Question regarding lenses for a safari

[overexposed]

I'm planning on going on a safari later this year and was wondering what lenses other people would take along. I plan to rent the 5d Mark III - I have tried it before and liked it, but am waiting on buying it until the "big megapixel" camera comes out.

I was wondering what people thought between the 100-400 zoom versus the 70-200 f2.8 with the extender. I figured the second option may be more versatile, but was wondering if using the teleconverter resulted in much less image quality at 400mm.

One last question - anyone have any thoughts about the 400mm DO lens?

Thanks.

 

[charlesa]

You need two bodies, one for the sake of not having your body failing you in the middle of the savannah, and two it is not ideal to change lenses when there is a huge chance of getting dust on the sensor.

As regards lenses, I usually go for a fisheye, an ultrawide (ideal would be TS-E) for landscape work, the 70-200 mm f2.8 IS II and a prime around the 400 mm or 500 mm range for mammals, longer for birding. Add an extender into the mix and you should be fine, together with the usual amount of memory cards (as many as you can), spare batteries and a way to backup on the savannah (a portable CF card reader like the Epson) and a portable hard drive for when you are back at camp.

The DO I never found to be really sharp for wildlife, the 400 mm f/2.8 IS I blows it out of the water (and also blows your shoulder to carry!)

 

[Loswr]

I'd go with the 100-400 - you need all the focal length you can get sometimes, but the versatility of a zoom really helps. A wide-ultrawide too - depending on where you go, sometimes the animals get close. In Ngorongoro crater, lions walk right up to the Land Rovers. Consider renting a 500/4 II (and bring a solid monopod if you do).