The weather can really add to landscape/scenics depending on the time of year, there was some wonderful crepuscular light over the evenings in the Serengeti when I was there. But I think for the most part the 24-105L would address your landscape needs.
Mark is right - I was using that combination, but usually on a 1D IV for an extra 1.3 crop factor. I also had a 70-200 f/2.8 and 24-70 f/2.8, 17-40 f/4 and 5D II.Originally Posted by clemmb
I suggest you to take the longest lens you can, but I understand your concerns about weight and airline security. A 24-105 and 100-400 would be a good two-lens solution, with a 1.4 extender (you would lose auto focus capability with a 2x extender on the 100-400).
Some other points to bear in mind:
- Wildlife is most active at dusk and dawn, when the light is poorest. Be prepared to go high with the ISO.
- Dust can be a problem if you are changing lenses or inserting an extender. Two bodies helped me to overcome that issue, but a large zoom range is an alternative solution. Take a sensor cleaning kit.
- 24-105 will be fine for general purpose landscapes on a 5D III. You won't need anything wider. I only took a handful of shots with the 17-40, and most of those were at >24mm. Some of my landscapes (e.g. the herd of wildebeest on the plain) were shot at 420mm.
- Take some binoculars. You need to find the wildlife before you can take pictures of it (unless you are content with pictures of grazing ruminants or sleeping lions)
Have a great trip!
Edit - since you're going to Ngorongoro, you might be able to justify taking a 16-35mm to get a shot of the crater from the rim like this (except your crater will be bigger and have lots of wildlife in it)
Last edited by Andy Stringer; 03-18-2013 at 09:19 PM.
Thanks! This is really helpful advice from everyone. Trip is a way out still (not until later this summer), but I'll be sure to post my experiences from it.
The rim is high, and from the accessible points, the wildlife is pretty distant...this is 38mm FF equivalent.
The binoculars are a great idea - even a small pair of 8x25's can help. Also, when you book your safari, make sure the outfit uses Land Rovers. This was ours, just me and my wife with the guide so lots of flexibility.
If you go with one of the minivan outfits, you may find yourself in a ditch, and need a real Land Rover to rescue you...
We thought it was amusing. So did this kitty, who was close by in the grass at camera left.
Have a great trip!
Last edited by neuroanatomist; 03-18-2013 at 10:27 PM.
Neuro, it's amazing how the memory fades with time. It's fifteen years since I stood on the edge of the Ngorongoro crater and I had forgotten it had a lake in it! I didn't mean to imply that you would be able to make out the individual creatures, just that it would look less sterile than my more recent visit to a caldera elsewhere. Maybe 24mm will be wide enough after all.
I recall another safari thread a couple of years ago here. Unfortunately, some of the posts were truncated when this site was moved to a new host, but plenty of useful tips remain.
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