Digital camera and binoculars for safari

[Bonefish Blues]

Buy one that comes with a full auto setting, a decent autofocus zoom lens and you will be able to get high quality images pretty easily. Safari-goers often regret not taking a good enough camera with a long enough lens, and a s/h SLR is a good and economical way to go.

Or as an alternative do-it-all, something like this:

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N4M8FIF?tag=georiot-trd-21&th=1&psc=1&ascsubtag=dcw-gb-6383819774957310000-21&geniuslink=true

 

[Landsurfer]

And people could not have children or not eat meat or not own a car, or ride a motorbike etc etc etc…but hey each to their own huh

see ya…

So we totally agree with each other .....

 

[Lookrider]

Regarding shake
It worthwhile buying a clamp tripod thing that can secure to the car you will be in
I'm not a avid camera man but seen loads of these tripod on cars out there
I noticed afterwards some if the camps would hire them out

 

[Cycleops]

Arent they complicated to use, it’s a shortish trip, I don’t really want to be learning how to use a complicated gadget (definitely not my strong suit!)
Google links seems to rate the Sony RX100 various compact models for safari

I’ve got an RX100 , it’s the original model without Wi-Fi or the fold out screen. It takes cracking shots. Controls are a bit fiddly but it’s always going to be like that on a small camera. You can set it on one of the automatic modes and leave it. Slips into your pocket. Recommend.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I was going to suggest a 4:3 camera which are basically SLR without a mirror (and thus a lot smaller). Bigger sensor, better lenses than a compact. But sounds like you want a point and shoot with large zoom. You definitely want a big optical zoom as the animals are rarely close enough you’ll get great pictures without.

 

[Profpointy]

I agree with others' comments on binocs: 8x magnification as 10x are much harder to hold without shake. Something like 8x40 is probably the optimum. I have a pair of german 10x25 miniture ones but they're hard to hold steady.
I'd gone for these as their 8s were 8x20 so would have been dimmer. Sadly they still don't do 8x25 which would have been ideal. The benefit of miniature ones is you can stick em
on your belt for a casual walk rather than have the full size pair left at home

For something like a safari or for a proper twitchers when the 'nocs are a part of the trip you don't mind a full sized pair. I subsequently got a pair of 8x42, also German. They are perfect spec. Good light gathering, and easy to hold steady. I understand that for the more mature chap our eyes can lo longer benefit from thr greater light gathering of a 7x50 as our pupils don't expand enough so the extra brightness at dusk is wasted and the extra size and weight is pointless.

So, after the long winded answer, 8x40 is what you want. leica are genuinely suberb but even my second hand ones were a lot of money, and brutaly so new. That said, you must be into diminishing returns by this point, so I guess a mainstream quality Jap brand like Nikon still be pretty damned good.

 

[annedonnelly]

I'm another fan of Opticron bins. My friend is a professional birdwatcher and he was quite impressed with the ones I got a couple of years ago.
If you're prepared to buy second hand I'd recommend the London Camera Exchange. I've bought spare bins from them a couple of times at very reasonable prices.

 

[Arrowfoot]

These are compact models (cam and video) with zoom features which you need to capture wildlife. The animals will not come close to the trail that your vehicle is using.

1. Canon IXUS 190
2. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ90
3. Nikon Coolpix A1000
4. Sony DSCHX99

 

[fossyant]

So we totally agree with each other .....

Well she could go to Knowsley to look at animals, and you could also not use up A&E resources for a few bruises when you toppled off your bike recently ? But hey ho !!

 

[fossyant]

Back on topic, the optical zoom is the important thing. If toy don't want a SLR the Panasonic Lumix range are really good - I bought one for my wife a few years back - really good camera, but it's not used much as general snaps are fine on phones, but not for anything that needs a big zoom.

Might be worth getting a spare battery or seeing if the camera will charge off a power bank.

 

[Lookrider]

Well she could go to Knowsley to look at animals, and you could also not use up A&E resources for a few bruises when you toppled off your bike recently ? But hey ho !!

Maybe knowsley should have left them animals in the place they belong

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

The strange thing is that after going to great lengths to take photos of the animals, you’ll never look at them again.

My advice is to get some decent binns and leave the camera at home. Concentrate all of your energy on getting a good view of the animals in their natural habitat, rather than looking at them through a camera’s viewfinder.

There are plenty of great pictures of wild animals on the Internet. Yours wouldn’t be any better. 🙂

 

[fossyant]

The strange thing is that after going to great lengths to take photos of the animals, you’ll never look at them again.

My advice is to get some decent binns and leave the camera at home. Concentrate all of your energy on getting a good view of the animals in their natural habitat, rather than looking at them through a camera’s viewfinder.

There are plenty of great pictures of wild animals on the Internet. Yours wouldn’t be any better. 🙂

That's where a point and shoot compact is ideal - good photos without much to do as it does it automatically.

 

[MichaelW2]

I’m not looking for professional quality, just decent photos from something as small and simple as possible!

https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras.html

These have various levels of zoom lens and video capability but any lens with a spec of "15x" will be good enough for your basic lion vs zebra "which is best " competition. Bigger Xx numbers indicate more magnification. All can be used in fully automated mode. Pick a physical size that you are happy to carry.

 

[Mo1959]

Just a thought if you have a good friend who already has a suitable camera that would let you borrow it just for the holiday. All you would need then would be a decent memory card which you would transfer the pics on your return and hand the camera back. Would save a lot of expense if it is something you may not use much in the future.