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Photographic Equipment
By Adrian Hepworth

Cameras
Both digital and film cameras are welcome on our tour; please bring whichever equipment you feel most comfortable with.
It is worth remembering that on a digital camera the ASA setting can be changed from one photo to another and ratings of 400 and 800 ASA on the more advanced models produce relatively low ‘grain’ images compared to their film equivalents. This is very good news when photographing in a rainforest, which experiences a wide range of light conditions.
If you are bringing a new camera with you please read the manual well and take some practice shots before the tour begins. It would be very frustrating to be flipping through the manual as monkeys swing by!
Older cameras that haven’t been used for some time ought to be tested thoroughly before the trip.
In case you are considering buying a new camera for this trip, we recommend you browse the Internet for sites that have equipment reviews posted by consumers. One example is www.fredmiranda.com. Should you have any specific questions about equipment and its usefulness on this tour please feel free to contact Adrian Hepworth at adrian@hepworthimages.com.

Camera Cable Release
This cable has a shutter button at one end and plugs or screws into your camera at the other. It allows you to take photographs without touching the body of the camera, which otherwise causes camera shake at low shutter speeds. Because we often work with low shutter speeds in the rainforest this item is highly recommended.

Lenses
There is such a variety of subjects to photograph in the tropics that many different lenses can be of use at one time or another. The four main lens types that will be most useful on our rainforest tour are wide angle, medium telephoto, long telephoto and macro. They can be of fixed focal length or zooms.
Wide Angle (14mm-35mm range) For forest, waterfall and river landscapes. Large flowers ‘in context’.
Medium Telephoto (80mm-300mm range) For mammals, some birds, large reptiles, mountains, flowers.
Long Telephoto (400mm+) For birds and tree-dwelling mammals.
Macro For insects, frogs, lizards, snakes and flowers.
Note: If your digital camera causes focal length multiplication this should be taken into account when choosing lenses (e.g. a 28mm lens on a Canon 20D becomes a 45mm lens).
The amount of equipment that you bring is entirely your decision; even though all of the previously mentioned lenses are very useful they are not essential to participate in our tour. Please remember that we will be doing most of our photography on foot and you will be carrying all your own equipment with you.
Lens and camera cleaning equipment will be required.

Flash
The majority of animal photographs taken under the canopy require some degree of flash. A medium or large flashgun is therefore considered essential.
Note: Many flashguns that were designed for film cameras do not work with digital cameras (e.g. the Canon 5D camera only works with the EX range of flashes and not the EZ models).
To achieve extra flash distance you may want to consider buying a flash extender (sometimes called ‘Project-a-Flash’). This is a very simple and cheap plastic lens that fits on the end of your flashgun and magnifies its output by up to 3 stops. This can be extremely useful when photographing animals in trees with a telephoto lens. There are several different models available that can be purchased on the Internet.
For those who enjoy macro photography, one or two bracket-mounted / hand-held flashguns or a ring flash are required for satisfying results. A flashgun mounted on the camera’s hotshot will usually not provide the correct lighting for very close subjects.

Tripod
Limited natural light is probably the biggest challenge when photographing wildlife in the rainforest. In many cases slow shutter speeds are unavoidable and this makes it very difficult to obtain sharp images with a hand-held camera, even with an image stabilizer. In addition, once you have an animal in your viewfinder you often have to wait for the pose or behaviour that interests you; by supporting the camera on a tripod your arms won’t get tired.
A sturdy but relatively lightweight tripod with an easily manoeuvrable head is recommended. The head needs to be strong enough to hold your camera and telephoto lens perfectly still while pointing 45 degrees upwards.

Memory Cards for Digital Cameras
Memory cards are the digital equivalent of film and are available in different formats (e.g. compact flash, smart media, memory stick) and sizes (e.g., 256MB, 512MB, 1GB).
  • Check which card format(s) are compatible with your camera before making a purchase.
  • Decide what size image you will be taking with your camera on our tour and then choose a memory card size that allows you to take at least 40 or 50 photos before the card is full and needs changing.
  • Bring enough memory cards to hold all of the photos that you think you will take (be generous in your estimate!) OR bring two or three cards and a portable digital storage hard drive*.
  • Read carefully the instructions of how to care for your memory cards i.e. avoid dropping them, getting them wet or exposing them to magnetic fields.

Digital Storage Devices
Laptop computers and portable digital storage hard drives* enable you to download and save photographs from your camera’s memory card during the trip. They provide a back up should anything happen to your cards.
Laptops have the obvious added advantage of allowing you to view your images on a big screen and sharing them with others.
Portable digital storage hard drives are roughly the size of a calculator and can be carried with you during the day as we photograph.
Don’t forget to bring the relevant cables for your hardware!

Film
As a general rule, Velvia 50 or 100 ASA are good choices for landscapes, macro with flash and non-moving wildlife and plants. For moving wildlife the most suitable film speeds are between 100 and 400 ASA (though remember the larger grain in 200 and 400).
When deciding how many rolls to bring, first calculate how many you think you will use and then we suggest you double this number; it is better to have too many than too few. We cannot guarantee that you will be able to find and purchase your preferred film type while on the tour.

Batteries
We recommend that you bring rechargeable batteries for your cameras and flashguns as this reduces the amount of garbage. Costa Rica operates on 110 volts AC and all batteries can be recharged at night in the hotel.

Camera Bag(s)
We recommend camera bags that:
Bags and pouches that strap around your waist can be very convenient and comfortable. Backpacks may be more spacious and somewhat comfortable but you have to remove them to take things out. Shoulder bags can be accessed more easily but can put a strain on your back when walking for some time.

Miscellaneous Equipment
Recommended Items:

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