Lens choice for Zimbabwe

[Rahul Khosla]

Thinking about lenses to take for a trip to Zimbabwe - Hwange and Mana Pools (including walking safaris at Goliath Camp).
I’m planning to take two camera bodies (Z9 and D850). Instead of spending a fortune to buy a 600mm F4, would my 400 mm F2.8 with a 1.4TC be an “equivalent” lens ? What would be the pros and cons between these two? In addition, I’m planning to take my 70-200 F2.8 and a wide angle lens.
All suggestions welcome.

 

[MrFotoFool]

The only con is that you have to add or remove the teleconverter which is a pain (and depending on where you are could risk getting dust on the sensor). Otherwise I think it's a fine setup and I would not bother getting a 600mm. I am not sure how you are traveling but if you use the smaller SafariLink or similar planes they have weight restrictions and you probably wouldn't be able to take a 600 anyway.

 

[Rassie]

I did two wildlife safaris in South Africa with D7100 and D7500 DX crop sensor bodies. I had the 70-200mm lens on one and the 200-500mm lens on the other body. Both cameras got about equal use, each making 40-45% of all images. The rest were made with a 16-80mm lens mounted. Your maximum of 400mm might be a bit short in full frame mode for some of the more distant animals, but with both your bodies you could just shoot in DX mode and still do well. If you can still find room for the teleconverter you should be all set.

 

[dupcak]

In Hwange & Mana pools you won't be able to go offroad so having extra reach is never a bad thing. Having said that, I've been in both of those parks twice and the longest I had was a 300mm/2.8. The first time was on a film body and the second was on a crop sensor. There were very few times I felt I didn't have enough reach. I did have a 2X TC with me, but I rarely used it. So if your main lens is a 400/2.8 then you should be fine as long as you're just interested in mammals. Birds would be another story.

For my style of shooting I didn't use anything wider than a 70-200 except when I was shooting the MilkyWay when I used a 14-24. For my trip last month I was in Eastern Africa and didn't bring the wide angle to save on weight - but if you have room/weight bring it along.

 

[ElenaH]

Hi, I've been also about 7 times in those parks. Especially Mana is dangerous because if you visit it once you'd wamt to come again and again ;-)
I don't know with which operator you are in Hwange but in both parks guides step out of the car and walk to animals. In Mana you can do it wothout the guide. The animals are used to it and you can come very close to them. This is great becasue you can compose your photo as you want.
Often you need to run behind the wild dogs ;-)
My partner was travelling with 400/2.8 and I saw that running with 400mm when temperature rises to +38C is not an easy task.
There are acacia trees in the park and between them there is no bush or not much of it. It is not like in South Africa or Botswana. That means the background will be far away in most cases and the lenses with f5.6 will be OK as well (like 500mm PF or Z 100-400mm) In Hwange is a bit different but it depends on where excatly in Hwange you will be.
You can use wide-ange lenses for astrophotography. In both parks you will have good opportunities.
And 70-200mm will be used often with and without TC. Mana Pools is famous of its beautiful sceneries and you will need to capture the whole scenery. In September I will be in Mana and in Hwange again. When are you travelling?

 

[agrumpyoldsod]

Thinking about lenses to take for a trip to Zimbabwe - Hwange and Mana Pools (including walking safaris at Goliath Camp).
I’m planning to take two camera bodies (Z9 and D850). Instead of spending a fortune to buy a 600mm F4, would my 400 mm F2.8 with a 1.4TC be an “equivalent” lens ? What would be the pros and cons between these two? In addition, I’m planning to take my 70-200 F2.8 and a wide angle lens.
All suggestions welcome.

As other have said - changing lenses or adding/removing a tele needs to be conducted very carefully in africa - and please learn from my error - take a wet sensor cleaning kit with you as well an air blower )rocket or whatever).

The 400 f/2.8 is my stapel lens for early morning and shots before dawn and after dusk. BUT the 600 f/4 is the lens I used most often in africa - and on the Chobe River as well. Often with a TC1.4 when one's subject is very far/small and we cannot get closer. All my cheetah action was shot with a 600 and so are most birds. A 400+1.4 will be softer than a 600/4 and arguably there is a slight loss of AF speed.

If you already own a 400/2.8 - then take it with the 1.4. I would also look for a good copy of the TC20iii - by good copy I mean one that works well with your gear -- you will need to try a few to find one that works best on your gear.

Make sure to Focal your gear before heading out to ensure the AF is fine tuned for all the gear you will be taking.

The 70-200 also accepts a TC and I find works better with it since most subjects are quite far away.

Wide angle or 24-70 is the next good choice. Few shots need a sub 24mm focal length. AND you can pano those that do.