Neil
Thursday 11th October 2007, 08:56
It's been a while since we discussed long distance digiscoping ( we won't go over the name issue again ) but in my testing of the P5100 over the last week I got to test it at focal lengths that the big lens guys weren't even bothering with. These tests were at around 100 metres to 250 metres. in bright but hazy light.
My choice for cameras depends a lot on the distance and size of bird, as well as movement, although I try and only photograph when the bird has stopped.
Nikon 8400 6 - 30 metres ( don't like to use it longer than 60mm,usually 37 )
Canon A640 20 -50 metres ( can't go longer than about 50mm with my setup )
Nikon P5100 20 - 100 metres ( able to use zoom to 100 mm,usually 43mm )
Nikon CP4500 30 - 200 metres ( lens is 38 - 155mm , or 3x optical )
Greenshank - taken with the Nikon 4500 and 45x eyepiece at 145mm (camera lens ) or 6525 mm (130 x magnification )-100 metres
Black-capped Kingfisher - taken with the Nikon P5100 and 30x eyepiece at 123 mm (camera lens ) or 3690mm ( 74x magnification )- 80 metres
Pied Avocets - taken with Nikon 5100 and 30x eyepiece at 47 mm ("sweet spot" or macro zone ) or 1400 mm (28x magnification ) - 200 metres
Once again I'm impressed with the 4500 at distance and the P5100 holds it's own as well. I can't zoom the A640 lens much past 50 mm without vignetting with my setup but it would do as good a job as the P5100 and it's manual focusing feature (digital enhancement ) makes it easier to focus.
As mentioned before to check focus at distance , zoom into the digital zone, check focus and then zoom back out again.
Neil.
My choice for cameras depends a lot on the distance and size of bird, as well as movement, although I try and only photograph when the bird has stopped.
Nikon 8400 6 - 30 metres ( don't like to use it longer than 60mm,usually 37 )
Canon A640 20 -50 metres ( can't go longer than about 50mm with my setup )
Nikon P5100 20 - 100 metres ( able to use zoom to 100 mm,usually 43mm )
Nikon CP4500 30 - 200 metres ( lens is 38 - 155mm , or 3x optical )
Greenshank - taken with the Nikon 4500 and 45x eyepiece at 145mm (camera lens ) or 6525 mm (130 x magnification )-100 metres
Black-capped Kingfisher - taken with the Nikon P5100 and 30x eyepiece at 123 mm (camera lens ) or 3690mm ( 74x magnification )- 80 metres
Pied Avocets - taken with Nikon 5100 and 30x eyepiece at 47 mm ("sweet spot" or macro zone ) or 1400 mm (28x magnification ) - 200 metres
Once again I'm impressed with the 4500 at distance and the P5100 holds it's own as well. I can't zoom the A640 lens much past 50 mm without vignetting with my setup but it would do as good a job as the P5100 and it's manual focusing feature (digital enhancement ) makes it easier to focus.
As mentioned before to check focus at distance , zoom into the digital zone, check focus and then zoom back out again.
Neil.