What's your setup? (1 Viewer)

Andy V · Sep 26, 2004

Hi all,
I am saving up a load of cash for a digiscoping setup - my current camera (although a delight to use) is wholly unsuitable for digiscoping. So I am in the market to buy camera, adaptors and scope - so hopefully no compromises on 'making do' with existing kit.

I am warming towards a Nikon set - coolpix 4500, nikon adaptors and a 82mm ED feildscope.

Just for curiosity and comparison - please post a breif description of what setup you use - I know there are loads of different combinations and am interested to see who's-using-what.

Cheers

Ashley beolens · Sep 26, 2004

CP4500, Swaro AT80 HD scope and my own adaptor, made from step up ring and plastic tubing, not pretty but it works.

stevo · Sep 26, 2004

Hi Andy v

Just a pointer in the right direction you may like to try this site www.digiscoped.com

Regards Steve.

pete schofield · Sep 26, 2004

Leica APO 77, Contax SL300R, LCE adaptor, Pennine remote, Manfrotto BWB 190 + manfrotto 501 head.

Pete

simon · Sep 26, 2004

Swaro ATS 80 HD, Digital Camera base, Coolpix 4500,mc-eu1 remote and i've had no probs with it, manfrotto 443 with 701rc2 head

Simon

IanF · Sep 26, 2004

I am using a Swarovski ATS 80 HD + Nikon CP4500+ Swaro adapter in the main though also with a CP990 and the Contax SL300RT. Swarovski photos

I'd add the Kowa 823M to your condsideration as I previously owned the 823 and was a superb set up with the LCE adapter. Kowa photos

christineredgate · Sep 26, 2004

4500 with Swar scope and LCE adaptor,Contax,with the same and 300d with Swar digi with SLR adaptor.

Andy V · Sep 27, 2004

Thanks folks - the swaro seems very popular, but I'm keen to get something with ED/HD glass and the swaro with this is just too expensive unfortunately. Will go take a look at the Kowa - is in a similar price bracket to the Nikon.

Anthony Martin · Sep 27, 2004

Andy V said:
Thanks folks - the swaro seems very popular, but I'm keen to get something with ED/HD glass and the swaro with this is just too expensive unfortunately. Will go take a look at the Kowa - is in a similar price bracket to the Nikon.

Andy.
I think you would do well to compare the scopes you suggest with the Leica APO77. Check the edge to edge sharpness and the resolving capability, esp. at long distance. For value for money, if you shop around a little, this scope takes some beating.

Tony.

yossi · Sep 30, 2004

I got several scopes (a sick glass lover...). The Leica Apo 62 is my favourite scope. I use it with the CP4500 and the D100. The best lens for digiscoping with a Nikon DSLR is the 45mm/2.8. It's tiny and never vignettes as the 50mm/1.8 does sometimes. Another inexpensive (relatively speaking) option is the Nikon FSIII ED, 60mm scope.

Andy V · Oct 1, 2004

Oh the dilemma

I am now torn - been checking out the options and am down to :

Leica APO televid 77, 32xWW eyepiece, (not sure on adaptors)
or
Nikon ED82, 30xW eyepiece, FSA & F/S CP9XX nikon adaptors

Camera will be Contax SL300RT or maybe wait for the U4R.

The scopes on there own are within fifty quid of each other, with a manufacturers specific stay-on-case. Unfortunatley the Ziess and Swaro are just too much for my pocket.

EDIT : just been looking at the LCE adaptor - which would be £50 (nikon adaptors are £90 all told) - so that levels the playing field to within a tenner :-o

pete schofield · Oct 1, 2004

Andy don't know if this will help but I use the Leica and contax with a LCE adaptor and what I have found is that with the contax I can just whip the camera of leaving the filter ring on adaptor and the adaptor on the scope and still use the scope for viewing (I don't wear glasses for viewing) also I have slightly modified my adaptor to fit using one screw, I did try the eagleeye adaptor but could not get on with all the screws.

Pete

Andy V · Oct 1, 2004

Thanks - does the filter ring thingy just clip on to the contax camera? or is it screw on?

I wear specs though so I would probably need to remove it for normal viewing anyway. The Leica had those twist-down eyecups I think doesnt it. The more I think about it, I'm drifting towards the Leica. Which eyepiece do you have?

pete schofield · Oct 1, 2004

Andy V said:
Thanks - does the filter ring thingy just clip on to the contax camera? or is it screw on?

I wear specs though so I would probably need to remove it for normal viewing anyway. The Leica had those twist-down eyecups I think doesnt it. The more I think about it, I'm drifting towards the Leica. Which eyepiece do you have?

Andy the filter thingy screws onto the adaptor and then the camera justs twists onto the filter with a bit of practice it is on/off in about a second. and yes the leica does have twist or pull up eye cups depends which eye piece, I have a 20x60 which twists and a 32x which pulls up if I remember correctly long time since I used it. I tend to stick to the zoom.

Pete

scampo · Oct 2, 2004

Andy V said:
Thanks folks - the swaro seems very popular, but I'm keen to get something with ED/HD glass and the swaro with this is just too expensive unfortunately. Will go take a look at the Kowa - is in a similar price bracket to the Nikon.

I use the Zeiss 85FL with a Nikon CP4500, but my son uses the Nikon ED82 and CP4500. He loves the Nikon kit and changed his Swaro 65 just for the Nikon. The Nikon is comparable in every way to other top scopes so if you'll be saving cash with the Nikon, you'll certainly not be forsaking quality. The Nikon adapter is beautifully made and works a treat.

One aspect of Swaro, Zeiss and Leica, however, is that their eyepieces are a touch more "digiscoping friendly" in that they have a slightly longer "eye relief" than does Nikon (although Nikon are soon bringing out special longer eye relief eyepieces specially for digiscoping with their EDIII and ED82 scopes). I think the longest eye relief is the Leica 20x and many here have said that this is ideal for digiscoping; but it cannot be so ideal for birding at that magnification.

The Nikon eye relief is, of course, absolutely fine for birding; and for digiscoping it just means that you have to zoom in a shade more with your camera to get rid of the vignetting effect (that is, the dark ring on the edge of the view that is present with all scopes when used for digiscoping to a greater or lesser degree).

I attach a shot taken with the Nikon - as you can tell, I am a real beginner at digiscoping, but it will give you an idea of what can be done. The shot was with the 25-75x Nikon zoom eyepiece.

christineredgate · Oct 2, 2004

Nice shot,Steve,is this the first pic you have posted?.Keep at it.

scampo · Oct 3, 2004

christineredgate said:
Nice shot,Steve,is this the first pic you have posted?.Keep at it.

Hi Christine - I have posted that one before. Keeping "at it" is something I just can't find the time to do, Christine. Ah the life of an English teacher, planning and marking, planning and marking...

I went birdwatching yesterday and had a great day, but didn't take the camera as it would have taken too long and we were busy looking for and looking at birds. I don't know - it seemed such a good idea when I bought the camera... Ah well, one day.

Denis J · Oct 3, 2004

Have a look at the Kowa scope with the new eyepieces I recently bought the new 21 and 32x wide and they allow you to use the cp4500 with no vignetting at all

christineredgate · Oct 3, 2004

scampo said:
Hi Christine - I have posted that one before. Keeping "at it" is something I just can't find the time to do, Christine. Ah the life of an English teacher, planning and marking, planning and marking...

I went birdwatching yesterday and had a great day, but didn't take the camera as it would have taken too long and we were busy looking for and looking at birds. I don't know - it seemed such a good idea when I bought the camera... Ah well, one day.

Oh,dear Steve,a teachers life is so hard these days!!,even with 6 weeks summer hols(sorry,could not resist),when you retire Steve,you can spend all day digiscoping--I wish--

scampo · Oct 5, 2004

christineredgate said:
Oh,dear Steve,a teachers life is so hard these days!!,even with 6 weeks summer hols(sorry,could not resist),when you retire Steve,you can spend all day digiscoping--I wish--

I'm glad I have your sympathy, Christine...

(-;

What's your setup? (1 Viewer)

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