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Equipment Rental

Serious photographers who would like to maximize their photographic opportunities on safari might consider renting professional grade equipment, particularly lenses.

We have been very impressed with the service offered at LensProToGo.com, and have negotiated a 10% discount for all Classic Africa clients (just use the discount code: CLASSICAFRICA10). They are one of the largest camera rental companies in the USA, and all their staff are professional photographers. They are based in Massachusetts, and their toll-free number is 877-578-4777. 

The process is very convenient - the gear gets shipped to your door (shipping is included in the rental price), and comes with the return packaging and shipping label. When you return home, just package it and drop it off at a UPS store. Shipping days are not included in the cost of the rental, you only pay for "days in hand".

Another option, if you will be on safari in the Kruger Park, is to rent locally from Africa Photographic Services. They will deliver your rental equipment straight to your Kruger Lodge, and collect it again afterwards - no need to carry the equipment around or pay rental fees for days when you're not using it. You can even take the equipment with you to other locations in southern Africa, and they will collect it from you at Johannesburg Airport when you depart.

Lenses

Professional-grade super telephoto lenses cost over $10,000, and have limited application outside of professional sport or wildlife photography - in other words, for the vast majority of travelers, it doesn't make sense to purchase them. But, for a fraction of the price, it is possible to rent these pro-grade lenses, and amaze everyone with the quality of images that you bring home from Africa. The array of options is virtually endless, with all major brands represented. Some of the best options for wildlife photography include (in our descending order of preference):

200-400mm f/4 (our favorite safari lens)

100-300mm f/2.8

500mm f/4

400mm f/2.8

300mm f/2.8

And, if lugging these behemoths around doesn't appeal, consider a smaller and more budget-friendly "prosumer" lens. These lenses cost in the region of $1,500 to $3,000, and are somewhat more versatile than the pro-grade super telephotos - serious nature photographers may consider purchasing one for safari, in the knowledge that there is a use for the lens back home, but ownership is a bad proposition for most travelers. Rental, on the other hand, is worth considering. some of the best options here include:

100-500mm f/4.5-5.6 

70-300mm f/4-5.6

28-300mm f/3.5-5.6

70-200mm f/2.8

Finally, landscape enthusiasts might consider renting wide angle lenses such as:

16-35mm f/2.8

17-55mm f/2.8

24-70mm f/2.8

24-105mm f/4

Some points to consider before renting:

  • Traveling with these lenses is a responsibility, and there are some fairly significant financial risks involved. Purchase the maximum amount of insurance along with your rental - repairing these lenses, should they get damaged, is very expensive. Even the best insurance does not cover loss / theft of the lens (consider a rider on your homeowner's insurance), or damage caused by water or sand. Be careful and treat the lens as if it were your own.
  • Think about your camera body, and be realistic - attaching a $15,000 lens to an entry level mirrorless camera will not do the lens justice, and is probably not worth the cost and hassle of renting. For a mid-range camera body consider one of the "prosumer" telephoto lenses.
  • Do you have (or are you willing to buy/rent) a camera bag large and robust enough for the lens and your other equipment?

Camera Bodies and Accessories

Renting a pro-grade camera body is tempting, but consider the learning curve - these are essentially small, complicated computers, and it takes a lot of time and practice to become familiar with their functionality. Unless you have worked with the body before, or can rent it for a familiarization period before your safari, we're inclined to recommend against taking a new / unfamiliar camera body on safari.

There is a case to be made for renting a tripod or monopod along with a big lens, but we're inclined to recommend hand-held shooting from the vehicle (see the article in our Photography Forum).

If you enjoy bird photography, consider renting a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter along with your super telephoto lens.