Therein lies the zeroth rule: be where there's something worth photographing. :) Something like a sane resolution digital camera's probably ideal, in keeping with that, as providing you can keep your hands vaguely stationary, the imps inside will take care of the required adjustments quite well in most cases (though wire cages can throw focus off, depending how they gauge the matter. Camcorders tend to adjust for maximum "edge" in the video signal, which of course a cage is ideal at yielding :-P), permitting one to catch something spontaneous quite handily.

Ahh, I need to get out to record new furry video footage.. hafta work out the logistics of getting along to the zoo not-so-very-close-but-close-enough, as I know they do have my kin in residence. That would, however, require being awake at an early time in the day, which isn't a natural condition for me, but, all in the name of a good cause..

(If you won that species naming auction, could they henceforth be deemed coatimonkeys?)