Re the kit question and single v light twin debate.
Several years ago, I flew some US Secret Service blokes on a recce for a official visit. The aircraft was an EC135T1 with a fairly "standard" UK police fit. They brought a ropy-looking, small 25 cent digital camera but they put it away when they saw what we could do for them in the imagery sense.
The Americans told us that they usually went to places in the States that only had a few bino-equipped B206-class machines and expected the same in the UK. They were knocked out by our "quality over quantity" approach it what would now be seen as an older aircraft.
However, I agree that the new equipment does come at a price in weight.