Fun Christmas Gifts From Sherwood Photographic

Are you looking for some fun Christmas gifts? Perhaps you want something a little more unusual? Why not give someone on your list a telescope, a pair of binoculars, or a camera?

The great thing about giving practical yet fun gifts like these is that you not only give someone an unusual and exciting gift, but it’s something that they can enjoy all year round. It also encourages people to get outside and enjoy nature. This is ideal for children who spend too much time indoors, or elderly people who want to get more exercise.

For binoculars, we have a great selection of bird watching ones, and marine ones. Buying someone a pair of binoculars is a great way to encourage a new hobby. You could also include some bird guides or other nature books, or a nature calendar in your gift.

A telescope makes a great gift for anyone who loves nature, or even for a student who is studying science. Check out our Telescopes Basics guide to choose the right scope for the person on your gift list.

Night vision optics are another great gift for nature lovers. A lot of wildlife is only active at night time, so giving hikers and nature enthusiasts a pair of night vision optics is an ideal way to encourage them in their interests, and to give them a gift they will truly enjoy.

We also carry a range of cameras, gifts and gadgets, board games, portable radios, and many other items that would make great Christmas gifts.

Does Night Vision Actually Work?

When many people ponder about night vision goggles, the images of spy films usually come to mind.  With many things in spy films being completely hocus pocus, many people also believe that night vision is one of these myths.  But really, they actually work!  With the proper equipment, you really can see people up to 200 yards away on a cloudy dark night.  Night vision technology generally follows concepts of two trends.  These two trends are thermal imaging, and image enhancement.

Thermal Imaging simply works by capturing the upper portion on an infrared spectrum.  What this means is that heat is omitted and turned into light when viewing into the night vision goggle.  Therefore, you can see where heat is, and where heat is not.  This makes our warm human bodies stand out from cold trees.  Thermal imaging is great for nocturnal animal lovers.  This technology allows the viewer to see nocturnal animals in their natural habitat, which when considering the dark nights, is a rarity.

Image enhancement works in a very different way that thermal imagery.  It basically works by collecting tiny fragments of light and digitally enhancing and amplifying them.  Light is captured into an image enhancing telescope with the traditional objective lens.  However, as with a normal telescope where the light would travel untreated, an image enhancing telescope intensifies the light with electrical power.  Simply put, light that normally would not be perceived by our naked human eye is amplified, allowing us to see in extremely low-light situations.

Experience the Magic of Space from your Very Own Home

Just about everyone is intrigued by space. The magic and mystery of our own galaxy and those beyond means that many of us are itching to see what’s out there, but you don’t have to be part of the space programme to experience it – with the right telescopes, you can see what it’s like from your very own home.

With astronomical telescopes you’ll be able to experience the beauty and magic of space no matter where you are. You’ll find yourself transfixed by the images you find – there’s nothing quite like seeing what’s out there, and many people can’t get enough of the captivating nature of space. Whether you want to see the detail of constellations or want a closer look at the planets you’ll find the telescope to suit, and with the right options you never know what you might come across.

But, if you want to be totally satisfied with your telescope, you always need to go for quality options. This ensures you’ll have the necessary clarity to really experience the best of the great beyond, letting you see far away objects like never before, and if you want to find telescopes that can deliver you need to see what we’ve got to offer.

We’ve got a fantastic selection of astronomical telescopes for you to choose from, catering to everyone from the beginner stargazer to the experienced astronomer, letting everyone experience the magic of space. Take a look around to find the model that’s right for you, and you’ll soon be mesmerized by what’s out there.

Twitching for a Look: Britain’s Rarest Birds

Catching a glimpse of some of the UK’s rarest birds in the sights of our telescopes or bird watching binoculars is what twitchers live for! Many of our bird watching telescopes offer video recording to preserve even the most fleeting sightings of Britain’s fabulous wildlife.

Avocet – Less than 4,000 wintering birds, with fewer than 900 breeding pairs. Mostly found on the east coast of England in estuaries.

Cirl Bunting – Confined to the south west of England, particularly coastal fields and hedges of south Devon. Currently around 860 breeding pairs.

Common Scoter – Although around 50,000 birds winter in the UK, only about 50 breeding pairs have been recorded. Most commonly spotted in their breeding grounds (northern lochs of Scotland) from October to March.

Osprey – Illegal poaching and low breeding numbers have seen the osprey population plummet in the UK. Arriving back from Africa in late March/early April, most of the 150 or so breeding pairs head to Scotland’s freshwater lochs.

Store Curlew – Arriving in late March to breed, around 350 breeding pairs can be found predominantly in Norfolk (Weeting Heath particularly) and around Salisbury Plain.

Also of concern are once common birds such as the skylark (the population has dropped around 47% since 1970) and corn bunting (down 89%) Neither of these birds is considered to be endangered just yet, but unfortunately it may only be a matter of time.

Set your bird watching binoculars to good use by helping the likes of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (R.S.P.B) with annual surveys.

The Feel of Binoculars is Important

When you are buying a pair of binoculars, there are many things you should bear in mind.

These include the magnification you require, how large you want the objects to be, whether they need to be waterproof and how much they cost.

All these issues are crucial and neglecting one of them can leave you feeling unsatisfied with your choice.

Another, perhaps less obvious, aspect of such purchases you may want to consider is trying the items out to see how they feel.

If possible, it helps to pick the binoculars up and see whether or not they seem right in your hands.

After all, it is crucial that you feel comfortable using the device and are able to transport it in the necessary way.

You may spend hours at a time using the product and if it feels awkward to hold, this could lessen your enjoyment of the experience. Indeed, it may be enough to put you off altogether.

No one wants to suffer discomfort while making use of the devices.

If you take the time to conduct investigations into how they feel to hold, you will be able to ensure you get an item that is perfect for you.

This means that whether you use them for watching birds, hunting, viewing scenery in the countryside or for any other reason, you will not be distracted by niggles about the ergonomics of your binoculars.

So, before rushing into getting a pair, make sure you have considered how they would feel to hold and, if possible, try them out first.

User Reviews Can be Helpful

Whether you are seeking to buy astronomical telescopes, night vision devices or any other type of product, the level of choice now available can make the process difficult.

Unless you are the sort who rushes into decisions without caring too much about the consequences, you may be left in a quandary about which item is best for you.

And this is becoming an even greater issue thanks to the rise in prominence of ecommerce, since the number of products that consumers can buy is continually rising.

With so many possibilities, it is difficult to know where to turn. However, don’t despair. There is help available in the form of user reviews.

Such analysis is becoming more and more common thanks to the freedom of the internet and by using this resource, you can have access to honest and uncensored reports of how good items are.

This means you do not have to rely solely on information from the firms responsible for selling you the astronomical telescopes, night vision devices or other items.

By reading user reviews, you can see how other people in situations similar to your own have found the products.

In this way, you can learn from their mistakes without wasting your own money on substandard or inappropriate devices.

This can save you a great deal of money and heartache and means you are more likely to source items that are suitable for your needs.

To return the favour, you may decide to post a user review of your own once you have made your purchase.

Look to the Skies for Gift Inspiration

With the festive season around the corner, your thoughts may be turning to what gifts you will buy your nearest and dearest.

Selecting appropriate items can be a tricky business, particularly if you are devoid of inspiration. After all, with birthdays and the festive season coming around each year, it can be hard to keep buying items that will be appreciated.

One option you might want to consider is that of astronomical telescopes. For those who have an interest in the stars and planets, this could be a fantastic offering.

It may provide them with many hours of entertainment and could be the start of a new hobby for them. Such a present may be totally unexpected and prove a hit with the recipient.

Also, you can team up the purchase of astronomical telescopes with other products based on the same theme.

For example, you could get books that contain relevant information about the solar system and what can be seen within it.

Meanwhile, you could also get a poster with the star formations on it to help them get to grips with what they can see through their new device.

This could also come in handy for future gift occasions, as you could continue to add to their collection of astronomical resources.

Surely it beats socks, a tie and a woolly jumper at any rate!

So, next time you are trying to source Christmas presents, why not take the time to investigate these products? You have nothing to lose by simply having a look.