Which camera for an Ecuador trip

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ChrisE500

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I'm going on a birding trip to southern Ecuador in February and need to decide which kit I'm going to take. At the moment, both my D500 and Z6 are in the bag. I'm only taking my 300mm PF lens plus a 1.4III converter. I suspect the Z6 will be perform better in the low light levels that I'll encounter but if I don't take the D500 I'll probably miss some birds that are small and/or more distant.

I'm aware that I'll have to keep the weight of my bag down so I'm not sure whether taking both bodies would be necessary. I have to provide space for my binoculars and various accessories such as flash, power bank, etc. My camera gear is going in a small bag and I'm also taking a larger carry-on bag for clothing, etc. Yes, I'm hoping to travel light!

So what do you think? D500 or Z6? Or both?

Chris
 
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When you're on a photo trip of a lifetime, equipment failure will ruin it unless you have backup. I'm so fanatical about my photography that it will be unthinkable to not be able to take pictures on such a trip. For me that's the whole reason for going. Having gone on safaris to South Africa twice, and knowing I'll be in the bush, far from a camera store, I made sure to have two bodies and at least two lenses with me. Having only one body or one lens is too risky for me, unless I know I'll be close enough to a camera store to easily purchase new gear when something fails. And yes, lenses also sometimes fail.

I your case I would take both bodies and rent a spare lens to take as well. Failing that, take a point-and-shoot camera with a longish zoom lens that can serve as a replacement for either of your bodies or your lens.
 
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I agree with many here. Take both. The air is very humid and there's a possibility that a camera can be temporarily disabled. It's not happened to me, but have seen it happen to others there. Steve posted a video not that long ago about how to prevent fogging. It's worth watching that so that you are prepared for the environment.

I highly recommend you take a macro lens. Although the birds are great, there's an extraordinary amount of diversity in the smaller wildlife closer to the ground. The place comes alive at night so you might want that flash if you want to photograph any insects or amphibians.
 
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I just returned from 2.5 weeks in NW Ecuador. I took my D500 (left my 7200 home), and lugged around my 200-500. While ungainly, the rig was very versatile, but I longed for a PF 300 and 1.4 TC. Often whole days of shooting in very low light, ridiculous ISOs, and needing 500mm to isolate birds in the understory or canopy. (as with the Sapayoa below). If I had a FF camera, I would shoot it in DX mode for more "reach" anyway, so I'd stick with the fast crop body. The fewer adaptors/connectors the better. Keep it dry, check your carry strap hardware religiously, and have fun.
Sapayoa3-De.jpeg
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Thanks Tim and David. I've bought the 300 PF specifically for Ecuador as I didn't fancy carrying my 200-500 around. Although I will miss its flexibility as a zoom.
I have thought about taking my macro but I find the 300 PF is pretty useful for some but not all close up work.

Cheers, Chris.
 
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I too think you should take both. D500 as the primary, and Z6 as a backup. I’d actually put a small lens on the Z6 like the 28, 40, or that tiny zoom (24-50?). I used my D500 with 300 PF and TC on the Inca Trail in Peru and it was just perfect. Great combination for its size. Have a great trip!
 
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