My (Lightweight) Wildlife Photography Setup
My wildlife photography setup has evolved significantly over the years. My current setup is now heavily biased towards being fast and lightweight. I much prefer being able to shoot hand-held with the ability to move more quickly to different shooting positions without a tripod or even a monopod. I still use tripods and monopods when situations call for it, like on viewing platforms or stationary hides. However, in weight restricted situations, it is nice to leave them back and just focus on camera gear.
I also like the idea of being able to travel more lightly. Passing through airports is easy with this setup and also insures that I don’t have to worry about carry-on weight limits or limits on overhead luggage space. Things can get even trickier in the backcountry where bush planes have even tighter weight restrictions that may also include the cumulative weight of personal luggage.
In the past I shot with a Nikon D850 and a 300mm f/2.8 with teleconverters. While Nikon’s current professional mirrorless bodies are not necessarily lighter than the D850, it was the 300mm f/2.8 that was difficult to hand hold for any length of time. Since I was using the 300mm f/2.8 with a TC-14E III for a 420mm f/4 combination most of the time, the 400mm f/4.5 was an obvious replacement. It gives up only 1/3 stop of light and 20mm in focal length but saves considerably on size and weight. The 400mm f/4.5 at just 2.6 lbs comes in at nearly one third of the weight of the 300mm f/2.8 with a TC-14E III at 6.8 lbs.
Below are the specifics of my basic full wildlife setup. I sometimes swap items out depending on what I anticipate shooting.
Nikon Z9 – This is my main wildlife camera body unless I am really trying to save weight. In that case I go with the Nikon Z8 as my primary body. The Z9 has blazing speed and amazing autofocus for pretty much any fast action I choose to go after. With the integrated grip and larger battery, I can usually shoot all day without having to worry about running out of power.
Nikon Z8 – I use this camera pretty much interchangeably with the Z9 as it is basically the same camera without the extended grip. Mostly I use it as a second body with the shorter lenses as these combinations tend to balance better than the same on the Z9.
Nikon Z6 II – I always like having this camera along for walking around or general photography. It is also a great low light camera and especially well suited for nightscape photography.
Nikon 400mm f/4.5 – This is my main wildlife lens for lightweight and mobile wildlife photography. It is so incredibly compact and light that I can pretty much hand hold it indefinitely. With a relatively fast f/4.5 maximum aperture, it is also good in lower light than comparable zoom lenses.
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 – This lens is a great compliment to the 400mm f/4.5 prime for closer in or larger groups of wildlife. The fast f/2.8 aperture also helps for subject isolation and shooting in lower light.
Nikon 24-120mm f/4 – This is a great lens for general, environmental, or landscape photography. On African safaris wildlife often comes in real close where the wide angle end of this lens can make for some very interesting perspectives.
Nikon 35mm f/1.8 – While this is not necessarily a first choice wildlife lens, I sometimes like to bring it along for special situations. It is a great lens for low light night photography, or when I want maximum depth of field control for up close work.
All of this gear conveniently packs into a Gura Gear Kiboku 22L backpack. I also pack the usual spare batteries, chargers, filters, and a cleaning kit. This entire setup comes in at about 22 lbs (10kg) which is considerably lighter than the nearly 30 lbs (13.6 kg) that I had with my previous DSLR setup and 300mm f/2.8 lens. I can easily go lighter by pulling out the 35mm f/1.8 and the Z9, going with just the Z8 and Z6II. This brings things down to about 17 lbs (7.7 kg). Either way this setup easily fits in the overhead compartments of most any airline. If overhead space runs out, I can always fit it under the seat so I never have to risk having to check it.
