Spotting Scope Info (1 Viewer)

Good day everyone. My name is taz gerstman and I am from the heart of Dixie. Alabama that is. I am here to gather some information from the experts pertaining to the use of spotting scopes with the ability to attach your dslr cameras to them. My wife really enjoys bird watching and I have bought her a really nice pair of binos but I am in the market for a really good spotting scope that will allow me to connect our dslr camera up to. For those who do that, what would you recommend as far as brand, etc? Thanks

taz_gerstman is online now Report Post

Hi,

first of all, welcome to BF!

Most scopes can be used for imaging, it helps if you one with ED glass as chromatic aberration is quite prominent in images.
If your focus is not on watching birds but digiscoping, you might want to ask also in the digiscoping forum. And it would be helpful to know what type of camera you plan to use too.

In general, there's many ways of taking pictures through a scope - see the link below - never mind the fact that Televue is mainly about astro scopes, the principles are the same.

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=85

Usual ways for spotting scopes are the following:

Method 3 Focal length extended by Barlow/Powermate, although this adapter is usually called TLS-APO with spotters: Screws onto your scope body on one side and has a T-mount thread on the other. You can get a T2 adapter for your DSLR and attach it - you use the scope as a slow and long tele prime lens, manual focus only. Find the focus peeking and focus loupe options of your camera! Effective focal length is usually 600 to 1200mm, focal ratio 8 to 12.

Method 4 Eyepiece Projection: You get an adapter which can be screwed onto your EP or onto an accessory thread on the body so it covers your EP and has a T mount thread on the camera side. Once again, you mount your camera with a T2 adapter. Effective focal lengths is usally in the 1000-3000mm range and focal ratios are f10 to f30. Manual focus only.

Method 5 Afocal imaging aka digiscoping: you get an adapter to put your camera (including lens) or smartphone cam behind your EP. Effective focal length is focal length of your camera lens times the magnification of scope and EP - can get very long but usually low magnifications 20-30x are used together with a not too long tele. Focal ratio is scope aperture / effective focal lenth - can get very slow. On the plus side, you camera AF can work (to a degree, it won't work if the focus in the scope is totally off).

As you can see, in all cases the effective focal lengths are quite long and the focal ratios correspondingly slow, so you want:

a) a sturdy tripod and head - more so than for visual

b) a camera with good low light capabilities

Joachim

There may be a bit of a weight issue.

The other end of this hobby is to use a smart phone. Many adapters attach to the scope. You focus for your eyecand then put the phone on and it uses auto focus.