| So you've booked your once in a lifetime safari trip | | | | bushbuck, vervet monkey and the like. If you are |
| to Africa and now your thoughts turn towards | | | | aiming for bird photographs then a 600 mm lens will |
| photographing all the wildlife you are going to | | | | do the trick. |
| encounter on your adventure. | | | | 2. Your Budget |
| It would be a great shame to come across your first | | | | It's very easy to find lenses that cost thousands of |
| African pride of lions and not have some decent | | | | dollars but if you are primarily going to be using it for |
| pictures of the memorable event to show your | | | | your safari trip and maybe a smattering of wildlife |
| friends and family back home. | | | | photography after that, you shouldn't be spending |
| Unfortunately many people who go on safari don't | | | | more than a few hundred dollars. It is possible to get |
| realize that the camera lens you take with you will be | | | | a lens of high enough quality for your purpose in that |
| the deciding factor between getting wildlife photos | | | | price range. |
| where the subject is an unrecognizable blob in a sea | | | | 3. Image Stabilization |
| of vegetation compared to a crisp, tightly framed | | | | It's not imperative but if you can get a lens with an |
| image of that black maned leader of the lion pride. | | | | image stabilizer it's a huge advantage on a safari |
| I've been practicing wildlife photography on safari for | | | | because you can handhold the lens without too much |
| over twenty years now and I've learnt which are the | | | | fear of blurring in good light which is especially useful |
| best lenses to arm yourself with when you go into | | | | if you are not next to a window in the safari vehicle |
| the African bush to capture lasting, quality images | | | | or don't have enough space to position your beanbag |
| you will be proud to display to anyone. | | | | or tripod. |
| My recommendations here are for the occasional | | | | 4. Zoom Ability |
| wildlife photographer such as someone going on an | | | | On safari one lens is better than two because of the |
| African safari and not for professional wildlife | | | | nature of your subject. When you come across a |
| photographers as they have different needs when it | | | | leopard you won't have time to switch lenses on |
| comes to camera lenses because they take | | | | your camera body because they tend not to stick |
| photographs for a living. | | | | around for too long so one lens with a good zoom is |
| To help you choose a lens to take with you on | | | | a big advantage to capture the very shy wildlife you |
| safari, here is a list of the factors you need to take | | | | will encounter. Another reason not to change lenses |
| into account before putting your money down... | | | | is that dust that is prevalent on an African safari can |
| 1. Size Of The Lens | | | | cause the camera mechanisms to clog up. |
| Anything less than a 300mm lens for the big game | | | | So keep these four factors in mind before you make |
| you will encounter on safari like lion, rhino, elephant | | | | your purchase and if you can find a lens that |
| etc will be too small. A 400mm lens will allow you to | | | | conforms to all the above requirements than you |
| get good pictures of the smaller animals like | | | | have a winner. |