Just a bit of lateral thinking and not strictly digiscoping. But the Pentax Q interchangeable lens camera now has third party adapters for other makes of lenses. Being effectively a compact size sensor with a 5.5x crop factor. This means if you had a 300mm DSLR lens and put it on the Q with the appropriate make adapter you would have a 1750mm equiv lens. Extrapolate that to something like my Sigma 150-500 which you could put on the tripod and fit the camera to it you could get 2750mm with a camera with pretty good high Iso performance. I don't know what the quality would be like but I've ssen some pretty impressive moon pics with it. Just a thought and apologies if similar elsewhere but not allowed to do a search with the single letter "Q".
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Pentax Q and 2750 mm 35mm equiv !? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dcweather
- Start date
Hor Kee
Penang birder
A great idea too. Just note that the Pentax Q has a small pixel pitch (small size of pixels on the sensor). This would mean that it requires larger apertures to operate before diffraction limiting starts to set in, slightly reducing sharpness somewhat. It should do fine on, lets say a 300mm f/4 lens, where not much diffraction limiting will take place. Results will be perhaps a bit worse on, lets say, a Canon 400mm 5.6 lens like mine that gives about 2200mm in 35mm equivalent terms. But again, the 400mm lens is very sharp to begin with and I think diffraction limiting will not be a major factor there. I don't think the Sigma will be such a good idea as it is not as sharp as the prime lenses, has way more elements being a zoom lens and is sharpest only at f/8 at the tele end which is way beyond the Pentax Q's diffraction limit.
For more info, read http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-diffraction-limit-is-reached.html.
Then again, if you try it out, I would really want to see the results. I'm toying with this very same idea as I speak.
For more info, read http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-diffraction-limit-is-reached.html.
Then again, if you try it out, I would really want to see the results. I'm toying with this very same idea as I speak.
Thanks for your comments.I think it might be a case of trying it and finding a successful combination. I wouldn't be trying to compare it with my DSLR but with a moderately good digiscoping set up. I've never really got in to digiscoping not having an ideal camera to go with my Opticron MM2. What is the approximate magnification in 35mm terms of scoping with a 60mm scope with a 30x eyepiece and , say, 2x zoom on the compact? Incidentally the price has dropped in the UK to about £235 for the Q and apparently it's not a bad little camera anyway so I might take a chance.
RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Given the success folks have had with the Nikon 1 doing the same thing, this appears to be a similar solution. HOWEVER, unlike the Nikon 1 lens adapter this Pentax lens adapter seems to be "dumb" having not electrical contacts to pass exposure data or most importantly AF capability from/to the lens.
Having some other Pentax lenses already I have recently purchased a Q in anticipation of the new branded K-Q adapter being released.
The Pentax adapter will have the advantage of a mechanical shutter and is supposed to allow the in body shake reduction to work on the Q, but it does not perform AF as mentioned above.
In the interim I have been using a third party adapter on the Q along with a Pentax DA*300mm and feel the results are very good.
A few other users on the Pentax Forums have shown great images taken with the Q and longer lenses which convinced me to give it a try.
The Pentax adapter will have the advantage of a mechanical shutter and is supposed to allow the in body shake reduction to work on the Q, but it does not perform AF as mentioned above.
In the interim I have been using a third party adapter on the Q along with a Pentax DA*300mm and feel the results are very good.
A few other users on the Pentax Forums have shown great images taken with the Q and longer lenses which convinced me to give it a try.
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The OVF is a Tele-Wide that shows up on ebay under various brands.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&_nkw=tele-wide+finder&_sacat=0&_from=R40
It is small and does a good job with the Q native lenses and some smaller adapted Pentax K lenses, but the DA*300 shown here is larger and blocks the view.
I hope to be adding a red dot scope as a finder now that I found this is a workable combo.
Thanks,
Larry
I now have the Q and what an underrated little bit of kit it is. I easily made an adapter from a piece of plastic pipe with a UV filter glued in which screws on the front of the Q lens. This slots neatly over my MM2 eyepiece and makes digiscoping easy. Results not that special though, a lot of purple fringing.
Hor Kee
Penang birder
Would love to see some pics Dave :t:
We have a thread running on the PentaxForums with a lot of users experience adapting the Q to different lenses.
This thread lists lenses that users have tried with links to their test results. http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/209474-adapted-lenses-tested-q-reference-thread.html
This thread contains user anecdotal experience trying long lenses with the Q.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/173602-reach-q-images.html
With the recent price drops on the Q it doesn't hurt much to try it out to see if it will work for you.
Snowy Egret by crewl1, on Flickr
Stack o' Herons by crewl1, on Flickr
This thread lists lenses that users have tried with links to their test results. http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/209474-adapted-lenses-tested-q-reference-thread.html
This thread contains user anecdotal experience trying long lenses with the Q.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/173602-reach-q-images.html
With the recent price drops on the Q it doesn't hurt much to try it out to see if it will work for you.
Snowy Egret by crewl1, on Flickr
Stack o' Herons by crewl1, on Flickr
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