Telephoto lens options for Chobe/safari

This article will not be full of recommendations, but will have lots of links to help you read reviews on any lens you are considering.  Over time and as new information or options become available, this article will be updated.

It’s possible to go on safari with a lens as small as a 70-200mm.  On our first trip, my son used a Canon 70-300mm IS.  On that same trip, I had the Canon 100-400L.  We agreed from that experience that images from the 100-400 were sharper and the extra length was of value.  Here is a list of options to consider.

Tip: Buy used – When one starts looking at big glass, there is the chance of ‘sticker shock’.  Yes, large, higher quality lenses are expensive.  Here is a tip:  Good, name brand copies hold there value!  For example, I know of people who bought a used Canon 100-400L for $1200 to take a photo safari and upon returning home, sold the lens for $1200.  Basically, he got ‘free rental’ for his trip.  Obviously, there is risk in this approach, but if you a) use Paypal, b) buy through reputable user forums like Photography-on-the.net, Nikonians.org, or FredMiranda.com c) check out references of sellers [especially prior sales], it is a reasonable risk.

For each lens where I have found a review, I have provided a link:

Canon:

• 70-300 IS f4-5.6
  • Review by Bob Atkins
  • Review by Ken Rockwell
  • new 70-300L  IS f4-5.6
    • Canon rumors
• 28-300 IS f3.5-5.6
  • Review by Photozone
• 35-300 L
  • Review by Philip Greenspun
• 300 f4
  • Review by Photozone
• 300 f2.8
  • Comparison of 300 f4 vs. 300 2.8 by Juza Photography
  • Review of 300 2.8 by Juza Photgraphy
• 100-400L IS f4.5-5.6
  • review by Jnarin
  • Review by ’slr geek’
  • Review by Mathew Whitley
  • Review -Bob Atkins

• 200-400L IS w/internal teleconverter
  • Canon Press Release article
• 400L  IS DO f4
  • Review in Luminous Landscapes
  • Review by Outback Photo
  • dated dpReview review of lens
  • Field Test by NatureScapes
  • E. J. Peiker’s great 400mm shootout review

• 500 f4 non-IS
  • review needed
• 500L IS, f4
  • Review by ‘ The Digital Picture’
  • Luminous Landscape comparison of 500 vs 600
• Canon 600L IS, f4
  • The-Digital-Picture review
  • Photo.net review by Phillip Greenspun
  • DigiscopeUK review
  • Review on Outback Photo
  • Review by Juza Nature
• Canon 800L IS, f5.6
  • Review by Uwe Skrzypczak
• All Canon 200 through 600 prime Comparison Test (except 500mm) by Juza Nature Photography
• Super test – Canon lens combos to deliver 800 to 1600mm results

Nikon

• 70-200  VR f2.6
  • Review by Dennis Ho
• 80-400 VR f4.5-5.6
  • Review by Jan Allinder
  • Review by Steve Danialsson
  • Review by Chick Harrity
  • Review by Thom Hogan
  • Review by Uwe Steinmueller
• 200-400 VR f4
  • Ken Rockwell review
  • Moose Peterson review of 2-400 
  • Hickingbotham Photography comparison of 200-400 to 300 2.8
  • Richard Peters review of 200-400 with a 1.4x teleconverter

• 300 2.8  ED-IF
  • Reviews at naturfotograf.com
• 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED
  • Nikon Press Release
  • Digiscoped review
• 300 f4 AF-S
  • Review by Thom Hogan
  • Nature Photographers
• 600 f4
  • 600 f4
    • Moose Petersons’ review
    • Review by SLR Gear
  • 800 f4 IS
    • Review by SLR Gear
• Sigma

• • 50-500 ‘Bigma’
    • Lonestar Digital review
    • Vivid Light review Sigma 50-500

    300-800 ‘sigmonster’

    • Luminous Landscape review
    • Review by Tobias Hjorth

    100-300 F4 EX HSM

    • Review by Tobias Hjorth
  • 500 F4.5 EX DG HSM
    • Review by Tobias Hjorth

• • Sigma 200-500 f2.8 EX DG
    • Juza Nature Review

Tamron

• 75-300 4-5.6 LD
• AF 28-300 f3.5-6.3
  • Photo.net review by Bob Atkins
• 300 f2.8
  • Photo.net review by Bob Leventhal
• SP 200-500 f5-6.3
  • Review by Photo.net
  • Bob Atkins review

Is image stabilization/vibration stabilization worth it?

• Bob Atkins reviews the value of  Image Stabilization
• Photography Reviews’ guide to Image Stabilization
• Juza Natures’ take on Image Stabilization

Teleconverters

• Bob Atkins reviews usefulness of teleconverters

Related posts

• Finding the perfect photo bean bag for safari (18)
• What’s in the Bag? (0)
• Boats, Boats, Boats and more Boats (2)
• Photographing the African Elephant (0)
• Photo tip: Stand on the shoulders of giants (4)

Tags: 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 70-300mm, art, Bigma, bird, birds, Bob Atkins, camera, Canon, Chobe, E. J. Peiker, FredMiranda, guide, Hickingbotham, Jnarin, Ken Rockwell, landscape, lens, Luminous Landscape, luminous-landscape.com, Mathew Whitley, Moose Peterson, News, Nikon, Nikonian, photo safari, photography, photography-on-the.net, rental, review, Richard Peters, safari, Sigma, Sigmonster, slr geek, super telephoto lens, Tamron, teleconverter, telephoto, telephoto lens, Vivid Light, wildlife, Yobias Hjorth, zoom

This entry was posted on Friday, October 9th, 2009 at 6:05 am and is filed under Photography Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.