Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Taking your camera on safari

Question for anyone that took a full size camera (DSLR) on safari with you, did you pack it in checked baggage or in your carry on? And what type of lenses did you take?

First time I went my full size camera was in carry on. I used a telephoto lens that went out to 300mm IIRC.

The next seven trips I carried a quality compact camera. My current one is a Panasonic LUMIX with a 25 time optical zoom and enough features to keep you busy forever or you can set it on automatic.

Way too much time on foot to be lugging a big camera around for me.

Never put a valuable in checked luggage.

My camera and binos were both in my carry on. I want the airline employees to have as little access to valuables as possible

I always carry ALL my cameras in carry-on, in my standard hunting daypack.

Always take two bigger camera and a compact small enough to fit in a pocket of my hunting shirt, because there are always photo-ops, especially when you least expect them.

Anything of real value goes in carry on when I travel, anywhere.

Thanks for the information

I agree with the above, take anything of value in your carry on. However, I will add, that if you are headed to the plane and they say that your carry-on is too big or that they don't have any more space and you need to check your carry on at the gate, make sure you remove said valuables. I lost my camera with all of my pics to this scheme when my camera was stolen from my carry on in Zimbabwe. Found out later this was a quite common occurance. I could have cared less about the camera, but my memory card with all pictures was still in the camera, so I came back with very few pictures. At a minimum, swap out your memory card before you travel and keep the card on your person.

Exactly!

(1) Never put anything of value in your checked baggage other then your gun.
(2) Always keep your SD cards and/or film separate from your camera.
(3) In case they say your carry-on is too big or over weight and must be checked, keep a canvas tote in your carry-on.
(4) Use said canvas tote in your carry-on in case of above #3, put the camera, SD cards/film and other valuable in the tote and carry the tote on the plane and let them gate check the carry-on.
(5) Thief's are everywhere.

Inside my cary on bag was....

Boots
Full change of hunting clothes
Binoculars
Range Finder
Camera
Headphone buds
Food
Multiple sets of my important paperwork
Medicine

Good info, everyone.

Exactly the same except I wear my boots. They are just that comfortable.

Carry on and I used lenses up to 600mm for a conventional camera and will take 2-4 cameras if weight allows. I like to get some point and shoot cameras and let the trackers snap away with them. Typically they have a unique or different perspective and you can get some surprising shots doing this. If you take any big lenses some type of tripod or mount is needed. The rifle stock type set up works well for medium lenses out of a vehicle.

Carry on. Panasonic Lumix FZ200. I run it full auto most times. As a superzoom (mid 20x), it can really reach out. Outstanding camera. I used it most when touring, otherwise I used my Panasonic TS5 weatherproof point and shoot. Another outstanding camera. I will pass this on to my wife when the next model comes out.