P5100, P6000 or DMC LX3?

[ChrisA]

I recently bought a Swarovski ATS 80 HD with 20-60x zoom mainly with a view of getting into digiscoping. I've been watching the posts with interest and still can't decide which camera to go for. I've seen Neil getting some amazing shots with both the P5100 & P6000 but have also seen arguably one of the best digiscopers in my area getting some great results with the Panasonic DMC LX3 (though matched with the Kowa TSN 883) - an example here: www.lincsbirds.co.uk/album/displayimage.php?album=1&pos=29. Can anyone help me make my mind up?

Many thanks

Chris

[RJM]

Playing with one in the store here, the Pano LX3 looks to be an excellent digiscoping camera. BUT the lens moves quite some distance through its short zoom range. My impression is it might require shooting through an eyepiece with LONG eyerelief like the Kowa 25x LER.

[ChrisA]

Thanks for the advice RJM - think I may well go for one of the Nikons

regards

Chris

[Neil]

The LX3 has some great features but as RJM says would be better matched with a fixed eyepiece with longer eye relief than the zoom. Also the lens is a bit short so requires a 30x plus eyepiece to get the magnification. The new Swarovski 25 - 50 zoom eyepiece might be a good match for the LX3 but the P6000 would still have problems. The P5100 works well with most eyepieces. Neil.

[Cactusdave]

The Nikon 5100 is now getting difficult to obtain new in the UK. I had one stolen on a recent trip to Argentina, and found it difficult to replace. I got one from Amazon UK just before Christmas, now the price has gone up £50, a sure sign supplies are running out.

[SiG]

The Nikon 5100 is now getting difficult to obtain new in the UK. I had one stolen on a recent trip to Argentina, and found it difficult to replace. I got one from Amazon UK just before Christmas, now the price has gone up £50, a sure sign supplies are running out.

That's the bad news. The good news is that you can stumble across hardly-used 2nd hand p5100s now in the £100 - £150 range, depending just how little used they are. A colleague recently paid 120 for a machine that had taken around 2000 shots; my wife paid 140 for one that had been used for less than 200 shots, with original receipt and warranty card.

[ostling41]

one of the best digiscopers in my area getting some great results with the Panasonic DMC LX3


The Panasonic LX3 is the best camera I have ever owned. I am currently in San Francisco, visiting relatives, and I have been having a ball shooting the marvelous Victorian architecture. The camera eliminates wide-angle barrel distortion in-camera.

I have not done any digiscoping with it yet, but I intend to pursue this when I get back to Phoenix.

[ChrisA]

I was eyeing up a P6000 in a shop today - looked a nice camera but glad I didn't take the plunge. Sounds like the trusty P5100 is my best bet. Thanks for the advice guys - will look into picking up a 2nd hand model.

Chris

[finno]

Chris

Did you manage to do any digiscoping with your LX#? If so whaat were the results and what adapaters do you use please?

Finno