The Best Camera for Safari | What to Take on Safari Ep. 2 

Thank you very much! I'm glad it was helpful

Thanks Jess! Only a pleasure! Glad you got the shots!

The D7000 and the whole range up to the newest 7500 are great cameras with incredible value for money! Choosing it over a R5 is a very interesting idea! But seeing as you have a separate video camera you aren’t going to miss that on the R5!

@@mikebrownphotography2784 Cameras are tools. The 7000 series of Nikon are tough units. Photography is about light, lenses, location and placing it risk and less about new tech based on internet hype. Very few will ever see or look for the the images shortcomings of a great 16 meg DSLR photo and the same one taken with a full frame camera. The Canon R5 will suffer in direct sunlight and may not work if it sits on the bench of truck for a few minutes when it gets hot. I have had the R5 quit on me in summer when i was shooting in 35c in the vineyards here in California. The 10 year old Nikon 7100 kept going and I was able to get the money shots. For me, I carry 2 primes (a plastic 35mm, a 1960's modified 50mm 1.2) and one light weight telephoto for the Nikon. I am prepared to lose this great old camera that I trust and fits in my hand given the active world we live in. You and I many times have watched people squander the precious moments screwing around with their device or worrying about its safety. It is the cards that have the value and the captured memories not the cameras. Not having the R3 or R5 that attracts too much attention is also an unseen value. (maybe why the iPhone is a good camera back up). Also - If you are going to shoot one time visit run and gun video - that super camcorder that shoots native 4k beats the R5 in real world tests every time. moreover no lens changes and superior audio. The best video is 60% audio and folks then have to work hard making up from what they missed with music or after effects foley. Camcorders rock capturing in audio without extra floating pieces. additionally- the person that spend most of their safari time behind their camera and not a head on a swivel suggests they may not fully take in the precious moments, lose out in the interaction and miss a great deal of what they came to see.

Thank you so much. Definitely one of my favourites

Hi Connie! It is going to depend on a few things. Obviously, you have mentioned your budget which is very important. I am assuming you are saying $3500? A big question to answer is what about your current setup is holding you back? Generally, people will say invest in good lenses. But there comes a point where you need to upgrade your camera body and these days it is generally advised to go mirrorless. When you come back to me with the budget I will try to advise further

Micro four thirds cameras are DSLR and mirrorless cameras. I absolutely love what LUMIX and Olympus are doing in the industry with their cameras. They are so small and light, ultra portable, inexpensive (compared to the competition) yet still great cameras. Your current setup covers 24-120mm and 200-600mm like you mentioned. That it pretty much perfect. They offer a great versatility of wide angle as well as telephoto and will come in handy on the Balloon. Linux and Olympus also have some of the best stabilisation on the market! You will definitely be using the telephoto in East AFRICA. I hope you have an incredible time!

Hi There. This will depend on what you are expecting/what you are wanting from these photos (are they just for memories or are you wanting to print them), and where in Africa you are planning on going, as different destinations will require different gear. I also don't know what currency you are referring to. If i take USD $500 - $900, The nikon coolpix P900 could be a great bet. Compact, beginner friendly and a huge zoom range. Your iPhone will still be great for shots when animals are closer or landscape shots. Another great option could be to rent if you feel that you wont use it again later.

@@mikebrownphotography2784 Thanks, These are just for memories and sharing it with friends and family. This is not my hobby, but safar is once a life time thing, sowant to make the best use of it. Serengetti is the place and will be on a safari jeep. FZ2000 has a huge recommendation since I like making videos compared with stills. what do you think? the budget is in Euros.

I was working in a private reserve in the Kruger region and found it just perfect for animals. There were plenty roads and sometimes opportunities to go off road. So we got quite close to animals. The fast f/2.8 helped in the low light of early morning and late evening/night. I struggled with birds as you need at least 400mm. I do shoot on a crop sensor which makes it a 300mm equivalent. A 2x converter can be used as it makes it a 400 f/5.6 which is the same as a Nikon or canon 400mm zoom lens. I think it greatly depends on where you go on Safari! I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions

@@mikebrownphotography2784 thanks a lot man! Have you tried it with teleconverters?

Personally, I haven’t. I’ve heard mix reviews when comparing a 70-200mm with 2x with a 100-400mm example. It’s definitely a lot cheaper than a second lens without losing much. For me, the 70-200mm was the ideal choice as I believe it’s the number 1 best lens in photography as it can do so much. I would consider getting a 2x or maybe renting a 200-500mm or 500mm PF when needed.

@@mikebrownphotography2784 okay, thanks for your quick responses!

Thanks for the support!

Based on what you have said, a bridge camera would be fantastic. You will need to look at your budget but I have heard amazing things about the Sony Cybershot RX10 and the Nikon coolpix P900 and P1000

thank you so much for the reply. i appreciate it. thank you @@mikebrownphotography2784

A flagship smartphone can be great for a safari. iPhones are fantastic for video and capturing great moments but they do struggle a lot with zoom. So it depends where you are traveling how you what to capture your trip.

Hi there! That definitely would be a great option for East Africa. It comes in a small package so it is easy to travel with but it packs a powerful zoom which is often important in East Africa. Bridge cameras have come a long way over the years. You will be able to get great photos as memories, to share on social media and for small prints. Just be aware that it will be more difficult to print bigger photos as the camera has a relatively small sensor. I would recommend researching some examples or youtube reviews specifically on the camera but if you think what it offers suits you than it is a great option.

Thanks - one more question. The largest print I would probably have made is an 8x10 - would I get good quality?

@@annecorridan1686 yes an 8x10 should be fine!

Lenses are the most important!!

You are absolutely right! The best camera is the one you have with you!

@@josemhernandez8733 Lenses are very important but this video was aimed at the majority of people that don't really have a starting point of what is needed.

Thank you for the comment. As Iexplained in the video, the idea behind this video was to compare the 5 types of cameras that my guests brought with them on their trips to the lowveld in South Africa. As to your comment about a minimum of 400mm, I disagree. I successfully used a 200mm on a crop sensor D500 (300mm) equivalent for many years with excellent results. Most private game reserves in South Africa allow you to get quite close to the animals. For birds, yes, I would say 400mm minimum. The majority of my guests used their phones and were perfectly happy with the results as al they wanted was to share the experience with their friends and family. A lot of my guests love to bring a goPro with them as you got some unique shots and it was also beneficial for other parts of their holiday. Videos from smartphones are excellent. (For an example, This entire video was filmed on a smartphone - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-e3_KydSTzy0.html) This video was not aimed to find the single best camera for a safari but rather the best camera for each type of safari goer. For me, I would consider a $50k the best. But for others, an action camera or phone is more ideal.