Pantanal anybody?

[stever]

i think i asked about experience in the Pantanal a few months ago, but time is now growing short and i can't decide if it's worth renting (and packing) a 400DO.  will also be spending 5 days in the Amazon

have had very little luck finding any web sites with useful info

[wolfnowl]

Try this one: http://www.joannewilliamsphoto.com/photo_n...?nid=1161912492

Mike.

[sergio]

I have done lots of work in the amazon. Lets see if I understand you. You don't want to carry heavy big glass. Why? I would only carry a long tele if I was going after wildlife. I find that a 24-105 range is what gets used the most. Maybe a little wider and a tad longer, but not by much. A nice macro might be worthwhile if you like closeup imagery. But think in fast lenses; the jungle can be dark. When shooting inside a maloka (indigenous house) I used a 50 1.4 wide open @ 1600 ISO and even had to use low shutter speeds with a 5D.
I hope that helps.

[mattbain]

I was lucky enough to spend 5 amazing days in the pantanal in 2006.

I only had a 17-85 IS (i was backpacking hence space was a premium) on my 20D but still managed to get plenty of wildlife photos that i am happy with.

As you are probably already aware the pantanal is generally very open and a 400DO would be great (if it fits in your luggage) for the amazing wildlife. Even with my 17-85 i still got a few photos of beautiful toucans, blue macaws, kingfishers etc but the extra reach would definitely be worthwhile.

You may find that the 400DO is not as useful in the amazon. I spent only 3 days in the peruvian amazon and did not have nearly as many chances (as in the pantanal) at capturing wildlife. This was because of the sheer density of the rainforest, we would often hear or catch a glimpse of a beautiful bird etc but it would be hidden by the dense canopy.

At the end of the day don't worry too much because you are in for one hell of a trip. Take the longest lens you have / will fit / can afford to rent but regardless of what you take you are in for a treat.

I've just thought of the issue of having to change your lenses while in the heat / dust (depending on when you are there) / humidity and 20 million mozzies. That's a tough one because the 400DO will be too long for when a cayman (alligator), giant otter or hopefully the elusive anaconda (we lucked out on that one) pops up next to you. That's the beauty of the pantanal, you are constantly surprised by what you stumble upon.

If I was going back (hopefully one day) I'd probably compromise and just leave a 70-200 lens on for the majority of the time and not try and change lenses every 5 minutes. Although this may not be much help for you.

I hope this helps, have a great trip and feel free to ask anymore questions

i think i asked about experience in the Pantanal a few months ago, but time is now growing short and i can't decide if it's worth renting (and packing) a 400DO.  will also be spending 5 days in the Amazon

have had very little luck finding any web sites with useful info
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[stever]

thanks, i'm going to take the 400DO, 100-400, 24-105, 50 1.4, and Tokina 11-16 with a 20D and 40D plus flash with better beamer

i'll post results in early nov

[sgietler]

Steve,

Enjoy your trip, I just got back from 8 days in the pantanal, it was fantastic. I'm sure you'll do fine with all of your lenses.

Scott

[stever]

Pantanal was fantastic.  Flew to Cuiba and stayed at the Jaguar Lodge and Araras lodge on the Trans-Pantanal "highway" (this is really a 140 km long very rough gravel and dirt road).  Had very good Jaguar sightings on the Cuiba river (as did other people we talked to).  Birds are incredible - number and variety amazing.  Not as many nocturanal animals as i'd hoped for (we were there at nearly full moon) but did see a small anteater and tapir.  Highly recommended if you can stand some discomfort - hot, hours spent in back of old pickup trucks on rough road, and pretty basic acommodation at Jaguar lodge - Araras better.  September may be the best time to go (lots of people in July and August), but October was fine.

What worked:
- private guide - don't think it was terribly expensive and we had private vehicle and as much time to shoot what i wanted.  however drivers not very experienced and getting them to kill engine promptly and coast to a stop was not standard procedure

- 400DO was worthwhile (but not essential) f4 useful in afternoon and at night and shooting into the occasional deep shade (where jaguar like to rest during the heat of the day).  was dissapointed with autofocus speed on the 40D (particularly with the 1.4x) and the image stabilization seemed a bit lazy at times - almost all shots handheld from truck or boat.  the lens itself is not that heavy, but the long heavy hood (which is absolutely essential to prevent flare) makes it slower to point than 100-400 -- for the price of this lens how about a carbon fiber hood and a decently designed lens cover (and i think most photographers could do without the silver lunch box it ships with).  i'd rent it again for similar circumstances (about once a year for me) but don't intend to buy one.

-100-400 took lots of good images - carried it on hikes and took along a 500D for closeups.  Problem with the 400DO is that you've got to have a 70-200 or 100-400 on another body to back it up.  i consider IS lenses essential for these shooting conditions (and got a few good shots at improbably slow shutter speeds out of multiple exposure strings)

- 580-2 with better beamer and Quantum Turbo Compact  -- could use fill flash all day and flash at night on one charge of Turbo Compact - very noticeable difference between bird shots with and without fill flash.  used the Wimberly bracket - okay, but don't like protruding knobs.  would prefer a simple bracket attached to camera body so as to not get tangled up in cords switching the 1.4x in and out.  Flash with beamer stresses hot shoe too much bouncing around in trucks (from experience).  Of course would like something less fiddly than the better beamer.  Too bad the Qantum Q-flash doesn't high speed synch to Canon.

- up-strap - can't believe how it hung on to my frequently sweat-soaked shirt

- got all my gear on the planes in the Thinktank Airport Acceleration without hassle.  Used the Speed Freak for walking around - holds a good variety of gear, but shoulder strap not comfortable when you load it up and it slips - ordered up-strap when i got back.

- Fenix 200 lumen LED light - on high it's as bright as most spotlights run off car electricity.  I made a clamp to attach it to the Wemberly flash bkt.

- antihistamines and aleve - i'm not normally allergic, but there are lots of plants and the air can be pretty bad from sugar cane burning - aleve for back pain from bouncing in trucks on wretched seats

- Ex Officio Air Strip Lite shirt.  Lightest, most comfortable, quickest drying hot weather shirt i've ever had and doesn't seem to retain odor.  Ordered two more when i got back (several colors on sale for half price)

- snack bars - food not terribly good and sometimes served at odd times

- Op-Tech rain sleeves - these disposable covers don't take up much space in the bag so it's there when you need it

- poncho - no reason to bother with a rain jacket, way too hot and doesn't cover your gear in a downpour


What didn't work

- tripod was unnecessary (i did use a monopod at times)

- polarizer - i think it's typical of the time of year that there are no clear skies (there were in the Amazon)

- wide angle lens

- localized mosquitos - i hadn't treated clothes with permathrin recently and got bit even using repellant.  fortunately malaria not a problem this time of year

- cell phone coverage is very spotty all over Brazil and often had to try 3 or 4 carriers - 24 usually worked best

- a cushion would have been very welcome in trucks and boats - even some spare clothes or a towel in a zip-lock

[lbalbinot]

Congratulations on your trip! Going up to the Amazon is something that even we that live in Brazil don't dare to do! Post some pictures if you can.

Regards,
Luis