Camera for Safari

[sjmbruce]

I don't even know where to start when looking for a camera to bring on a South African safari. I assume I'll want great zoom and action shot capability.  Any recommendations for a beginner who wants an awesome camera?

[Hezu]

7 hours ago, sjmbruce said:

I don't even know where to start when looking for a camera to bring on a South African safari. I assume I'll want great zoom and action shot capability.  Any recommendations for a beginner who wants an awesome camera?

If you want a reasonably simple solution, then I would suggest Sony RX10 IV, which is compact superzoom with a great zoom range covering wide angle to supertelephoto, fast autofocus and good image quality. Not the cheapest option, but if you would like to similar focal length coverage for interchangeble lens camera that might cost even more and you would have to change lenses occasionally and that may lead in missing shots and also as safari environments tend to be dusty there would be a high risk to get dust also on the camera sensor. ILCs may still have few advantages over RX10 IV (or other compact cameras).

Btw, do I assume right that currently you don't have any existing camera equipment (excluding camera phone)?

[sjmbruce]

4 hours ago, Hezu said:

If you want a reasonably simple solution, then I would suggest Sony RX10 IV, which is compact superzoom with a great zoom range covering wide angle to supertelephoto, fast autofocus and good image quality. Not the cheapest option, but if you would like to similar focal length coverage for interchangeble lens camera that might cost even more and you would have to change lenses occasionally and that may lead in missing shots and also as safari environments tend to be dusty there would be a high risk to get dust also on the camera sensor. ILCs may still have few advantages over RX10 IV (or other compact cameras).

Btw, do I assume right that currently you don't have any existing camera equipment (excluding camera phone)?

Thank you for the suggestion, especially about not having to change lenses. I wouldn't have thought about dust and the time it takes to change a lense. 

I think I'm okay with spending up to $1500 to get a great camera.

And you're correct, the only camera I currently have is my phone. 

[pierces]

Another vote for the RX 10 IV. One of the best bridge cameras available.

 

Dave

[Heidi13]

You may want to consider the Canon G7X III, which is more compact 

[juneandchris]

Whichever model you go for I would get it at least a week minimum before going.

This will give you time to work out the buttons to press without losing sight of the subject matter.

 

Also, it might sound silly but don't forget to actually stop and take in what's around you.

Sometimes you can get a good/great photo but you never actually stop to "smell the coffee".

 

Hope this helps. 

[Hezu]

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

You may want to consider the Canon G7X III, which is more compact 

Although if you want to do any wildlife photography (and on a safari, you usually want), G7X III's zoom may feel too short as it covers only 24-100 mm equivalent focal lengths, where as Sony RX10 IV sports one with 24-600 mm range.

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, Hezu said:

Although if you want to do any wildlife photography (and on a safari, you usually want), G7X III's zoom may feel too short as it covers only 24-100 mm equivalent focal lengths, where as Sony RX10 IV sports one with 24-600 mm range.

 

Yes, 100 is a little on the low side, but having completed multiple day safaris in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, using up to 200 mm, it could work. In our experience, how close you get depends on the skill of your driver and the type of vehicle. I did have a doubler, but rarely found a need, preferring to maintain the f2.8 max aperture. The doubler was only used during the final hour of the AM drives and first hour of the PM drives.

 

In both an open jeep and a closed vehicle, where you looked through openings in the roof, I was unable to use a tripod, so everything was hand held. Since all our drives were at sunrise and sunset, much was in low light, so a faster lens is as beneficial as focal length.

 

Although it has a lower zoom, I believe the Canon has a faster lens.