I have always used Nikon cameras and lenses and I still do. Not that I think that they are in any major way better than Canon, Leica or Contax, but I know my way with Nikon gear and they have a vast array of lenses and accessories suitable for my photography.

My main camera body is a Nikon D2X which I use for all my bird photos. For my bird photography I use the Nikon 600mm f/4 AF-S II lens often with a 1.4x teleconverter and sometimes when much extra reach is needed with a 2x teleconverter. I also use the Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 AF-S and the Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S lenses when shooting landscapes and portraits and these are two extraordinary good lenses.

To get sharp images with fast (and heavy) telephoto lenses sufficient support is of paramount importance. I started by using a Manfrotto/Bogen 055 tripod and a Giottos ballhead. This combination gave me barely acceptable results and I therefore decided to buy the Gitzo 1548 carbon fiber tripod. This is the perfect combination of sturdiness and weight which together with a good ballhead produces excellent results (in combination with a good long lens technique). I use a Wimberley head for most of my bird photography and a Kirk BH-1 ball head for my other work. On all my telephoto lenses and my camera bodies I have quick release plates mounted.

Until going digital I used Fuji slide film and my main film for bird photography was Fuji Provia 100F which gives excellent results even when pushed one stop. I also use Fuji Sensia 100 which in most cases gives results comparable to Provia 100F. For landscape work I use Fuji Velvia.

Digital capture is an incredible tool and it is very hard to go out shooting slides when converted to digital. This is not only because the workflow gets messed up when using two systems. The main reason is that digital is so much more fun to use. The desire to experiment is totally fulfilled by using digital. As I am using digital the choice was easy to go for the D2X the digital body Nikon provides that is most useful for bird and wildlife photography.

For scanning slides I am relying on a Minolta Dimage Elite 5400 slide scanner which produces impeccable results when you have learned the technique. After scanning the images are processed in Photoshop CS which has a real steep learning curve, but is well worth the investment when you have learnt some of the endless possibilities. My monitor is calibrated using the Colorvision Spyder, a step paramount for getting consistent results when printing images. Images are printed on an Epson 7600 large format inkjet printer which gives a longevity of at least 50 years when the prints are framed and matted.

Binoculars are an invaluable tool in all wildlife photography and I strongly recommend the Swarowski EL line. These are very expensive but the best money can buy. The 10x42 gives you plenty of light, hence the ability to use it even in low light conditions. The image is sharp from corner to corner and the colours are vivid and very natural looking. The design is rugged and very comfortable, when holding. After you have tried these binoculars you will never be able to go back to a simpler binoculars. For bird watching me and my wife uses the Zeiss Diascope 85 T* FL, which performs like a dream. It's lightweight although it gives plenty of light for low light conditions. We use it with the 20-60x zoom eyepiece which performs wonderfully between 20-40x. Magnification above 40x introduces some "corner" softness. The tube is watertight and the design is rugged, although not as rugged as the new Swarowski line of spotting scopes.