DIY Adapters (1 Viewer)

I have been getting ready to digiscope in stages.... Stage 1urchased a Pentax 80EA spotter.... Stage 2: Purchased a fuji F30, Canon S90, Nikon P5100, Panasonic FH1, and Panasonic FX150. I was able to purchase all (except S90) for under $50 on ebay. I know the models are older, but my thinking is "older is simpler to begin with" as I know next to nothing about photography.

Now on to stage 3: I want to make my own adapter. I have researched this website and have seen a variety of DIY adaptors. I have read through the DIY adaptor thread from December 2007. I would like to know if anyone has developed a DIY adaptor or refined one they made earlier? If so, would you be willing to share ideas (materials used, build instructions, drawbacks, etc.)?

Sorry for the length of this message.

1973cj5

I've made DIY adaptors for the F30 and P5100, as well as Canon A620, Nikon Coolpix 990, 5000, 6000 and now the Nikon V1 10-30mm and 18.5mm lenses. I've used everything from spice jar lids to PVC tube adaptors. A little creativity is all you need. Check out my digiscoping articles - they might give you some ideas.

http://jerryjourdan2.blogspot.com

Hi Jerry,

I read your latest post with interest about using the Nikon 1 18.5mm F1.8 on the V1. I am happy to see you did not experience any vignetting even at 20x. I thought the 18.5mm F1.8 might be a better alternative to the new Nikon DSA-N1.

Jerry,

Hello and thanks. I have seen and saved some of your digiscoping articles . I am not very creative and one of those visual learner types who needs to see something first.

Thanks again,

Scott

1973CJ5 said:

I have been getting ready to digiscope in stages.... Stage 1urchased a Pentax 80EA spotter.... Stage 2: Purchased a fuji F30, Canon S90, Nikon P5100, Panasonic FH1, and Panasonic FX150. I was able to purchase all (except S90) for under $50 on ebay. I know the models are older, but my thinking is "older is simpler to begin with" as I know next to nothing about photography.

Now on to stage 3: I want to make my own adapter. I have researched this website and have seen a variety of DIY adaptors. I have read through the DIY adaptor thread from December 2007. I would like to know if anyone has developed a DIY adaptor or refined one they made earlier? If so, would you be willing to share ideas (materials used, build instructions, drawbacks, etc.)?

Click to expand...

What a great array of "older" cameras. Fantastic value for money. And also very sensible IMO to think about a DIY adaptor.

I made what is just about the simplest tube adaptor I could for my Nikon P300 (illustrated in this thread http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=195746). Although you would lose use of the zoom ring on the Canon S90, a similar design would work for that because the two cameras are so similar.

It is just a plastic tube made from a straight cup whose diameter was marginally wider than the eyepiece of my Swarovski scope (56mm). The flange at the base of the zoom on the camera is slightly smaller so I just packed one end of the tube with tape so it now fits snugly in place. The snug fit just about holds the camera in place on the (angled) scope, but I also taped a flat bit of metal with a hole in the end to the tube and bent it so it was aligned and flush with the tripod mount, so a 1/4 whitworth bolt holds the arrangement in place.

It is amazingly light which has the great advantage of not changing the balance of my scope much when I slide it on. I did make an earlier proptype from even lighter plastic, but found it was too flexible. The one I have ended up with it is about 1mm thick. An even older adaptor I made (for my Fuji F31fd) was from quite thick uPVC and ended up way too heavy: every time I mounted it the weight would shift so the bird dropped off the bottom of the field of view and I would have to adjust the tripod.

Good luck with your engineering!

Ian

Hello Ian,

Thanks for your reply and the thread containing the description and pictures of your DIY adapter. The thread you provided also had a couple of other DIY adaptor ideas as well. I have three things working against me as I start this digiscoping hobby; 1) very little knowledge and application regarding photography, 2) I am not very creative, and 3) I am currently in Japan coaching professional basketball and my spotting scope is in the U.S. (North Dakota). But, I love the outdoors and wildlife in particular. My wife is excited that I am getting into disgiscoping. We have been married 37 years and she has always encouraged me to take pictures of wild animals instead of hunting them.

I hope to be able to take some ideas and build a couple of adapters when I get home to the states in May. Have you learned to appreciate the P300 that you purchased?

Thanks again for the post!

Scott