articles/Nature/walk-on-wild-side-page4

Tom Lee's Walk on the Wild Side - part 4 of 1 2 3 4

by Tom Lee Published 01/08/2015

Young African Elephant 1/160s - f6.3 - ISO400 @ 500mm A month-old baby being protected by the herd during feeding. Main herd feeding on acacia and the baby is suckling. (supported on beanbag) Kichaka

There isn't much room in the Jeep/Landcruiser normally, and the use of tripods is out of the question, however, we had the guide and transport to ourselves and I could choose any position I wanted. With a full Jeep, a monopod is possible when stuck between your legs, but I recommend the use of a beanbag placed over the frame of the vehicle. It's quick and easy to manoeuvre in a crowded shooting position. Just remember to tie it down because if you lose it, there may not be an opportunity to retrieve it.

For much of the day I was able to engage the image stabiliser function and shoot at reasonable ISO and handhold, negating the need for constant fidgeting with the beanbag. Again, I used the lens wide open to give me a crisp depth of field, isolating the animals. The HSM (hypersonic motor) works efficiently and is reasonably quiet, whilst focussing was precise and quick.

Starling 1/125s - f6.3 - ISO400 @ 500mm Kichaka

Tom's Verdict
This lens has been around for a couple of years now but is still a great seller and it's not hard to see why. It captures great quality in the images and, for anyone not wanting to break the bank, it's great value for money without sacrificing performance. With this type of holiday becoming more popular and affordable, it makes sense for any enthusiast or professional to take this little beauty with them. I'm already booking my next trip and this is a key part of the arsenal I'll be taking with me.

• Tom Lee's Walk on the Wild Side page 1
  
• Tom Lee's Walk on the Wild Side page 2
  
• Tom Lee's Walk on the Wild Side page 3
  
• Tom Lee's Walk on the Wild Side page 4
  

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