Coolpix 5700 digiscoping

[Softsfan]

Just joined the forum - looks very useful and I have picked up a lot so far.

I bought my Coolpix 5700 without digiscoping in mind. I see a couple of references to Coolpix 5700 being a non-starter in this forum. As I now want to get into digiscoping I am rather dissappointed and want to avoid "trading down" to a 4500 unless absolutely essential because the 5700 is perfect for my conventional photography needs.

I have a Swarovski ATS65HD with 20-60x. Surely someone has actually tried the theory by using the various accessories in practice? Will the 8x zoom and the 20x be the main reason for no hope, or is vignetting going to rule it out anyway?

[Steve]

Welcome to BF, and Happy Birthday!

http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=6489

B (:

[Andy Bright]

Hi Softsfan,
Welcome to BF from all the moderators and admin here.
I know people who have used similar cameras to the cp5700 (Minolta/Olympus) and failed with the specialist digiscoping eyepieces..... the one ray of light is the Maxview 40s eyepiece.
The lens design on the cp5700 is such that it is too far back to be in range of the eyepiece's eye-relief, resulting in contrast and vignetting problems.... zooming up to max on the camera may aleviate this to some extent but the resulting image will be too powerful for most situations and lacking in light to give a fast enough shutter-speed for bird photography (and the resultant camera shake/air pollutants at this magnification).

If you are serious about digiscoping, you really do have to think about another camera (good as the cp5700 is).
Regards,
Andy

[Softsfan]

Thanks for your prompt reply Andy, and birthday wishes Steve.

Oh well, looks like a Coolpix 4500 then - should I bother to look into any other makes/models for a digiscope-friendly camera for my Swarovski?

[Andy Bright]

By and large it's still the cp4500 that dominates as the favoured camera.... I could also suggest the old Nikon cp990 (still the camera of choice amongst the best digiscopers in the world), though you would have to find a secondhand one.

There are other cameras that can be used for digiscoping, though you can run into vignetting problems with these as well as potential problems with adapters.... as most are designed with a 28mm Nikon thread (using a thread step ring will create more vignetting).
Good luck,
Andy

[Alois Lazecky]

I do own Coolpix 5700 and ordered parts from Scopetronix to fit it. I can't see any problem with the camera. Extend the lens until the tulip shows in yellow and go from there. Good luck.

[Andy Bright]

Originally posted by Alois Lazecky
I do own Coolpix 5700 and ordered parts from Scopetronix to fit it. I can't see any problem with the camera. Extend the lens until the tulip shows in yellow and go from there. Good luck.

Great, if you could show some of the results it would be greatly appreciated. What scope/eyepiece are you using?
Andy

[Alois Lazecky]

I will be geting my stuff later this week from Scopetronix and then I will get 20 mm wide eye piece.
I have seen results on web and I will show you my pictures as soon as I get back from my trip which will be in mid August.

[belhbo]

I will be geting my stuff later this week from Scopetronix and then I will get 20 mm wide eye piece.
I have seen results on web and I will show you my pictures as soon as I get back from my trip which will be in mid August.

Alois,
I also have the 5700 and would be very interested in seeing some examples of how your system worked. What scope are you using? What adapter?

[BenBirding]

If you have any pictures with it yet, post them.