Nikon P5100 (1 Viewer)

Neil · Sep 29, 2007

The P5100 has just appeared in the shops here in Hong Kong so I trundled along to my favorite camera store to have a look at it. I bought it as it takes the same adapter as the P5000 and is basically the same camera with an updated sensor.
I just did a quick test in my apartment and the lens behaves very well with my Swarovski 30x and 45x. I use the DCA zoom on these fixed eyepieces and there is basically no vignetting from wide zoom to tele although I have to slide the adapter out a couple of mm at wide and 1 mm at tele. On the 20 - 60x zoom you need to zoom the camera lens to about half way to lose the vignetting at 20x and about the same at 60x. At 30x you lose it at around 2/3 rd zoom.
I'll post some photos tomorrow. Neil.

JGobeil · Sep 29, 2007

Neil,

Please comment on the time it takes to save photos. I was wondering if it is faster than the P5000.

Regards

Sleeper · Sep 29, 2007

Hi Neil

I am watching your opinion on this camera as I am not sure it is worth the extra over the P5000. I had a quick look at it and was surprised that they had not done anything with the slowish AF.

Really appreciate your views on this as I will be waiting for yours, and others, view on this.

Neil · Sep 30, 2007

These are the first tests from this mornings shoot using the P5100. I didn't compare it to the P5000 yet but did compare with the Canon A640.
My first impression is that AF time is similar to P5000 and camera slows down a bit more after about 3 frames as it processes the 12.1 megs.
Here is the original image straight from the camera with a cropped version and then an adjusted version of the crop. No noise that I could see at iso 64.
More tests following of various iso and against the A640. Neil

Nikon P5100 plus swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter

JGobeil · Sep 30, 2007

Nice pic Neil. I was hoping that Nikon had improved the processing speed. Well I guess marketing won over common sense - easier to change the sensor than the logic and 12mpx makes nice adds to bring in first time users...

Neil · Sep 30, 2007

Here are two similar images from the Nikon P5100 and the Canon A640. The P5100 first. Neil

Nikon 5100 and Canon A640
plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Swarovski 45x eyepiece and DCA adapter

Hong Kong,
China.
October 2007

jacksnipe · Sep 30, 2007

the first picture is good,but the second picture,the bird is nearer,but is the best.but to be honest,there is not a great difference.nice pictures,thanks.

JGobeil · Sep 30, 2007

Different color renditions but similar quality IMO

Neil · Oct 1, 2007

I ran a test of the P5100 lens from mid zoom to full zoom. The lens is equivalent to 35 - 120 mm , so on the Swarovski 45x eyepiece this equates to 45 x 120 = 5400 mm or 108x magnification. I used the Self-timer for this test. Have a look at the small print at the mid rear in the second adjusted (CS2 ) image. The distance is about 35 metres. Neil.

Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 45x eyepiece and DCA adapter

Lamma Island,
Hong Kong,
China.
October,2007

Neil · Oct 1, 2007

There were 3 White Wagtails foraging around in the dirt this morning so this really tested the cropping ability of the 12.1 meg sensor. Taken from about 20 metres with the P5100 at the edge of the Green macro zone (10.1 mm/47 mm ).Neil.

Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 45x eyepiece and DCA adapter

Lamma Island,
Hong Kong,
China.
October 2007

erniehatt · Oct 1, 2007

Nice series of trial shots there Neil, there seems to me very little difference beween the Nikon and Canon shots, I must say that the shots of the cans show excellent DOF. Do you mean a 45X eyepiece or a 45mm. Ernie

JGobeil · Oct 1, 2007

Wow ! This is performance indeed... 108X is a 5400mm lens (let's say a 1687mm lens with a 2X converter and a 20D to make it smaller

...) Congradulations, Master !

Neil, what tripod and ball head are you using ?

Neil · Oct 1, 2007

Thanks Ernie. Swarovski have 3 fixed eyepieces in their current lineup - a 20x , 30x and 45x . There is a 77x too but it is a telescope 1.25 fitting. Neil.

Karim Madoya · Oct 16, 2007

Hi Neil,
One question. Does your camera's lens vary in length as you zoom in/out ie minimum to maximum zoom. I think I want to buy one after seeing your impressive digiscope photographs. Thank you.

Neil · Oct 16, 2007

Karim,
You'll be happy with the P5100. The lens extends and moves in and out with zooming but not much.
This is the adapter that gives you a 52 mm thread for you scope adapter. The Nikon one has a 28 mm thread.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lens-Adapter-Fl...5685236QQihZ015QQcategoryZ43479QQcmdZViewItem

Neil.

Karim Madoya · Oct 16, 2007

Neil,
I bought the camera this morning. And quickly test it this afternoon on a street lamp which about 50 meters away. I am using Kowa TSN-884 + Zoom eyepiece 20-60X. For this test my zoom is at 50X and no zooming at the camera.
Compare with my Fuji F40d, I am happy with with P5100, but anyhow please comment to inprove further.

I shall look for the adapter and thank you very much for that.

Karim Madoya.

Neil · Oct 16, 2007

Karim,
Excellent test image at 50x on the zoom eyepiece.
Select Macro Mode and zoom the camera lens to the end of the Green zone (10.1 mm or 47 mm ). I shoot in this mode most of the time. I use Continuous and hold down the shutter for 3 frames at full resolution or 6 frames at 8 megs. I use Spot Metering and Spot Focus. For White or black birds I usually set Manual Exposure so as not to confuse the meter.
Good luck, Neil.

Neil · Oct 16, 2007

I took some photos at iso 400 with the P5100 as I was using the zoom eyepiece at 60x and the light levels were low. Here is the original and the Noiseware/CS2 adjusted image.
Neil

Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw zoom 20 -60x and DCA adapter

Hong Kong,
China.
October 2007

NoSpringChicken · Oct 16, 2007

Oh dear Neil, you wouldn't believe how depressed you are making me by posting all those amazingly sharp images. I would be delighted with that much detail at 10 feet! You've really got this digiscoping lark sorted out now and the P5100 does seem to be a very good camera. Keep up the good work.

Ron

Neil · Oct 16, 2007

Ron,
Don't get depressed. I take a lot of images and only post the best one or ones to make a point. I take between 4 - 10 gigs of images a day and one day last week I took 18 gigs using 5 digicams and a digital videocam. I trash 90% of them. I still get a series of 20 images that are the wrong exposure or out of focus because I rushed it.
Regards, Neil.

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