Hi All, I'm on the point of buying a new compact camera to replace my Canon Powershot 710 (8.5 years old and still going strong after much use). I'm after something slim, light & pocketable, but with very good image quality. For quite a while the one I've had my eye on was the S120, at circa £22...

To add to the earlier comments, I have had this marvellous book for a few days now, and it is a great piece of work. You feel as though you are being guided through the British species by real experts, yet in an easy to absorb way. The quality shines through from the informed and fascinating text, c...

My thanks to Lee and Guy - what a helpful bunch you are.

I have returned from Andalucia after a very succesful birding trip with 116 species seen by our group of nine people. :o It was somewhat less than spectacular for butterflies, not helped by a couple of days with incredible wind strength, with around 10 species seen, (8 of which occur in the UK!) The...

Thanks for the update on the ground, Matsukaze. I'd heard Spain has been suffering some grotty weather of late. I've not seen any hibernators waking up in my part of Hampshire so far, despite a couple of sunny and almost warm enough days to start this week.

Pete,
That's a generous offer, I would be pleased to borrow your Lafranchis guide and will aim to see you at the social afternoon on 27th February.
cheers from Andy.

Guy & others, Thats pretty exciting news, I'm quite hopeful now of having a few sightings. I'm familiar with most of the Uk butterflies, but the foreigners are a different matter altogether. I can really only recall seeing Swallowtails when I was in Italy several years ago; it may be a case of t...

I will be on holiday in Andalucia, southern Spain during the 2nd week of April and I'm wondering if anyone has any notable butterfly sites they would recommend, particularly in range of the Estepona area. It will be early in the season, but I hope there will be a few species on the wing. I have stud...

Thank you all for so many comments, and so quickly! Pete and Rogerdodge especially. I understand a lot of what you are saying and it makes sense. :idea: Three points in particular: Try and be a little further from the subject. Use the higher f numbers Raise the ISO to keep the shutter speed up. I be...

Hi Pete & colleagues, :?: I guess I would like to ask your advice. At the end of May, after deliberation and advice, some of which was gladly received from this forum, I purchased my 1st digital SLR, this is a Canon 450D with a Sigma 105mm macro lens, and a monopod which I wish to use mainly for...

Some concise and useful thoughts from Markulous, and I certainly would consider a second hand camera body purchase. One can read and read about it, but in the end I will have to start handling and getting a feel for the likely camera set up. I would like to second the comment made by Shirley - "...

Thanks Gruditch for the link to the Sigma website, that's a really useful piece of info for me, it apparently is available for Four-Thirds. Certainly you can't believe everything the magazines have to say. A good point about the monopod helping you carry your camera over the shoulder too, suddenly I...

Hi everyone, and thanks for all the feedback, quite a response. :D “I think a fast shutter speed, flash (if necessary) and a tripod are as (if not more) effective (since you'll still need these even if you have image stabilisation!).” "I use a Canon 30D with a 105mm macro lens, and get decent s...

I am considering a first ever purchase of a Digital SLR camera, to be mainly used for butterflies, moths, dragonflies & flowers, sometimes landscapes, and would welcome any advice and guidance. How much importance should I attach to having the following? Image Stabilisation A Live View screen Du...

Hello All, I'm hoping soon to buy my first ever digital camera, and am thinking of spending up to £250. It needs to be a useful all-rounder, good for landscapes, holidays, occasional motorsport and useful for some close-up butterfly shots as well. I've not really done much photography in the past, s...