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

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  1. F

    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    I have quite a few cameras. They are all equipped with Arca plates attached with just one screw. They stay put permantly and are rock solid. However these plates are specially made to fit each camera, cannot twist and it always metal to metal contact. My long tele lenses are equipped with Arca...
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    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    I agree fully. I use two screws and things stay put. I use a cheap 80 mm long Arca plate from China which in my opinion is long enough for balancing my Kowa 99. The plate is recessed at the bottom so it fits my Gitzo GHF2W head without removing the safety catch screw from the head. Also the Arca...
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    Zimbabwe Hornbill

    Have you checked the maps at ebird.org? There are also two similar threads from 2019 to compare with.
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    Zimbabwe Hornbill

    Bradfield’s and Crowned, both species can be found in Hwange. Still, my vote goes to Bradfield’s, but I admit the picture may be misleading.
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    Zimbabwe Hornbill

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    Zimbabwe Hornbill

  7. F

    Leica APO 77mm Televid viewfinder eyepiece

    The Leica APO 77 is now quite old but I have kept mine. I have three eyepieces: 20x WW, 32x WW and the 20-60x zoom. The 32x WW is very good and was my favourite. I seldom used the zoom. The FOV is quite narrow. There were rumours about a new WW zoom (20or25 - 50x?) eyepiece which was said to be...
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    Nothing wrong with a diy finnstick, but the commercial version sold in Sweden is expensive. The Kohla stick weights next to nothing, and you can carry it at all times. When travelling low weight and bulk is nice. 😀
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    Considering giving up on digiscoping

    Regarding dangerous animals and some of my experiences. Sometimes you get very close. If you stop a safari vehicle to let elephants pass, the elefants choose where they go and they may come very close. Lions sometimes use vehicles as cover when they hunt and you may find them right beside you...
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    A cheaper alternative to the Finnstick is the Kohla Fix&Focus from Austria. 😉
  11. F

    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    For the birds I need the glass. Have I said otherwise? I do not take pictures of birds which are 2.5 miles away, so I do not know how to illustrate my point. I can only try by showing two pictures. It is not 2.5 miles away, it is perhaps a mile or slightly less. On the other hand, the...
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    It is at the limit. I said ”might” see. The conditions have to be good. If people stand out against the background, if they move, etc. it helps a lot. I have to know that they are there and search for them. I do not spot them just by casually looking.
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    In front of our house is a small island exactly 2.5 miles away. At that distance I have no problem spotting larger birds such as ospreys, sea eagles, herons and cormorants. Also medium size birds such as gulls, ducks and jackdaws can be watched and identified without to much trouble. For...
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    Sorry, but in my mind you do not prove anything. 572 yards is not very far. Scanning e.g. a big lake or the horizon for pelagic seabirds often means much longer distances, sometimes several miles, (if conditions permit).
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    My ”workflow” is basically the same. For scanning or locating my target I want a decent FOV. About 40 m at 1000m is usually enough. This translates to 25 - 30x magnification depending on which scope I use. If I need more FOV I use my binoculars! After scanning I also zoom to higher...
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    Considering giving up on digiscoping

    I refrained from photo with long expensive tele lenses for a long time. I tried video due to the availabilty of cameras very long lenses with zoom at decent prices which were available at that time but it did not produce the results I wanted. The autofocus was to slow, the screen was not very...
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    How many ditched their spotter for higher powered bino’s?

    I agree with Tringa 45. I usually use 8x binoculars in the woods, 10x in open landscapes, but I would never part from a good scope. A 65 mm Swarovski for travel, a bigger one for local stuff. However when bringing my camera and my 500/4.0 along I have to leave the big scope at home. But my...
  18. F

    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    To clarify, I enclose a picture of some of my gear. Two lenses with proper Arca feet (from RRS). Markins and RRS ballheads. Both with Arca clamps. A Sirui tilt head on my monopod. Almost proper Arca. The loose not quite Arca plate is from Sirui. I do not use it. Markins and Sirui clamps have...
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    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    My Sirui tilt head allows top loading, I use it all the time with my 500/4.0 VR. I assumed the VA-5 was the same.
  20. F

    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    I have Kirk feet for my 70-200/2.8 lens and also other stuff from Kirk. I agree, it is good gear. I also have clamps, ballkeads, and other gear from RRS, Wimberley, etc. It is all good gear. But it has to fit. I do buy their gear when they do. With photo equipent, no issues whatsoever. Scopes...
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    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    Thanks for the suggestion and I am glad it works for you. I have tried plates (not Kirk) with a lip. Did not work. I live in Sweden so it is rather expensive to import gear from the US. Costs for freight, custom clearance etc! It may be possible to find a cheap chinese plate from e.g. Sunway...
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    4k Monitor for photo editing yes or no

    Seems to be very good suggestions. Apart from a wider color gamut, IPS panels have two more advantages. Higher contrast and quite important with large monitors: much better viewing angles. The colors stay correct also when you look at the picture edges.
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    4k Monitor for photo editing yes or no

    I do not know that monitor, and I am not updated on the latest offerings. It used to be true that you should avoid TFT panels and look for IPS panels in order to get better colour rendition. By the way, I now notice that this post is quite old!
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    4k Monitor for photo editing yes or no

    No matter what you buy, you have to colour calibrate it. I agree. Also check the colour gamut (basically the number and distribution of colours the monitor is able to display) of the monitor you intend to buy. As high as possible. Eizo is good stuff. Gaming monitors are rarely (acually never)...
  25. F

    Best tripod for a big Kowa scope?

    You want smooth movements in all directions. That’s what a fluid head is supposed to achieve. Also you do not want your scope to tip forward or backwards unless you deliberately point it that way. You have to slide the attachment plate forward or backwards and lock it in position when your scope...
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