African Safari - Nikon 24-120mm f/4 + Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6

[AlanDB]

Update: I've had some time w/ the 400mm f/4.5 (did some birding last weekend) - and next I'm trying out the 70-200 f2.8 S lens. The 400 is an amazing lens - purchased that under the current sale. My plan is to try the 70-120 w/ my kid on a horse indoors (poor lighting) and outdoors (better lighting (hopefully) and some distance). If all goes well I'll buy that whilst the sale is still on...

 

[ricardo00]

Update: I've had some time w/ the 400mm f/4.5 (did some birding last weekend) - and next I'm trying out the 70-200 f2.8 S lens. The 400 is an amazing lens - purchased that under the current sale. My plan is to try the 70-120 w/ my kid on a horse indoors (poor lighting) and outdoors (better lighting (hopefully) and some distance). If all goes well I'll buy that whilst the sale is still on...

If money (and weight) are issues, you might consider the 70-180mm lens f/2.8 Nikon Z lens. It lacks the VR in the lens. Just a thought:

https://flic.kr/p/2phi1nU

 

[AlanDB]

If money (and weight) are issues, you might consider the 70-180mm lens f/2.8 Nikon Z lens. It lacks the VR in the lens. Just a thought:

https://flic.kr/p/2phi1nU

I don't think weight/size will be an issue - right now I'm investigating the 24-120 f/4 / 70-200mm f/2.8 / 400mm f/4.5 grouping a couple of people mentioned as being very good, given what I see others carry for gear this seems small... ;-)

 

[SoCalRick]

Hi John - We are going next summer (June 2025) - would love to hear how your selection worked out. That seems like a lot of lenses 3 listed plus a "couple of wide angle/normal" - Are you concerned about size/weight?

I know I have a carry on limit of 8KG (~17.5lbs) in South Africa (two flights) - the two camera bodies I am taking already have me at 5lbs to start, adding in the three lenses (24-120mm f/4, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6, 400mm f/4.5) adds another 7.2lbs - total is at least 12.2lbs for that gear. Then I have extra batteries (camera, power bank) and storage devices (back up). Oh, and the bag itself - I've been looking at the Gura Gear Kiboko 30L - which itself weighs almost 4lbs - so that means 16.2lbs out of a 17.5lb allotment. Not much to play with...

If you are calculating your carry weight down to the tenths of lbs/kgs, then I would suggest not using 4 lbs as the estimated weight for the GG 30L. I purchased both the GG Kiboko 30L and 30L+ so that I could test out their packing volumes for myself, and see how well each one handled carrying my 600 TC lens (pictures are in this post: https://bcgforums.com/threads/whats-in-my-bag-africa-2024.35150/post-396137 and I comment on the as-shipped weights in this post:
https://bcgforums.com/threads/whats-in-my-bag-africa-2024.35150/post-396301).

As shipped, the bags were nowhere near 4 lbs, coming in at 5.5 lbs for the 30L and 5.7 lbs for the 30L+. I assume that the 4 lbs listed on the GG website is for a naked bag, without the ICU/dividers and rain cover. Maybe it is also without the waist belt, since that is also removeable.

Just wanted to pass this on...

 

[NWGuy]

While camera bodies and lenses are critical, don't skimp on data storage. You will want to make sure all those once-in-a-lifetime picts get home.

Steve's video on this is great advice.

I had 3 Samsung T7 4 gb SSD's that I backed everything up to immediately following every game drive and kept more on some of the cards. Keep each separately, including one on your person, until you get home. You'll need your laptop, card reader(s), all the patch cords (yikes, more weight to deal with!)

 

[AlanDB]

If you are calculating your carry weight down to the tenths of lbs/kgs, then I would suggest not using 4 lbs as the estimated weight for the GG 30L. I purchased both the GG 30L and 30L+ so that I could test out their packing volumes for myself, and see how well each one handled carrying my 600 TC lens (pictures are in this post: https://bcgforums.com/threads/whats-in-my-bag-africa-2024.35150/post-396137 and I comment on the as-shipped weights in this post:
https://bcgforums.com/threads/whats-in-my-bag-africa-2024.35150/post-396301).

As shipped, the bags were nowhere near 4 lbs, coming in at 5.5 lbs for the 30L and 5.7 lbs for the 30L+. I assume that the 4 lbs listed on the GG website is for a naked bag, without the ICU/dividers and rain cover. Maybe it is also without the waist belt, since that is also removeable.

Just wanted to pass this on...

Whoa! Thanks much - how the heck does @Steve get under the weight limits carrying all he does!?

Hm...

 

[AlanDB]

While camera bodies and lenses are critical, don't skimp on data storage. You will want to make sure all those once-in-a-lifetime picts get home.

Steve's video on this is great advice.

I had 3 Samsung T7 4 gb SSD's that I backed everything up to immediately following every game drive and kept more on some of the cards. Keep each separately, including one on your person, until you get home. You'll need your laptop, card reader(s), all the patch cords (yikes, more weight to deal with!)

Yep - fully planning on that. Will bring an iPad & two hubs w/ me and 3 SSDs as well.

 

[SoCalRick]

Whoa! Thanks much - how the heck does @Steve get under the weight limits carrying all he does!?

Hm...

I'll let @Steve respond for himself, but I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't staying strictly within the carry-on weight limits at all times, but that he may have a way to scale down when necessary (or pay for excess weight).

Most of us have a Plan B for being able to distribute our load around if we get challenged on weight restriction limits. My Plan B consists of a deep pocketed photographer's vest (or winter parka), along with the ability to move lenses and/or bodies into my personal item bag. An optional Plan C might be to use a camera bag with a removable ICU, and be ready to remove it and take it as carry-on (while still distributing gear as necessary), and let the airline gate check the nearly empty camera backpack.

I have rarely been challenged on the weight limitations when I travel, but I predominantly travel on US carriers. However, smaller "safari aircraft" are a different situation.

I have been challenged on both Air NZ and Iceland Air when traveling internationally. I was recently screened on an Iceland Air flight to Reykjavík, when I was traveling with my Pelican 1535Air case with a Z9, Z8, three f/2.8 lenses and a 20mm 1.8 inside (and more), which was nowhere near within the weight restrictions. I flew on Alaska on the initial leg of my trip, and the Pelican case was not an issue. But things were different when I had to connect to the Iceland Air flight.

I seldom fly with my Pelican case as a carry-on, and if I had thought more about having to change carriers mid-route for this trip, I would have brought one of my camera bags with a removable ICU instead of the Pelican case. Anyway, I quickly started working on my Plan B options, and I was able to distribute the load sufficiently to pass through the screening process for the Iceland Air flight(s). Going forward I will pay more attention to my itinerary details (and probably won't try to take my Pelican case on non-US carriers).

 

[AlanDB]

I'll let @Steve respond for himself, but I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't staying strictly within the carry-on weight limits at all times, but that he may have a way to scale down when necessary (or pay for excess weight).

Most of us have a Plan B for being able to distribute our load around if we get challenged on weight restriction limits. My Plan B consists of a deep pocketed photographer's vest (or winter parka), along with the ability to move lenses and/or bodies into my personal item bag. An optional Plan C might be to use a camera bag with a removable ICU, and be ready to remove it and take it as carry-on (while still distributing gear as necessary), and let the airline gate check the nearly empty camera backpack.

I have rarely been challenged on the weight limitations when I travel, but I predominantly travel on US carriers. However, smaller "safari aircraft" are a different situation.

I have been challenged on both Air NZ and Iceland Air when traveling internationally. I was recently screened on an Iceland Air flight to Reykjavík, when I was traveling with my Pelican 1535Air case with a Z9, Z8, three f/2.8 lenses and a 20mm 1.8 inside (and more), which was nowhere near within the weight restrictions. I flew on Alaska on the initial leg of my trip, and the Pelican case was not an issue. But things were different when I had to connect to the Iceland Air flight.

I seldom fly with my Pelican case as a carry-on, and if I had thought more about having to change carriers mid-route for this trip, I would have brought one of my camera bags with removable ICU instead of the Pelican case. Anyway, I quickly started working on my Plan B options, and I was able to distribute the load sufficiently to pass through the screening process for the Iceland Air flight(s). Going forward I will pay more attention to my itinerary details (and probably won't try to take my Pelican case on non-US carriers).

I'm kind of stuck: my wife is pretty adamant that she's not checking anything in, so I really can't add more load to her already existing load. We've got a year, so there may be some ... "negotiating" ;-) But thanks for the input!