Manual focus or auto focus on Safari

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Neil Williams
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I'm
Going on Safari again in Feb to Tanzania and I'm in a wee bitty or a predicament.

I'm taking a Nikon D5 with 600mm f4 Nikon Lens. My second camera is a Leica S007 with a 120mm Leica S lens. My problem is I know that 120mm is not going to be very useful on Safari, so I was thinking of using my Hasselblad 250mm lens instead of the 120mm. My Hasselblad 250mm lens in a manual focus lens. I could buy a Hasselblad 300mm H lens that has AF and with a $1600 adapter it will work on the S007 with all functions i.e. AF.

So back to my question; Do you think a 250mm Manual focus would be of any use on a Safari?.

Thanks

Neil
 
Don't you already have similar length Nikon lenses & another body? You can use them in manual mode if you really want to.
 
Yes I have all of them, but. I don't want to take them....... I want to take my Leica S as my second body
 
There you go then, cheap as chips. (y)
I wouldn't say that.......Hasselblad gear is really frigging expensive, but its what it is and I just need to get my head around if I want to spend that kind of money on a lens (it would be one of the cheapest lenses that I own) :) :) :) .....................BUT we are getting side tracked from the question. The question is will MF be okay over AF?????
 
.BUT we are getting side tracked from the question. The question is will MF be okay over AF?????

Surely only you can answer this though, how good are you and your eyes at spotting focus down the view finder, i have never been on safari, but do shoot wildlife, and i know full well i couldn't manually focus to save my life, so my answer would be no
 
I've never been on safari, but I've tried to use my RB67 with the children and it can be very difficult indeed if they're bouncing all over the place but then the AF sometimes has difficulty too. I guess its a matter of picking your battles.

Only other question I'd have is space, does the 'Blad take up too much room?
 
Surely only you can answer this though, how good are you and your eyes at spotting focus down the view finder, i have never been on safari, but do shoot wildlife, and i know full well i couldn't manually focus to save my life, so my answer would be no
With the Leica S007 you get focus conformation in the view finder even with a manual Hasselblad lens and adapter screwed onto the body.....................just remembered that bit. So my thinking is even at 250mm most of the shots will be not close enough to were I will be shooting anything much less than infinity..............what do you think??
 
What do you hope to photograph with a 250mm manual lens?
Everything else that the D5 and 600mm cant...............I got a bunch of nice elephant and giraffe shots in Jan with my 70/200mm. People, Lion, landscape, animal scape.................the list is endless :) :) ;)
 
Everything else that the D5 and 600mm cant...............I got a bunch of nice elephant and giraffe shots in Jan with my 70/200mm. People, Lion, landscape, animal scape.................the list is endless :) :) ;)

Landscape should be fine as should stationary people and animals but I think you will struggle with much/any movement, however how much have you used it before, on what and what has been your success rate ... I mean really successfully sharp images?
 
Landscape should be fine as should stationary people and animals but I think you will struggle with much/any movement, however how much have you used it before, on what and what has been your success rate ... I mean really successfully sharp images?
Let me look
 
I'm
Going on Safari again in Feb to Tanzania and I'm in a wee bitty or a predicament.

I'm taking a Nikon D5 with 600mm f4 Nikon Lens. My second camera is a Leica S007 with a 120mm Leica S lens. My problem is I know that 120mm is not going to be very useful on Safari, so I was thinking of using my Hasselblad 250mm lens instead of the 120mm. My Hasselblad 250mm lens in a manual focus lens. I could buy a Hasselblad 300mm H lens that has AF and with a $1600 adapter it will work on the S007 with all functions i.e. AF.

So back to my question; Do you think a 250mm Manual focus would be of any use on a Safari?.

Thanks

Neil

No. You're losing the plot Neil. If you want to scratch that quirksome Hasselblad itch, take it on safari to a studio full of models (and ask them to stand still).

Assuming you won't have much control over distance and changing lenses is a dusty PITA, Sigma 150-600 S and monopod would be my best-compromise weapon of choice for the wildlife.
 
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Both of the above were shot with the Hasselblad 250mm on my S007......I have a bunch more, but they were shot with a film Hasselblad camera so I want to compare apples with apples
 
No. You're losing the plot Neil. If you want to scratch that quirksome Hasselblad itch, take it on safari to a studio full of models (and ask them to stand still).

Assuming you won't have much control over distance and changing lenses is a dusty PITA, Sigma 150-600 S and monopod would be my best-compromise weapon of choice for the wildlife.
Loosing the plot maybe......but your not answering the question. Opps you did you said NO........thanks for the feedback :)
 
Neil, the generally excellent quality of your work has gone down since you got the Hasselblad obsession. There is nothing inherently virtuous about them - good in a quite narrow niche these days. Sorry :)
 
Hasselblad obsession............I like shooting film, anything wrong with that??
I like shooting Leica ............anything wrong with that?
I just asked a simple question, you answered it..............can we leave it at that??
 
If you are going "on Safari" - you need your Nikon

If you are going to take photographs of Tanzania, you can use either with the appropriate lens

looking at your images you need both

so pay for that extra, extra, extra suitcase ........ and buy some "proper" photographic equipment cases

and maybe a small portable 'fridge" for your film

do a "proper" job
 
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If you are going "on Safari" - you need your Nikon

If you are going to take photographs of Tanzania, you can use either with the appropriate lens

looking at your images you need both

so pay for that extra, extra, extra suitcase ........ and buy some "proper" photographic equipment cases

and maybe a small portable 'fridge" for your film

do a "proper" job
yOU GUYS ARE SO FUNNY.
 
Hasselblad obsession............I like shooting film, anything wrong with that??

No. But you need a very good reason, that has nothing to do with the quality of the final output.

I like shooting Leica ............anything wrong with that?

See above.

I just asked a simple question, you answered it..............can we leave it at that??

I'm cool with that :)
 
Both of the above were shot with the Hasselblad 250mm on my S007......I have a bunch more, but they were shot with a film Hasselblad camera so I want to compare apples with apples

So are you happy to bring back shots like that from your safari? ... Will your safari be more challenging?
Are you going to the same place as you did earlier this year, if so how would you have managed with a manual lens last time?
Personally I think you may be limiting yourself and run the risk of being disappointed.
 
will MF be okay over AF?????


IF you're good enough at MF, I'm sure the kit will be up to it. Personally, I'd use the best tool for the job in hand and in your toolbox, that would be the Nikon kit.
 
Don't want to get into a gear argument but sometimes on the jeep you only get a few seconds to get the shot
I would have thought that autofocus was essential
I use gear that I'm comfortable with and can trust which is a pair of 7ds (mk 1 and 2) with 300 2.8 and 70 200 f4
 
Hang on, there's an adapter on the planet that costs $1600?!?!

Now I've got my breath back, that makes Apple adaptors look reasonable...

Anyway, what was the question again? [emoji38]
 
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Just came across this from a year and a half ago........I didn't do the safari as I was seriously assaulted in Nigeria and have only really just got over it. Anyway I am heading back to Tanzania in September for 8 days with this gear
Leica S (Body only)
Hasselblad H6d100c
HC300
HC100
HC50 II
HC1.7 TC
S to H adapter
Ball head and clamp for the top of the jeep
Bean bags come with the Jeep

Pictures to follow
 
Just came across this from a year and a half ago........I didn't do the safari as I was seriously assaulted in Nigeria and have only really just got over it. Anyway I am heading back to Tanzania in September for 8 days with this gear
Leica S (Body only)
Hasselblad H6d100c
HC300
HC100
HC50 II
HC1.7 TC
S to H adapter
Ball head and clamp for the top of the jeep
Bean bags come with the Jeep

Pictures to follow

Very sorry to hear that Neil. Take care fella :)
 
Cheers Richard
I'm good and looking forward to early retirement at the end of the year :)

Neil

Very pleased to hear that (y)
 
Cheers Richard
I'm good and looking forward to early retirement at the end of the year :)

Neil

I don't know you but I assume from your posts on this site that you've worked long and hard so I hope you enjoy your retirement. Maybe you'll have more time for your photography or maybe your life will go in another and unexpected direction.

I retired at 49, best thing for me and I wish I'd done it sooner.
 
No. You're losing the plot Neil. If you want to scratch that quirksome Hasselblad itch, take it on safari to a studio full of models (and ask them to stand still).

Assuming you won't have much control over distance and changing lenses is a dusty PITA, Sigma 150-600 S and monopod would be my best-compromise weapon of choice for the wildlife.

As always Richard comes along with solid, sensible advice, the result of many years of experience.
 
Having been on several safaris I can say that the main subjects rarely keep still, there will be some of course that do but most wont. You may get subjectively better images with your manual focus gear but your overall keeper rate will plummet.
 
Having been on several safaris I can say that the main subjects rarely keep still, there will be some of course that do but most wont. You may get subjectively better images with your manual focus gear but your overall keeper rate will plummet.
Im thinking exactly the same Laurence. The only thing going for me with this maybe crazy idea is that with only 321mm (equivalent 135 focal length) I will be shooting at infidelity most of the time so not to much adjustments needed.......hopefully my keepers will make it all wort while :) :).

Neil
 
Im thinking exactly the same Laurence. The only thing going for me with this maybe crazy idea is that with only 321mm (equivalent 135 focal length) I will be shooting at infidelity most of the time so not to much adjustments needed.......hopefully my keepers will make it all wort while :) :).

Neil

Sounds like you'll be having a good time :D
 
Sounds like you'll be having a good time :D
Allan
When I was in Tanzania two years ago, I took my D810 with 600mm f4, D4s with 300mm f2.8, D800e with 70/200mm and took plus or minus 3000 shots a day going gun hoo at 11 frames a second or how ever fast it would go. It seemed like fun at the time but on my last two days I slowed down to maybe5 00 shots a day...........on those last two days I actually saw a wee bitty of Tanzania without looking through a viewfinder.

That was two years ago and I am still going through those thousands of pictures :( :( :( Nightmare

This time I am going to see Tanzania and photography is taking the back seat.......sure I will take pictures but most of all I want to see and smell the beautiful countryside, if I come home with 20 nice pictures after my 8 day trip fantastic

Neil
 
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