Best dig-camera/scope set up

[StevieEvans]

What would you consider as the Best dig-camera/scope set up, available at the moment ? and total cost for full set up?

I am about to purchase both & Need impartial advice (ie. not the one the shop wants to sell me).

S


Originally posted in a thread elsewhere, moved by admin.

[Paul Hackett]

Stevie

In my opinion the digital camera of the moment is the Nikon Coolpix 4500 even though they have stopped production ( this was confirmed to me at the Brandon Marsh Bird Fair a few months ago by two Nikon engineers visiting the show ) they are still available to buy plus there is so much info on this forum on where to buy, settings, tips etc

Scopes - Leica APO 77 or Swaroski 80 ED ? but there are others

Eyepiece 20X or 30X ?

tripods - manfrotto

head - manfrotto 501 video head

adapators - LCE or eagleeye ?

rough estimated total cost £1800 ?

maybe with the forum members we could poll the top three combinations based on popularity rather than cost or both ?because there are obviously people new to this forum who would also benefit from this info ?

In the end it all comes down to finances available and what you can reasonably afford

most combinations of scope camera and eyepiece will produce an image, it is the quality of the image that differs and your expectations of it, and as dave hawkins said it is not the kit but the person trying to use it, that is where the most difficulties are experienced

hoping this helps

ATB

Paul

[CJW]

I have seen 4 combinations used over here and here are my personal opinions:
Kowa 823N and Coolpix4500 = Good
Leica APO77 and Digilux1 = Good/Excellent
Leica APO and Coolpix4500 = Excellent
Swarovski ATS80HD and Coolpix4500 = Excellent.
That latter is my combination and I use the Swarovski adaptor which is wonderful and reduces vignetting quite dramatically. The set up for scope, camera and adaptor cost me £2,017.

[paulsnokia]

Nikon coolpix 4500 (still available) Excellent
Zeiss 85mm Scope. Excellent + 23/30x e/p
Zeiss Digi adapter. Excellent (fairly universal to boot)
Velbon Carbon fibre tripod inc head Excellent.


£ 2050.00 aprox

TTFN

[digi-birder]

My combination is not the most popular, but I went for popular with the camera (Coolpix 995) and regretted it. My tales of woe have been documented elsewhere, so I won't bore you with the details.

I already had the scope (Opticron ES80) before taking up digiscoping and could not afford to upgrade to the ones being used by everyone else. When I started getting poor results using the camera, I did initially think it could be due to the scope. However, since changing camera, my results have improved.

Others on the forum are also using the same scope and getting good results using Coolpix cameras, so my experience with the combination is not typical. Mine would just not focus correctly.

Had I made the decision to upgrade to one of the 'popular' scopes used for digiscoping, my money would have been wasted, as the camera would still have been the problem.

Camera: Canon G3 - £469
Scope: Opticron ES80 - £499 (12 months ago approx)
Tripod: Manfrotto Carbon Fibre 443 - £250
Adapter: home-made - £7

Total: £1225

[Sandy Martin]

Swarovski at80hd with a nikon cp4500.
The cheap london camera exchange adapter.
Gitzo mountaineer, Gitzo pan & tilt head.

I spent some time with a Leica APO77 but found the images just a bit sharper and more detailed with the swarovski, so upgraded.

SM

[christineredgate]

reading the replies to the afore mentioned forum is interesting.Just one point i would like to make.I purchased the Swarokski adapter with the scope,but found it difficult to manage the screws ,so sent for the Eagle eye optics one,much,much easier to manage ,only a couple of screws,whereby the swaroski one was in two parts and very difficult to take on and off quickly for a quick re-adjustment of the scope.
Christine.

[christineredgate]

ps why has the Nikon 4500 been taken off the market if it is such a popular camera for digi scoping!!
Christine.

[Andy Bright]

Originally posted by christineredgat
ps why has the Nikon 4500 been taken off the market if it is such a popular camera for digi scoping!!
Christine.

Because Digiscoping is an absolutely minute part of photgraphy, therefore it's not commercially worthwhile keeping, a somewhat restrictive design, in production for the sake of a small minority.
Andy

[Ragna]

Christine, which eye piece do you use on your Swarovski as i am at present using the eagle eye adapter and was thinking of buying the Swarovski adapter as i dont get on with the eagle eye[ insert is for a Kowa and ive removed rubber ring on the insert and replaced it with a bit of inertube] it works ok but not brilliant.
I use a 30x eyepiece.

[christineredgate]

Graham,Hi,I'll try to answer your question as best i can.i use the 30x eyepiece(wide angle)with the scope for digi scoping only,although I do believe it is poss to use the 60 zoom,as mentioned on a couple of the digi scoping sites.The swarovski adapter (to use with the scope)comes with a selection of three rings.(i think).only one is compatible with the 4500.I checked with the suppliers(Ace Optics)which one was the right one to use.I found the Swarovski adapter difficult to fit on and off the scope,plus attach camera as well,as it is in two separate pieces,and if one needs a quick check in the scope it was very awkward,plus not an easy screw for me to turn.So I checked with eagle eye,who said that theirs was just the one piece with easy to turn screws,said which camera and scope i was using and sent the adapter which i have found much easier to take on and off,and i have found it easier to focus the pic in the camera with the eagle eye set up.The only thing is Graham,will the sw adapter,be compatible with the kowa scope.There are other adapters around and i do know that some people have made their own.Have a look on some of the digi scoping sites,i found lots of useful info on them,and i feel pretty sure that some one on this forum will come up with an answer for you.
Christine.

[Ragna]

Christine. Sorry i did'nt make it clear i am now using a Swarovski ATS80HD with 30x eyepiece, an have tried to adapt my eagle eye adapter from the Kowa fitting to fit on the Swarovski, but its not a perfect fit and so was considering the Swarovski adapter.

[christineredgate]

Graham,I think it could be the ring inside the adapter,which is compatible with whatever scope you are using.Why not contact eagle eye,and see if just the part is available rather than the whole adapter,so to speak.this is only a guess.
Christine.

[Dave Hawkins]

First Choice Leica APO 77 x20W Coolpix 4500 (zero vignetting)

Second Choice Swaro 80 x30W Coolpix 4500 (strangely the x30 gives less vignetting than the x20W)

Zeiss Diascope 85...is a great scope for Digiscoping as you get more light in to give you a faster shutter and hence reduce Digiscoping Enemy Number 1 i.e. shake but ....at least to my eyes is not as good for general birding.

Dave Hawkins

[cspratt]

I like what I have.

Kowa 823M with 20-60x zoom. I use it at 20X with Nikon 4500 and the Kowa digital adapter. Slik 88N (very old) tripod + Manfrotto 390RC pan & tilt head. Best investment for camera was a manual shutter as the Nikon plug-in remote wasn't worth the money as it didn't work that well for me. (locked up too many times).

The scope is heavy though so I don't take it into the bush and I also wouldn't take it as my travel scope.

If only Kowa made a really good zoom in the 15-45x range for disgiscoping.

I'm still trying to get the image processing right. I don't have Photoshop. Processing is half the work!

Chris. Spratt
victoria, BC

[Ragna]

Christine thanks i''ll give them a ring.

[christineredgate]

Graham,I have just spent a day at Mere sands with some very professional photographers from the nwng(noth west nature group)put www.before it and you have their website,I took the swavorski attachment and they said that the eagle eye was the better one as it let in less light.I have taken some quite good pics.But i think it is perhaps a matter of choice .
Christine.

[Andy Bright]

Originally posted by christineredgat
Graham,I have just spent a day at Mere sands with some very professional photographers from the nwng(noth west nature group)put www.before it and you have their website.
Christine.

Hi Christine,
There's no need to post websites in a cryptic manner... we either allow them (if non-commercial) or remove them, no matter how they are written.
Good luck with the digiscoping, glad you got first-hand advice from some experts in the method. Hope to see your efforts in the gallery very soon. I'm wondering what they mean't by the digimount letting in less light?
Extremely surprised you haven't got along with the Swaro' adapter, though it is a bit tricky to initially instal the permanent eyepiece section (it only has to be done once).
Regards,
Andy

[Andy Bright]

I have now split this thread. The new thread is 'Camera Settings: Help' in the 'Camera Settings' forum http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6694

[Victor Meldrew]

Originally posted by digi-birder

Camera: Canon G3 - £469

Hi Diane,

I'm just taking my first tentative steps using a Canon G2 and Zeiss 85. The G2 and G3 look superficially similar to my eyes, at least as far as the lens is concerned, however my first attempts (with the camera handheld with lens barrel touching eyepiece) show significant vignetting. Although this isn't necessarily a showstopper, I was just wondering whether this was something you had to put up with as well?

Thanks.

[digi-birder]

Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Hi Diane,

I'm just taking my first tentative steps using a Canon G2 and Zeiss 85. The G2 and G3 look superficially similar to my eyes, at least as far as the lens is concerned, however my first attempts (with the camera handheld with lens barrel touching eyepiece) show significant vignetting. Although this isn't necessarily a showstopper, I was just wondering whether this was something you had to put up with as well?

Thanks.

Hi Victor,

I think the G2 and G3 are pretty similar, but I don't know what extra features I have on the G3 over the G2. I bought my camera after seeing some info on digiscoping with the G2 (http://www.caracara.org/misc/digiscoping/index.html) so I knew it would work. I just had to find a way to attach it to my scope.

Here is my thread (http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6128) about my home-made adapter?

I do get some vignetting, even at full zoom, but I wouldn't call it 'significant'. It is easily cropped out, as I have done with the photos in my gallery taken with this camera. I have been asked about the vignetting before and keep meaning to do a test at different zoom distances to illustrate this, but have not had time to do it. I will try and do it soon, but I am a bit tied up with preparing to move house in the next few weeks, so I will have to see if I can fit it in.

[Victor Meldrew]

Thanks very much for the speedy reply and links Diane. Your adapter looks terrific and is along the lines of something I had imagined making myself.

The Canon Gx link is very interesting and I can well see how it inspired you to take the plunge.

As for the vignetting issue, I reckon I can work around it as long as I frame my shots with that in mind. I have the 20-60 zoom lens with my Zeiss so maybe there would be less vignetting with one of the prime lenses? However I want to see what results I can get using my existing kit before I start buying new eyepieces or sending off to the States for adapters etc.

If I get the sort of quality you're getting on your photos, I'll be happy.

Cheers.

[Tom Moodie]

Have just purchased CP4500, ATS80 and Swarovski digital camera adaptor. I have found it better to leave bottom part of adaptor fitted over eyepeice permanently, with top section attached to camera which is then easily & quickly fitted when required. Although it is recommended that eyecup is removed I have found it quicker just to screw it down to lowest level, don't see any advantage in removing and possibly dropping or losing.
Tom