In message <46349072$0$16383$88260bb3@free.teranews.com>
"the_niner_nation" wrote:
> Hi, Liz, thanks always for your help..
>
> i have no idea if my lens is better than yours, the lens I have is this
> one..
>
> http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/
> Zoom_Lenses/EF_90300mm_f4556/index.asp
> it dosn't have image stabilisation.
If it did, you wouldn't be calling it 'cheap'!
I think the one they say it's "optically similar to" is the one I've
got. :-(
>
> I don't have the steadiest hands int he world, so i will be taking a bean
> bag and maybe a tri/mono pod, as I realise that the majority of game drives
> are very early morning or at dusk when lighting isn't optimum.
I can hardly imagine you could set up a tripod in a minibus. I usually
just rest my lens on the edge of the window opening or the top. Last
year, the construction of one of the vehicles my group used made that
a bit difficult and it was a bit high for me (c5' 7") but that's the
first time that was an issue. When I was just travelling with my
husband, I had window mounts with quick releases in strategic places,
not feasible in a group. It depends how many in your vehicle are keen
photographers: you have to share the space, but often people just want
one quick shap. *But* then they don't want to wait for you to get your
'better shot'! Morning and evening game drives are to give you the
chance to get best light. However, the sun rises and sets incredibly
quickly, so you have to be lucky to find something within range to
shoot in the good light. Again, in a group trip, others may only be
interested in e.g. lions, leopards or elephants and won't want to stop
while you photograph whatever's in the best light. Again, it depends
on who you have in your group.
>
> being new to 'proper' photography, I might potter around the independant
> camera shops and ask for advice, and prepare to spend way over my modest
> budget for the right lens...no matter how hard i try or alter the settings
> on my camera, even using a tri pod I can never get the crisp,sharp picutres
> everyone else seems to be getting with their 400d, so i am certain I need to
> invest in a decent lens.
Sadly, that sounds very like my cheap Canon.
I could even see on the LCD screen that the images weren't sharp,
often without zooming in.
One of the blokes on my last safari was using a similarly priced Sigma
(75-300 IIRC) on his 30D and his images were fine. I panicked into
buying the more expensive 100-300 which is great, but it has no close
focus and it's too heavy for me to carry round my neck for long.
Advantage: it has f4 to 300mm.
>
> I realise that overlanding isn't the best safari, but on my budget it's all
> I can afford, but the operator has said that they use mini-buses and not the
> big trucks, but I see your point and I am somewhat resigned to being in the
> company of restless kids.
With any safari, who you're with can make or break your trip. Best is
to arrange an independent trip, then you can decide where and for how
long you're going, what you're going to do every day and when etc. but
it you're on your own it's a very expensive option, especially if you
have to go in the high season. One other person, and it's hardly any
more expensive than an organised 'seat on a bus' trip!
I wonder why your trip is called an 'overland' rather than a 'mobile
participatory camping' trip? I always think of overlanding as being
long trips on these big high trucks, blaring music loudly.
Anyway, unless your travelling companions are a real nightmare (one
woman on my trip last year was pretty bad, but we soon split into the
'fun bus' and the 'other one', so I hardly saw her.) you'll have a
great time and hopefully you'll fall in love with Africa.
It's great that you're going when you can: I left it far too late!
Safari njema
Liz
--
http://www.v-liz.com - Kenya; Tanzania; Namibia; India; Galapagos
Photo Gallery:
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=165111
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