Phil Bishop

I carry it on my shoulder with the supplied strap, and I usually have the TC17 attached too. I am not the fittest person around, but it is a manageable-and I often carry my birding scope on the...

The 300f2.8vr is the lens I use the most, and I would say that 99% of the time it is hand held. On the rare occasions when I do, I have an old Gitzo 1348 with a BH55 ball head. As I am usually...

Its a Spotted Sandpiper

Nice. I do like to see images with lenses that have character. its been something that I have wanted to try myself-one of my friends has been doing this with his Pentax cameras, picking up old K...

Yes it is. Panstarrs is fading a bit from when I last saw it, but it is still bright enough to be seen easily in a dark sky. Would love to have got an image with a decent aurora like you have, but...

One of the Cloudy Nights threads with some useful information http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5699876/Main/5697025

There are several discussions on the cloudy nights forums. Some of the ioptron mounts are supposed to have very good periodic errors though wether this applies to this mount I cannot say. Not had a...

I have one. Only had one brief opportunity to use it so far under hazy skies. Polar alignment very quick and easy using the iPhone app and it handles my D3s and Zeiss 100mm lens easily. Not sure if...

I wouldnt worry too much. Unless a rare bird turns up at the reserve you are visiting, you are not likely to encounter a twitcher (many of whom will be carrying photographic equipment to document...

Maybe. Depends on the Dobsonian-many different makes with optics ranging from superb to barely adequate.  Bear in mind the Dobsonian is a visual instrument and is not capable of tracking the stars...

I was completely clouded out. Would have been the first night with my new tracking mount and was hoping to use Da-14 as my first test subject.

Went down to European Astrofest today, with a view to examine one or two camera platforms. I was originally looking at  the ioptron Smart EQ mini german mount as it has a nice goto system and will...

I did a few brief tests with my ZF100 and ZF35 F2 last year and was a bit concerned at the amount of blue halos present though I was pixel peeping. I did not have any other lenses to compare, and...

Have one of their waterproof lens covers, purchased at last years Rutland Bird Fair. Not actually had a chance to use it in anger yet, but having been to their stand in the past and seen the...

I used the DK-17 on my D2x and found it to be incredibly useful for manual focussing . When I replaced the camera with a D3s I naturally put the DK-17 on, but gave up after a week. Like you I wear...

Having taken many thousands of images like yours I can understand your frustration.Small birds a long way away never produce good images even if you have the best lenses available for several...

If you liked the 300f2.8, the 300f4 is a good alternative, particularly as you don't seem to need to use it wide open.

Makes a refreshing change from the usual rectangular formats. Used to see it a lot of course when 6x6 film was more commonly used.Great compositions, superb images and very inspirational.

Certainly the case in Stevenage-moved next door to the long established independent who went out of business a year or so later.
Admittedly most of the good staff ended up working for Jessops for...

Rather than get third party batteries, it is possible to rebuild the old NiMH batteries. A few years ago I had planned to resurrect my old D1x by using Lithium rechargables. I came across a few...