Laser Range Finders

You know how some gadgets come up now and again and your first reaction is," I want one but what would I use it for?"
Laser range finders have been around for a little while now and they have, like everything else in technology, just got better and better and smaller and smaller. They are more multi-functional than ever and in some cases, the price can be so reasonable. Take the Nikon Laser Range Finder 550A S for example; you can not only measure the distance of an object, but in a woodland environment say, where there are multiple targets, you can read the distance of the nearest tree or the farthest away tree. This clever little device will tell you the height of an object, the difference in height of two objects and will give the angle from the viewer to the top of the object.

A local man I know is an experienced tree surgeon who carries out some of the scariest projects you can imagine. He's got himself a bit of a reputation when it comes to difficult jobs - " If John can't do it, nobody can." Although having a built-in gift for triangulation in judging where a tree will fall, John finds this tool an un-missable part of his daily kit. He says that he now knows exactly if his tree is going to fall safely or not.

This tool has applications in other fields; yachting for example. Imagine you're approaching a bridge and you know the height of your mast, you have a copy of the appropriate chart, and the height of the bridge is indicated with reference to a low water level, you have the tide timetables at hand, but you haven't prepared this part of your passage in advance. You can employ your range finder and take a quick measurement to reassure yourself that you're going to clear the bridge, or: you refer to your chart, turn to your book of tides and work out the water height at that point on the chart calculated against the given tide for the principal port in that area, make the calculation and decide if you are safe or not. Which option would you choose?!

There are other laser range finders where the height measuring facility is not a priority and the equipment is needed mainly for distance checking. Again, there is a wide range available out there. A typical example would be the Cobra 1000xt laser range finder This model like most others in the class will typically measure distances of up to 1500 yds ( 1440 m ). Hunters, for instance, find this invaluable when measuring the distance of prey or especially when zeroing telescopic sights to have a much more accurate and realistic presentation of distance.

I once read an article a year or so ago that oil tankers which berth in ports to discharge their cargo are required by port authorities to use a laser range finder when coming in to port.

So, it's clear, whether one of these devices is needed in a professional or recreational environment, and with a little bit of imagination, you will find a way of answering that question at the top of this article. "I want one, but what would I use it for?"

DIGI-SCOPING

Digi-scoping is one of today's fastest growing pastimes and is the most economical way to achieve the most incredible professional-standard close-ups of almost impossibly distant objects. I used to look on in envy at people with big fancy DSLR cameras fitted with huge telephoto lenses and wished that I could achieve the same results with my compact digital camera. Don't get me wrong, I'm no professional snapper, but to have access to the same quality zoom as the pros would be awesome.

Well, now I can, and thanks to digi-scoping, not only can I match the capabilities of the pros, I can leave them standing when it comes to magnification! How's it done? - easy!

It makes no difference whether you have a compact or a DSLR. Get yourself a sturdy tripod, mounting bracket and adaptor for your camera, and a good quality spotting scope. The scope doesn't have to cost the earth.

There's a new range of Hawke Spotting Scopes which have just come on to the market this month, which are really worth looking at. There are countless models of digital camera out there, but you're sure to find the brackets and adaptors that will fit your set-up. Some models of DSLR have a fitment that replaces the lens and fits directly on to the scope. There are adaptor rings for direct coupling for cameras that don't have the necessary threading. Whatever happens, you won't get stuck, there is a wide range of Digi-Scoping Accessories available.

Most compact cameras have a zoom factor ranging from 3 to 6 or thereabouts, but don't be fooled by that number. The higher the zoom, the larger the size of pixel on your final image. The number that interests you is the number of megapixels, and the higher that number is, the sharper and clearer your final image is going to be.

With a typical 6 megapixel compact with 3 x zoom, you are already looking at magnification way beyond the capabilities of a traditional 35mm set-up where a powerful telephoto lens can cost literally thousands of pounds! there is a trade-off, however.

Because of the sheer scale of magnification, camera shake is almost inevitable, but all is not lost! You get yourself a remote shutter release; and again there is a wide range of models and prices. A model type that I like is almost Heath Robinson in looks.

It's like a little retort stand with a clamp that holds the manual shutter release pin over the camera's firing button. There are also electronic devices, but I must say that the manual set-up just underlines the whole image of digi-scoping as being more affordable than the traditional 35mm way. Like everything else, it's a question of taste. When you start out on this adventure of digi-scoping, you will be blown away by the sheer massiveness of zoom, and like me, you'll photograph stuff that was outwith your normal vision - it's like shooting the invisible.

To get started at a budget price which will still deliver fantastic results there are ready made kits where all you have to supply is the camera and adaptor.

Good examples of this are the Hawke Nature Lightweight Field Spotting Scope Kits.

They offer a superb all-round package for the enthusiastic beginner and a great gift idea too. Enjoy!

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