New Camera for Safari and Fishing

[Dano_the_jigasaurus]

Ok I need some help and suggestions. I have a class next year and we will be going to Tanzania Africa for over a month, and I am sure I am going to want to take pictures. I am looking for a DURABLE camera, preferrably digital and it will be fairly resistant to blowing sand (less moving parts???). I really don't want to sacrifice the zoom or photo capabilities, but I don't want to wreck the camera.

Thanks a bunch

Dan

[MN Shutterbug]

I'd recommend an advanced compact point and shoot. They are capable of excellent photos and can boast optical zooms of 12X and over. From what I've read, the higher priced digital SLR's are more prone to sand geting inside, probably due to the way the lenses attach, according to what I read. It would also be much less stressful to wreck a $350 camera than a $1200 outfit. Plus, the P & S's are much easier to transport.

[Steve Foss]

I agree.

[Cyberfish]

I like my Olympus Stylus720 SW, it is shock proof for drops of 5 ft. and it is waterproof down to ten feet, so i bet it would do fine in your conditions.

[TRITC]

I've had an Oly Stylus for about 5 years now and agree with Cyber; they are fairly bomb proof.

TRITC

[nofishfisherman]

What class are you taking? My wife went to Tanzania for a month a few years ago for a college class. She went while a student at the University of St. Thomas.

She did the safari thing for a few weeks, camping out along the way. Then they spent a few days on the coast of the Indian ocean where they went snorkling and swimming for a few days.

[Dano_the_jigasaurus]

The Natural History of Tanzania--East Africa. Through UMAIE, I go to Gustavus Adolphus in Saint Peter.

It might be the same program, since UMAIE is a collaboration of a bunch of colleges and I know St. Thomas is part of them.

Did she go during January??

[nofishfisherman]

Yeah, thats probably the same class. I know hers was a UMAIE class that went during January and I think the professor was from Gustavus as well.

I think the name of the Safari company they used was Dorobo or something like that.

She had a great time, and she has ALOT of pictures.

Anyways she brought a really nice film camera when she went and she had two removable lens, one with a high powered zoom which allowed her to get pictures others could not get. (Like a leopard sleeping in a tree)

She had no problem keeping the camera clean, most of the time you are in a 4x4 vehicle or at camp so most cameras should be able to handle the abuse it will see on the trip.