I'm off to shoot a lion

[joustmaster]

I'm going to Kenya and Madagascar for my honeymoon.
We are going to do a few days of looking at big animals and then will be sitting about looking at whatever mad animals they have in Madagascar.

Apparently, just using a camera phone would be shit.

I've done a bit of photography as a kid, with a cheap russian camera and developing equipment. And remember a bit of what my dad taught me about apertures and focal lengths.

The Mrs has a Canon 600D with an 18 - 55mm lens. She bought it ages ago, but has only ever used it on automatic...

What do you think I should buy to help take some better photos?

 

[trabuquera]

I know sodall about really techy camera kit, but I've been there and done that (both places) so can recommend:

Madagascar is pretty rugged and has ALL THE WEATHERS. So make sure you have properly tough and waterproof boots and a properly waterproof coat with hoodie for the damp bits, which are seriously wet. Backpack and loads of sealable ziploc bags. Also a proper hat with a proper brim for the sunny days/areas which will be absolutely baking. And sunglasses, because the light in both places will probably be a lot stronger than you're used to. And some proper, not toy, binoculars, which will help you see where the animals are before you blunder right on top of them or never see them at all.

In terms of camera kit - you won't get all that close to lots of the creatures, and if they're up in the trees they'll be infuriatingly backlit! So having the chance to break out of automatic and control the exposure more is really worth it. If you can afford/fit a longish zoom lens it will be useful, you might well get pics of the animals which there's no way you will get close enough to shoot with a cameraphone. There are loads of interesting critters that come out only at night so you might also want to think about an extra night lighting kit or what sort of additional flash might be handy.

Have a fantastic honeymoon and don't get eaten by lions. Spend as much as you possibly can in Madagascar - it doesn't even really matter where, the country is seriously poor and unless it can earn much more tourism money, the lemurs will end up extinct - as deforestation etc strips the whole island of habitat. Try and see some indri if you're anywhere in their area: they really are the most extraordinary things. Mada also has jawdropping human-hand-sized butterflies if you are more of an insect freak, and many scientifically special and tiny frogs n' amphibians if you like smaller creatures.

urban will demand a full slideshow when you get back!

 

[joustmaster]

I know sodall about really techy camera kit, but I've been there and done that (both places) so can recommend:

Madagascar is pretty rugged and has ALL THE WEATHERS. So make sure you have properly tough and waterproof boots and a properly waterproof coat with hoodie for the damp bits, which are seriously wet. Backpack and loads of sealable ziploc bags. Also a proper hat with a proper brim for the sunny days/areas which will be absolutely baking. And sunglasses, because the light in both places will probably be a lot stronger than you're used to. And some proper, not toy, binoculars, which will help you see where the animals are before you blunder right on top of them or never see them at all.

In terms of camera kit - you won't get all that close to lots of the creatures, and if they're up in the trees they'll be infuriatingly backlit! So having the chance to break out of automatic and control the exposure more is really worth it. If you can afford/fit a longish zoom lens it will be useful, you might well get pics of the animals which there's no way you will get close enough to shoot with a cameraphone. There are loads of interesting critters that come out only at night so you might also want to think about an extra night lighting kit or what sort of additional flash might be handy.

Have a fantastic honeymoon and don't get eaten by lions. Spend as much as you possibly can in Madagascar - it doesn't even really matter where, the country is seriously poor and unless it can earn much more tourism money, the lemurs will end up extinct - as deforestation etc strips the whole island of habitat. Try and see some indri if you're anywhere in their area: they really are the most extraordinary things. Mada also has jawdropping human-hand-sized butterflies if you are more of an insect freak, and many scientifically special and tiny frogs n' amphibians if you like smaller creatures.

urban will demand a full slideshow when you get back!

Thanks for all those tips.

Very much appreciated!

I'll source some good binoculars, and have a look at zoom lenses.

 

[hippogriff]

If you are looking at zooms then I would suggest that you want to go to at least 300mm. The photo below was taken in Uganda; for the wildlife I found that I was almost always at the long end

 

[mx wcfc]

We went to Kenya on honeymoon, over 20 years ago. I also have a 600D now, though I didn't have anything that good 20 years ago.

What to buy? As big a zoom as you can.

But for someone who shoots on auto normally, I would say keep it on auto or she will miss shots. There will be occasions when you can fiddle around and get great shots like that lion shot above, but as an average photographer I tend to fire off a couple of shots on auto, and then start playing with the settings.

Oh, and enjoy the scenery and the wildlife. Take time to take it in. The mistake I made was spending too much time looking through a viewfinder.

 

[trabuquera]

Forgot to say that memory & battery power are always big issues so make sure you've got backup memory cards/drives (you're likely to shoot more than you think, and lots of stuff is irresistible to try recording as video / short clip / panoramic or other memory-chomping format). As much or as many backup chargers / batteries / battery packs as you can stand, nothing worse than being in the right place at the right time with the right animals in the right light, but missing the wrong bit of gubbins.

About binocs, I'd go for the smallest that give you enough magnification to be useful - it's a right hassle having a big heavy pair on your chest, fnarrr fnar, and your neck hurts and gets infuriatingly hot, sweaty and itchy. You're also usually wrestling with backpack and camera straps as well. So minimising size & weight is really important

Obviously, get the jabs and malaria pills you need. Unless you are wild camping, most places you will stay are likely to have mosquito coils/nets so you don't need to take those. Loads of repellent.

 

[mx wcfc]

Forgot to say that memory & battery power are always big issues so make sure you've got backup memory cards/drives (you're likely to shoot more than you think, and lots of stuff is irresistible to try recording as video / short clip / panoramic or other memory-chomping format). As much or as many backup chargers / batteries / battery packs as you can stand, nothing worse than being in the right place at the right time with the right animals in the right light, but missing the wrong bit of gubbins.

Agreed - 20 years ago, it was more about how many rolls of film you could carry! And how on earth to pay to get them all developed when you got home.

 

[Celyn]

I hope you and Mrs. Joustmaster have a lovely time. Are you going to be very careful with your phone on this trip?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

don't forget that they like chin scritches and tummy rubs, same as any other cat

 

[joustmaster]

If you are looking at zooms then I would suggest that you want to go to at least 300mm. The photo below was taken in Uganda; for the wildlife I found that I was almost always at the long end

View attachment 112809

thats ace.

I've just ordered a "Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM"
Reconditioned/used for £150
Seems like it should do what I want.

 

[joustmaster]

Forgot to say that memory & battery power are always big issues so make sure you've got backup memory cards/drives (you're likely to shoot more than you think, and lots of stuff is irresistible to try recording as video / short clip / panoramic or other memory-chomping format). As much or as many backup chargers / batteries / battery packs as you can stand, nothing worse than being in the right place at the right time with the right animals in the right light, but missing the wrong bit of gubbins.

About binocs, I'd go for the smallest that give you enough magnification to be useful - it's a right hassle having a big heavy pair on your chest, fnarrr fnar, and your neck hurts and gets infuriatingly hot, sweaty and itchy. You're also usually wrestling with backpack and camera straps as well. So minimising size & weight is really important

Obviously, get the jabs and malaria pills you need. Unless you are wild camping, most places you will stay are likely to have mosquito coils/nets so you don't need to take those. Loads of repellent.

I've just ordered another battery. And I seem to have SD cards in every drawer and cupboard. So I'm OK for memory.

 

[joustmaster]

I hope you and Mrs. Joustmaster have a lovely time. Are you going to be very careful with your phone on this trip?

Depends on how many racists i meet.

 

[weltweit]

thats ace.

I've just ordered a "Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM"
Reconditioned/used for £150
Seems like it should do what I want.

That is the sort of thing, though you will almost certainly come across people with longer lenses.

Important when shooting at 300mm, even with IS, to keep your shutter-speeds up because it is easier to get motion blur at longer focal lengths. The easiest way to get shutter-speeds up is to increase the ISO setting. Do you know what higher ISOs you are comfortable with on your camera?

 

[joustmaster]

Got the lens and tried it out.
Its pretty cool. Produces some nice photos and the zoom is excellent.

I've also got a spare battery and memory card, and a tripod thing.
A mate is lending me his binoculars.