I've just returned from the Focus On Imaging exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, the biggest photorgraphy industry show in the UK. There was some interesting gear there, the new Canon 1Dx and Canon 5D Mkiii were both on show, as was the Nikon D4 and D800. In time I am wondering about a change to a 5D Mkiii, it is certainly an impressive bit of kit and a whole heap lighter weight than my current Canon 1 Series bodies. I also got to try my dream, money-no-object, camera, the Alpa 12, courtesy of the nice people at Linhof Studio. Paired with a Phase One IQ180 digital back would be perfect!

What puzzled me with Focus is the number of people who appeared to have brought their entire photography kit with them, at every turn there were people with huge backpacks knocking into you, it is a good job I am a big lad, I would have been off my feet a couple of times if not. Also the number of slightly creepy old guys hanging about trying to photograph any model who appeared was a little cringeworthy, the models were there as part of demonstrations, usually of lighting equipment, which meant that the guys hammering their onboard flashes at them will have got shockingly poor photos, and will have missed what the advice and information the professionals demonstrating had to give.

Other than those two minor gripes it was a great day, I managed to restrain myself and didn't buy too much, a new double camera harness from Black Rapid which was superb, a quick release adaptor for my new tripod head (more on these two in further blog posts later this week when I've had chance to use them in anger) and some ink for my printer.