Digiscope practise (1 Viewer)

christineredgate · Mar 27, 2007

One tip I have picked up from threads in the Forum,I think it was Ian F who mentioned this technique.Focus using the scope,then half press the shutter on the remote,then re-focus with the scope,finally fully depress shutter release.Yes this does work.I have been using this method today,and I did a couple of weeks ago,with the Heron shots I posted in the Gallery.
Yes,do not be over enthusiastic with the zoom.It is so easy to be carried away with this.One is looking through ones viewfinder,one keeps pressing the zoom button,the image keeps getting bigger,and one thinks,great,this is the equivalent of an 800mm prime ,but when viewed on the pc screen all one sees is a very blurry image,so do not over do the zoom.
Most important,try to keep everything perfectly still,wait a second after re focussing just to let the cam and tripod stabilize.

michaelmacey · Mar 27, 2007

Good points, the trouble is with us blokes i think, is we always want to go further and higher and faster, I couldnt wait to get my scope on a bird 250 yards away with 60x used, only to end up with a blurrrr. Mick

Mickymouse · Mar 27, 2007

You can still have fun stretching things a bit, this is the Peregrin on top up Richborough power station chimney, not going to win any awards but it pleases me given the range it was and the fact it was blowing a hooligan That day.

Mick

Atricapilla · Mar 28, 2007

Sometimes you suprise yourself when you get a 150 yard shot thats not half bad,and a 300yard shot(R.f.falcon) even if it is only for ID purposes!!!!!

markho · Mar 28, 2007

I don't know if you read Birdwatching magazine but they have just recently releasedr useful DVd full of tips for beginners. See their webpage

www.prototec.co.uk/dvd/dvd.asp .

michaelmacey · Mar 28, 2007

Iv been thinking about subscribing to that, is it any good?

Nice pics mick and bob, how did you find the perigrine mick? il look next time im driving past,

erniehatt · Mar 29, 2007

bobwoodcock said:
Sometimes you suprise yourself when you get a 150 yard shot thats not half bad,and a 300yard shot(R.f.falcon) even if it is only for ID purposes!!!!!

Bob I for one would love to know your settings, I have never seen such great DOF with a digiscoping setup. Ernie

Atricapilla · Mar 29, 2007

erniehatt said:
Bob I for one would love to know your settings, I have never seen such great DOF with a digiscoping setup. Ernie

Ernie,I just listened to Andy Brights advice 3 years ago and set my camera to his advised settings on Digiscoped .com.

erniehatt · Mar 29, 2007

Thanks Bob, I just had a look at the articles you mentioned, and find that most of the things I am already doing, perhaps though I should have a look at my aperture settings. Ernie

matt green · Mar 30, 2007

Michael

I'm sure you are already, but are you using the macro setting on your camera? (apologies if this has already been mentioned)

I never realized this until another member advised me!, though I'm only taking shots through my binocs, the pic below is about as good as I can manage
while hand holding my 7x42 binoculars

If the rook was a great grey shrike I'd be pretty chuffed with the record shot at least..

Matt

Mickymouse · Mar 30, 2007

michaelmacey said:
Iv been thinking about subscribing to that, is it any good?

Nice pics mick and bob, how did you find the perigrine mick? il look next time im driving past,

Every time I go to Pegwell bay I have a look at the chimney, sometimes I'm lucky like the day I took that, apparently there are a pair living there but I have only ever seen one. Be careful driving past, that road is very iffy right now, you don't want to find yourself ploughing through the farm shop while you are looking for the Peregrin, I managed to right a car off and I was looking at a Sparrow:-C

Mick

michaelmacey · Mar 30, 2007

Mickymouse said:
Every time I go to Pegwell bay I have a look at the chimney, sometimes I'm lucky like the day I took that, apparently there are a pair living there but I have only ever seen one. Be careful driving past, that road is very iffy right now, you don't want to find yourself ploughing through the farm shop while you are looking for the Peregrin, I managed to right a car off and I was looking at a Sparrow:-C

Mick

No way, was it a nice sparrow? I pass there when i take the work truck out and when fishing, il start looking now with a bit more interest. Off to stodmarsh in an hour, please dont rain!!!!!! Mick

normjackson · Mar 30, 2007

michaelmacey said:
No way, was it a nice sparrow?

It might have been a Chimney Sparrow. Think I've seen them on the telly. That short guy with the beard was impersonating their song. Think it was something like "no no claims bonus...no no claims bonus".

Sounds like a scary incident Mick. Glad you're OK.

digitalbirdy · Apr 1, 2007

Michael I also use the opticron 665ED and its a fantastic scope. But it has taken me a while to develop my digiscoping technique to get really high quality photos.

I did buy the high quality - non zoom eyepiece which probably helps quality.

I know this photo below is slightly over exposed (my fault), but you wil see the sort of detail/quality possible. - DON't give up!

Please take a look. All the best - Adrian

http://www.t1000.co.uk/camera/sparrow_20mar07_3163crp2_900t.jpg

michaelmacey · Apr 2, 2007

digitalbirdy said:
Michael I also use the opticron 665ED and its a fantastic scope. But it has taken me a while to develop my digiscoping technique to get really high quality photos.

I did buy the high quality - non zoom eyepiece which probably helps quality.

I know this photo below is slightly over exposed (my fault), but you wil see the sort of detail/quality possible. - DON't give up!

Please take a look. All the best - Adrian

http://www.t1000.co.uk/camera/sparrow_20mar07_3163crp2_900t.jpg

Thats a cracking picture! im Gonna have another practise this weekend. Can i ask, what sort of distance away from the scope would you be getting pics like these? Do they have to be pretty close to achieve this detail? Cheers Mick

digitalbirdy · Apr 3, 2007

michaelmacey said:
Thats a cracking picture! im Gonna have another practise this weekend. Can i ask, what sort of distance away from the scope would you be getting pics like these? Do they have to be pretty close to achieve this detail? Cheers Mick

Hi Michael I was only using a 20x eyepiece and the bird was fairy close - about 10 meters/30+ feet away, but the photo you are seeing in my link is resampled down to only half-size of the original - which contains far more detail.

You will be amazed at how much your scoping will improve with practice.
* Don't jerk the tripod when taking the shot.
* Use the camera at its best/sharpest settings (learn about Fstops, ISO & shutter speed).
* make sure the camera is at the 'best' distance from the scope, etc.

All these things start to add up and either make a great - or terrible photo.

nick scarle · Apr 3, 2007

I can only agree with all the previous comments about zooming and settings.
By far the best results are obtained with minimal zoom (on zoom eyepieces) or a low mag. fixed eyepiece and with the camera zoomed in far enough to get rid of vignetting but not at maximum.
However, just once in a lifetime, you get lucky. This Lesser Spotted Eagle must have been 400+ yards away across a big field on a pretty gloomy day but I thought I'd give it a go at 48X just for a record shot!
Focal length 32mm (maximum), ISO 100, 1/6th second at f/5.1.

michaelmacey · Apr 4, 2007

You cant complain at that nick, great from that far away. We have a nice long weekend to look forward to with plenty of playing around and changing things, cant wait! Mick

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