Digiscoping

[Knight]

Has anyone here ever tried Digiscoping ? C ing that im on a poor mans budget i would like to try this technique . I dont want to have to invest to much money in this, lets say a $ 200 to $ 300 dollar range any suggestions would be apprerciated

[Peter_AUS]

http://www.shortcourses.com/how/digi...igiscoping.htm

[paulnj]

Pete's links is a good overall link!

Digiscoping is a bit more expensive than $300 though.


Here is a link for you. Though the scopes most people use are $1000 or so, you can read the posts for days and get info that will overwhelm you ;)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digiscopingbirds/

[Knight]

Thanks guys much appreciated , ill let you know how things go

Im looking at this one for a starter.

http://www.binocularscanada.com/eNet...645&type=1,3,5

[kornphlake]

I broke my 35mm SLR a few weeks ago and haven't been able to replace it just yet, in the interim all I've got is a cheap fuji finepix point 'n shoot. We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and I took several pictures through a pair of nikon 9X binoculars. It was actually easier than I thought it would be and for what they were the pictures turned out pretty good. The down side was that lots of the pictures came out really bad because of fingerprints or dust on the lenses, lens flare was tough to compensate for, depending on the angle the camera lens is to the binocular lens the brightness can be variable, there was a lot of vignetting and because the fixed lens on my cheap point and shoot digicam is so wide even with 9X magnification it was like working through about a 90mm lens. My harddrive at home bit the dust last week so I can't post the pictures, luckily I'd done a backup just a few days before and the pictures from the zoo are still on the memory card. Once I get a new harddrive I'll try to remember to post the pictures so you can get an idea.

[paulnj]

My question is this.... do you plan to use a SLR or a compact digital?

I have also used my P&S digi with my leica 10x50 binoculars with OK results, but as previously mentioned handholding 800-1100 mm is TOUGH.

Here is another link ... this link would be more useful to a person using a 1.25" eyepiece on their scope though.
http://www.scopetronics.com/digitalcam.htm

[Knight]

Paulnj

I plan on making a adapter to attach my camera to my spoting scope for my first trials .The ScopeTronix EZ-Pix II looks like it could adapt almost any kind of camera. I should be getting my scope by Friday if not it should be in on Monday . I finally decided on a 20-60 x 80mm Spotting Scope Maybe i should have tried the 100mm but the salesman told me that a 80mm would get plenty of light.

#2 Post after looking at ScopeTronix site a bit more Paulnj theres to many adapters here to choose from lol

[paulnj]

link me to the scope and your camera... WE will come up with an idea of what you need

I do not claim to know alot about digiscoping, but I can research anything. I KNOW birding optics quite well too! I have used scopes from $120- $3000 and I assure you 80MM will let in plenty of light!

The Fstop of the scope combined with your camera and lighting could give you 1/125 or.... 1/5th

The rule of thumb is a 80mm scope starts to fall off past 1/2 the MM amount (in your case 40x is the fall off power) You will find 20-40X plus the camera zoom will give you some serious magnification!

You need to check the eye relief on the eyepiece and be able to get the camera lens within that range too ;)

The most famous (in my mind) digiscoper is ANN COOK who has been shooting through her 80mm swarovski for MANY YEARS with amazing results!

[Knight]

Heres a link to the scope i am getting Paulnj.
http://lirelanature.com/modules.php?...Item&ItemID=56

The camera i will be using is a Kodak Z740 with a 55mm adapter.

[Old Timer]

This has been a very interesting thread. I didn't know anything about this technique. Thanks to you guys for educating me.

[paulnj]

I am afraid you will have serious trouble with that setup..... the camera has too much zoom(anything past 3-4x will be pointless to use) and the lens size is a serious issue also.

being as the eye piece will be so small , your lens(if you can mount it) will give you SERIOUS amounts of vingetting ;)

most people use a 28mm, 37mm...... but not a 55mm Some people are raving about the oly C7070 , but it's filter size is 40.5 mm I think?

here's another adapter....

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp...rch=1&pid=4270

I need to get ready to go to work, but will try to find a solution for you.

I fear you may need to invest in a new camera for better results though.

[kornphlake]

I broke my 35mm SLR a few weeks ago and haven't been able to replace it just yet, in the interim all I've got is a cheap fuji finepix point 'n shoot. We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and I took several pictures through a pair of nikon 9X binoculars. It was actually easier than I thought it would be and for what they were the pictures turned out pretty good. The down side was that lots of the pictures came out really bad because of fingerprints or dust on the lenses, lens flare was tough to compensate for, depending on the angle the camera lens is to the binocular lens the brightness can be variable, there was a lot of vignetting and because the fixed lens on my cheap point and shoot digicam is so wide even with 9X magnification it was like working through about a 90mm lens. My harddrive at home bit the dust last week so I can't post the pictures, luckily I'd done a backup just a few days before and the pictures from the zoo are still on the memory card. Once I get a new harddrive I'll try to remember to post the pictures so you can get an idea.

Photos as promised...

After seeing these on a monitor I'll ammend my statement above to say that lens flare and vignetting are severe and focus is tougher to get right than I thought.

[paulnj]

more links

http://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/mr/ds/ds_combinations.htm

http://www.3ge.com/pix/digiscoping/digiscoping.html

I can't find the lens size and "Lens Adapter UR-E8" thread sizes for the nikon 5700, but I feeel that camera has a large looking lens( gives hope to you using your present camera)

EDIT...... Lens Adapter UR-E8 gives you a very unpopular 50mm thread 5 more mm and Royce Howlands at your size ;)

Is there an adapter for your camera that goes SMALLER, otherwise a step down might be needed..... and a bracket to hold everything together ;)

[Knight]

Sorry i did not get back sooner but we got hit by a wind storm here and im a power Lineman. I Checked my Camera and it has a 45.5 mm to 55mm adapter on it so i could go down to 45.5 and then get a stepdown ring to the size i need. The lens on my camera is 38-380mm (Equiv.)

Thanks in advance for your help now back to work

[paulnj]

I did tree work for 17 years, so wind storms were always my friend I still have friends who work 3 days straight clearing lines, so I know what your job expects of you.

We will get that camera adapted to your scope!!!

Tell me when the scope arrives and we will get measurements to work with.

Unfortunately, my first nephew will be here any day and I am working the next 9-12 days straight! If I get some time in there I will search the net for a way to get that camera on that scope without too much vignetting ;)

[Knight]

Ok Paulnj i got my spotting scope and heres the specs.


Type: Straight
Aperature: 80mm
Focal Length: 480mm
Multi-Coated.
Eyepiece :Zoom
Eyepiece focal lenght: 8-24mm.
Power : 20-60x
Eye Relief: 18-15mm
Apparent Field of View : 40*-60*
Real Field of View: 2*-1*
Exil Pupil : 4.1mm-1.4mm

[paulnj]

OK.... but I was thinking the actual length and diameter of the eyepiece too ... also the diameter of the pupil inside the eyepiece too;)

We need to come up with an adapter that goes over the eyepiece or one of the adapters that HOLDS the camera right up to the eye piece itself. The reason We need the diameters is so I can judge how BIG or small the eyepice is too ;) Eye pieces come quite big and very small . Since I am unfamiliar with your scope, I want as much info as possible to TRY to help you.

We may need to ask DIGISCOPINGBIRDS in the longrun though.

[Knight]

Paulnj its about a 1 3/4 wide so im tinking of 2 setups that could work just have to choose wich one lol.

ScopeTronix 2.5" Uni-T Adapter STUNIT25 $39.95
ScopeTronix 55mm to "T" Step Ring STR55T $30.95

or

http://lirelanature.com/modules.php?...tem&ItemID=982

[paulnj]

While the EZ PIX II seems to be an easy fix, I think the first option might be the better choice. REMEMBER that as you zoom the lens goes CLOSER to the scope ! Will you have enough space with the EZ PIX is the question. At 3x or so should be where you get the perfect amount of zoom to rid your images of vingetting.

I am unfamiliar with your camera, so I don't know how far out the lens will extend .

[Knight]

Thanks for your help Paulnj ,

My lens only extends once to bring out the lens on power up. The 10x optical zoom extends inside the casing i guess. My camera comes with a adapter tube thats 44.5mm at the camera end and 55mm at the other to add other lenses and filters.So i think i will go with the Scoptronix adapter tube and the 55 mm ring Hell i dont have anything to loose lol.

Again thanks for your help it apreciated .

[paulnj]

post some images, that will be thanks enough for me! I enjoyed researching for you!