opticoholic
Well-known member
Last Tuesday I received my Swarovski TLS-APO adapter. This is a report on my first experiences using it with the Swarovski ATS 80 HD scope, 25-50X eyepiece, and my Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera. I got the Olympus earlier this year right when they came out, as a smaller camera that would be easier to carry than my SLR, but also with the intention of trying digiscoping again for the first time in years. Way down below I have attached iPhone snapshots of the camera with the TLS-APO attached, and the entire digiscoping rig. You'll note I also have the Swarovski balance rail for the ATS scope. I haven't seen many reports about digiscoping with the Olympus OM-D.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/OlympusOM-D_with_Swaro_TLS-APO.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Olympus_Swaro_set-up.JPG
The adapter is well made and I like the way it works. I have the version that is used with the older scopes. There is a big "sleeve" that must be installed over the eyepiece. It's a challenge to study the illustrations and learn how to put it on the eyepiece; you have to completely remove the eyepiece first. But once you figure it out, it's a pretty slick system. It makes the eyepiece significantly "fatter" and it covers up the zoom markings, but the zoom still works and you still have full easy use of the scope for normal non-digiscoping use. I will probably leave this sleeve on the eyepiece all the time, so I won't ever be able to see the zoom markings. However, as you change the zoom with the sleeve installed, there is a spring-loaded set of hidden pins that snap into place at 7 different positions from low to high zoom. By listening to the "clicks" as I rotate the zoom, I can get a pretty rough idea of how far I have zoomed in between 25 and 50. For example by going "3 clicks up" from 25X, I know I am exactly in the middle at 37.5X. The lowest "clicked in" zoom position is a little beyond 25X and the highest is just shy of 50X.
As you probably know, the camera lens is built into the TLS-APO and you cannot adjust aperture, only ISO and shutter speed. According to information from Clay Taylor, the effective f/stop for my set-up changes from about f/9.4 at 25X down to f/17 when zoomed into 50X (the numbers are a little different for different Swaro scope/eyepiece combinations). Because I have no control over the f/stop, I was curious what the depth of field would be, so I tried to test it by focusing the scope on some playing cards, outdoors. With a helper I set the cards up at slightly different distances from the scope and tried to get them both in focus. I also put a tape measure on an angle in front of the cards. This was fun but it proved harder than I expected to really judge the zone of critically sharp focus. Here are links to 3 full size high quality uncropped JPEG photos. The first one is at a distance of 10 meters with the zoom at 25X. Then I doubled the distance to 20 meters again at 25X, and the last photo is 20 meters at 50X.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/10meterDOF.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/20meterDOF-low25X.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/20meterDOF-high50X.JPG
Because the tape measure is at about a 25 degree angle, you need to multiply the measurements on the tape by ~0.90 (cosine of 25 degrees) to get a direct idea of the true depth of field. But I find it hard to even say where the zone of sharpness begins and ends. I think I have about 3 inches of critically sharp depth of field at 10 meters and 25X, and between 6 and 8 inches or perhaps considerably more depth of field at 20 meters.
The lighting was poor during this test, getting worse toward the end (a little wind too), and the ISO and shutter speeds varied considerably on the 3 shots (ISO 320 & 1/250 sec. on the first 10 meter shot, ISO 640 & 1/320 sec. on the first 20 meter shot at 25X, and ISO 1000 & 1/125th sec. on the final 20 meter shot at 50X). But the 3 photos also give you an idea of the uncropped micro-4/3 framing of a familiar "bird-sized" object. I observed no vignetting whatsoever across the whole zoom range.
It is very tricky getting the focus sharp. The slightest itsy bitsy turn of the big focus ring on the Swarovski scope can change the focus, especially at high power. So of course you need to use the magnified view on the camera LCD/EVF, if the bird will sit still to allow this. But even with a very static object and the image magnified on the LCD, I often find it hard to judge when I have tweaked the focus to the sharpest possible point. The Swarovski scope has no fine focus adjustment, and that might help. On my first trip out to find real living subjects, I found perhaps the most cooperative of all first targets: a TURTLE sunning itself some 40 meters out on a piece of wood sticking up in the middle of a pond. The first link below is the best shot I got, at low power (25X). I figured I should have been able to get a better shot at higher power, but I'm starting to learn that isn't necessarily so. The best shot at full high 50X, cropped less, really isn't any better.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Turtle_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Turtle_50X.JPG
I'm not sure whether the Image Stabilization on the Olympus camera body is working properly, or whether it helps. The Olympus OM-D has a feature where when you press the shutter button half way, Image Stabilization will engage and this helps greatly when trying to manually focus on a highly magnified image in the viewfinder or LCD screen. That feature was working with the kit lens, but it doesn't seem to work with this TLS-APO attached.
I suppose getting 10 or 20 (or 50) blurry shots for every one that is somewhat sharp is normal for digiscoping. But I was a little disappointed that even the best shots I've been able to get so far required quite a bit of sharpening. The good news is I did get some decent shots on just my first couple times out. I need to remember I'm just getting back into this and I still have a lot to learn. Overall I'm pleased, encouraged and hopeful that with more practice and continued experimenting I'll get more good shots. Here are links to the best bird photos I can share so far. Except for the snipe, all these were done with Image Stabilization turned off. Although the sharpness isn't quite what I'm used to from my SLR with a long lens, the scope gives me way more reach. The phoebe would have been way too far for my long lens. And by the way, my distance estimates could be way off.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Wilsons_Snipe_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Greater_Yellowlegs_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Killdeer_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Says_Phoebe_50X.JPG
Aside from the general struggles with focusing/sharpness, I had some trouble with the thumb screw that secures the TLS-APO to the sleeve/eyepiece. I would loosen the thumbscrew and gently try to pull the camera off, but it seemed to be stuck so I'd loosen the thumbscrew more. Eventually I realized I was loosening it too much because the thumbscrew fell out and I had to put it back in (it threads into a receiving brass piece on the other side). So I'm still trying to work that out.
The TLS-APO attached to the Olympus is a little bulky but very lightweight. It will be easy to sling it around behind me on a shoulder strap whenever I'm out birding with the scope.
Finally, after just 2 times out I'm sure I want to get a wireless remote. My Olympus corded remote cable release (RM-UC1) works fine, but because I need to pull the camera off frequently, it is a little hard to keep it securely plugged into the side of the camera, or alternatively constantly plug it in and unplug it when I'm putting the camera on/off the scope.
--Dave
B
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/OlympusOM-D_with_Swaro_TLS-APO.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Olympus_Swaro_set-up.JPG
The adapter is well made and I like the way it works. I have the version that is used with the older scopes. There is a big "sleeve" that must be installed over the eyepiece. It's a challenge to study the illustrations and learn how to put it on the eyepiece; you have to completely remove the eyepiece first. But once you figure it out, it's a pretty slick system. It makes the eyepiece significantly "fatter" and it covers up the zoom markings, but the zoom still works and you still have full easy use of the scope for normal non-digiscoping use. I will probably leave this sleeve on the eyepiece all the time, so I won't ever be able to see the zoom markings. However, as you change the zoom with the sleeve installed, there is a spring-loaded set of hidden pins that snap into place at 7 different positions from low to high zoom. By listening to the "clicks" as I rotate the zoom, I can get a pretty rough idea of how far I have zoomed in between 25 and 50. For example by going "3 clicks up" from 25X, I know I am exactly in the middle at 37.5X. The lowest "clicked in" zoom position is a little beyond 25X and the highest is just shy of 50X.
As you probably know, the camera lens is built into the TLS-APO and you cannot adjust aperture, only ISO and shutter speed. According to information from Clay Taylor, the effective f/stop for my set-up changes from about f/9.4 at 25X down to f/17 when zoomed into 50X (the numbers are a little different for different Swaro scope/eyepiece combinations). Because I have no control over the f/stop, I was curious what the depth of field would be, so I tried to test it by focusing the scope on some playing cards, outdoors. With a helper I set the cards up at slightly different distances from the scope and tried to get them both in focus. I also put a tape measure on an angle in front of the cards. This was fun but it proved harder than I expected to really judge the zone of critically sharp focus. Here are links to 3 full size high quality uncropped JPEG photos. The first one is at a distance of 10 meters with the zoom at 25X. Then I doubled the distance to 20 meters again at 25X, and the last photo is 20 meters at 50X.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/10meterDOF.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/20meterDOF-low25X.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/20meterDOF-high50X.JPG
Because the tape measure is at about a 25 degree angle, you need to multiply the measurements on the tape by ~0.90 (cosine of 25 degrees) to get a direct idea of the true depth of field. But I find it hard to even say where the zone of sharpness begins and ends. I think I have about 3 inches of critically sharp depth of field at 10 meters and 25X, and between 6 and 8 inches or perhaps considerably more depth of field at 20 meters.
The lighting was poor during this test, getting worse toward the end (a little wind too), and the ISO and shutter speeds varied considerably on the 3 shots (ISO 320 & 1/250 sec. on the first 10 meter shot, ISO 640 & 1/320 sec. on the first 20 meter shot at 25X, and ISO 1000 & 1/125th sec. on the final 20 meter shot at 50X). But the 3 photos also give you an idea of the uncropped micro-4/3 framing of a familiar "bird-sized" object. I observed no vignetting whatsoever across the whole zoom range.
It is very tricky getting the focus sharp. The slightest itsy bitsy turn of the big focus ring on the Swarovski scope can change the focus, especially at high power. So of course you need to use the magnified view on the camera LCD/EVF, if the bird will sit still to allow this. But even with a very static object and the image magnified on the LCD, I often find it hard to judge when I have tweaked the focus to the sharpest possible point. The Swarovski scope has no fine focus adjustment, and that might help. On my first trip out to find real living subjects, I found perhaps the most cooperative of all first targets: a TURTLE sunning itself some 40 meters out on a piece of wood sticking up in the middle of a pond. The first link below is the best shot I got, at low power (25X). I figured I should have been able to get a better shot at higher power, but I'm starting to learn that isn't necessarily so. The best shot at full high 50X, cropped less, really isn't any better.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Turtle_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Turtle_50X.JPG
I'm not sure whether the Image Stabilization on the Olympus camera body is working properly, or whether it helps. The Olympus OM-D has a feature where when you press the shutter button half way, Image Stabilization will engage and this helps greatly when trying to manually focus on a highly magnified image in the viewfinder or LCD screen. That feature was working with the kit lens, but it doesn't seem to work with this TLS-APO attached.
I suppose getting 10 or 20 (or 50) blurry shots for every one that is somewhat sharp is normal for digiscoping. But I was a little disappointed that even the best shots I've been able to get so far required quite a bit of sharpening. The good news is I did get some decent shots on just my first couple times out. I need to remember I'm just getting back into this and I still have a lot to learn. Overall I'm pleased, encouraged and hopeful that with more practice and continued experimenting I'll get more good shots. Here are links to the best bird photos I can share so far. Except for the snipe, all these were done with Image Stabilization turned off. Although the sharpness isn't quite what I'm used to from my SLR with a long lens, the scope gives me way more reach. The phoebe would have been way too far for my long lens. And by the way, my distance estimates could be way off.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Wilsons_Snipe_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Greater_Yellowlegs_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Killdeer_25X.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38295196/Digiscoping/Says_Phoebe_50X.JPG
Aside from the general struggles with focusing/sharpness, I had some trouble with the thumb screw that secures the TLS-APO to the sleeve/eyepiece. I would loosen the thumbscrew and gently try to pull the camera off, but it seemed to be stuck so I'd loosen the thumbscrew more. Eventually I realized I was loosening it too much because the thumbscrew fell out and I had to put it back in (it threads into a receiving brass piece on the other side). So I'm still trying to work that out.
The TLS-APO attached to the Olympus is a little bulky but very lightweight. It will be easy to sling it around behind me on a shoulder strap whenever I'm out birding with the scope.
Finally, after just 2 times out I'm sure I want to get a wireless remote. My Olympus corded remote cable release (RM-UC1) works fine, but because I need to pull the camera off frequently, it is a little hard to keep it securely plugged into the side of the camera, or alternatively constantly plug it in and unplug it when I'm putting the camera on/off the scope.
--Dave
B
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