glenerrolrd Posted April 17, 2012 Share #21  Posted April 17, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Personally for a 3 lens kit I would go with the 28/50/90 set up. That way you get both ends of the useful internal Rangefinder end and the 50 in the middle. the 28 cron is a superb lens and the same goes for the 50. I usually carry 2 M9's with the 28 on one and the 50 on the other and this covers 90% of my photography. the 90 is a fantastic portrait lens and even though it is hardly telephoto will help a bit with wildlife  +2 this is my set for the street....the key though is that I use 2 bodies with the 28 on one and the 50 on the other . Then I will take one or two more in a vest or jacket ....normally the 21/3.4 and the 90/2.8 Elmarit . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 17, 2012 Posted April 17, 2012 Hi glenerrolrd, Take a look here Advice on lenses for Europe and S Africa. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
M8China Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share #22 Â Posted April 17, 2012 Thanks everyone, for the input. I was wanting to buy a Nikon D800 plus a 28-300 and a 50/1.8 but the D800 won't be available in China until June. Â I will bring along 28/50/90 for this trip hopefully I can get a good glimpse of the "Big 5" at Kruger. I am trying to arrange a factory tour at Solms and hopefully pick up a 21mm/3.4, but this is a long shot. Â Let's see if the lens set works out well. Â Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 17, 2012 Share #23  Posted April 17, 2012 Of course a tripod is essential.  On safari a tripod is next to useless. In the vehicle (unless you rent a private vehicle) it only serves to poke your fellow passengers, lacks space for the legs between the seats and transfers all movement of the -sprung- vehicle to your camera. The way to go is a beanbag - or if you can get everybody else to sit completely frozen during exposure (rather unlikely) a ballhead on a clamp or Gorilla pod. On bush walks a monopod that doubles as a walking stick is very practical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 17, 2012 Share #24 Â Posted April 17, 2012 Do you really think 90mm is long enough for Safari? Â What about taking an old 4.0/135 Tele-Elmar and leaving it in your luggage until you're on Safari? You should be able to pick one up for about $600 which might be only a small amount of money well spent. If you took a cropped sensor body as a backup you will then have a 175-200mm-equivalent lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fWord Posted April 17, 2012 Share #25 Â Posted April 17, 2012 As long as one avoids the 100-400L on a Canon. Not only is the image quality such that one wonders at the "L" desgnation, it is a dust pump too. Â The Canon 100-400L is a lens I used in the past and thought it was better than most make it out to be. Back in the days before I sold it, my technique was very poor, and even then I felt the lens produced images of very respectable quality. The 100-400L is due for an upgrade however, it's a pretty old lens. Â The zoom range is very useful and so is the IS. The dust pump issue has a potential to be a PITA on safari. Back in the days when I was solely using Canon gear, I had thought about eventually going on safari with a 1-series full frame camera attached to a 28-300L (advertised as weather-sealed) and an APS-C (with decent autofocus) with the 100-400L attached. Â I'll have to be honest and say that while I've currently managed reasonably well with manual focusing a Telyt 400/5 on a Nikon camera for still 'wildlife' shots, I'd be needing autofocus if I wanted to have any hope of nailing focus for wildlife action photos. As it is, DOF is very limited on a long lens at most apertures, and it is pretty difficult to zone focus a long lens! Â The only other thing I needed to add would probably be an ultra-wide of some sort, and maybe a cheap 50/1.8. Â All that is a dream however, after I found out how much a good photographic safari actually costs. Then my beloved Canon 1Ds classic died, the M8 came along, and so did a mortgage. Bye bye, safari trip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 17, 2012 Share #26 Â Posted April 17, 2012 I could give some tips for affordable venues - not many of those, but they do exist Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted April 17, 2012 Share #27  Posted April 17, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration)  In twentyfive years of wildlife photography in Africa I have never felt the need for autofocus  I know what you are saying, but having good auto focus with IS made possible some shots that I fear I wouldn't have been able to get without it. However, I doubt i am as adept with my manual focus as you are. As for the tripod, I fear my fellow safari riders would have taken a tripod and used it against me. Beanbags and a GorillaPod worked pretty well for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted April 17, 2012 Share #28  Posted April 17, 2012 I could give some tips for affordable venues - not many of those, but they do exist  And you can rent almost any equipment for a reasonable price (without having to lose sleep worrying about dust and damage). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 17, 2012 Share #29  Posted April 17, 2012 Do you really think 90mm is long enough for Safari? What about taking an old 4.0/135 Tele-Elmar and leaving it in your luggage until you're on Safari? You should be able to pick one up for about $600 which might be only a small amount of money well spent. If you took a cropped sensor body as a backup you will then have a 175-200mm-equivalent lens.  This is the best you can manage with a 135 (Tele Elmar 135 on an M8, handheld, walking (and hiding behind a ridge upwind. You need a first-rate guide to get this close safely - and some skill yourself))  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!   And this with an 800 (on an M8 with Visoflex, Noflexar-T 400 with TEX 2x, beanbag, from vehicle)  Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!   And this with an 800 (on an M8 with Visoflex, Noflexar-T 400 with TEX 2x, beanbag, from vehicle)  ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/177301-advice-on-lenses-for-europe-and-s-africa/?do=findComment&comment=1985994'>More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted April 17, 2012 Share #30 Â Posted April 17, 2012 This is the best you can manage with a 135 (Tele Elmar 135 on an M8, handheld, walking (and hiding behind a ridge upwind))Â [ATTACH]311054[/ATTACH] Â Â And this with an 800 (on an M8 with Visoflex, Noflexar-T 400 with TEX 2x, beanbag, from vehicle) Â [ATTACH]311055[/ATTACH] Â Very nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLS Posted April 17, 2012 Share #31 Â Posted April 17, 2012 I have been struggling with similar issue as I've planned a three week trip to China in June. I've all but decided to leave my 18mm Super-Elmar and 75mm Summicron lenses home and just take the 35 Summicron. I'm concerned about exposing the M9 sensor in less than ideal environments and the 35mm is the lens I am most comfortable with (though I love booth the 18mm and 75mm - they do some things brilliantly but require more effort, at least at my experience level). It helps that I've managed to pick up a Sony NEX-7 for backup. It's a nice little camera with the included 18-55mm lens and quite a bit more than that using a Novoflex adaptor and Leica glass. For African Safari, I can't imagine going without longer telephoto lenses than available for M9, though for everything else there, the Leica will prove fantastic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Verrips Posted April 17, 2012 Share #32 Â Posted April 17, 2012 My choice 28/50/90. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted April 17, 2012 Share #33  Posted April 17, 2012 I've come into this thread late. Guiding and arranging photographic safaris is what I've done for a living for +30 years. I agree with Jaap's advice and can only emphasize what he's said; and no question a beanbag is far more useful than a tripod.  If all you want to take on safari is an M9, the 90mm is definitely too short, you need a 135mm. I often take only my M9 on safari, however the 135mm is always in the bag.  If you don't want to donate a vital organ to pay for the 135mm APO Telyt I would invest a couple of hundred $ and buy a good/mint condition 1960s 135mm f4 Tele-Elmar, it performs flawlessly. I've used mine as a worthy back up when the 135 APO-Telyt was at Solms for a back- focusing issue.  Some times even a 16mm will have to do.......  Leopard: M9 & 135mm Elephant: M8 & 16mm Tri-Elmar (while walking). Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/177301-advice-on-lenses-for-europe-and-s-africa/?do=findComment&comment=1986256'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 18, 2012 Share #34 Â Posted April 18, 2012 I was waiting for you to come in , Mike . I love that Leopard shot - but I bet it was not taken on a standard jaunt into the Kruger . Â You have to be lucky to get such results with a 135 from a vehicle on the road. An inexperienced user will not get much beyond animal-in-a-landscape shots with such focal lengths, unless the game comes up to the vehicle or is really close and not spooked. And yes, M9/135 is standard gear for me as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted April 18, 2012 Share #35 Â Posted April 18, 2012 Mike -- impressive M9 shots considering the environment. 16mm on foot and shooting that beast. So how far was the elephant from you at the moment you snapped it? Did you crop the heck out of it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted April 18, 2012 Share #36  Posted April 18, 2012 Mike -- impressive M9 shots considering the environment. 16mm on foot and shooting that beast. So how far was the elephant from you at the moment you snapped it? Did you crop the heck out of it?  Thank you! Here's the full frame DNG off the camera. I had climbed up a hill and as I got up to the top, he was standing there feeding on some Aloes, about 5 meters away. We startled each other.  He obviously didn't feel threatened or he would have come for me. The trick is not to make sudden movements or start running. I had the Tri-Elmar on the M8 and managed to get several pics. After a couple of minutes he picked up a large branch with his trunk and threw it at me, as in telling me to bugger off. I slowly backed away from him and got out of his way, wetting myself all the way down the hill.....  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/177301-advice-on-lenses-for-europe-and-s-africa/?do=findComment&comment=1986950'>More sharing options...
jankap Posted April 19, 2012 Share #37 Â Posted April 19, 2012 Was the following essay mentioned already? On Safari I agree with the message of the author, close-ups can be made in the zoo too. Â An M9 picture can easily be cropped to APS-C. Many photographers are very happy with APS-C. On APS-C a 135mm converts to a 200mm eq lens. Jan PS m8china, I wish you a nice trip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter H Posted April 19, 2012 Share #38 Â Posted April 19, 2012 From my extremely subjective point of view, I wouldn't even bother with an SLR for the safari. At best, with a good sensor and long lenses you'll get the same set of photos that you've seen a hundred times before. But with a 50 say, you'll find yourself creating some original and exciting photos that may well be far more rewarding and memorable than another lion's head. Â And you'll also be freer to enjoy yourself and experience the occasion. Â Whatever you choose though, I wish you a very enjoyable trip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 19, 2012 Share #39 Â Posted April 19, 2012 Good plan. The major hurdle to it would be surviving... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rramesh Posted April 19, 2012 Share #40 Â Posted April 19, 2012 On safari a tripod is next to useless. In the vehicle (unless you rent a private vehicle) it only serves to poke your fellow passengers, lacks space for the legs between the seats and transfers all movement of the -sprung- vehicle to your camera. I did not say you should use a tripod on a vehicle. And tripods need not be huge either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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