What Made The Cut

In my last entry, I talked (and complained!) about the 26 lb weight limit I faced for a safari trip to Africa. After much weighing of my options, literally and figuratively, here's what made the cut:

Canon 1D Mark III body

Canon 30D body as backup

Canon 300 mm f/2.8L IS (heavy as heck, but I love it)

Canon 70 - 200 f/2.8L IS (also heavy, but again I love it)

Canon 17 - 40 f/2.8L

Canon 1.4 teleconverter

Gitzo carbon fiber monopod

Blower brush

MacBook (which I consider essential photo gear)

250 GB USB-powered back up drive for my Aperture library

A handful of 8 GB, 4 GB and 2 GB CF and SD cards

Battery chargers for all of the above

Extra cables to connect all of the above

Here's what didn't make it:

A tripod (I think I will miss this)

An external flash. My Canon 580 EXII weighs as much as my 30D body, and doesn't add the same usefulness. Also, in a pinch, the 30D does have a built in flash.

Phew! That's a lot of delicate equipment to be carting around!

Camera Equipment

Photo credits: Thomas Perkins.
Charles Sichel-outcalt
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  • Charlesoutcalt
  • Bethesda, United States
Discovering the world, one little bit at a time. . .


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Amyemilia

August 13, 2008

I guess I should have read a bit further before I made those other comments... sorry about that. Glad to see you ditched the flash. I'm not sure you will miss the tripod, although those lenses are heavy! Do you know the old bean-bag trick? Probably you'll be able to find surfaces to stabilize your camera anywya.

Charlesoutcalt

August 11, 2008

Hah-hah. Thanks for all the comments. Tangie, all those are important, but not as much as my 300 mm ! Parrypix, I think I could do some curls with my bag. And Bugsy--I know that YOU know how to travel!

Tangie

August 11, 2008

:) Where is the toothbrush? And the clothes? and the hat? and the sunglasses, and the tan lotion? and the pajamas? :P :) this is why I will never make it on a list for safari candidates .......... well, happy shooting but only with the camera pleaseeeee and make sure you bring back some cute cute animals - alive, unharmed and in images.

Bugsy

August 11, 2008

still drooling over this list.

Charlesoutcalt

August 11, 2008

Hah! Thank you. I might have some heavy gear, but you have TALENT. I loved your interior photos. I know how hard they can be.

Litifeta

August 10, 2008

Wow you have some wicked gear. I would have trouble not taking it all.