What’s the best budget setup for photographing wildlife at a distance on safari?
Asked 12/6/2018
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I want to photograph animals at roughly 30–80 yards while traveling, such as on safari. My budget is under $600, and I’m not looking for pro-level wildlife results—just decent, usable photos.
I already have a Canon Rebel T3i body but no lens, battery, or charger. I’m considering:
- a clip-on telephoto lens for my phone
- buying a telephoto lens for the T3i, such as the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
- buying a cheaper DSLR kit with a 75-300mm lens
- a mirrorless camera, if there is a realistic budget option
I have basic knowledge of aperture, focal length, and shutter speed, but I’m still learning. Is the T3i too old to be worth using for wildlife, and what would be the most practical option for decent long-distance animal photos on this budget?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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If what you're wanting is National Geographic-like wildlife pics, then be prepared for a huge case of sticker shock, thousands of dollars just for a lens, and the complete lack of any thing close to being convenient for travel. (See Roger Cicala's lensrentals video on the Canon great white supertelephoto lenses).
You could get the Canon EF 75-300 III, but this is a very limited lens, and you will end up gaining technique to use it well or end up with a lot of blurry photos. The 70-300 IS or 55-250 IS models would be better, but are going to be more expensive. But you could also consider renting a 100-400L superzoom for the trip. But that is a $2000+ lens you'd have to haul about and keep track of.
Also, I use the Canon EF 400mm/5.6L lens (600mm equivalent on my APS-C dSLR) to shoot birds and deer in the back canyons here in Southern California and it's often not long enough. Just so you have a sense. With wildlife, your field craft actually counts for more in terms of how close you can get.
Just me, but I'd say consider getting a superzoom bridge camera, like a Panasonic FZ-series model. This is a fixed-lens camera with supertelephot equivalency on the superzoom lens it has because it uses a much smaller sensor (1"-format or 1/2.3"-format) vs. a dSLR or mirrorless camera would. The image quality may not be as high, but it should still be higher than what you can get with a smartphone and accessory lenses.
You will want to check in reviews on how fast the cameras shoot and autofocus, though. Wildlife tends to move fast. Shutter lag can be very frustrating.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use the T3i you already have. It isn’t too old to be useful, and your money will go much farther on a better lens than on buying another entry-level body.
From the options mentioned, the EF-S 55-250mm IS/STM or a 70-300 IS-type lens is a better choice than the Canon 75-300 III. The 75-300 can work, but it’s more limited and harder to use well, so you’re more likely to get soft or blurry shots.
For wildlife, lens reach matters a lot. Truly dramatic wildlife images usually require expensive long lenses, so keep expectations realistic at this budget. A phone telephoto attachment is unlikely to match a DSLR with a proper telephoto lens for distant animals.
If this is for a one-time trip, renting a longer lens such as a 100-400mm can be a smart option if your budget allows. Otherwise, pairing the T3i with a 55-250mm IS STM is a practical, affordable setup.
Whichever lens you choose, good technique matters: use fast enough shutter speeds, support the camera well, and expect a learning curve with long focal lengths.
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