If you could only take one lens on a Botswana safari which lens would you choose?

J

john1970

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Dec 27, 2015
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#1
Dear Canon Rumor Members:

I will be leaving on safari in the next few weeks and due to weight restrictions I am going to be limited to a single camera and one lens.

I am thinking that the Canon R3 and RF 100-300 mm f2.8 with both 1.4x and 2x TCs is my best bet. Alternatively, if I want a lighter combo I go for the RF 100-500 mm f4.5-f7.1. Any helpful advice and recommendations would be appreciated.

Thank you!
 
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#3
Weightwise, the in-use weights with hood etc: 100-500mm, 1610g; 200-800mm, 2133g; and 100-300mm + TCs 3286g. If I had to choose between my 100-500 and 200-800, I think I'd go for the 200-800.
 
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#6
kaihp said:
Where in Botswana are you going and what are you going to see?

If you will be going to the gorillas, it will be fairly close. I would assume that the 100-300mm would be too long.
@neuroanatomist did a Gorilla safari, so he can comment on what focal lengths he was using.
Click to expand...
@neuroanatomist takes on the gorillas here mano a mano.
 
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#7
kaihp said:
If you will be going to the gorillas, it will be fairly close. I would assume that the 100-300mm would be too long.
@neuroanatomist did a Gorilla safari, so he can comment on what focal lengths he was using.
Click to expand...
Most of my gorilla shots were in the 100-300mm range, some at 400mm and some wider to get more of the group or for context (like the one below of my wife and I, which was at 38mm).

Not sure about Botswana, we saw the mountain gorillas in Rwanda and were fortunate enough to draw the best-habituated group (Susa, the group that Dian Fossey worked with).


PNV.png
 
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#8
john1970 said:
I do not have the RF 200-800 mm lens. Had it at one time, but my copy was soft from 600-800 mm so it was returned for a full refund. My choices are either the 100-500 mm or the 100-300 mm f2.8 with TCs.
Click to expand...
This is a useful link. https://www.wildlifephotographyafrica.com/choosing-the-right-lenses-for-your-safari-updated/

I've done two safaris. The first, just 3 days in South Africa, I had just a 70-200mm on a 7D. The second was a serious one in Tanzania and was mainly for birds and I needed long focal lengths for those and was using mainly 800mm on a 5Div but my wife had the EF 100-400 ii + 1.4xTC on the 5DSR and I also took a Sony RX10iv with its equivalent range of 24-600mm which was very useful for larger animals, herds etc. On reflection, if you are not mainly shooting birds, the 100-500mm would be better than the 200-800mm but you would also need something shorter as well. The lower weight of the 100-500 would allow you to slip one in versus the 100-300.
 
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#9
AlanF said:
This is a useful link. https://www.wildlifephotographyafrica.com/choosing-the-right-lenses-for-your-safari-updated/

I've done two safaris. The first, just 3 days in South Africa, I had just a 70-200mm on a 7D. The second was a serious one in Tanzania and was mainly for birds and I needed long focal lengths for those and was using mainly 800mm on a 5Div but my wife had the EF 100-400 ii + 1.4xTC on the 5DSR and I also took a Sony RX10iv with its equivalent range of 24-600mm which was very useful for larger animals, herds etc. On reflection, if you are not mainly shooting birds, the 100-500mm would be better than the 200-800mm but you would also need something shorter as well. The lower weight of the 100-500 would allow you to slip one in versus the 100-300.
Click to expand...
Hi @AlanF

I was also going to pack the lightweight RF 28 f2.8 STM pancake lens for landscapes. I realize that I am missing focal length between 28 to 100 mm. If I took the 100-500 mm I definitely can take another lens such as the 24-105 mm f4. I also have the opportunity to shoot in low light and I was thinking that the 100-300 mm f2.8+1.4x would give me a 140 mm to 420 mm f4 which would be ideal.

I also forgot to mention that I will have my own private vehicle so in theory I can have the driver position the vehicle as best as possible for the shot.
 
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#11
AlanF said:
Weightwise, the in-use weights with hood etc: 100-500mm, 1610g; 200-800mm, 2133g; and 100-300mm + TCs 3286g. If I had to choose between my 100-500 and 200-800, I think I'd go for the 200-800.
Click to expand...
Hi @AlanF

Thank you for the advice. I have decided to go lightweight and agile on the trip. The 100-300 mm f2.8 while a lovely lens is just too much with the weight restrictions. I have decided on my RF 24-105mm f4 L lens and my RF 100-500 mm f4.5-f7.1 lens. The R3 has solid low light capability so if I need to I can boost my ISO to 12800 and still have reasonable photos.

Thank you for the advice.
 
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#12
john1970 said:
Hi @AlanF

Thank you for the advice. I have decided to go lightweight and agile on the trip. The 100-300 mm f2.8 while a lovely lens is just too much with the weight restrictions. I have decided on my RF 24-105mm f4 L lens and my RF 100-500 mm f4.5-f7.1 lens. The R3 has solid low light capability so if I need to I can boost my ISO to 12800 and still have reasonable photos.

Thank you for the advice.
Click to expand...
Give denoising with dxo pr4 and topaz a try, they should have trial versions you can use to compare them. It might bump your useable range to 25600!
 
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#13
john1970 said:
Hi @AlanF

Thank you for the advice. I have decided to go lightweight and agile on the trip. The 100-300 mm f2.8 while a lovely lens is just too much with the weight restrictions. I have decided on my RF 24-105mm f4 L lens and my RF 100-500 mm f4.5-f7.1 lens. The R3 has solid low light capability so if I need to I can boost my ISO to 12800 and still have reasonable photos.

Thank you for the advice.
Click to expand...
I would do the same - it’s so easy to use, pack, tack sharp and with very fast and accurate AF. Have a great safari!
 
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#14
AlanF said:
I would do the same - it’s so easy to use, pack, tack sharp and with very fast and accurate AF. Have a great safari!
Click to expand...
Thank you. I am on day 5 of my anti-malaria medication (Malarone) and they are still throwing my stomach a curve ball. My alternative is doxycycline, but my stomach tends to be very sensitive to antibiotics even with probiotics are used in tandem. For me the question is going to be which has worse GI side effects, macarons or doxycycline.
 
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