Starting digiscoping with Nikon Fieldscopes (1 Viewer)

I have the ED78 and ED50 Nikon Fieldscopes with DS eyepieces and would like to start digiscoping, but am not sure which direction to take. I have a Canon Ixus 60 and a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. Am I better to sell my cameras and buy a Nikon compact and digiscoping kit? If so, which camera and kit? Or can I find a way to adapt one or other of the cameras I've got? Any and all advice gratefully received.

Michael

Hi Michael,

I use the Nikon ED82A myself (a successor to the ED78 if I am correct) so I cannot make confirmed statements regarding setups that work for the scopes you have. Important is that the scope must have ED lenses for good results.

The Panasonic DMC-TZ5 is most likely not suitable for DS due to the 10x zoom.
The Canon IXUS 60 might work with 3X zoom but I cannot confirm the image quality and if there are issues with vignetting.

Nikon have a digiscoping system with specific adapters that fit a wide range of Nikon P&S cameras. The chart is updated per April 2011.

If you decide to go for a non-Nikon camera then you need a third party adapter. I can recommend the Baader Microstage II generic adapter that lets you swing the camera away from the eyepice. I use it with Canon Powershot S95 and am pleased with the results.

HTH
Tord

Thanks, Tord, that's helpful indeed.

Tord said:

I use the Nikon ED82A myself (a successor to the ED78 if I am correct) so I cannot make confirmed statements regarding setups that work for the scopes you have. Important is that the scope must have ED lenses for good results.

Click to expand...

The ED78A that I have uses the same DS lenses as the ED82A, so anything that works with one will work with the other.

Tord said:

The Panasonic DMC-TZ5 is most likely not suitable for DS due to the 10x zoom.
The Canon IXUS 60 might work with 3X zoom but I cannot confirm the image quality and if there are issues with vignetting.

Click to expand...

The Panasonic is the best camera I've found for just poking into the eyepiece ad hoc, if I accept the vignetting. I've tried to make various home-made adaptors for both cameras, but though they seem to work okay, the results, when I compare them with the ad hoc Panasonic, are no better and usually worse.

Tord said:

Nikon have a digiscoping system with specific adapters that fit a wide range of Nikon P&S cameras. The chart is updated per April 2011.

Click to expand...

Thanks. That's the kind of information I've been looking for and unable to find; Nikon's UK website is a mess.

Tord said:

If you decide to go for a non-Nikon camera then you need a third party adapter. I can recommend the Baader Microstage II generic adapter that lets you swing the camera away from the eyepice. I use it with Canon Powershot S95 and am pleased with the results.

Click to expand...

I'm sure that works well, Tord, but I'm looking for something neater and simpler.

Michael

Tord said:

If you decide to go for a non-Nikon camera then you need a third party adapter. I can recommend the Baader Microstage II generic adapter that lets you swing the camera away from the eyepice. I use it with Canon Powershot S95 and am pleased with the results.

Click to expand...

Tord, I forgot to say that I'd be interested to see some of your pictures.

Michael

Hi,

Most of my pictures are on display in my gallery (please note that not all are digiscoped). There are some more attached to threads, search for posts written by me.

/Tord

Tord's suggestion for third party adapter is the only way to go with your Canon and Panasonic cameras

MacGee said:

Thanks, Tord, that's helpful indeed.
I'm sure that works well, Tord, but I'm looking for something neater and simpler.

Michael

Click to expand...

Hi again

I just noticed this comment. I can confirm this adapter is well designed, good quality (fabricated of metal) and usability is good.

It takes some time to get familiar with the first time it but after having used it you will be able to deploy it in less than a minute, including needed x/y/z axis adjustments. The payoff comes in increased yield every time you take a picture of a volatile subject.

What I mean with that is that when using a P&S camera the only reliable way of adjusting focus with precision is through the eyepiece (since the depth of field is really shallow). To do that you need to remove the camera from the eyepiece. Some adapters don't have the "swing" functionality and this means you lose valuable time: The procedure is i) releasing the adapter, ii) storing the adapter and camera somewhere while focusing (with risk of dropping it) iii) mounting the adapter again, iv) taking the picture and finding out the subject is gone or has moved away from the focal plane - back to i) or accept that the picture will be blurred. With this adapter it takes a second to swing the camera into shooting position. (For reference Swarowski has an adapter with similar design, the difference is that the connection to the scope is customized to fit Swarowski scope - and the price tag).

You can order the Baader adapter by ordering it through email, they will send a Paypal payment request to you and once they have got the money they will ship it to you by air mail.

/Tord