Coolpix 5400 for digiscoping ??

[Gerd Rossen]

Hi ,

has somebody already tested the new Coolpix 5400 for digiscoping ? How are the results ??


Best regards,
Gerd Rossen

[Andy Bright]

I was hoping you'd get one and get the ball rolling 3:-) It should be better than the cp5000..... but I notice you need to go into digital zoom to use the slide adapter properly, so it's not going to be as vignette-friendly as a cp9**/4500, or so it would seem.

I wonder what size thread the cp5400 accessory lens adapter takes you to? The familiar cp9**/4500/5000 lenses don't seem to work with these new nikons... I presume the new add-on lenses have a 37mm thread or something, rather than 28mm.

Here's hoping... there doesn't seem to be a direct cp4500 replacement on the horizon.

[Gerd Rossen]

Hi Andy,

If I had the money, I would buy a 5400 immediately. But I don't have the money at the moment, and I dont't want to sell my coolpix 990 and the Coolpix 5000 to get the money. The risk is too high, that the 5400 doesnt't work good enough.
There are some things, that I don't like at the 5400 :

1. The monitor is too small.
2. It's a 4x zoom again, and I think that's not too good for picture quality.
3. Again nikon put a little CCD in the 5400. That meens more noise in the pictures. The 5000 had a bigger CCD, that means less noise.
4. Again it's not possible to fix the 5400 directly to the scope with adapters, I again would have to make my own adapter :-( That means work for me and I hate work ;-)

But if I have the money, I surely will buy and test one.

As you know, I use the 5000 at the moment, and I got several almost perfect shots with this camera, but focus is wrong too often. I really don't know why. Maybe it's caused by the bigger CCD. The bigger the CCD is, the shorter is the depth of field (as you know from the SLR Cams). So I would be really interested if focus and depth of field is a little bit better with 5400, cause of the smaller CCD. So a smaller CCD has adavantages, like more depth of field in the pic, and disadvantages like more noise.


But Andy, I save money, and in a few weeks, maybe I'm able to get and test one..... Perhaps I have to do a bank robbery to get the money. But that doesn't matter. Important is, that I get the 5400 ;-)))

Greetz,
Gerd

[Andy Bright]

Hi Gerd,
Always difficult when a new camera comes out.... o.k. if you have the money to buy it, but tough it you have to sell other (reliable) cameras for it.
I'm due a big pay day soon, may try a dslr + what-ever lens I can get for around £2-3k ..... or wait for a full-frame ccd/cmos at a sensible price?

[Walther Loff]

Hi Gert:
I have played in the store with the cp5400, I found the features of the cp5000 far superior than that of the 5400.
1) iso 400 Max
2) lens = 35mm mm, than add wide angle addaptor which takes you to 28mm where the cp5000 is standard build 28mm.
3) the wide angle lens is a monstrosity and ackward.
4) a smaller ccd chip = more noise
5) the cp5400 is a reduced cp5700
Having discussed this camera with one of our local gurus "Larry Bolch" he would not trade his cp5000 for the cp5400 or the cp5700.
I do hope that you win the lottery so you can purchase the camera and the required modified eyepieces and adaptors to suit this cp5400 in order to fit on a spotting scope.

It looks as of Nikon is now adapting the use and lose camera approach in order to increase sales instead of improve customer relationships.

As history has shown in the past, every dynasty reaches its peak and dies off.

regards
Walther Loff
www.walther-loff.com

[peteh]

Andy,

Let us know what you decide on the Dslr and big lens front.
Really interested in going down that lane myself.
Thanks
Pete.

[Gerd Rossen]

Our bank is robbed... :king:

So the Coolpix 5400 is ordered and should be arriving the in the next days. If the 5400 is working worse than the cp5000 then I'll give up digiscoping, sell my whole euqipment and buy a Canon EOS D60 and a Canon 300/2,8 IS/USM with a 2x Converter.

[Walther Loff]

Hallo Gerd Rossen:
Hmmm If you have to take the plunge and sell it all, than I do recommend you get the Cannon 10D instead of the previous model D60, I have seen the results from the D60 and also the 10D..
I am seriously thinking to get rid of the spotting scope and camera plus all the lenses (CP5000) and go for the Canon 10D with the Sigma 500 mm lens + a 2X converter.... keep dreaming Walther :-)

[Gerd Rossen]

Hi all,

I've just tested the Coolpix 5400 for digiscoping. Much Vignetting over the whole zoom range, even if you press the lens directly to the eyepiece of the scope.
So forget the 5400 for digiscoping !!!!

@ Walther : Now I have to sell my digiscoping equipment ;-) and go into real photography !! ;-))

Regards,
Gerd

[Jay Turberville]

Gerd,

I'm assuming you coupled the 5400 to your 20-60X Swarovski eyepiece. The Swarovsky 30x SW has 20mm of eye relief and a 66 degree AFOV (3mm more ER and 26 degrees more AFOV). I'm wondering if that eyepiece would work better.

Also, did you try spacing the CP5400 further from the eyepiece. Its a long shot, but depending on where the camera's entrance pupil is, further away might be better.

And lastly, could you send me a couple small full frame samples at various camera zoom settings?


P.S. I also use a CP5000, but I don't generally have much trouble with getting it to lock focus.

[solarae]

I see this is an old thread but I just got the CP5400 as NOS. I got the camera so I could have a remote shutter but sadly when I hooked it up to my spotting scope I got the vignetting. Has anyone come up with a setup that works with these cameras?
Thanks, Edy