Steve'sDigicams

jgeffner · Aug 13, 2006, 11:43 PM

I will be going to Botswana on a safari next year. I own several P&S cameras including a Panasonic FZ7 with a 12x zoom. Has anyone used this type of camera in Africa? I would appreciate all of you expects advising me on weather you think I should get a SLR. The only thing stopping me is the size and weight. Thanks for all of your thoughts!

Sintares · Aug 14, 2006, 2:56 AM

I have seen many safari shots taken by similar cameras to your Pany, eg Sony H1-5 and Canon S2-3 and they did the job well.

Maybe buy a decent tcon and wcon for the camera, plus the standard accessories, uv filter (mostly to keep flying dust from the lens mechanism), ND and polarising filters.

Do Pany even make tcons for the FZ7 ?

Might have to go with a good off brand model , Sony make an excellent 58mm x1.7 for their H series or the Olympus tcon-14 or tcon-17.

jgeffner · Aug 14, 2006, 9:19 AM

Thanks for the reply. I will sound stupid but I do not know what a tcon or wcon is?

Meeky · Aug 14, 2006, 10:31 AM

tcon - teleconverter

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"wcon - wide angle converter

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"If you camera for example is maxed out on zoom at 432mm (don't have specs in front of me) then a x1.7 tcon will take you to over 730mm

jgeffner · Aug 14, 2006, 11:02 AM

Thanks Meeky! If I were to spend all that money shouldn't I just get a slr with a 300mm lens? By the time I add the adaptor and the tcon the camera is just about as big. Do I really need that much zoom?

cshel · Aug 14, 2006, 11:23 AM

I think to take pictures of birds you well may need that much zoom. For larger animals, especially closer, 12x may be enough.

SLK

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Aug 13, 2006, 11:43 PM	#1
jgeffner Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3	I will be going to Botswana on a safari next year. I own several P&S cameras including a Panasonic FZ7 with a 12x zoom. Has anyone used this type of camera in Africa? I would appreciate all of you expects advising me on weather you think I should get a SLR. The only thing stopping me is the size and weight. Thanks for all of your thoughts!

Aug 14, 2006, 2:56 AM	#2
Sintares Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 647	I have seen many safari shots taken by similar cameras to your Pany, eg Sony H1-5 and Canon S2-3 and they did the job well. Maybe buy a decent tcon and wcon for the camera, plus the standard accessories, uv filter (mostly to keep flying dust from the lens mechanism), ND and polarising filters. Do Pany even make tcons for the FZ7 ? Might have to go with a good off brand model , Sony make an excellent 58mm x1.7 for their H series or the Olympus tcon-14 or tcon-17.

Aug 14, 2006, 9:19 AM	#3
jgeffner Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3	Thanks for the reply. I will sound stupid but I do not know what a tcon or wcon is?

Aug 14, 2006, 10:31 AM	#4
Meeky Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 15	tcon - teleconverter style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"wcon - wide angle converter style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"If you camera for example is maxed out on zoom at 432mm (don't have specs in front of me) then a x1.7 tcon will take you to over 730mm

Aug 14, 2006, 11:02 AM	#5
jgeffner Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3	Thanks Meeky! If I were to spend all that money shouldn't I just get a slr with a 300mm lens? By the time I add the adaptor and the tcon the camera is just about as big. Do I really need that much zoom?

Aug 14, 2006, 11:23 AM	#6
cshel Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 31	I think to take pictures of birds you well may need that much zoom. For larger animals, especially closer, 12x may be enough. SLK