for safari, I have always used two bodies for redundancy purposes. One with the long prime, one with a zoom. The long prime sees 90% of the action, the zoom about 9.9%. The question is which zoom, and my favorite was always a 70/200 f:2.8 to complement the 500 f:4 as both can easily take a x1.4 teleconverter for more options. Nowadays it would probably be the 500pf on D850 and 70/200 on D500 and a TC on standby. And a 24/120 or 24/70 for peace of mind and those 0.1% I left out earlier. I find most African landscapes better served with the 70/200 swapped on the FF body but I have used a 24mm and 50mm primes on a few occasions, especially in villages where you want to include human elements in context - nowadays I’d just pack one good zoom for those focals. So 500, 70/200 and 24/70 with two bodies.
most of the dust risk is when driving on the dirt roads, not when taking pictures, so a cover that is easy on/off is critical. I sew a drawstring on a pillow case. It’s not 100% sealed but it keeps most of it out at the worst times and can be removed on the fly in a split second. Nightly cleaning with a gentle brush and air (no pressurized can!) is a must and whatever you do, never wipe a lens in safari - it’s like using sand paper on it.
WOW the action and choices are amazing, it must be great to see all these animals in the wild.
If you went through all your images and graded them into
focal length most used, what would it be ? in their lies the answer.
You can do your head in with choices, manufactures wont make one do all lens or camera, it defeats their objective.
Ok for me, I would work with less gear and use the most powerful lens in the industry called YOUR FEET and focus on the real power the compositional photography, the less lenses and gear the more I think about photography. Now this may not work in Africa as I might get eaten.
After all the gear dose only 20% of the work LOL.
If I had to go there tomorrow, it would be the D850 with a 9FPS pack, 200-500, 70-200 FL leave the TC at home, and yes for all round general images in good light defiantly the 28-300, the D850 makes that lens actually look better than it is LOL. But gee its so so handy and versatile. I used it on my D5 and D4s and you could see the smoke coming of it at high speed, try it, it did keep up with both bodies believe it or not. I mean it wont last as long doing it all the time LOL.
If I changed out the 200-500 it would be for the 500 F4 prime and a 1.4 TC III standing by. I would have the 28-300 in my back coat pocket to get those impulsive shots to rare to miss. The reason I wouldn't have a 500 F5.6 is its already at F5.6 add a TC and your getting into ahhh compromised quality territory.
Its not for everyone but gee its light I can carry it its versatile and I can forget about the gear and do photography.
A mate he is an Ornithologist, he is in his 80s now, he went to WA looking for 30 species of native birds, he took his 500 F4, 80-400, tripod, mono pod, a D7200 then a D500 he left the D800 at home, he spent 3 weeks there and got 12 out of the 30 rare species needed, it was an expensive trip, airfare accommodation etc etc.
He got rid of all the gear and got a 300 F4 PF a 1.4 TCIII a D500 , he came back on the next trip when there were even less birds around than previously, yet he got 27 out of 30 of the species he needed, and the images were excellent as they usually are. He had versatility speed agility.
Since then he has got rid of the D500 and now uses a D850 in both crop modes, and has never been happier, he has on his last trip also now taken a 200-500, but loves the 300 F4 PF and the TCIII on the D850, he is not tied at the end of the day and therefore stays alert.
He used his feet mostly then sat and waited. In there is a story in itself.
Your all lucky to be able to go to these exciting places and afford some amazing gear, thanks for sharing.
Only an opinion
OZ down under