For those who are ever passing through New York, B&H is a photographic store that is as good as anything in the world. It's scale gets bigger each time we go. This afternoon they had 62, yes 62, staff working behind the counter giving advice and selling kit. The shop has some sort of conveyor system which takes goods from a warehouse, to the customer for checking, then to the exit where the kit is given to you [after you pay]. At about 3pm we counted 24 customers a minute being serviced. That is well over a thousand an hour. Despite all this speed, the service is good, the staff we met knew their stuff and we left very satisified.
We were only buying some small items of kit for our Uganda and Rwanda expedittion including Kata waterproof camera covers in case it is raining when we get to the Gorillas!
Julie and Adam
B&H New York - 3 February 2008
Thoughts on moving to Hasselblad - 26 January 2008
I have been a Canon SLR user for over 25 years, starting with a film camera called an AE1-Program, a fine robust camera. These were the days of manual winding and before auto-focus. I moved away from slide film to digital for our first expedition to Uganda and Rwanda back in 2005.
I have alway liked printing off my best shots. This started in the late 1970s with the Cibachrome printing process to today's very high quality inkjet printers. We have settled on an HP Z3100 for our large prints. This was reviewed on Luminous Landscape and received high praise. It is quite easy to use, and what we really like is trying out some of the really interesting matt papers.
For our recent expedition to DRC to photograph Bonobos, I took the [expensive] plunge and purchased a Hasselblad digital camera. My Canon digital cameras have 16.7 megapixels, the Hasselblad had 39. For me the key was giving more details AND more accurate colours.
So, after an expedition to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was hot, humid and mucky, my initial thoughts:
Negative points:
1. The Hassey has only one autofocus sensor, while my Canon has 45 points
2. The Hassey's autofocus is much slower and less sure than that of the Canon
3. The Hassey has limited exposure options
4. The Hassey is not really built for our sort of outdoor expeditions. Opening the flap to insert a memory card reveals bare circuit board. Combine this with rain and I would expect to see some smoke! It does not have the same sort of seals that the Canon professional models have.
5. No really long lenses are made [as yet] for the Hassey. The longest is 300mm, which is roughly the same as a 240mm on a Canon.
6. You need lots of memory! I was using three 8Mb cards a day!
7. No image-stabilisation on the lenses.
8. Limited ISO range, a maximium speed of 400ASA.
The Positives:
1. A fantastic viewfinder which is really bright.
2. When I was able to take shots without camera shake the quality is absolutely outstanding and the detail recorded is extraordinary. I am able to produce prints 24" wide and 40" high with colours that have real impact and amazing detail. To me far, far better than my Canons.
So overall I am really pleased. We are off to Uganda and Rwanda in a few weeks which will really test the Hassey and me. I will be reporting back!
Adam
Travel tip for DRC; One Dollar notes - 21 January 2008
The Democratic Republic of Congo has a few surprises, even for experienced travellers. To our amazement one Dollar bills are not generally accepted by anyone! Five Dollar bills and above are fine, but not singles! No real idea why this is the case. Perhaps fear of forgeries? Anyone who knows why, let us know!
Julie and Adam
Bonobo photographs - 20 January 2008
As you will see from the site, we have now processed most of our photographs from our Congo expedition and are pretty happy with what we produced. If you go to the home page of our site you will find a link to the trip report from the Congo and also a selection of photographs for your perusal. We really were bowled over by the trip, the country, the reserve and the Bonobos. Absolutely amazing.
Adam has been busy printing of some large prints from the HP Z3100 printer for our gallery. We have moved away from gloss paper and currently are using Hahnemuhlephoto rag paper. This has matt finish, but with texture. The paper really suits some of the darker and moody portraits which Adam really likes producing.
Julie and Adam
Bonobo heaven - 4 January 2008
After all his passport adventures, Adam was glad to arrive in Kinshasa on Saturday evening. Julie and Jean collected him from the airport and drove straight to camp. Tip for other travellers to DRC; bring your yellow fever certificate as they do want to see it. The last time Adam was required to show his certificate was in Tanzania over 20 years ago.
Anyway, we have been shooting non-stop for the past five days. Highlights for us have been:
1. We spent a few hours this morning tracking a small group of Bonobos. This was quite hard going as the jungle is very dense and thick. However being able to shoot these fantastic animals in their natural habitat was very special.
2. Taking shots from one of the local bateau (or boat) is great. Some of the Bonobos come down to drink, some to wash and some to play. We found a place where the bravest wade up to their necks to get to the other side. 
3. Simply observing the Bonobos behavior is wonderful. Their play, the youngsters running round and chasing each other, endless sex, feeding and grooming. It is like a combination of East Enders, Dallas and other soap operas - high drama with lots of high pitched squealing.
The internet speed here is too slow to post our shots on the blog, but we will produce a trip report which we will post to the site and we will will also update the onsite database with additional photos.
This trip has been surprisingly tough on equipment. No dust, hard knocks or rain to contend with but the humidity is very high and some of the Bonobos are in the habit of throwing mud, fleas and other muck at us as we try to take shots.
Great trip, excellent charity which is doing much to support the cause of Bonobos in DRC and hopefully some great photos.
Julie and Adam
I like it when a plan comes together - 28 December 2007
This morning I arrived early at the DRC Embassy. A much more impressive building and district than the one in London. In Paris you can see the Eiffel tower from the front entrance, in London it is Kings Cross station! I walked into an already busy waiting room. It was not clear what everyone was doing as they appeared to be Congolese and presumably did not need visas? Anyway after a while I was able to go up the dark back stairs of the building and meet an elegant chap who spoke good English. He took my passport and the supporting documents (letter from bank, message from the Paris police about my stolen passport, yellow fever certificate and invitation letter) and said come back at 4pm when it "should" be ready.
Off to Air France where I booked myself on the Saturday morning flight hoping that the visa would come through. Calmed myself down with a nice lunch and a bottle of house red and then back to the Embassy. More waiting around with the same group of people. We were all looking confused, but the Embassy people seems to be well organised. Eventually I was shown back upstairs and waited in a very elegant reception room with a photo of DRC's ruler; Major-General Joseph Kabila. At 4.50pm the nice chap came back with my passport with the visa.
This brought a very big smile on my face! No complaints at all about the Embassy in Paris. Pretty slick indeed ... Thank You!
Adam
Letter from the Congo - 28 December 2007
Apart from the humidity, everything is very enjoyable. Tropical fruit is so plentiful and the meals are really good; a combination of Congolese and Belgian-French. And the hospitality here at the guest house has been very generous. (A far cry from first impressions on arrival at the airport but that's another story.)
I have three favourite locations: one is a bit of a walk (only half an hour or so but the humidity is the killer) but the forest is so serene and peaceful when you get there that it is well worth it. The other is on a bateau, floating quietly in the river where my 500mm F4 on a tripod with the Wimberly head comes into its own. And the third is at Bamboo Beach, a tiny little spot where some of the Bonobos also step into the water; here a 200-400 lens on a beanbag is fine. ISO needs to go up to about 200 by about 3.30pm. 
I have been out on the bateau a few times now. Today I saw one of the Bonobos slide itself down head first, on its back to drink water upside down from the river. I am not sure why (!!) the shots are certainly very interesting. The little ones are always fun to watch with their quizzical expressions. And the adults are climbing the trees, their feet allow them to be more adept at climbing and holding things and they are sleeping up there, all spread out like a leopard along a horizontal branch. A couple of them walk across the shallow part of the river from one side to the other. I have found some eggs which I am allowed to feed to them tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to get them right where I want them!
One of the Bonobos is sick, nothing serious but she looks miserable. Some of the others stay with her and don't come down river to feed. Quite nice I thought - most of them are very kind, there's just that one mother to stay clear of.
There's also a lot of sexual behaviour - it's quite extraordinary but hey, it seems to keep the peace.
Julie