For years the Nikon camera company has been synonymous with wildlife photography.
Stunning images of animals are used to promote its products, features on top wildlife photographers appear on its website and the firm even sponsors several global conservation projects.Hurrah for Nikon! Hurrah, hurrah!
So it may come as quite a shock to animal lovers to discover that the Japanese manufacturer also produces a rifle scope specifically designed to be used for big game hunting in Africa.Booooooo!
How dare they make anything like this! What do they think they are! Some sort of company making products, or something?
Stefano Unterthiner, winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the year in 2008, himself a user of Nikon cameras has now condemned the firm for producing such a product.I don't think they're forcing you to use it, Stefano. Nor do I think your camera will suddenly turn deadly in your hands as a result...
'I always saw Nikon as a company close to nature, but I was wrong.'I don't think it's possible to get closer to nature than hunting it, do you?
Wildlife photographers on "safari" are accompanied by a game warden. The warden (plus his rifle and appropriate sighting system) is the only means by which photography in a game reserve is possible with any degree of safety.
ReplyDeleteStefano might, nevertheless, opt to go solo and unarmed. In which case his final few frames (should his camera ever be recovered) may well be spectacular.
Stefano could console himself with the knowledge that superior optics should lead to clean(er) kills, rather than just critical injury & slow, painful death.
ReplyDeleteHello, is that the chief warden? We've been on patrol and have found a camera covered in rags and lion shit; d'you want me to phone the Daily Fail?
ReplyDeleteHow Politically Correct do you have to be these days?
ReplyDeleteWhat utter ass hats,
ReplyDeleteI'd still go with Ziess over a Nikon scope
"In which case his final few frames (should his camera ever be recovered) may well be spectacular."
ReplyDelete:D
"Stefano could console himself with the knowledge that superior optics should lead to clean(er) kills, rather than just critical injury & slow, painful death."
He should, but for most of these types, the idea that someone should be allowed to pursue an activity they don't agree with, however well, is anathema.
Funny, I never see any hunters complaining about photography...
"How Politically Correct do you have to be these days?"
For real life, or just to be in the pages of the newspapers?