I have no my own SLR yet but I know myself well to predict: if I go travel I will prefer lightweight super-zoom over bulk and heavy SLR w/ telephoto lens.

I think who comments here “SLR have higher quality image” and so on – just photo-snobs. Who argue medium format have higher image quality than full-frame? Full frame – higher than APS. APS – higher than four thirds. It is obvious. But imagine 800mm F4 medium format lens Even mid-sized telescopes will lost somewhere in shade of such lens. And imagine tripod for such setup. But from snob’s point of view it will “rulez” and any other (including full frame!) will just “sucks”.
I believe photos taken with cheap point-and-shoot camera which always in my pocket if far better than photos from professional grade $10K+ camera which I leave in heavy box in my home
I hate photos taken with mobile phones but even such photos is better than words “my SLR could take really cool photo if it were here”.
One of my friends have super-zoom Kodak P850 (while my camera is compact Fuji F11) and my camera really sucks when I try to photo birds or other relatively small objects from distance above 10m. But in fact I have more bird photos just because my camera always with me!
Even if I buy SLR it probably will never shoot as many photos as my pocket-size camera… Most beautiful shots I take when I was least ready for them. So many beautiful moments of life I had no camera in my hand. What a point in SLR instant shooting ability if it have cap-closed lens or it covered in bag because of its fragile?

first, I am so jealous because I’d love to do this

Second I’ve been to Africa a few times, I’ll go back soon to Ethiopia to go see the volcanoes and the animals. My first post was a quickie so I’ll elaborate here.

I’ve been a (kind of admittedly weird because I never got along with the industry, ad and TV) image professional for a lot of my life, but I’ve never made a living with photography (of course like a number of people here I’d like to, but there’s no market and weddings really aren’t my thing).

Anyway, I’m really into “the right gear for the right task”, but I certainly wouldn’t overdo it. And nowadays there are a number of bridge cameras (or superzooms since some like to call them that) that are definitely good enough. (I mostly take nature photos, I still haven’t figured out why, but I can’t take portraits worth a damn… I’ve started to work on it… with no discernible result so far). So If you want to go with that, it’s probably a valid choice, depending on what the images are for.

On the other hand, I know that on my camera, I default to aperture priority because it lets me control depth of field easily, and Pentax’s “green button” lets me switch to auto mode in a pinch (and I can change speed with the back wheel anyway). This lets me control what *kind* of image I want to take which IMO is in part what makes the difference between a vacation snapshot and a photographer’s image. Of course this is a very personal POV so each person will have to figure it out on his/her own. Experimentation with as wide as possible a range of hardware is the best way to find what you’re comfortable with.

IMO, you need two cameras. One for wildlife, one for “street” photography. Although you didn’t really say what your interest was (or your lens set), one would tend to use a SLR body in the wild (a stabilised one like the Sony would do fine with the right lenses), and something smaller in villages or cities (a bridge or compact).

You definitely need a backup (if your bridge can double for wildlife, it’s certainly better, since your SLR is the most fragile), because you will *not* find service in the field. You will need at least two batteries (or sets) for each of your cameras because power sources can be hard to find. You will need a laptop (or dedicated “dump drive” to dump your data to because you certainly won’t find any spare flash cards (well, you will, but good luck to you if you try using them).

Now I don’t know how familiar you are with Africa (subsaharian). You’ll meet lots of awfully nice people who will go way out of their way to be agreeable to you, as long as you are just a regular nice person (just make sure you’re more or less current on the local do’s and don’t, although they’ll be tolerant on account on your being foreign). You’ll meet a lot of extremely poor (by western standard) people. In places you’ll meet some actually *starving* people. As in “I don’t have the strength to chase the flies from my eyes” starving.

In any case do *not* give money (except to the village chief if you have been properly introduced). Presents are fine (recommended really although their nature depends on the location) if you visit people. To children that will pester you, pens, bottles, notebooks, *never* money. If you want to, find a local non profit thingie and give money to *them*.

Sorry, I strayed a bit…

In short. My ideal hardware for Africa would be my Pentax SLR (and assorted lens) plus some sort of G-series Canon compact (I’ve tried numerous compacts and I’m *very* partial to those). Beyond that, you *absolutely* need a PC (any kind of laptop, PC, a fruity one, whatever, they’re all the same), or a portable disk to dump your cards into. Remember that you will *not* find any kind of broadband (above 28K, it’s broadband in the bush) link to backup your images. Y’ou’ll be able to upload a few pics to a blog, sure, but something like a backup is right out.

Remember to check with your insurance company if your camera(s) and your lens(es) (and all the assorted hardware crap that we all carry along side) are covered.

And get your shots. And go see a doc beforehand to get what you might need in the bush (trust me, I’m the type that kind of dismisses doctors it but being unable to walk because of a bug caught in the bush because of a *scratch* I had in Paris was kind of weird). And no, you won’t find it there.

And I know reading this was kind of alarmist. But you’ll have lots of fun. Lots. And you’ll take great pics. And you’ll have great stories to tell.
You’ll love it (well, maybe you won’t love the continent, it *is* kind of weird), but you *will* love the experience.

And You’ll want to do it again.

Trust me.

your article popped up as search result when I typed in: import Lumix DMC-FZ18 pics in iphoto ’09 into Google.

I loved to read your article and the many responses it received – a quick thanks to you Jason and the other folks. – I do agree with Jason . i have traveled quite a bit and found it more and more inconvenient (and sometimes kind of inappropriate in a social or cultural way or context) to carry around a big SLR equipment and having to change the lenses often (or at least I feel inclined to do so since I spent some money to buy different ones). So for the consideration of the trade-off between best quality and price, weight, convenience there can also be this social component interesting. Trying to say: everything that helps to reduce handling and worrying about the equipment leaves more time for and a better focus on the stuff you are trying to shoot, be it wild game, landscape, local people, events etc. So trying to get more involved personally and mentally into the environment you are in – be it in the bush, among people or in an event – and trying to grasp the spirit, getting a better understanding or a closer contact might also improve the possibility (or occasion) to take a better shot, even with a less quality equipment.

Which equipment or mix of equipment to take for my next big trip – just started to plan a year-long across Africa trip – most likely with a LandRover all the way overland. – is an important question for me at the moment. Safari and shooting animals (with the camera, of course) will be an important part of the journey, but just one among others – like meeting travelers, expats and especially local people, seeing the countries and understanding the culture and society about which I would like to report (via pictures, small videos and articles).

Suggestions from you guys are highly welcomed concerning choice and mix of equipment. Given the fact that I will be traveling with my own car (LandRover) I guess I will stick to rhermans suggestion to take a
a) DSLR (Currently I have a Sony Alpha 100)
b) compact superzoom (Currently I have Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18)
c) back-up (Currently I Panasonic Lumix FZ5)
And take out (and carry) concerning the occasion and event.
But, as necessary and as affordable I would like to upgrade on the equipment. For the intentions I have camera a) and b) need to have the feature to write the GPS data into the picture. So recommendations or insights of you are HIGHLY WELCOMED

Thanks and greetings to you all
Thomas

As you know, having been on one of our safaris to The Gambia in December 2007, I run an adventure & wildlife safari holiday company – Hidden Gambia Holidays. I’ve just returned from the British Birdwatching Fair last weekend where I was trying to weigh up the merits of buying a good superzoom vs. SLR.

Your article has helped sway me towards the former, specifically the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 which has received some great reviews. Whilst I’m sure the purists are correct that SLRs have some benefits over superzooms, portability & cost are important factors for me. And I’m sure the improved video handling will come in handy. At £245 – it seems like a good purchase to me!

PS. Good to see you’re still on top of the SEO game – well done!