Ivory Hunter

[Dallas]

Some shots I hadn't edited or published before and taken on our 2017 Sabi Sabi Safari. Early on in that safari we had come across an elephant carcass, which was providing a right feast for all the predators in the park, from hyenas to lions and vultures. Apparently this elephant had died in a fight with another male. The stench was over-powering, as you can tell from these images of another (non-FZ) group of people who were on the same sighting. 

 

 

[mjcmt]

Last one is fantastic. 

[nokk]

the first image is excellent, the second one had me in stitches.  

[blurmagic]

What a perfect title for this post.   The back story is outstanding!

[Dallas]

Thank you, Dave.  

[CarreraS]

'The stench was over-powering,'

 

Yes, it took hours to clear from your nostrils, didn't it? 😝 .. Unmissable opportunities tho' .. I remember calling 'Incoming !!' every time a Vulture swooped in .. 😲

 

On our first trip, Londolozi 2004, there was a dead hippo at a large waterhole . the sky was thick with vultures like Heathrow on a Friday rush hour, all in holding patterns, every tree was packed with them, predators of all descriptions were queued up in hierarchical layers.

 

Everyone was waiting on two hyenas, who were the only predator present capable of opening up a hippo ..

 

 

I remember the stench even more vividly than the elephant, but it was my first exposure, so to speak ! And it taught me not to do safaris where you might share a LandRover with honeymoon couples etc .. I can even remember trying to track a rhino on a walking safari, this woman was in a summer dress and wearing slingbacks !!

Anyway, the fellow travellers couldn't get away quick enough !!

 

D100, 80-200 f2.8 AF-D push pull, still sitting on my table as it works very well on a D3 as a grab and shoot, and is worth squat to sell !

 

cheers, Maurice

[Dallas]

Maurice, there is a pawn shop down the road from me who have what looks to be an unused Nikon D2xs with a lens (16-something) for sale at R8000, which is about the price of a few bags of crisps in your money. These guys usually operate on a 100% markup so the poor bugger who sold it to them probably did so for about R4000. Ridiculous when you think what that body sold for new at the time. 

[CarreraS]

🥵

[Dallas]

I'm going to have to invest in a new telephoto for the next FZ group safari. My Olympus 50-200mm doesn't work so good on the G9. I'm considering the Pan/Leica 100-400mm but there are also other options by Olympus that are coming out. I suspect that they will be a tad out of my pocket though. 

[waltonksm]

This is not intended to be a recommendation.  BUT......

 

Have you or any others of our community used a Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS? I see one used that is not a great price (maybe a tip-off to quality?) Even new they are not that bad (around $450 USD new on Amazon.)

 

I am sorry to hear about your 50-200 not working well on your new body.  I wish that combo were a bit smaller/lighter.  I have never been disappointed in that lens.  It is a recommendation you made to me many years ago, and it is still a great lens compared to others I have tried.

[Dallas]

Walton, unfortunately I have not used that lens. I did own and use the 45-175mm which is a tiny, motorised zoom lens and it is a lens I regret selling. It wasn't outstanding, but it was fairly sharp and the small form factor made it a very useful carry around. A lot of the work I did on safari in Namibia in 2013 was done with that lens. 

 

I have now put up my Olympus 75mm 1.8 ED for sale as I haven't used it for more than just a few frames the past few years. Those frames were made for a corporate job I did covering an event just before the pandemic was declared last year, and since events are now no longer a thing (nor a thing I enjoy doing), what's the point in holding onto it? If I find a buyer I will probably use some of the money towards getting another Lumix body, or the Sigma 16mm 1.4 Art lens. I may also invest in more LED video lighting for my YouTube channel (which is going to be my main focus for the foreseeable future).