Importatnt properties of a digital camera

[Spiff]

Below I've made a list of what I consider to be important properties of a digital camera suited for digiscoping. I would like to have your opinion on this list, since most people reading this topic have undoubtedly more knowledge of these things than I have.

- Small lens so vignetting is minimised when placed on a scope
- Optical zoom 3x (or 4x)
- Filter thread for connecting to an adapter
- Large LCD screen with high resolution, so focussing becomes easier
- Lightweight
- High ISO rating?
- Around 6 megapixels

At the moment I have an old digital camera (Minota ...) with 3x optical zoom that is totally unsuitable for digiscoping. The vignetting is hugh, and autofocus ruins the photo and cannot be turned off. Zooming moves the lens in and out of the camera. What I have read about digiscoping, it is important to have your camera lens as close as possible to the lens. Would such a thing be a problem during digiscoping? How does one insure the lenses are close together, without damaging the lenses when they collide when one zooms in further?

[iporali]

What I have read about digiscoping, it is important to have your camera lens as close as possible to the lens.
Spiff,

It depends on eye-relief of the eyepiece and the physical length of the camera zoom - and it may be true with most randomly chosen camera-eyepiece combinations. In your case, however, vignetting and focusing problems were most likely due to having the camera too close. See what happens if you take the camera 5-10mm farther from the eyepiece. ;)

Otherwise the listed properties were very useful for a good digiscoping camera. Well, "high-ISO rating" preferably with low high-ISO noise... sorry :t:

Best regards,

Ilkka

[Texun]

See my post under "Adapters". The Canon A620, 30, 40 series is an excellent choice. I use the A640 and it will take 4 brief actuations of the zoom lever(2x?). Any more will risk contact between the camera lens and the eyepiece.

[Neil]

It's a bit difficult to give advice without the Model of the camera and the scope and eyepiece that you will be using. Don't worry too much about the camera lens touching the eyepiece as it will automatically switch off if this happens and you will know for next time. I mount my camera lenses and eyepieces very close to minimise vignetting so I switch the camera on before mounting it, zoom the camera lens to the right position and then lock it down. Neil.