Panasonic TZ3 for digiscoping??

[Andy Atkinson]

Hello digiscopers
I'm hoping someone out there could advise me on this camera.
Does anyone use this for digiscoping? I'm going to start dabbling hopefully and have a Kowa TSN 823 'scope. This compact looks a good bet for this but I wouldn't know where to start regarding the adapter kit etc.

Does anyone use this Lumix branded camera currently and what kit do you use to attach it to your scope?

Any help would be gratefully received.http://www.birdforum.net/images/smilies/unknw.gif
Cheers, soon-to-be-digiscoper

[skywatcher]

Hello digiscopers
I'm hoping someone out there could advise me on this camera.
Does anyone use this for digiscoping? I'm going to start dabbling hopefully and have a Kowa TSN 823 'scope. This compact looks a good bet for this but I wouldn't know where to start regarding the adapter kit etc.

Does anyone use this Lumix branded camera currently and what kit do you use to attach it to your scope?

Any help would be gratefully received.http://www.birdforum.net/images/smilies/unknw.gif
Cheers, soon-to-be-digiscoper

Hi, I've just come back from a birdwatching trip to Florida and was very impressed by this camera.It gave sharp shots hand held to my Kowa 30w eyepiece on a 60 ED kowa scope.It's got image stabilization, which helps.The camera actually belonged to someone else in the group but we tried it out on various scopes etc. I've been using a Fuji p31 which is good but has some irritating features. The panasonic doesn't have manual settings so it appears fairly simple and one has to bear in mind that in Florida the light is good and the birds are close. Even so, I'm going to check it out more thoroughly. It's got a 10x zoom which people have always thought was not suitable for digiscoping, although I think this theory is being debated quite a bit at the moment.
All I can say is, I was impressed.Skywatcher

[Andy Atkinson]

many thanks for the reply skywatcher - very encouraging.
I know what you mean about the light. I'm looking out of my office window in Sunderland at the moment and it reminds me of Winter in Iceland but that's NE England for you.
I haven't been following the 10x debate but I'd be grateful if you have any background. Not sure why having a 10x zoom would be a bad thing unless it's a quality issue.

Cheers, Andy

[erniehatt]

many thanks for the reply skywatcher - very encouraging.
I know what you mean about the light. I'm looking out of my office window in Sunderland at the moment and it reminds me of Winter in Iceland but that's NE England for you.
I haven't been following the 10x debate but I'd be grateful if you have any background. Not sure why having a 10x zoom would be a bad thing unless it's a quality issue.

Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy,
Have a look down this page, for (can you use the Panasonic FZ50) this will show you that it is possible. A lot depends on the diameter of the camera and eyepiece lenses. I use this with very good results, as you will see on that post. Ernie

[iporali]

A lot depends on the diameter of the camera and eyepiece lenses.

And even more depends on the eye-relief of the eyepiece and the physical length of the camera lens. As Ernie has mentioned earlier, it helps if you have an adapter which allows you to slide the camera back and forth when you zoom the camera. Unfortunately most commercial adapters are not adjustable this way. If your Kowa eyepieces are "newer generation", they should be great for digiscoping (having >19mm eye-relief). Older short-ER Kowa EP's are of no use with the 10x Lumix - trust me! I have had the TSN823 and its eyepieces (20-60x & 32xW) struggled even with the 4x CP4500.

Having a long camera lens in digiscoping is like trying to look through a keyhole wearing a cap with a veeeery long peak/visor (or whatever that is called in English) - you just can't get close enough, and you end up seeing very little. It is not a quality issue, it is a quantity issue. :t:

Best regards,

Ilkka