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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

What's in your digiscoping kit? (1 Viewer)

dwminnich

dwminnich

Well-known member
I'm starting to think about what gear I'll take on an Alaska trip later this summer, particularly my digiscoping setup. Since I'll be away from major cities for most of the time, if I don't take something with me, I likely won't be able to find it there.

So, what pieces of gear, large and small, have you found invaluable for a long stretch in the field? Here's mine, to get the thread started...

My kit:
1. Scope (Celestron Regal F-ED 80)
2. Camera (Canon S100)
3. Two eyepieces, the 20-60 Celestron zoom, and a Baader Hyperion 17mm
4. Tripod w/ Video head (Manfrotto 3011 legs w/ 128RC micro fluid head)
5. Jackar adapter, modified for quick-release.
6. Quick-release plate for camera.
7. Necessary hardware to fit the Jackar adapter to either eyepiece.
6. Pedco Ultraclamp (minus the included ball mount, plus a 1/4" to 3/8" adapter to let me use it with the 128RC head) for shooting from a vehicle.
7. Lenspen, microfiber cloth, and bulb-style blower for cleaning.
8. Lots of extra batteries and SD cards
9. Small pair of pliers
10. Cable release adapter (home-made)
11. Canon 200EG photo backpack

--dave
 
I would add to that a screwdriver.... Many times the scope will become lose from the tripod adaptor n just needs a bit of tightening so there is no play. But, sounds like you have a good kit... Most is 'connected' as one unit (scope, tripod, adaptor).

Battery charger if you r using the S series cameras woud help too.
 
Mine would be :

Nikon Fieldscope EDG85
25xLER and 20-60x zoom eyepiece
FSB-U1 Universal Adapter with cable release
FSA-L2 Photo Adapter
Nikon P7000
Nikon D300s
Matin Rain Cover for the camera that extend to the scope itself
Velbon Umbrella mainly for the sun when shooting on the paddy field
Velbon Umbrella Clamp
Manfrotto 502 Video Head
Velbon 830 Carbon Fibre Tripod
Giottos Blower
Allen keys for tightening screws etc

But going to sell my Digiscoping kit soon to fund other lens ...
 
Hi

I notice you use the S100. I am not sure about the battery capacity and expected life, on the predecessor (S95, the one I use) this was a weak point.

As you mention bring a lot of extra batteries. Will you have access to AC outlet during your trip? If not, possibly you should consider bringing a solar powered charger.

In addition to this the only thing I would bring is a toolset to be able to tighten any screw/nut/... that you can find on the setup.

It can rain a lot in AK, make sure to bring a water secure backpack and a rain cover.

/Tord
 
The battery life is something to consider...I have the S90 and I fine I just recharge it every night but I have a backup. IS the 95 or 100 weaker in battery capacity? jim
 
Mine was an ED78 and Coolpix 990 for 11 years, now it is the same scope + Nikon DSLR adapter + adapter for Canon EF mount + Canon 600D DSLR. That said, I hardly use this setup nowadays, preferring my 400mm f/5.6L lens
 
Hi Jim,

It could be that DP Review are paying less importance at this factor, or simply omitted it from the S100 review.

Maybe we should open a new thread, I am afraid we are hijacking the original subject.

/Tord
 
Horukuru,
I notice you use the Matin rain cover. What are your thoughts? A rain cover is one of the things on my list to get before I go, but I have no experience with any of them.

--dave
 
Tord, Imans, and others,

Yes, battery life is certainly an issue on the S100. In a typical afternoon of digiscoping, I may run through a fully-charged battery in a couple of hours, depending on how rigorous I am at turning off the display to conserve power. I'll have enough batteries with me to make it through a worst-case day, and I will have access to wall outlets each night, so I plan to recharge daily. I also have a second charger to speed up that process.

I don't know how the S100 compares with either the 90 or 95, other than that the battery type changed from the S95 to the S100. I believe the S95 takes an NB-6L, and the S100 takes an NB-5L.

--dave
 
dwminnich said:
Horukuru,
I notice you use the Matin rain cover. What are your thoughts? A rain cover is one of the things on my list to get before I go, but I have no experience with any of them.

--dave
Click to expand...

Used once recently at the mountain and it was good for my need and my Matin Rain Cover size is the biggest so can fit up to 400mm 2.8 lens and mine is the camo type :king:
 
Try the rain cover op/tech USA... Via B n H for $8 a pair. I used in Ecuador in rain everyday on my camera but would easily fit scope. They r cheap but totally effective ! Jim
 
dwminnich said:
Tord, Imans, and others,

Yes, battery life is certainly an issue on the S100. In a typical afternoon of digiscoping, I may run through a fully-charged battery in a couple of hours, depending on how rigorous I am at turning off the display to conserve power. I'll have enough batteries with me to make it through a worst-case day, and I will have access to wall outlets each night, so I plan to recharge daily. I also have a second charger to speed up that process.

I don't know how the S100 compares with either the 90 or 95, other than that the battery type changed from the S95 to the S100. I believe the S95 takes an NB-6L, and the S100 takes an NB-5L.

--dave
Click to expand...
Correct, the S95 takes a NB-6L. The S95 is really useful for digiscoping (and so should be the S100). This said the battery life on the S95 is not that great. I have not done precise measurements, one battery should on paper allow to take 3 digit pictures, however having the camera power switched on will drain the battery quite fast so I would say it supports a digiscoping session with up to 100 pictures to give some order of magnitude. This is where the "C" (Custom) setting comes in handy, allowing to save power and restoring the camera settings at power on, including zoom/focal length (I get some vignetting at 28 mm equivalent, one or two soom steps are required for the eyepiece I use).

/Tord
 
Tord said:
Correct, the S95 takes a NB-6L. The S95 is really useful for digiscoping (and so should be the S100). This said the battery life on the S95 is not that great. I have not done precise measurements, one battery should on paper allow to take 3 digit pictures, however having the camera power switched on will drain the battery quite fast so I would say it supports a digiscoping session with up to 100 pictures to give some order of magnitude. This is where the "C" (Custom) setting comes in handy, allowing to save power and restoring the camera settings at power on, including zoom/focal length (I get some vignetting at 28 mm equivalent, one or two soom steps are required for the eyepiece I use).

/Tord[/QUOTE

I appreciate this thread isn't about the Canon but I think you've hugely underestimated the capability of the S95. With an uprated battery bought for less than a tenner, I can get almost 400 shots per charge. The original battery will get over 200 although I don't remember the actual figure as I never use it.
Click to expand...
 
When you speak of 'power switched on'.....do you keep the camera on for an extended period of time or have it auto shut off or do the same after the bird leaves? I know on my s90, I can pretty much go all day in a normal digiscoping day (not as many shots taken as a camera plus lens). In a good digiscoping day, a few hundred shots I would say.

The S90 uses the same NB-6L battery so something must be in the camera (S95 and 100) to allow for such poor battery life..not sure what the change is... jim
 
lmans66 said:
When you speak of 'power switched on'.....do you keep the camera on for an extended period of time or have it auto shut off or do the same after the bird leaves? I know on my s90, I can pretty much go all day in a normal digiscoping day (not as many shots taken as a camera plus lens). In a good digiscoping day, a few hundred shots I would say.

The S90 uses the same NB-6L battery so something must be in the camera (S95 and 100) to allow for such poor battery life..not sure what the change is... jim
Click to expand...
Hi Jim

I have the camera on a few minutes at most, then turn it off.

I guess that DP review may have rated the cameras in a somewhat subjective way - what I mean is that the expectations are dependent on the reviewer and also have come to increase over time. "later = should be better"

/Tord
 
Question for OP re Jackar adapter.

I noticed in your post that you have modified the Jackar adapter for quick release. How was this done?
 
kenmof61 said:
I noticed in your post that you have modified the Jackar adapter for quick release. How was this done?
Click to expand...

Hi Ken,

Instead of mounting my camera directly to the Jackar adapter, I use a Slik quick-release system (the DQ-20). I mount the DQ-20 to the Jackar, and the camera to the QR plate. In order to make this work, I had to make two small mods to the QR plate.

1. On a stock QR plate, my camera sat too far back from the eyepiece, causing vignetting. So, I removed the mounting screw in the QR plate and enlarged the mounting hole into a slot. This allowed the mounting screw to slide forward, moving the camera nearer the eyepiece. I used a table-mounted, woodworking router to make the slot. The only tricky piece was figuring out what I could mount the QR plate in so as to keep my fingers away from the router bit.

2. Once I had the slot, the stock mounting screw no longer worked, because the folding tabs on the stock screw were obstructed by the side of the QR plate itself in the forward-most position. So, I replaced it with a 1/4"-20 socket-headed screw at the local hardware store.

Hopefully the pictures clarify the description.

--dave
 

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mine is

Celestron Regal F-ED 80
Nikon P5100
Baader Hyperion 17mm
Jackar Universal adapter to attach camera to eyepiece
Olivon TR-149 Tripod with Olivon TRH-11 Tripod 2 Way Head
Baader microfiber cloth,
just the one SD card
 
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