My First Digiscoped Picture (1 Viewer)

John151 · Mar 22, 2006

This is my first digiscoped picture. What went wrong? My pictures are unsharp and full of noise. So I used neat image on it. For the chaffinch I used 400 ISO and auto mode. This resulted in 1/30 s @ f4.7. There is no manual exposure mode. There is no soft release so I used the self timer. I used auto focus rather than close up or infinity settings. I took the pictures from inside the house to avoid wind. I suspect that the 1/30 s says it all.

Will someone please advise on best camera settings, My equipment comprises:-

Swarovski 65 AT with 20-60x eye piece.
Swarovski DCA bracket
Ixus 400 camera.

christineredgate · Mar 22, 2006

John,I do not know anything re your cam settings,but with the settings that Andy B compiled,an iso of just 100 is recommended.This could perhaps be why you have so much noise in the image.Macro and infinity are the recommended settings ,again for the 4500.
Hopefully,John someone else will come along with some ideas.The cam and adaptor do seem to be compatible,as you have a good enlarged version of the Chaffinch,it just seems to have that grainy effect.Was it nice and bright out of doors?.

John151 · Mar 23, 2006

Thank you for your reply Christine. No it was not nice and bright, it was rather dull, hence the use of ISO 400 to use the highest shutter speed I could muster.
John.

erniehatt · Mar 23, 2006

Hi John, The iso 400 is deffinitely the cause of the grain, but the out of focus seems to be a combination of shallow dof and movement, but a very good first attempt, don't get dissilusioned. I hope you get more responce than I did for my first digiscope image, very dissapointing that I have not posted any others. Ernie

John151 · Mar 23, 2006

Thank you Ernie. I will try ISO 100 as soon as brightness permits. I hope I will get more replies and I think I probably will because helping each other is what this forum is all about.

Neil · Mar 23, 2006

John,
Normally digicams produce noise over 100 iso and with the 65 mm scope you're not getting enough light to freeze the action. I was trying to photograph Painted Buntings at feeders in Florida last year and it was a thankless task as the feeder were hanging on wires which didn't help. I didn't get one sharp photo over two visits , in dull light and several hundred images. Wait for better light and try to photograph them as they wait to come down to the feeder as they move fast while feeding.Reducing the magnification will help too.Neil.

johnruss · Mar 23, 2006

John151 said:
This is my first digiscoped picture. What went wrong? My pictures are unsharp and full of noise. So I used neat image on it. For the chaffinch I used 400 ISO and auto mode. This resulted in 1/30 s @ f4.7. There is no manual exposure mode. There is no soft release so I used the self timer. I used auto focus rather than close up or infinity settings. I took the pictures from inside the house to avoid wind. I suspect that the 1/30 s says it all.

Will someone please advise on best camera settings, My equipment comprises:-

Swarovski 65 AT with 20-60x eye piece.
Swarovski DCA bracket
Ixus 400 camera.

got to get that ISO down to 100 or even 50. I made the very same mistake. Also need to pay attention to the focus. My first pic had beautiful feet the rest slightly out of focus. The field of view is very shallow digiscoping. Get a cable release don't rely on auto. Carefully squeeze the cable until you are half way point recheck focus then shoot.using auto allows subject to move. Also the experts say take more than one shot.I went to a site called Digibird.com they have some wonderful info in the form of a digiscoping primer.

John151 · Mar 23, 2006

Thank you all for your advice which seems to be:
1. Get the ISO to 100 or less
2. Make sure there is sufficient light for the camera to focus.
3. Beware of movement and very shallow depth of field.

Today was bright and sunny so I set the ISO to 100 and took a picture of a brick wall which is flat and stationary. That seems to take care of points 1 to 3. The result is shown and it is a considerable improvement. A big thank you to all those who replied so far. I hope for more replies to tell me whether to use auto focus, macro, or infinity setting for focusing and about anything else that I am oblivious too. In this case I used auto focus. I can't use a cable release because there is not one available for the IXUS400. I will have to try to rig something up.

christineredgate · Mar 23, 2006

John,try a gentle stroke of the shutter button as opposed to a stab/jab.Sometimes this works.anything which reduces any movement.

christineredgate · Mar 23, 2006

John no there is nothing wrong with your wall,now try again using the settings you mentioned,infinity,macro,etc,also why not make a target area on the wall,as if you were taking an image of a bird,it means it would be still,but you would be focussing on a specific small area,then test your settings.It will be time consuming ,but worth it eventually .Pity no one else is using your model of camera,who could advise.

johnruss · Mar 24, 2006

Another thought. Eagle Eye Optics has a cable adapter that fit one of their mounts. I buy from them with good service from here Vermont USA I am sure that if you could take your rig to their shop they could fit you with a cable release. Also when you do take a shot make sure that you do what I call follow through, that is do not move a muscle until well after the shot is taken. this is something I learned from archery. If you get into the habit of moving right after a shot your muscles will telegraph that movement before you actually move . causing movement you are not aware of. Hold for several seconds after the shutter releases. EagleEye Optics are in wentshaw Lodge Fairseat Sevenoaks Kent TN15 7LR U.K. Tel 01474 871219 email [email protected] web www.eagleeyeuk.com all that came off the last box I got from them.

John151 · Mar 24, 2006

Interesting John and Christine that you are both archers. That was one of my hobbies too. Christine, stroking the shutter release as opposed to jabbing and John, not moving a mussel, don't really apply because having no cable release facilityI use the self-timer with a 10 second delay. John, I will try the links to Eagle Eye Optics. Thanks again.

John

John151 · Mar 25, 2006

I have now tried focusing in the following modes:- macro, auto fucus and infinity setting. Macro gave the best result by a slight margin, followed by infinity and then auto focus. The macro result is shown here. The sign post was about 150 m away. Vibration seems to be an important factor. I would never even think of using a 2000 mm lens on my camera mounted on my slick D-3 tripod; yet that is, infact, what I am doing. The next pictures will be taken outside, with the tripod legs fully retracted and me sitting on the ground. Let's see if that makes any difference. I suspect the results will be worse due to wind effects. Thanks everyone for all your help.

Mickymouse · Mar 25, 2006

Hi John
I haven't got a cable release and use the self timer like you but I have found I only need a 2 second delay to get rid of the movement.

Mick

John151 · Mar 25, 2006

Thank you Mick, I have tried 2 seconds and with my set up its not enough. That just shows how much I nead a more vibration free set up. I know a bean bag would help but maybe, just maybe, that extra weight would be better providing a more rigid tripod. It's not that simple though; where the extra weight is carried is a factor. I have heard that carbon fibre tripods damp out vibrations more quickly. I have a lot to learn.

Mickymouse said:
Hi John
I haven't got a cable release and use the self timer like you but I have found I only need a 2 second delay to get rid of the movement.

Mick

Neil · Mar 26, 2006

John,
The tripod/head combination is very important on the vibration issue. When locked down and you flick the camera with you finger does it vibrate? Most tripods are not stable enough when fully extended for digiscoping as the scope/camera is too lightweight to weigh them down firmly. A carbon fibre tirpod won't help in this regard unless you have a very heavy head. I have a heavy ballhead which damps down vibration and I use my tripod at it's lowest setting most of the time. You can try a long elastic band just in front of the center of gravity of the scope down to the tripod leg which helps. Also if you use Continuous Mode you will find by the third or fourth frame vibration should be reduced. Neil.

Modular · Mar 26, 2006

Totally agree with Neil ... The Continuous setting does work well,
I learnt this only a Week ago and wished i'd done it before, ... Eat's your memory card
though,

,
John,

John151 · Mar 26, 2006

Thank you Neil and John.
Just one thing that puzzles me about the continuous mode; I need to keep my finger on the release button (there isn't any cable release facility on IXUS 400) and that induces more vibration. I have tried it without much success.
John.

Neil · Mar 26, 2006

John,
What tripod and head are you using. If the Continuous Mode doesn't improve the situation your head might be too unstable.Neil.

John151 · Mar 26, 2006

Neil, My head is stable enough, its been in place for 76 years now. A bit stiff in the neck sometimes. Unless you mean my tripod head, in which case its a Slick D-3. Which one do you use. Thanks very much Neil.
John

Neil said:
John,
What tripod and head are you using. If the Continuous Mode doesn't improve the situation your head might be too unstable.Neil.

My First Digiscoped Picture (1 Viewer)

John

Attachments

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

John

Well-known member

John

Well-known member

Well-known member

John

Attachments

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

Well-known member

John

John

Attachments

Ubuntu Linux user

John

Well-known member

I'll leave this space empty

John

Well-known member

John

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread