To be honest, your channel is perfect: informative, cutting through the nonsense, always straight to the point, and you're French-Canadian... what's not to like? This is what YT should be like.
Canon R5 with the 100-500 and the 1.4 is the only lens needed from my experience. Safaris are highly controlled and the guides take you close. There is no hiking ( since you won’t return alive) or use of tripod. No need for camouflage on the lenses. Having an extra battery in your pocket works for a full day. I took a 24-105 for evening landscape- amazing light.
I agree, until I can afford the 400 2.8 the 100-500 and R5 an R7 are all I need, but sometimes feline activity occurs very late and the f7.1 of the 100-500 can be a challenge.
I would rather have the f4 prime due to my experience with the 100-500 and the 1.4 at F10 performing really bad with heat haze. It's a versatile combo though.
Agreed. Last time in Tanzania and Kenya, I brought a 70-200, 100-400, a 1.4TC, 24-70 and a 50. Tired to bring the 300/f2 but KLM dinged me on weight. This year, likely just the 100-400 and 24-70. It is true, when with a tour company, they get as close to animals as possible which is often quite close. Big primes are nice, but hard to travel with, given all the baggage restrictions. High quality zooms give you light weight and versatility. Save the weight for a second body if you feel you need it….sure is nice to have.
Being from South Africa, I find having the 100-400 on one body and the 24-105 on another close and handy does the job in most cases. Have a great time.
Hi Simon - I am from South Africa and made several trips to the places you mention. Since you are into bird photography I can almost guarantee that you will have a terrific trip, and that you will make several return trips. The birdlife is next level! Fortunately Pangolin is known to be an excellent service provider in terms of bird watching.
Thanks! The owner Toby was telling me about the amazing bird action in Nov-Jan as all the migratory birds are down there. I may have to go back for that!
I spent four days this past February with Pangolin and really enjoyed the accommodations and the instruction. Plenty of wildlife along the Chobe river and I think you’ll really enjoy the sunsets from the photo boats.
Simon, I’m also heading to Botswana next month. However, I’m travelling in the interior on a couple of small plane flights, because of this I’m limited to 20kg all up. I’ve done safari before, you really don’t need that much kit. A good zoom and maybe a TC really is sufficient.
Enjoy your trip Simon. I live in South Africa and I've been to the Kgalagadi in South Central Botswana. I think you're going to have a blast and some great photography.
On one of my longer trips abroad I decided to bring a 2-prong, 2m extension cord. I rolled my eyes at myself thinking it was overkill but it turned out to be a great choice. If I find myself in a hotel room with no convenient outlets, I plug an adapter into the distant outlet, then the extension card and the power cord on my multi-port USB charger allows me to set-up a charging area up to 3m away from the outlet. Once in Asia the ONLY outlet was in the tiny, damp bathroom, so being able to route power to a more appropriate (and dry) flat surface was amazing. I hope you had a great trip!
Just got back from a Botswana safari myself, got back last weekend ,absolutely stunning place for wildlife photography, I shoot Nikon and take my d500 and my z6ii, lenses were nikon 80 400mm ,probably got 80% of my shots with that lens, also took my 500 mm pf and a 300 mm pf along with a 24 200 z lens for when the animals get very close ,looking forward to seeing your pictures when you return
Thank you for posting. I’m not a professional but your tips always help me. They can be applied to any vacation/trip that you are taking equipment with. I enjoy all your videos.
I love your channel and your teachings. I was in the Sahara and found it useful to change my lens in a gallon zip lock bag. Worked really great lol. Hope it helps someone.
Congrats, Simon! It sounds like you’ll be well prepared for every situation and possible catastrophe. We’re returning to Kenya for safari, and your video it very, very helpful. Thank you for this, and for all your videos. You explain things carefully, with just the right amount of explanation. In addition, each of your images is remarkable. I’ve learned so much valuable information from you. I’m excited to see every new video you post. You’re the best!
I have used a Tilly had for years of travel. You will love it. Good sun protection. Plus, if it’s windy, you can use the dual strap system and it will keep your hat from blowing away. Plus, they come with a lifetime guarantee.
Very informative, and *so* appropriate. I will be in Kenya in 6 week's time. Don't have pro gear, so will be taking my R7 with RF 100-400 (+1.4x), and my 80D with EF-S 17-55 f/2.8
My favourite binoculars are the Pentax Papillo II. They can focus down to 50 cm! There are 6.5 x 21 and 8.5 x 21, and I own both. I meant to keep the ones I liked best and send the others back. But the 6.5s were delayed, and when I got them, it was too late to send the others back, and the 6.5s turned out to be my clear favourites. More stable and better light transmission.
Great video, Simon, thanks. I was in Botswana last fall on safari with Pangolin and had an amazing trip. They're great, and their photo boats are drivers get you into great position for the shots. Can't wait to see your safari videos.
Hello Simon. I’ve been to Africa many times for photography (heading back to Zambia in the fall) and have done a trip with Pangolin ….you’re in for a great trip! Your kit is all encompassing and I wonder about weight limits once you head in country. If you’re taking smaller planes, their limit usually doesn’t exceed 20 kilos. One important thing is what you put in your checked bag. My advice is to never put your hard drives in checked bags. They often don’t make it through to the other end. Also, I suggest AirTags in all bags…even the ones you bring as carry on. Have a wonderful trip!!
My bird photo hobby started from phone and tele lense for phone in February of this year After your videos I bought body and lenses, several items like tripod, gimble , rain cover for lense and intervalometer for timelapse photo. GoPro and sound recorder for environment shooting. Thank you for a lot of information about wildlife photo and video🤝
In 2017, we visited South Africa, taking in the big five in Hluhluwe and the UNESCO world heritage marine preserve in St Lucia. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and I'm sure you will have a fabulous time. I'm envious :)
Great video.... HOWEVER, every time I go to Botswana (going to Pangolin next year by the way) the tour operators warn me about weight limits.....what does all that gear and bags weigh? (We keep our total kit under 16kg .... I take the OMSys BWL, 12-100 Pro, 8mm fisheye, 1.4x extender, and 2 OM-1 bodies. My wife takes her OM-1 with 300f4 and 12-100 Pro. We don't take tripods; we're using OMSys gear, even for milkyway, no need for a tripod. Assorted lens cleaning stuff, chargers, cables, cards complete the main photo kit. We each carry an HP 13" laptop with Lightroom and DaVinci Resolve loaded and each have a couple of 2Tbit SSD memories for daily/nightly backup. Instead of a Go-Pro, I stick a TG-6 in my pocket. For clothes we use ex-officio, Columbia shirts, Zipoff shorts and a small zip-lock bag of Tide powder plus basic toiletries and a roll of toilet paper..... Everything fits in an overhead qualified soft sided backpack and a small belly-pack which doubles as our field bag for photo excursions. ) I really enjoyed your full inventory descriptions, it is useful to know what might be a 'maximum' configuration .... but I think we enjoy using our minimalist kits. For European trips, we simply drop out the BWL and add a couple more dressy type change of clothing. As someone in my late 70's I've learned to appreciate the finer things in life without taking "too much gear" that might slow me down ... :-) Thanks again for all your videos....helpful and entertaining. 🙂
So glad I discovered your channel. Your tips and explanation of digital photography, has made me a better "Picture Taker" Thank you! Can't wait to see your trip photos.
Great video Simon. I've worked as a wildlife guide in Scotland and have lent my 7D to guests whose only body failed mid-trip, so having a 2nd body is great advice (if you can afford it). A couple of things I tend to have with me as well are an extended arm for my Gopro to be able to get underwater shots/footage quickly during boat trips. And a phone attachment for spotting scopes (mostly for record shots).
Booked a Pangolin Photo Safari for 2024 so whatever video footage you take will be extremely useful. Like yourself I shall be taking both R5 & R6, RF100-500, 15-35 f2.8 & RF24-105 f4 and RF1.4 Extender, that should cover most situations. Have a good trip and look forward to seeing your video(s)!
Hi Simon, I look forward to all your pictures and your trip report. As a South African I am of course a bit disappointed that you are not visiting 🇿🇦 too but I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Botswana. From what I have seen, Pangolin offers fantastic game viewing experiences and have an expert team of photographers that know exactly how to get you the best photo opportunities. Have fun!
I’m guessing he’d like to charge his batteries and that’s pretty hard with all that load shedding going on in SA - power’s much more reliable up here in Bots
Very timely video! Thank Simon! I’m visiting Kenya in late summer. I (re-)started my photo hobby after a short safari trip in SAfrica last October. After that trip I Upgraded from a Canon bridge to a Fuji XT5 and very eager to see the difference in wildlife pictures, especially after watching your tips and tricks. Have a great experience in Botswana and look forward to seeing your results and hearing stories. Love the channel. 👍👍
I was one of the people that requested this video. I’m so stoked to see it! Thank you for the great work. I look forward to seeing more of your trip. I would love to see the set up for a day of shooting and would also be interested in things NOT to take or things you would do differently next time in Africa. I can’t wait to see the photo’s, have a great trip.
Hi Simon, Im excited for you and how amazing this trip will be. Assuming you haven't been to these areas before, the Chobe River will produce such amazing opportunities to view and photograph wildlife. I've stayed on the Chobe River twice (once with Pangolin) and it was amazing especially afternoon sessions at Elephant Bay. We visited the Okavango Delta last year and can't wait to go back. It's wild, beautiful and diverse. Thank you for such great content. I will look forward to your Africa series. Safe travels, it's going to be a great adventure.
Wow that sounds like a very great trip. We have a trip coming up to Australia New Zealand in Winter. It gives me some ideas what to pack along as well.
I very much enjoy your more natural dialog you use here, than your often used youetube video dialog robotic voice. More personal, human like and we can really hear your natural excitement in your voice and demeanor of your trip. Wat a blast! Have fun! I hope you don't regret not taking that sigma art for nightscape photography though!
Omg i still have a lot to learn. Glad i found your channel but i probably will never carry the same Equipment as you. My current Set up Gh5s with two lenses 12 - 60 mm & 100 - 300 mm , gopro hero 7 and my phone . I shoot mostly Hand held. Gosh your images 😍
Hi Simon, as I can see you are well prepared. I would love to know on your return what is really needed for such a nice trip. Can't wait to hear about you !
I spent time in the Okavango, but I wasn't into cameras at that point. The good news is my mom brought her camera along for the trip and she took some amazing shots. Botswana is amazing and I hope you have a great time there. Looking forward to seeing the shots you get while you're there
I love all of your videos! You've been a guide for my photography and I'm thankful for you and your content! I would love see more drone videos and your process when using them in the field. Thank you! I hope you had a great trip!
Amazing timing for your video. Just received the Nikon Z8 and planning to go to Kenya and Tanzania next year. Need all the advice I can get. The comments of others is equally informative. I enjoy your information and teaching style. Enjoy your trip!!
Hi Simon Like usual great video, amazing content. Can't wait to see your next video about Botswana. I went there a few years ago and it was one of my favourite travel I've done. Pretty sure you will get some great photos. It's also a country where I felt really safe. Have a good journey there.
Hi Simon, I hope you have a great experience, as I know you are going to come back with some great shots and videos. As a fellow Canadian and just learning photography, I recently purchased a Nikon p950 super zoom bridge camera as my entry level camera to learn on. For having a small sensor, I've managed to get some great shots from near and far, all thanks to watching all your very informative videos! A trip like this would definitely be on my bucket list, but for now, I'll have to wait until you return and watch your footage. I really hope you are able to document alot of video of the excursions as well. Enjoy, have fun and stay safe.
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always, awesome gear and very good information, have a wonderful trip Simon and bring tons of beautiful images 🐦🦓🐘🦏🐆
Hi Simon, What an amazing video with a wealth of information which I will use to pack for my 4 wk fall photography trip through the Rocky Mountains. At least I have the same 2 camera bodies and lenses. Thank you for another outstanding video.
Hey Simon! One thing I mentioned in a previous comment, but I'm not sure if you saw: bring a sandbag or two and fill them when you get there. Most safari vehicles have pop-up roofs and you can place the sandbag over the roof rails which provides a good place to rest and stabilize a big telephoto. Have fun!
Great video, I'm going to the Middle East for two weeks and want to put all my R5 gear and lenses in one carry on bag; this video gave me some good ideas on what to pack.
You are in for an absolute treat, Toby, Gus and the rest of the Pangolin team run a first class operation. I've been in the safari game for 25 years and can give 2 cents worth.... 1. Cellphone camera is used WAY more than you think 2. If you are flying small charters between spots, ensure enough luggage allocation for that 500mm. I find it an absolute burden on big trips. I now only travel with the 100-400 L and am close to switching to the 100-500 with the quality of high ISO now available. 3. Converters are a waste of time for me. There is so much wildlife, so close, most of the time. 4. 2 bodies is essential and the dust comment is 100% correct. Botswana (Savuti and Chobe) in winter is a dust bowl. 5. Binocs are pain if you already have your 500mm or 100-400. Actually donated mine to a guide last week who desperately needed a new set. Only time I used them was walking, but even then it was rare with a camera in my hands. 6. Instead of a second card reader, why just not a cable to download off the camera? And don't forget to have moments where you put the cameras down and soak up the experience of being in one of the great wilderness areas remaining. HAVE FUN!!!
Winning a 600 f4 sounds tempting. But the fact is that I'm not even sure I'd want one. Besides, I wouldn't stand a chance. I'm sure whoever wins it will need it more than I. If I'd been 40 years younger (which would have been 23), I might have tried. Except in those days I didn't even own a camera, and I wouldn't have been able to afford the course anyway. I wish you the best time in Africa and a safe trip all the way. Don't forget sun protection, mosquito net and a rocket blower.
That’s a crazy amount of gear to take to Africa - best of luck dealing with the airlines! Leaving at home your EF 500mm and EF 100-400mm and taking instead an RF 100-500mm lens would reduce your weight considerably.
I love my 500 prime but it’s never been to Africa! In fact, it isn’t very well travelled at all. Apart from the weight issue, I actually like the flexibility of a zoom lens when shooting from vehicles. A zoom with a built-in 1.4x extender would be my choice.
Botswana will be amazing. If you go to chobe national park there’s game drives where you can get extremely close to the animals on the water as well as on land. I shot some beautiful images with a canon t4i when I was a newbie. Can’t wait to go back to its better gear, more experience and skills! I have much better images now but my favourite was getting in closeup to a cheetah (my profile picture) it’s not the best work I’ve done by any means but it’s a great memory!
Wow thanks for making this video! I found out about things I never knew existed like the camera neoprene bags, I am going to look into those! What I would like to see/know is what to do to lessen the chance of having to check in equipment on flights. And the do’s and don’ts of traveling with equipment. Thank you and have a wonderful and safe trip!!
I have been on a Africa Safari and plan to go back, you mentioned don't plan to take thousands of photos... I hope you achieve it. On an every day it is okay but if their is "special wild life action life a chase" you keep shooting to get that one. That is me anyway. Enjoy, can't wait to see your video.
Simon I recommend upgrading the micro SD cards from the Sandisk Ultra to the Extreme Pro or similar level from other vendors. Ultra is well known to not always meet the requirements for 4k on the GoPro. I ended up having to do the research unfortunately and hope you don't have any issues with corruption or video stopping.
Hey Simon. Being following you for a while and enjoying your videos very much. But living in south africa your perspective of our challenges to photograph wildlife in sometimes thick vegetation was missing. Now you are coming to Africa!!!! Enjoy your trip and enjoy photographing the best wildlife the planet offers. Looking very much fwd on your insights!!!! Pity the R7 didn't make your bag. Enjoy Pangolin!!!!
