Longbow

I took my camera for one of my friends in our archery club this evening. She is thinking of taking up photography again, but didn't like digital, so I said she could have a look at mine. She's now thinking of getting a Pentax!

Anyway, while I was waiting for her to arrive I got a couple of shots, ( not with my bow ).
I like this one.
C&C as always please.

Nice composition, I like it, but . . .

DIRTY SENSOR ALERT . . .

I was thinking that, but thought I'd cloned all the spots out. Which did I miss??

What's the best way to clean the sensor, I only have a cheap blower at the moment. Just; mirror up and blow away?

I can see 3 spots in the clouds at top right and 1 just above the heel of the bow (if that's the right name).

By eck! You've got keen eyes! You're not an archer yourself are you

Slightly OT but related to it. I once worked for a company who were involved in testing the strength and elasticity of the longbows that were recovered from the Marie Rose, Henry VIII's flagship.

The exercise was shown in a TV programme, Time Team I think it was, with Tony Robinson.

Some of the bows were actually 'brought back to life' after bending and stressing them. They were re-strung and worked very well apparantly.

Oh! I remember that!
Apparently they had a draw weight of about 140lb

The bow in that picture isn't mine, but I believe it has a draw weight of about 60lb and that is quite heavy these days.

I shoot a recurve bow with a 38lb draw weight, I can't imagine pulling 140lb

No, I'm not an archer.

I think there may be another little dust spot immediately above the leftmost arrow.

Regarding sensor cleaning, I use a combination of Giottos rocket blower, and when necessary, the Arctic Butterfly from Visible Dust.

I would use a wet cleaning system only as a last resort since it took me absolutely ages to clear the smears from a *istD sensor after wet cleaning it.

Thanks for the advice. Looks like I'll have to get a better blower.

I think that at the time the TV programme was made, there were very few bowmen around who could actually pull them.

All I know is that the longbow is effectively a laminate which gives it it's characteristics. Although it is cut from one piece of wood, the inner surface has to be good in compression and the outer surface has to behave properly in tension. For that reason the piece of wood used to make the bow is very carefully chosen from a specific part of a tree (I can't remember which one).

I also know that we brake rather a lot of them in testing. It was quite sickening to hear these several hundred year old weapons snap.

Stihl's blowers looks quite sweet, read this:
As Stihl's most powerful blower ever, the new BR 600 is ideally suited for the most rugged professional applications. Powered by a 4-bhp. and 64.8-cc displacement engine, the 20.9-pound unit delivers 201-mph air speed and 712-cfm air volume for one of the best blowing power-to-weight ratios in the industry. Its patented 4-MIX engine technology provides fast acceleration, added power, impressive torque and increased fuel efficiency. The BR 600 features a uniquely designed, ergonomic polymer frame with an adjustable harness system. Plus, the BR 600 is one of the cleanest-running machines in its class, according to data on the EPA's Web site.

You can't go wrong with that one ideally suited for the most rugged professional applications fits the bill right.

On the dutch forum there was someone wanting to blow it with a hair blower but that one blows hot air so not so good idea I believe.

I need to find a good blower also....although the lst time I used a pressurized duster can...I blew dirt up inside my viewer..Now I need to find someone who can properly clean my camera

Yew I believe

Can it suck as well?

Very nice framing Father.

Not just Yew. Ash is quite popular as well.


Thanks Other than a crop to straighten the image, (well, I was lying on my side on the ground to take it), that is as taken.