Camera Neck Strap – Best Price!

It’s hard to imagine someone asking your question here if price is truly irrelevant. I would think you would seek out a nature and landscape master and hire them to work with your father on the purchase of equipment.
The equipment people are suggesting to you is nowhere near the best possible. If you want digital you need a Hasselblad system that would start at $100,000. I’m not including large format because it isn’t conducive to wild life photography.
So, hop on over to http://www.hasselbladusa.com/ and drop them an email with your request. Or, include a price limit in your question.
Enjoy this http://www.hasselblad.com/masters-2009/landscapesnature—bang-peng.aspx while you’re there.

If I had no limits on budget, I’d probably get a Nikon D3s with the 200-400 VR lens for wildlife, 70-200 VR lens for general photography including some landscape, 24-70 lens for basic photography, and 12-24 wide angle for landscape. Maybe the D3x…

$15-20,000 ought to cover it.

-Canon EOS 5D Mark II, or perhaps a 1D Mark IV
-EF 16-35mm f/2.8 II USM for landscapes
-EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM for wildlife.

I believe choosing a camera is a really personal thing. Especially if they are already an avid shooter. So you are walking into very unstable territority. Even though your father may really appreciate the thought and the effort put into the gift, it is unknown how much he will use it. one such example is how people go bananas arguing over Canon or Nikon (although recently most people accept their differences and stay out of each other’s way).

All the camera suggestions i’m including are great cameras who will satisfy most users. The question becomes how much you want to spend. I’ll order them from frugual to luxurious.
Canon 500d
Nikon d5000
Canon 7d
Canon 5d MK2
Canon 1ds
Nikon 3dx

Lens suggestions:
nature, landcapes – most people prefer wide angles just so they can capture as much as they can. Typically the wider the better.
10-22
11-16 etc

Wildlife – you’ll want the longest focal length possible. This is so you can stay away and not spook the animals.
70-300
70-200
300 f/2.8
400 f/4

This is my setup. It is frugual but i get very pleasing results. In addition, i place a high value on mobility and being able to carry my equipment easily. It does everything very beautifully
Canon 500d
10-22 (wide angle)
50mm f/1.8
75-300 IS

The best lens for wildlife is the 300mm 2.8. You add a 1.4x and 2x converter, and you’re set, around 3750.00 used.

If price is absolutely no object, a 600mm F4 is an incredible lens, around 7,000.00 used.

The 14-24 2.8, 24-70 2.8 and the 70-200 2.8 II for landscapes, around 6,000.00 new for set.

Camera- A Nikon D300S for wildlife, the 1.5 crop factor helps. A Nikon D3S for landscapes. D300S-1600.00, D3S around 5,000.00 new.

Here’s a wildlife shot with a 600mm:

http://cgipix.com/Portfolio_Wildlife_Photography_Deer_Bucks_Velvet.htm

Here’s a scenic with the 600mm:

http://cgipix.com/Portfolio_Yosemite_Scenic_Landscape_Photography_Lessons.htm

Canon 5D Mark II (nice and weather proof) with a 20-70mm 2.8 L series for landscapes and portraits and a I use a 70-200 2.8 L Series for weddings but I don’t think that will be good enough for wildlife. Whatever you do, you want to insure that the lens is weatherproof so that if your dad is out in the woods and it starts to rain he doesn;t have to panic … heck, he can even keep shooting.

ex.: http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/