Canon powershot A20

[Andrew Marrison]

I only heard the term digi-scoping 3 days ago and am very intrigued. I am also fairly poor, so upgrading my canon A20 is not going to happen soon. Apart from the camera I am starting from scratch, so I am checking out low end scopes (£200-£300) and the possible use of an Avian Digimaster "the answer to all your digi-scoping problems" (according to the ad). Does anyone have any experience of the A20 for DSing, or this Digimaster?
:stuck:

[Andy Bright]

Hi Andrew, welcome to the digiscoping forums... a slippery slope :-)
I don't have any personal experience with this camera but a couple of people use the very similar A40 & A50, they have websites listed on my links page http://www.digiscoped.com/DigiscopingLinks.html

You can get a accessory lens adapter for the A20 that will give a filter thread for attaching a tube type digiscoping adapter (far more popular and generally cheaper than the support bracket type).
If you are on a budget, try for a secondhand scope... they are very reliable items. It's unlikely that you will be able to afford any scope with top quality glass (HD/APO/ED/Fluorite), so my advice would be to look for a scope with an 80mm objective. Maybe Kowa TSN1/2 or 821/822.
There is a Kowa TSN3 for sale for £400 o.n.o. on Loot.com at the moment.... this has a 77mm objective but top glass. I reckon these are excellent digiscoping scopes for the money.
Andy

[Andrew Marrison]

thanks for that Andy. I forgot to mention that one day I hope to aspire to becoming a novice. I think i need to do a bit more research (and find out what a lens adaptor or a filter thread is!).
Cheers for the jumping off point though

[digi-birder]

Andrew,

Check out this thread http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6128 for details of my set up using the Canon G3 and a lens thread adapter, although I didn't get the Canon one. Then have a look in my Gallery for some photos taken using the setup. Sort the gallery photos by 'latest' - it may be set on 'most active' by default. It's the little 'Sort by' drop down box at the top right hand side of the gallery page.

I've seen someone using a Canon A70, which works very similarly to yours, but they were hand-holding it to the scope without a lens adapter tube. Judging by my experience, I'm sure it is possible.

[Dave G]

Hi Diane,
Love the adapter will try this with my Canon A40 as soon as I get a chance. Thank you for sharing this idea.

Dave