Best Camera and Binoculars for a Safari

The two most frequently asked questions I get from my safari clients before their African safari are: What is the best camera to bring on a safari? And, should I bring binoculars?

I am not a techy person so I answer my clients by telling them what I use, and what I have seen hundreds of clients use over the years. In this post I am sharing with you the same information I give to all my safari clients. I hope it is helpful to your search for the best camera and binoculars for a safari.

 

CHOOSING A CAMERA FOR YOUR SAFARI

What camera to bring seems to be one of the top decisions for safari goers. It makes sense. You may go to Africa once in your lifetime, and from what you have seen from other peoples African photos or in magazines and animal planet shows the wildlife in Africa gives you many opportunities to capture amazing photos.

That is all true.

You’ll be surprised to know that not everyone takes a camera when they go on safari. One of my clients, who has been on two of my safaris, forgoes a camera. She says she likes to just be with the animal in the present moment without worrying about getting the best photo.

I do recommend that people get out from behind their cameras at least some of the time. It is a different feeling when you are sitting with the animal rather than trying to capture a memory for later.

I doubt many people would want to come to Africa without a camera. Even the woman I mentioned above asked the group to share a few of their favorite photos with her via email once everyone got back home.

It’s hard to not want to capture everything on camera so you don’t forget it. A lot happens on safari. That being said, there are so many options for cameras. Some people do just bring their smartphones and rely on using that as their camera. But again, not many people do that.

The two most popular cameras that people bring are DSLR’s . They are great if you want to bring different lenses. These cameras are generally for people who are more serious about photography. There is a relatively new kind of camera called a mirrorless. The advantage is that they are lighter than the DSLR and still allow you to have different lenses. This is what I use and I am very happy with it.

There is a newer model since I bought mine. Here is the link.

Another option is to buy the smallest all-in-one camera with the largest magnification available. These are great cameras. They are lightweight, not expensive, and take great shots. Canon makes this great one.

 

BEST BINOCULARS FOR A SAFARI

My father is a world-class birder. I have never bought a pair of binoculars because he gives me his hand me downs. One pair has been with me on 7 safaris. It’s a basic Nikon.

I spend more time behind my binoculars then I do behind my camera. To get a great camera shot the angle and lighting and behavior of the animal has to be just right. But no matter what the animal is doing, or how bad the lighting, I am always fascinated by just being with the animal. And binoculars enhance that experience.

There are often an extra pair of binoculars in the safari truck, but not always. And if there is a pair, they aren’t necessarily of good quality so I do recommend bringing your own. If you have a decent pair, then just bring those. Most of the time on safari you will be close enough to the animals to watch them without binoculars. If you do use your binoculars you will be scoping out the blood on the lions mane, or the flies around the hyenas mouth, or the toenails of the elephants.

If you don’t own a decent pair, here is one that many birders own and love: The Nikon Monarch

Keep in mind that driving around in the safari trucks kicks up a lot of dust. So you will want to have protective bags and covers for your camera, lens and binoculars.

For the perfect hat to take on your safari check out my post here.

*Featured image of elephants by safari client Laura Voit.

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