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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Weigh in... Just how necessary is a remote shutter release? (1 Viewer)

M

moorerp

Shameless sponge of others' hard won knowledge
Hi All,

I'll keep this short and sweet. I think I'd love the small Panasonic Lumix cameras for digiscoping, but I'm afraid I'd be missing out on some necessary control by not having an available remote shutter release of some kind. Yet I know lots of folks use these cameras.

Just how important would you rate a remote shutter release to be in effective digiscoping?

And as an aside, for you folks who've used Panasonic Lumix FS7's and FS10's, what methods do you use for getting a shot when you want it and not when the self-timer wants it?

cheers,
randall

p.s.- I don't really live in Nebraska; I have no idea why it says that.
 
I reckon a shutter release can make a big difference. I don't know these cameras but can you not use an SRB Gritturn type bracket which attaches to the tripod mount on the camera base and allows you to fix a release cable?
 
moorerp said:
cheers,
randall

p.s.- I don't really live in Nebraska; I have no idea why it says that.
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D
 
I find them not so important, I have used them in the past but they seem to have no effect on how good a photo will turn out. Most cameras of Image Stabilization now which probably makes up for it now (I'll probably get told wrong now) but for me a shutter release simply slows down the time I can take a picture.
 
Anything that helps reduce vibration when digiscoping is a boon. I find I get far more keepers when using a remote release. I use one similar to this - Generic Shutter Release - but there are other alternatives available. There's no delay at all so you get the shot you want.
 
TheBirdGarden said:
Most cameras of Image Stabilization now which probably makes up for it now (I'll probably get told wrong now) but for me a shutter release simply slows down the time I can take a picture.
Click to expand...

I think image stabilization only works if you hand hold the camera behind the eyepiece. When the camera is rigidly fixed to the scope/eyepiece then the stabilisation should be turned off and in certain cameras it can actually make the picture worse.

Paul.
 
I use the FS7 camera and use a remote release very similar to the one Ian uses. I also use the Opticron bracket that is custom made for the FS7 and their SDL v1 eyepiece.
 
TheBirdGarden said:
I find them not so important, I have used them in the past but they seem to have no effect on how good a photo will turn out.

The reason to use a shutter release cable essentially is to reduce vibration, and to stop the picture being blurred, in the UK with our weather, to use one of these all year round inc winter means that in very low light you can go down to a low shutter speed as low as 1 second and still have a relatively sharp image, if you use your finger, then not a chance, dependant of your focusing skills of course ;)

Most cameras of Image Stabilization now which probably makes up for it now (I'll probably get told wrong now) but for me a shutter release simply slows down the time I can take a picture.
Click to expand...

In summer with great light, your finger can do the business much more naturally and quicker than a cable release, Image stabilization has no real impact as Paul C says if the whole rig is fixed and hunkered down,

Paul
 
Paul Corfield said:
I think image stabilization only works if you hand hold the camera behind the eyepiece. When the camera is rigidly fixed to the scope/eyepiece then the stabilisation should be turned off and in certain cameras it can actually make the picture worse.

Paul.
Click to expand...

Paul, could you explain this further please? I am relatively new to digi scoping and am experimenting and hopefully learning all the time. I use the same camera as Frank and sometimes use bracket and sometimes hand hold with a girton sleeve.

Many thanks,

Hugh
 
Hugh:
This is not Paul, but i agree with his statement. Cameras with stabilization are designed to respond to a hand held movement. The vibrations or movements are quite different if the camera is mounted. Also the camera must know or be told what focal length lens is being used. My Oly has a feature where you can put in a figure up to 1000mm, but that does not solve the problem. I have never considered if a hand held camera behind a scope could benefit from stabilization, but if you touch the scope in the process all bets are off. Gene
 
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Yeah, to add to what Gene has said, the way I understand it is that the vibrations on the tripod are a lot less than the larger hand held movements that image stabilization is meant to correct for. On some cameras when it is looking for these bigger movements and not seeing them the camera can introduce it's own blur where the stabilization is trying to work. A lot of the info on the web talks about dslr cameras or lenses but the technology is all basically similar.

Paul.
 
Smithhill said:
Hugh:
Cameras with stabilization are designed to respond to a hand held movement. The vibrations or movements are quite different if the camera is mounted. Also the camera must know or be told what focal length lens is being used. My Oly has a feature where you can put in a figure up to 1000mm, but that does not solve the problem. Gene
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Agree with this. I tried digiscoping with the Olympus E520 with its highest possible EFL IS turned on and off and couldn't see any difference at all. They were both as bad as each other to be honest.

Re remotes: I've never felt any need for one with my Fuji F30. Continuous shooting takes care of that kind of thing. The SRB Griturn cable release resulted in more keepers with my Nikon P6000, but then again that camera's got more or less useless continuous shooting capabilities.

David
 
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I have been using the Panasonic ZS7 (TZ10 in the UK) with a Kowa 773 for some time. I have tried other cameras with and without the DA10 adapter and with and without various remote releases. For my style of digiscoping, which is basically to use my scope for viewing, and then digiscoping when I can, I keep going back to the simple setup - ZS7 with the lens extended wedged into 30X eyepiece of the scope (it happens to be a perfect fit), set on Sports mode to maximize shutter speed, max. ISO 400 to minimize noise (or use Intelligent auto if the light is good), then with thumb under the camera and forefinger on the shutter release, gently squeeze from below. It's much quicker and less hassle than fiddling about with adapters, screwing things in, screws that come loose, gear that gets in the way of viewing pleasure etc.

The ZS7 has a good image stabilization system, which I leave on, but at anything more than 2-3X optical zoom vignetting is an issue, so I have do do a fair bit of pp cropping.

Richard
 
I think it depends on style of shooting and how we have honed our craft. I prefer to shoot without a remote since I will be constantly using the close focusing ability of some cameras. If you press the shutter down half way in manual mode, a magnifier pops up on screen, which allows you to refine the focus and then take a shot. Since birds are constantly in motion and my hand is constantly adjusting the focus per the magnifier, I am not sure if the remote will make a difference over the continuous shoot setting I have. But again, might have to experiment and see the difference. The beauty of digiscoping is all in the 'experimentation' of it all....
 
I purchased a "cheapo" cable release for my Lumix G1, cost about £10 and works a treat, saying that in good light I dont use it. For the price it's worth having in the bag.

Dave
 
I'm also using the eyecup ....

rb_stern said:
I have been using the Panasonic ZS7 (TZ10 in the UK) with a Kowa 773 for some time. I have tried other cameras with and without the DA10 adapter and with and without various remote releases. For my style of digiscoping, which is basically to use my scope for viewing, and then digiscoping when I can, I keep going back to the simple setup - ZS7 with the lens extended wedged into 30X eyepiece of the scope (it happens to be a perfect fit), set on Sports mode to maximize shutter speed, max. ISO 400 to minimize noise (or use Intelligent auto if the light is good), then with thumb under the camera and forefinger on the shutter release, gently squeeze from below. It's much quicker and less hassle than fiddling about with adapters, screwing things in, screws that come loose, gear that gets in the way of viewing pleasure etc.

The ZS7 has a good image stabilization system, which I leave on, but at anything more than 2-3X optical zoom vignetting is an issue, so I have do do a fair bit of pp cropping.

Richard
Click to expand...

Hi, I'm new to this but recently bought an Alpin 788 and I'm using an old Sony dsc-w1. I also bought the Alpin adapter. Now it's winter here so my digiscoping has been through double pane windows. The Sony fits snuggly in the eyecup. Fully extended the lens comes to about 1/4 inch from eyepiece, and that can be adjusted to come closer. I have found that the shots taken with this technique have been as sharp as the ones using the bracket adapter and selftimer. The scope is much more stable by itself on the tripod.
I can hold the camera in the cup and also half press the shutter release with my left hand, and micro focus the object with my right. Then press futher on release using a burst. I think when it gets warmer and I can try this in the field there will be no question which method would be more enjoyable. Like I said I'm new at this and would not mind any advise.
 
After you have a stable tripod setup , the best way to get sharp images is to take subjects that are not moving ( digiscopers don't normally get fast enough shutter speeds to freeze movement at high magnifications and the AF has problems focusing ) and fire bursts or 3 -5 frames ( I once fired a continuous burst of 50 to get a bird bathing ).
My view is that a fast burst mode of greater than 2 fps is better than a remote.
One of the main limitations of some of the new quality digicams is the slow frame rate (Nikon P6000/7000, Canon S90/S95 ). Another is lack of rotatable screen but that's not for this discussion. I like to digiscope waders in breeding plumage feeding out on the mudflats and 1 fps is not fast enough.
I use Self-timer more than Remote and the Canon Self-timer with up to 10 frames continuous is a good way to go. I wish it was 100.
I'm thinking of getting a box to add this function ( made for timelapse photography).
Neil
 
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