I have a bit of camera experience and own both a digital and a canon SLR film camera. I was curious about the thoughts most guys have about the digital and the film cameras . I also posted it to generate some info for the folks leaving for Africa to read and think about.
The digital camera with a LCD is the only way to go if you want great photos taken by the black staff worker, trackers etc.. They never seem to understand what they are looking through on a conventional SLR or a point and shoot, the focus situation is way above their knowledge threshold as well. However with the little screen on a digital camera and the auto focus they can actually see the picture and understand it much better.
The caracal cat I shot this past July was taken by my tracker. It was dark he took the photo while using the headlights of the truck. With any other camera I would have been out of luck with him trying to make a picture for me. There is a lot to be said for the digital cameras on safari for hunting photos. I still like the SLR film cameras for really important pictures of high quality.
One thing I found with my digital is that it's often used to see how the photo will come out as a test before we use the film cameras. Seeing shadows, glare, brush in the way etc. is always a big help before you use a film camera which you won't see problems like that with until you develope the pictures.
I have a 200mm f2.8 lens on My canon which is a great low light lens and with enough magnification to be interesting. I also borrowed a 500mm canon F4 lens which is enormous and just a bit too much for my taste. Although it's able to reachout and see distant objects quite well. A tripod needed for nearly every shot though.
The digital zoom function is a joke, don't by a digital camera thinking you will get ten power zoom and the photo's will be any good at all! The optical zoom works well but the digital is not good for anylevel of quality. At least not the ones I have seen.
As far as batteries I would not even consider a digital without a rechargable battery. Or a dual battery system using both rechargebles and conventional or disposable batteries. They do go through batteries quick. I have built several power converters for the camps in Africa so we always have common 120VAC power for our clinets to charge their gear up. Shavers, radios, video, digital cameras, flashlighs, etc. Buy an extra battery and have one charge while the other is in use. My canon Digital (powershot) charges the battery in about 30 minutes. Also see if they make a cigerette lighter plug to charge from the vehicle if the camp does not have a converter for you to use.
