Dave Appleton
Well-known member
I'm after some advice for buying a new digiscoping camera. I use a Zeiss Diascope 85T FL with 20-60x eyepiece and as I use it for birding as well as photography it's essential that the camera can be put on and taken off almost instantaneously.
I have been using a Coolpix 4500 for years and have been very happy with it. However, after what must be hundreds of thousands of photos it's getting tired. There's a little pink spot on every image (sensor damage?), the always slow focussing time seems to be getting ever slower (and increasingly it just won't focus), the zoom button feels like it's on it's way out (though this is fixable) and the screen has been slightly damaged for ages.
I've done a little research into other cameras, many of which seem to perform much better than the 4500 in various respects, although not always producing significantly better images in the end.
I have an excellent (and expensive) Zeiss adaptor that screws straight on to the camera and slides perfectly over the eyepiece. I also have both mains and car chargers for the Coolpix 4500 batteries. Presumably these would be all be useless if I end up buying anything other than another 4500.
Hence I'm wondering if I might be best off buying another Coolpix 4500. Or am I just being daft even thinking about it, with them being so "old hat"? I want to make a fairly quick decision as my batteries are all tired or dead, so need replacing if I do get another 4500.
I have been using a Coolpix 4500 for years and have been very happy with it. However, after what must be hundreds of thousands of photos it's getting tired. There's a little pink spot on every image (sensor damage?), the always slow focussing time seems to be getting ever slower (and increasingly it just won't focus), the zoom button feels like it's on it's way out (though this is fixable) and the screen has been slightly damaged for ages.
I've done a little research into other cameras, many of which seem to perform much better than the 4500 in various respects, although not always producing significantly better images in the end.
I have an excellent (and expensive) Zeiss adaptor that screws straight on to the camera and slides perfectly over the eyepiece. I also have both mains and car chargers for the Coolpix 4500 batteries. Presumably these would be all be useless if I end up buying anything other than another 4500.
Hence I'm wondering if I might be best off buying another Coolpix 4500. Or am I just being daft even thinking about it, with them being so "old hat"? I want to make a fairly quick decision as my batteries are all tired or dead, so need replacing if I do get another 4500.