used it. >>> 3. When we flew we carried the camera equipment and the rest of our >>> luggage came along in the jeeps so baggage constraints were not a >>> problem for us. >>> 4. I took my Macbook and downloaded images every day - sometimes twice a >>> day - we shot 10,000 pictures between my wife and myself. I had one SD >>> card >>> fail and just put it away for later surgery - take lots of cards. >>> 5. Don't forget your various shots, yellow fever, etc and make sure you >>> have your malaria pills as well as DEET based mosquito repellent (which >>> I never used - but you never know) >>> 6. It will be dusty. Have a blower and cleaning cloths - wipes etc. >>> Don't change lenses in the field if you can possibly avoid it. I went >>> out with the 100 - 300 on one GH2 and the 14 - 140 on my back up GF 1 >>> and never changed lenses. My wife kept the 45 - 200 on her GH2. We never >>> had a dust problem. >>> 7. Don't worry too much about the colour of your clothes. We bought >>> muted safari colours in greens and browns and that really wasn't >>> necessary. >>> Good luck. We look forward to seeing the results. >>> Howard >>> >>>>> I have a trip to Kenya scheduled and would like to draw on the vast >>>>> expertise of the LUG...I have enjoyed seeing the photos from the group >>>>> who recently returned. My compliments to all. >>>>> Any tips or suggestions regarding equipment to take, how easy was it >>>>> to recharge batteries at the camps, how much equipment were you >>>>> allowed to take with you, etc., would be appreciated. Was there >>>>> anything you didn't take along that you wished you had with you? My >>>>> travel kit, including computer, weighs in right now at 20 >>>>> kilos...which is about the limit. per person, for small aircraft. And >>>>> that doesn't include anything clothing! >>>>> >>>>> Any and all comments will be appreciated. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Roger Hart >>>>> Detroit >>>>> USA >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> >> Henning Wulff >> henningw at archiphoto.com >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>