Southern Africa

I have the usual dilemma as to choice of cameras to take with me for a 3 week trip to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe in April 2008 While I like to take pictures of wildlife I am not into long telephoto shots, preferring landscapes that include animals, both in color and black and white.

My choices are olympus om2 (300 MM, 100 MM, 50MM, 24MM) or Hassy 501CM (250MM, 150MM, 120MM, 80MM, 60MM, 40MM)

Have any apuggers visited or are resident in these countries that could offer advice? Anything unique to these countries in terms of security or film xray?

Thanks

I've travelled extensively in S. Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and while I was there, travelled around with a friend who lives there. No tour, no bus, no group. Just us in her little car. We had no problems at all.
I primarily used a 70-200 2.8 lens and a 2X telecon, but I was mostly shotting wildlife and the solar eclipse. The shooting conditions were much brighter than I had expected, so I use none of my 400 film and very little of the 200. Dust is the biggest problem everywhere, so the fewer lens changes you have to make, the better.

Bob

http://flickr.com/photos/bomobob/

Following on Bob's suggestion - if you can beg, borrow or steal a fast zoom for the Oly - I'd go that way. Since you're not particularly interested in shooting telephoto, as to the Hassey if were you, I'd take the 150, 80 and 40. Even better - if you can get a 2x extender - just take the 40 and 60. Given the light down there - losing a stop shouldn't be too detrimental.

I definitely agree about dust, that was the first thing I thought of when I read your post. I grew up in Zimbabwe and Botswana and dust was a major issue. I would seriously think about bagging my equipment, particularly in and around Botswana.

It's been a very long time since I was over, but I don't recall anything about xray issues, I think you'd want to buy your film in Joburg or wherever you fly in, and after that you will find that the checks at border crossings are very spartan. Expect no fresh photo supplies whatsoever, and then you might be pleasantly surprised in some of the larger cities.

Regarding lenses, I don't think you can ever have a lens long enough in Africa. The distance scales are quite a thing. Even more so than the American west- you think you want a wide lens to take it all in, but it just doesn't work. If you can make it work then more power to you... most people cannot.

If it were me, I'd go with 35mm gear and I'd honestly try to take a 400mm lens and a 70-200 zoom. It'd be good to have a normal kit for street photography, which can be very, very interesting all over southern Africa, but if you want to do wildlife and landscape, you can forget wide. Oh and take two film bodies for sure.

Do check whether you will be there during the rainy season as that presents a number of its own advantages and disadvantages depending on what you're after. Needless to say, the landscape is very dynamic around the rainy season. Think you've seen rain before? Be prepared!

Wish I could go back <sniff>

I assume there is an ample selection of 120 film available in Capetown? Anyone know where? As for the rainy season I guess April is the tail end in Botswana. Thanks for your help.

I wouldn't count on many film choices in Southern Africa. My wife is from Zambia. I have traveled in Zambia and Zimbabwe. There is no camera store (that I know of) in Zambia. You can find 35mm color negative film though in larger stores. Zambia has game parks where you can get quite close to animals, no need for long telephoto. Zambia probably has the most friendly people in Africa. South Africa has some of the rudest people.

Cape Town and Joburg are extremely modern cities, I am quite sure you will find plenty of film there and photo services as well, but you should firm that up by email or phone before going. In the worst case you can have stuff fedexed to you over there.

As soon as you cross the border from S. Africa you will go back, back, way back in time in terms of basic services. You should get everything you need in S. Africa.

Phototone, I don't know what you mean about rude people in S. Africa- that is a very general statement about a country that has a very diverse population, possibly the most diverse in the world. The US and Europe are totally homogeneous, by comparison. Anyway, I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience.

It's a big area is Southern Africa. Even S Africa is big but I know a little of the Durban area. My brother-in-law has been there since 1965. No problems whatsoever for colour film, batteries etc and even 24 hrs mini-lab processing. I wasn't into B&W when last there but I suspect that it may be a little more difficult to obtain whereas colour neg was everywhere.

I know your intention is landscape but I'd seriously consider a 70-200 zoom. The animals are really not to be missed and I don't think I'd like to be close enough to most of the "big five" to use a 50mm for instance!I wouldn't worry about needing the large aperture f2.8 owing to the light. Normal cheaper zooms will be fine. The exception to this is the night safari in jeeps where a 50-80 will be fine as things like lions seem to be prepared to wander up close to the jeeps as if they are mesmerised. I could have just about stroked one as it wandered past the jeep if I'd been foolish enough to try. The large handheld lights give plenty of light for close shots with normal aperture range 50-80mm lens but even better with 2.8.

I was in Cape Town, then along the Garden Route ending up in Port Elizabeth. Flew to Durban and went into the Wetlands and the Natal Midlands and never experienced any rudeness but of course there has to be such people out of a 44 million population but treating the tourists as a necessary evil and available for ripping off was something that I don't think is prevalent. In a small town an Afrikaaner policeman in a car even slowed down to pop his head out of the window to warn me I had left the lights on as I was walking away from the car. They wouldn't bother to do that in the U.K!

pentaxuser

I spent 18 years living in South Africa and also have a little difficulty with the 'rude' tag. One thing to remember is that there are eleven official languages and in many areas English is definitely not the first language.

Back to the original question. Film is readily available in Jo'burg and Cape Town though you will probably have to go to one of the pro shops such as Citilab or Beith (+27 11 444 1200). Beith also have a very good processs lab and handle most formats.

As you are probably aware be careful when walking around Jo'burg with cameras, phones and bags as it is an open invitation to being mugged. When driving around the cities lock your stuff in the boot (trunk) of the vehicle and keep your doors locked.

Apart from these basic precautions it is a fantastic continent and don't forget places such as Lesotho and Swaziland which are easily accessible from South Africa.

I was in Kenya recently and found the 400 ASA film helpful in the early morning and evening. Later in the morning and early afternoon I just uped the shutter speed to 1/1000 to maintain the f stop and of course filters cut the aperture further. Generally we did not shoot between 10 am and 3 pm.
Regards
Bill