Absolute beginner to birds and scopes: basic questions (1 Viewer)

Hi, more than likely these questions are answered elsewhere. Apologies if they are I haven't read all the posts but I couldn't find anything basic enough in the titles. Just skip this thread if I'm the 100th newbie to ask the same questions!

I know absolutely nothing about birds and scopes! Though I'm hoping to learn. (I'm still waiting for my first bird book (Collins) from Amazon). I know a fair amount about traditional SLR photography.

As I understand it, digiscoping is using a digital camera (probably with or without the camera's own lens, and using an adapter) to take pictures though a scope. Tripods are presumably necessary for all long lenses, with or without cameras.

My questions are:

1. What is a scope (I know it's a telephoto lens of some sort)?
Is it the modern name for telescopes?
What is the difference between "birding scopes" and other scopes? Is it minimum focusing distance or brightness?

2. What is the advantage of taking a picture using a scope over just using a ready-made telephoto lens?
Is it because birders already have scopes which they can now use with cameras (thus saving the cost (and weight) of an expensive lens specially for the camera)?
Is it because scopes are better in some way or cheaper than similar power telephoto camera lenses? Or more powerful perhaps?
Is it because scopes are dual-use - you can just go out with your scope if you don't feel like taking pictures? Also you're not committing yourself to one camera system - you can use your scope in ten years time, whereas expensive camera systems have a horrible tendency for going out of date?
Is looking through a scope nicer in some way than looking through a camera viewfinder/back? (Wider field of vision, brighter, more comfortable? Lighter in weight for sure). I'm assuming scopes don't have digital viewfinders.

3. What is the advantage of a scope over binoculars?
Is it just you can't digiscope with binoculars?
I'm guessing digiscopes are more powerful? From what I've seen binoculars are normally 10 to 15 times magnification, and vary in width of view. (My borrowed ones are 9x20. I find it very difficult to locate a bird I can just see with the naked eye, on a tree in front of me! But that's because of the restricted field of vision.)
Is autofocus involved?
Weight per image magnification must be better with scopes as there's only one lens instead of two, I imagine.

Well, if you've come this far, thanks for bearing with me, and I'd be really grateful for any answers or links. I realise many people who use this site are pro or near-pro in birding or photography, so just skip this post if it's too basic. TTFN!

Hi George

I don't digiscope, but I'm sure others will answer in more specific detail. But, basically, a "scope" is just short for telescope and digiscoping means taking photos with a digital camera attached to your telescope. As I understand it using a telescope as a lens gives you far greater magnification than otherwise possible so you don't have to get so close to the bird. I gather some cameras and telescopes are suitable for digiscoping and some aren't. I don't think you can digiscope through binoculars.

George Edwards said:

Hi, more than likely these questions are answered elsewhere. Apologies if they are I haven't read all the posts but I couldn't find anything basic enough in the titles.
As I understand it, digiscoping is using a digital camera (probably with or without the camera's own lens, and using an adapter) to take pictures though a scope. Tripods are presumably necessary for all long lenses, with or without cameras.

My questions are:

1. What is a scope (I know it's a telephoto lens of some sort)?
Is it the modern name for telescopes?

Click to expand...

Birding Scopes tend to be light, portable, armoured to some degree, and preferably waterproop.

2. What is the advantage of taking a picture using a scope over just using a ready-made telephoto lens?

Click to expand...

I suppose the smart alec answer is "Because we can!".

Probably your best bet it to look at Andy Brights own website
http://digiscopingukbirds.homestead.com/

3. What is the advantage of a scope over binoculars?
Is it just you can't digiscope with binoculars?

Click to expand...

You can digiscope ( Digibin? ) with binoculars. The problem is holding the bins steady and holding the camera to the bins, and focusing and pressing the shutter release ( thats 3 hands at least )!
Heres one I took with bins. 10x42 and Canon powershot a80, distance, about 30 metres.
Advantage of a scope over ( handheld bins ) is. Availability of zoom, so you can get "close" to the bird, Scopes tend to be on a tripod, so none or very little shake. Your arms don't get tired. You can look through a good scope for a long time with little tiredness. Larger optics=brighter image.

alan_rymer said:

Birding Scopes tend to be light, portable, armoured to some degree, and preferably waterproop.

I suppose the smart alec answer is "Because we can!".

Probably your best bet it to look at Andy Brights own website
http://digiscopingukbirds.homestead.com/


You can digiscope ( Digibin? ) with binoculars. The problem is holding the bins steady and holding the camera to the bins, and focusing and pressing the shutter release ( thats 3 hands at least )!
Heres one I took with bins. 10x42 and Canon powershot a80, distance, about 30 metres.
Advantage of a scope over ( handheld bins ) is. Availability of zoom, so you can get "close" to the bird, Scopes tend to be on a tripod, so none or very little shake. Your arms don't get tired. You can look through a good scope for a long time with little tiredness. Larger optics=brighter image.

Click to expand...

Hi

There is no doubt that a good quality prime telephoto lens on a 35mm camera will give a superior image, but the convenience of digiscoping (and the reduced cost) has made it very popular. The main thing is magnification. A 600mm telephoto will give 12x magnification over the standard lens on a 35mm camera, but scopes are available with eyepieces giving a range of magnifications of 10x to 60x. Combine that with the zoom of the digital camera and enormous magnifications are possible, though optical quality and image brightness will vary considerably. The beauty of digital is the immediacy, it is possible to assess images as soon as they are taken - important for my particular use of digital stills - and nothing is wasted as there would be on film when shots are not right. Since most birders already carry a scope and tripod, it make sense to digiscope unless you are after the highest possible image quality. With a good quality scope and digital camera, A4 size prints are attainable, but if you only look at them on the computer, then there is quality to spare.
My advice would be to buy the scope first, then take it with you to the camera shop to buy your camera so you can check the vignetting, which is what I did when I bought my video - some camera/scope combinations don't work.

Happy digiscoping

Richard

Thanks Jason Alan & Richard - together your reply answers pretty well all my points. I did look at Andy Bright's website which was very informative. Thanks a lot Richard also for the 600mm (on a 35mm) = 12x conversion. I wanted to ask that question but thought I'd go on long on enough as it was… but that really speaks volumes. I think I'm definitely going to look into (as it were) scopes now.

I like birdforum!

Hi,George,welcome to BF.I think your questions have already been answered.To attain the images which one can obtain through a scope ,with camera attached one would really need to be using a digi SlR camera,with a heavy expensive lens.I am a total amateur photographer,I do not use any specific camera settings at all,simply because I do not understand them.I took up digiscoping,as I wanted a picture of the image I could see through my spotting scope.A camera ,without a powerful lens just takes what you can see with the naked eye.Yes ,a good picture for landscapes,people,buildings etc,but not each individual feather,and droplet of water on the birds plumage.Since the advent of DigiSlrs,with not too heavy zoom lenses and converters,it is now possible to obtain the same images.But as Richard has already mentioned,if you are off birding with your scope,why not attach a camera to the eyepiece whils't you are there and take a pic of the bird you can see through your scope.
I think that now,many people who are digiscoping,are venturing into the DigiSLR world,and comparing results.I have seen some superb shots on the Forum taken with DigiSlr cameras,by the same people who also take a shot of the same calibre via Digiscoping.It will be your choice ,in the end.