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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Recent content by spiderwood

  1. spiderwood

    Lens advise on Canon L IS USM

    Speaking from direct experience with both lenses (I still have and use both)...Go for the 300/4 rather than the 100-400. If I was starting out again, then I wouldn't bother with the 100-400 and would buy the 300/4 and 1.4xII convertor. Why? *The 300/4 is a prime lens and is sharper all round...
  2. spiderwood

    tripod legs / head help

    You main problem is that of price...you can easily spend more than £250 on a ball-head alone. Something like has been suggested with a Ball-head, Gitzo and Sidekick could set you back anwhere between £700 and £1K Try checking out the Uni-Loc tripods, something like the Major 1600 would be a...
  3. spiderwood

    Convertion mm vs X factor

    Sprry...yes, I'm speaking about straight mag on a lens, and would be correct for straight 45mm or a DSLR with a full frame sensor (35mmx24mm). If your Digicam/camera body has a different sensor size - eg like APS or smaller, then would be a slightly different magnification. EG. the Canon...
  4. spiderwood

    Red Kites May Soar Again In North East Skies: Plans Unveiled to Bring Rare Birds Back

    RK intro into the North East Skys may actually benefit the Harrier population. We have one of the few breeding areas in England very close by, and yes we have some of the finest Grouse moors too....the release of the Kites into the Derwent Valley will hold risks for the birds as they will...
  5. spiderwood

    Convertion mm vs X factor

    Generally 1x per 50mm, or 2x per 100mm. So a camera with a 300mm lens gives approx the same view as a scope with 6x mag; 400mm gives 8x; 500mm gives 10x; 600mm gives 12x. Same applies if using teleconvertors... 500mm+2x = 1000mm = 20x Mag. 600mm+2x = 1200mm = 24x Mag. Hope that helps.
  6. spiderwood

    Off-camera Flash

    Hi George, Following on from your comments on the ball-heads and Wimberley etc...do you have any views or experience of using either the Kirk of Wimberley flash brackets? I've begun to get fed up of Red-eye/Steel eye on birds and mammal shots when using flash in low Winter light. Any views...
  7. spiderwood

    choice of lens

    I'd go with George's suggestion...the 500/4. Having carried the brute around for a bit it is heavy enough. The 400 and the 600 are a lot heavier to pack! The 500/4 AF's on a D60 with the 1.4x, but not the 2x. Optical quality is not degraded visibly with the 1.4x, and only slightly with the 2x...
  8. spiderwood

    tripod head

    Regarding Ball-heads and supports... The Arca-Swiss Ballheads are still excellent. A/S did have some issues with ball-lock, but the more recent heads seem to have resolved any issues. On the heads I've purchased recently (2 B1's and a B1g - on which I haven't had any problems) the stated...
  9. spiderwood

    rapptor id

    How big - if a big bird, then possibility of a White-tailed Sea Eagle. There are some in the Mull area.
  10. spiderwood

    Lens Questions

    Fancy finding you 'ere too Pete ;) I guess you've gone ahead and bought by now...but here's my 2p worth.. If you're after static subjects (non-flight shots) then the 500/4 is great especially when used on a tripod & with the 1.4x too. The 1.6x crop from the D30/60 will end up giving you a 1.1m...
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