hfb46 Loc: UK

I have been frustrated that the birds always seem to just out of reach when I visit my local RSPB Wetlands. I have a Nikon D7000 camera and a Nikon 55-300mm lens. Recently I was browsing the internet and came across an item on digiscoping with some cracking bird images.

This seems to be an avenue worth exploring on the basis it gives the option to visually observe our feathered friends or hook up a camera to record some images. Any of you hogs got experience of digiscoping to share or advice to give to someone thinking of giving it a try? It's still not a cheap option but not as expensive as getting tooled up with a long lens and converter.

ottopj Loc: Annapolis, MD USA

I had never heard of it. I checked it out and it sounds interesting. Sorry that i am of no help to you, but thanks for the intro.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

I did this years ago (I'll try to find some images)

I used a C5 spotting scope, 1250mm focal length, with some great results. With a film camera :shock:

That only prompted me into astro-photography :-)

If you check the used markets, there can be some great deals to be had!

GT

TomV Loc: Annapolis, Maryland

I have done some in the past. Some of the limitations include a very narrow field of view so typically point and shoot cameras are used to butt up against the eyepiece of the spotting scope. The mounting hardware can be sort of kludgy to use, clamp around the scope eyepiece and then centering the camera properly in the projected image with less than precision adjustment capability.

You need to use the timer on the shutter unless you have a release cable. You adjust the focus of the scope through the camera viewfinder and then let the camera fine-tune the focus when you shoot.

There is some learning curve for the setup that includes adjusting for the light levels.

blackest Loc: Ireland

It can be tricky, you need the right lens with the scope, a method of clamping the camera lens to the scope and supporting it a good scope otherwise you are liable to get lots of chromatic aberration and a very steady platform the longer the scope the harder it is to keep it pointed steadily at your target, who may wander off before you have them in your sights. Pretty hard to do well my equipment was pretty shoddy to be fair. Chances are someone in your local camera club will have an existing setup. It would be a wise move to see if they are willing to let you go out with them so you can see if its something you can manage. I don't think i'm cut out for it.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Here's a friend at another forum that I frequent that digiscopes:

http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/threads/75978-Spring-isn-t-here-yet#post630809

It's a 600mm f6.4

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

It is important to set your expectations properly. Extremely long shots are not going to be that good. There is is a lot of air, dust, water vapor, etc. between you and the target, and those shots are never going to look that sharp.

Second, digiscoping is rarely as sharp on closer targets than a long camera lens. Most scopes used for digiscoping use lower quality objective lenses than camera long lenses use and the probability of chromatic aberrations is quite high. There are better scopes, but the cost goes up fast to get scopes that use low dispersion objective lenses.

Third, you are mounting the camera above the telescope eyepice. This gives great magnification, but the amount of light is suspect. There are two ways to mount the camera: 1) with lens and 2) without lens. Either way way see distortion, especially near the edges.

I have tried digiscoping and long camera lenses and by far I get better images with the dedicated camera lens.

I have also looked at several digiscoping sites and looked at the posted images. I see that there is considerable edge distortion and for the most part, inferior images. Going into digiscoping with the idea of doing it on the cheap is going to lead to disappointment. It takes really good scope optics for this to work with good results.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

At the top end (Swarovski) camera mounting has become a cinch, albeit at a price. I was checking one over the other week at the invitation of a scope shop proprietor and there system allowed you to set up the scene with their zoom eyepiece and then swap eyepiece for DSLR bayonet attachment for the shot quite quickly, I ran of a few shots but we didn't really have time to reset the balance on the tripod so they were a bit shaky, but you could pick out detail on a painted brickface some 200m distant even with the shake.

At the photoshow 2 weeks ago the Opticron stand virtually said the where Swarovski go the Industry follows. Expect to see similar easier attachments featuring in lower ranges.

Take a look here for some good reviews on scopes, best I've seen anyway.

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/spotting-scopes/

Don't know what part of the U.K. you are in HFB but there is a big birding event held annually at Rutland Water in August. If you are still interested and not purchased by then this would be the place to learn more. It's like the photo show but outdoors and for birders. All the major players are there.

hfb46 Loc: UK

Thanks for all the replies. There is some really useful advice here. :thumbup:

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

I still have my homemade variable flange length six-setscrew adapter for my Pentax Auto 110 SLR that I built in 1981. I used it with the 24mm f/2.8 lens to shoot through scopes and binoculars. Now I have the micro four thirds adapter for the lens, and still use it once in a while.

Saleavitt10 Loc: Maine

Give the folks at Eagle Optics a call. They can give you advice. To do it well it is not a cheap endeavor. The top digiscopers get some stunning photos but they have been doing it a long time and have top of the line scopes and adapters. The majority of them seem to be using mirrorless cameras.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Don't forget that you'll need a robust tripod and probably a gimbal setup.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I considered digiscoping and bought a celestron spotting scope which I promptly returned. From what I could figure out, any spotting scope that cost less than a thousand dollars or so wouldn't give me decent images. In my research and experimentation for a low cost solution for birding, I finally came upon this solution, a used 10MP Nikon 1 J1, with an FT1 f-mount adapter and a Nikon AFS VR 55-300 VR zoom lens (total cost about $600). With the CX sensor and 2.7 crop factor it gives me a 35mm equiv field of view of 810mm. And it's light enough that I haven't used a tripod. I can hold the lens with my left hand and zoom the lens manually and tap the shutter button to auto focus with my right hand. Attached are cropped photos of a cardinal at about 20 ft. and a blackbird at about 50 yards, both handheld with this setup.

Cardinal at 20 ft.


Blackbird at 50 yards.

(Download)

Nikon 1 J1, 10MP, Nikon AFS VR 55-300 F4.5-5.6 zoom lens

(Download)

the f/stops here Loc: New Mexico

Use a 20X ocular on the scope instead of the standard 32X. Practice, practice, practice and have fun.