Digibinning with the Nikon P5100

[Neil]

I haven't hooked up a camera to my bins for a while, in fact I don't take them out as often these days to save the weight. I thought it would be interesting to see how the P5100 would work. I hooked it up with the Televue adapter (3 screws ). If I was using it out in the field I would attach it to the right eyepiece.
Vignetting is minimal even at wide zoom but disappears almost immediately. You would need to rest the camera on something when doing this so it would be useful to carry a beabag or similar. Neil

Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski EL 8.5 x42mm bins and Televue adapter

Hong Kong,
China.
November 2007

[johnno]

I haven't hooked up a camera to my bins for a while, in fact I don't take them out as often these days to save the weight. I thought it would be interesting to see how the P5100 would work. I hooked it up with the Televue adapter (3 screws ). If I was using it out in the field I would attach it to the right eyepiece.
Vignetting is minimal even at wide zoom but disappears almost immediately. You would need to rest the camera on something when doing this so it would be useful to carry a beabag or similar. Neil

Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski EL 8.5 x42mm bins and Televue adapter

Hong Kong,
China.
November 2007

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the Pics.

Very Interesting,and Just goes to show,what can be Achieved.

Totally agree with you,Definately a rest of some sort is needed.

Regards.
John

[Mike Penfold]

I use an SRB-Griturn digiscoping alignment collar which IMO works well with a Fuji F30 and Zeiss zoom; however, the alignment collar requires careful measurement of the scope eyepiece/camera lens housing before it's fabricated.

So I was intrigued by the Swarovski Snap Shot Adapter for digibinning, which snaps on to the extended eyecup barrel of an EL or SLC, with an indexed camming mechanism which adjusts for the diameter of the camera lens housing with three curved projections. The adjustment maintains its setting in multiple uses, at least with this sample; the cord attaching it to the binocular neck strap is included. Retail in Canada is about $30.00.

Attached is a handheld, digibinned photograph of a House Finch in our backyard, as well as some shots of the adapter on an EL 10x32. BTW, the finch photograph was enlarged in the camera, but is otherwise unprocessed.

Mike

[Dale Forbes]

So I was intrigued by the Swarovski Snap Shot Adapter for digibinning, which snaps on to the extended eyecup barrel of an EL or SLC, with an indexed camming mechanism which adjusts for the diameter of the camera lens housing with three curved projections. The adjustment maintains its setting in multiple uses, at least with this sample; the cord attaching it to the binocular neck strap is included. Retail in Canada is about $30.00.
Mike


hi mike, most of my early digibinning was done completely hand-held. I was lucky in that my wife's casio lens fitted directly in to the eye-cup socket of my Swarovskis. I managed to get some decent photos with this setup (including a half-decent video of a black rhino doing its best to hide behind some bushes, and a leopard lazing in some rocks). one of the problems that really plagued me was getting a blue wash over the photos when the camera was not perfectly aligned with the ocular lens (i.e. when there was a bit of an angle in how I was holding the camera).

earlier this year i also started using swarovskis snapshot adapter and was amazed at just how much easier digibinning became. i now carry one tied to my binnies (or in a pocket) pretty much all the time. as you said, alignment becomes a piece of cake with the adapter.

one thing that has intrigued me, though, is why i dont see more people digibinning. it seems like a perfect solution for birders who generally have a pair of binoculars and digital camera with them anyway. and for years the snapshot adapter has come free with new swarovski binoculars so there must be tons out there already. i wonder, is it just that people dont ever get over the hurdle of learning how to use it effectively, or is it that people just aren't interested in trying to take photos through binoculars (maybe we are breaking some unwritten law of photographic coolness).

happy birding