Which camera should I take to RSA and what to do with it during the hunt?

[FlowHamed18]

Hi

I am leaving for RSA on Monday and I would like to ask all of you experienced hunters how you manage the whole camera thing during the hunt itself.

I would like to bring my Nikkon Z50 including a 16-50 and 50-250 lens. I love the camera and the pictures are great.

Of course carrying the camera set plus binos plus rifle would be quite uncomfortable.

How did you solve this kind of situation during your hunts?

Thank you in advance

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Todays cell phones offer a lot, just lacking in telephoto.

Lon

 

[Zambezi]

As Lon says, camera phone works well for trophy pics etc. If you're wanting scenery and zoom then I would go for a bridge camera. Something like the Nikon P600 I had. Great zoom, video and all the functions.

I would advise against the DSLR as you usually have the wrong lens on when you need it. Plus the dust factor of continual lens change out in the field. Furthermore, the DSLR and lenses are very bulky!

The Z50 obviously knocks spots off my old Canon 450D but at the time the old P100 (older version of the P600) knocked the spots and stripes off the 450D when we spent a week in the Kruger.

If the P600 is still too bulky then go for something like the Canon AS3400/3500 I think it is... Has optical as well as digital zoom and continuous video capture all in a neat flat package.

The bridge camera can be carried in a pouch on your belt in the kidney area and the AS3400 in any pocket that is comfortable. I'd suggest the pocket version and save the P600/Z50 for game drives and at the lodge etc etc.

 

[BeeMaa]

If you are really serious about photography and are incorporating a drive through a game park to see (not hunt) animals or you want large prints made of scenery and trophies…use a dedicated camera.

If this does not describe your interest, cameras on modern smartphones will get the job done very nicely and still minimize what you have to pack. iPhone 11 and higher should be fine. Not sure what that equates to in Android.

Funny thing. A friend of mine sent me a beautiful picture of a sunset overlooking a river from his dinner table near the braai. On the table was his drink, a few cartridges and his (beautiful) Leica camera. I commented to him how ironic it was that he had to take that picture with his phone.

 

[Hunt anything]

I take a cannon with a 75-300mm lens. I keep it in a backpack in its case and most of the game and scenery pictures are taken from the truck and grip and grins are taken with a cell phone. That’s in South Africa but when in Mozambique where we would park the truck and hunt all day on foot the 2nd tracker would carry my backpack with anything else I may need during the day.

 

[Areaonereal]

Small Sony no larger than a pack of cigarettes carried in a case on your belt. Worked for me for 11 trips. Normally priced under $150.00 on Amazon.

 

[FlowHamed18]

Thank you all for your answers.

I will take my Samsung S22 for the "hunting pictures" and the Nikkon for the rest.

The Z50 will stay in the backpack in the car during the buff hunt.
If we are successful the car will join us anyway. So maybe it should be possible to take some trophy pictures with it also...

 

[Hunt anything]

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[JimP]

In 2015 I had my Cannon in my pack that pretty much stayed in the vehicle. I had a smaller Olympus on my hip while hunting. The Olympus was used a few times while we were waiting for the vehicle to get to the kill site. One time my PH brought me my Cannon when they had to get the vehicle closer to the kill site, that time I used both to take pictures.

On my 2022 hunt I left the Cannon in my pack and used my phone for 100% of the pictures. There were a couple that I wished that it was with me but it wasn't .

If your better camera is in a location where you can get to it before the butchering of the animal starts then there is no problem leaving it in the vehicle.

 

[Firebird]

The biggest reason to take your biggest camera and lens is IF you intend to visit a tourism park. Even then the animals are accustomed to humans and trucks and fairly photographable with your phone.
I’ve been glad I took my Nikon and 18-400 mm lens every trip but I do plan on an animal park tour.
When hunting, it very rarely gets to come out of the backpack.

 

[JimP]

The biggest reason to take your biggest camera and lens is IF you intend to visit a tourism park. Even then the animals are accustomed to humans and trucks and fairly photographable with your phone.
I’ve been glad I took my Nikon and 18-400 mm lens every trip but I do plan on an animal park tour.
When hunting, it very rarely gets to come out of the backpack.

You need a pretty good lens for this shot.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi

I am leaving for RSA on Monday and I would like to ask all of you experienced hunters how you manage the whole camera thing during the hunt itself.

I would like to bring my Nikkon Z50 including a 16-50 and 50-250 lens. I love the camera and the pictures are great.

Of course carrying the camera set plus binos plus rifle would be quite uncomfortable.

How did you solve this kind of situation during your hunts?

Thank you in advance

i have and always take a Cannon Rebel camera on all my hunts. It is easy to carry in my day pack.

 

[Firebird]

You got him to smile!