Run this by you guys

[jaapv]

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I have a fairly final idea about the gear I want to take for a five week trip through Africa.

It seems a good idea to get a second opinion here

Issues - I will be out of reach for any kind of service or replacements - even memory cards...So all equipment must have as much redundancy as possible.

I will be photographing countries and people plus wildlife.

Wildlife will be bush hiking for 50%.

Weight matters -let's try to keep it under 10Kg

Size matters - I would like to use a Lowe Minitrekker.

So:

M8, CV15, ZI 28/2.8, CV 35/1.2, Summicron AA90, Tele-Elmar 135/4.0

OTZFO, Viso-to-R adapter.

R9/DMR, 28-70, 105-280, 1.4x extender, 2x apoextender

Monopod,Gorillapod, Jobo 80Gb imagetank

Batteries,cards, chargers.

Binoculars

 

I am dithering about:

Summicron 35/2.0asph, second M8 body with 50/2.8 collapsible, 16 mm semi-fisheye R, 180/3.4 apo R ,small laptop.

 

Any thoughts?

[robsteve]

I would bring the spare M8 body, as it doesn't add much to the weight or size of the gear.

 

The 180mm f3.4 APO is also a choice if you think you may be hiking into some places and the 105-280mm would be too heavy to carry.

 

Regards,

 

Robert

[wattsy]

 

Any thoughts?

 

Yes, why so much gear? I know we are all different but I'd be happy to do the trip with two M8 bodies and two lenses (something wide and something a bit longer). Add a MacBook and you are all set. Unless you are being paid to do a job I cannot imagine why you would want to drag around more stuff than that.

[jaapv]

Well, Ian, I prefer the longer focal lengths and a dslr when walking up to Lions and Buffalows, and the shorter stuff for people and typical M work. I could drop a few M lenses, that is true, but then those don't take up much space or weight.

Rob's suggestion is a nice one, as I could leave the 24-70 at home then.

180 Apo I don't know. Hiking is daylight work anyway -too dangerous at night-, so the 135 TE and 1.4x could double up then, albeit at 5.6

[wattsy]

Well, Ian, I prefer the longer focal lengths and a dslr when walking up to Lions and Buffalows, and the shorter stuff for people and typical M work.

 

What are you - man or mouse?

 

I had a feeling that you would make the point about needing the longer stuff for wildlife and I take your point. I guess it comes down to how much you want photographs of lions and giraffes. My position is that I'd rather view the lions and giraffes through a pair of binoculars and enjoy the moment than cart around heavy gear in order to take a few photographs of them. If I'm travelling I prefer to be as unencumbered as possible and use a camera more to capture the mood and feeling of a place than any specific view or subject. If that means I don't have a long enough lens to get a 'decent' shot of a lion, then so be it.

[jaapv]

Well, Lions you can view for a long time, and still get your shot - they are lazy b*****rs;) I guess getting the shot is a bit like hunting - tracking- approaching- and -capturing-. I would not be a hunter- no reason to kill imo, but for the rest...

[earleygallery]

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M8, CV15, Summicron 35, Summicron AA90

R9/DMR, 28-70, 105-280, 2x apoextender

 

Monopod,Gorillapod, Jobo 80Gb imagetank (if you must)

 

Batteries,cards, chargers.

Binoculars

[jaapv]

I hear you, James, but no redundancy here at the long end... and 1.4 is essential, 400 mm is my most used focal length in wildlife.

[Ruhayat]

Wide angle lens on the M8 (with maybe a spare 50mm), and tele on the R. That would cover it for me.

[Photon42]

Hello Jaap,

 

thought a bit about your possible set-up. I'd certainly try to keep in light:

 

Rangefinder: M8, 15/4.5, 28/2.8, 50/2.8

R9/DMR w/105-280, and one of the extenders, probably the 1.4x

Monopod, chargers and this Gorilla-thingy, if it works at least with the M8.

 

No laptop. Probably not even the Harddisk tank. One more battery than you think you need. Lots of memory cards. Maybe, if you have, a 35mm for the R9 "just in case" the M8 or it's charger stops working ...

 

Kind regards and lots of fun

Ivo

[Overgaard]

I would bring a labtop so as to be able to check photos from time to time. For dust, colors, all possible errors not visible on a SD-card.

 

I would bring the R9 as main camera and the M8 for backup.

 

Funny, no matter where I go, I always find that I can store my gear in a van or some secure site and then take out one or two bodies at a time. And then I always have envisioned what I want to do so rarely bring out more than one or two lenses from the van/storage.

 

Anyway, sounds like a fun trip.

 

(When I went to Burkina Faso recently, my wife asked a friend who had been there, what dangers I should be afraid of. "Mosquitoes and the locals," he answered ;-)

[Guest tvleeskr]

Laptop. Never leave home without it. Look for a lightweight Lenovo X61s or a thin Mac air someting. You won't need the imagetank. No need for the CV35, but you do want the cron 35. (and a FF Canon with BULKY lens?? haha)

Have fun and I do look forward to your ever amazing and impressive pics.

[Guest tvleeskr]

Forgot to mention the Artic Butterfly.

[stuny]

Jaap -

 

Consider the M8 with the 3 wide lense, and the DMR with both zooms (the wide zoom as backup to the M8), and both extenders. People who have not been to Africa are astonished by the birds, and find they need a lot of "reach" to photograph them. Also, many interesting animals generally keep their distance, such as warthogs. Bring the hard drive and plenty of SD cards. The hard drive can wait at camp when you are out on walks or drives. Don't expect to see much in the way of animals while on foot as they generally will avoid you, and you will be too low to see them. Gorillapod and monopod? If you handhold well you may not need either, but certainly not both. For binocs, Trinovid 10x25 for performance, size and weight.

[jaapv]

@ Ruhayat. You are right from a photographic point of view, but I fear it would be a bit foolish to go in without as much backup as possible. I still remember the thankfulness of a German gentleman when he could borrow an R4 plus 180/3.4 apo of me when Gorilla-trekking in Bwindi and his single Nikon broke down. I have seen so much gear break down in the bush that I think this is not an option.

 

@ Photon. That would be giving up the backup at the long end, not a good idea incase the DMR or telezoom

 

@ overgaardcom. Yes, I work that way as well. I only take the gear that I need for the day.

The rest I leave in a safe place, or, in National Parks, just lying about. There is nowhere to go for a thief.

 

@ Thom. The other way around on the 35. Night falls at six, no electric light. I need the speed. And I like the way the Nokton very much. Yes - cleaning stuff and flash too, of course.

 

@ Stuart. I agree about the reach one needs. I prefer the Trinovid 10x42, heavier, but amazing low light capacity. As to walking, I have done a lot of it, and yes, photography from a hide or a vehicle is certainly less demanding. And when a camp offers "bush walks"I mostly decline.

But I disagree on the other hand. I have done a fair amount of bush hiking, often in areas otherwise inaccessible and have had many close encounters with game that were amazing. Kudu, Black Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo all within 10 meters, Lion within 15, feeding, with cubs, everything. One of the best things we ever saw was African Wild Cat kittens maybe six weeks old in broad daylight. To fast for photographs, I fear...It all depends on the area and on your guide.

You have seen this shot of mine before. It was taken walking last year...

 

 

[wstotler]

Well, Lions you can view for a long time, and still get your shot - they are lazy b*****rs;) I guess getting the shot is a bit like hunting - tracking- approaching- and -capturing-. I would not be a hunter- no reason to kill imo, but for the rest...

 

Read this and thought: Track, Approach, Capture (Shutter Recock = Ca-CHUNK). Every head in the pride swivels to find the Ca-CHUNK. . . . Chased. Eaten. ;D

 

Sole consolation: The M8 is solid enough that you can beat the lion's head with it while being mauled. Other brands would never stand up to that kind of use. ("The rangefinder kept its alignment! The lens was covered by Passport but I'm sure the Solms techs are scratching their heads about the bits they're getting out of the focus ring. Now if I can only get out of this body cast to use it. . . . Wait! I can order an add-on so I can focus with my nose. Leitz had something like that, surely. Nurse!")

 

Oh, nevermind. The shutter noise isn't really an issue for me--and I've never been face-to-face with wildlife like that--the scenario came to mind. Cheeky.

 

Have a great time in Africa, Jaap.

 

Later!

Will

[topoxforddoc]

Jaap,

 

This is what I would take out of your kit

 

DMR, 105-280, 1.4x, 2x

 

Both M8s, CV15, CV35 and the 90

 

Lots & lots of cards

 

The DMR would get used as your main wildlife camera. With both extenders, you could go to stacked converters, although this would be pretty slow. However you would have an 800 equivalent length if really needed in good light.

 

As your walk around then I would use the Ms.

 

I suppose the mix of kit would depend on your reason for going - is it wildlife shooting or people shooting? If it were the former, then I would take two DMRs.

 

Charlie

[Photon42]

[...] @ Photon. That would be giving up the backup at the long end, not a good idea incase the DMR or telezoom [...]

 

There's a risk in everything. An additional 90 on the M does not help much with game, I suspect. If you leave part of your stuff in the hotel, it can walk away, for example

 

If you were to strictly mitigate all risks, the only way is to duplicate. In that case, I'd go with two R8/9 bodies and leave the M stuff at home.

 

Regards

Ivo

[Guest DuquesneG]

I only take the gear that I need for the day.

The rest I leave in a safe place, or, in National Parks, just lying about. There is nowhere to go for a thief.

 

So take as much as you can cram into the biggest bag that you're allowed on the small plane(s). If wildlife is a big part of your shooting, you're poorly-supported. If anything happens to the 105-280 or the R9 or the DMR, you're cooked. I would hunt up a 280/4.8 or 400/6.8 in Visoflex mount...which could be used either with the M8 or R9 with a simple adaptor.

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[Ruhayat]

Mm, yes, if that's the case I would go for two R bodies, too, and leave out the M. Stick a medium zoom on one, a normal on the other, have a couple of wides and a longer tele, and you'd be all set. And perhaps stick a C-Lux or D-Lux in there, too, for walkabouts. But I just like to travel light, and safaris are not my thing, so...