Help! Here's what I have: A Pentax 80 mm ed straight body scope and a Sony Cyber Shot DSC HX1. What I would like to do is use this combination to digiscope. I know almost nothing, but what I do know is that in order to get my camera and scope to focus and capture a sharp picture I need the right setup. First off, has anyone used the HX1 with the 80mm ed? I would be very happy if I could use a 36x magification eye piece.
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Digiscoping with Sony HX1 & Pentax 80ed (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Cabo
- Start date
Can Popper
Well-known member
Get this:
http://www.telescope.com/control/pr...es/~pcategory=astro-imaging/~product_id=05338
And a long eyerelief eyepiece. Something like a Pentax 20XW or Hyperion 21mm. Long eyerelief and large exit pupil are important to getting bright clear images.
If you need more magnification, just zoom the camera and readjust the steadypix.
http://www.telescope.com/control/pr...es/~pcategory=astro-imaging/~product_id=05338
And a long eyerelief eyepiece. Something like a Pentax 20XW or Hyperion 21mm. Long eyerelief and large exit pupil are important to getting bright clear images.
If you need more magnification, just zoom the camera and readjust the steadypix.
Can Popper, Thank you for the suggestion. Now, what else do I need? Don't I need some device to connect up the Sony Cyber Shot HX1 to the eye piece? I read where some of the adapters swing out of the way so I can use the scope independently of the camera? Also is there another specific adapter that covers/connects the ep to the camera lense? What specifically would you recommend? Please fellow members, don't be shy, please chime in! Also, if anyone is using the HX1, I would be very interested in hearing about your HX observations?
Can Popper
Well-known member
All you will need besides that would be a stable tripod (and maybe a black hood like to old time photographers to increase picture contrast). The Steadypix does allow you to swing the camera out of the way.
No connecting piece to the eyepiece needed. The HX1 is not a DSLR. That would be stuff I do for eyepiece projection photography...not the afocal type you will be doing.
No connecting piece to the eyepiece needed. The HX1 is not a DSLR. That would be stuff I do for eyepiece projection photography...not the afocal type you will be doing.
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FrankD
Well-known member
Cabo,
I checked out the link that CP posted in his original reply to you. That product is a universal digiscoping adapter. Your camera screws into the one threaded screw at one of the adapter (the tripod mounting hole on the underside of the camera) and then you position the camera so that the lens lines up with the exit pupil produced in the eyepiece.
The "clamp-looking" part of the universal digiscoping adapter clamps around the outside of the eyepiece's body. There is no direct physical connection around the eyepiece and around the camera's lens. Some folks do come up with black "hoods" to connect the two simply to increase contrast levels in the pictures that are produced. I have taken pictures both ways and find them to be equally good depending on the conditions.
I checked out the link that CP posted in his original reply to you. That product is a universal digiscoping adapter. Your camera screws into the one threaded screw at one of the adapter (the tripod mounting hole on the underside of the camera) and then you position the camera so that the lens lines up with the exit pupil produced in the eyepiece.
The "clamp-looking" part of the universal digiscoping adapter clamps around the outside of the eyepiece's body. There is no direct physical connection around the eyepiece and around the camera's lens. Some folks do come up with black "hoods" to connect the two simply to increase contrast levels in the pictures that are produced. I have taken pictures both ways and find them to be equally good depending on the conditions.
Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
And interesting enough both that Orion Deluxe adaptor (and the new Barska adaptor) do swing out of the way. They changed the design to use a vertical post to swing out.
So, do you think the Orion SteadyPix Deluxe Camera Mount will anchor securely enough to the eyepiece so the Camera won't end up on the floor because the mount separated from the eyepiece??????
Can Popper
Well-known member
Mine will be arriving tomorrow. Will let you know... *grin*
RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
I don't think this is going to work at all. Video cameras typically NEED special video adapter lenses with EXTRA long eyerelief, 60-100mm. And superzooms like this camera still show lots of vignetting at all zoom steps except 1, usually around 35-50mm.
Rick
Rick
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Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
I think most of us here were thinking it was a still camera.
But the caveat is right: the superzoom lenses are a lot more tricky to use (the issue is getting them to deal with a wide light cone.
That said a long ER long focal length plossl or similar would probably do the job. See CPs recommendations in the Pentax subforum.
The bigger issue is will the EP stay on the scope (usually).
There are other rail style adaptors that you could try e.g. Zen Ray were selling off their one cheaply and that does swing out too though it is not that elegant but it works and will probably deal with a video camera (but remeber your head and tripod need to deal with the weight).
I suggest some time reading the digiscoping forum for some more ideas.
I look forward to your write up, CP.
Sorry that I misled you; the Sony HX1 is a still camera "NOT a video camera." the HX1 is about the size of most of the typical 10X zoom digital cameras that are on the market today. Although, the HX1 has a 20X zoom it's no bigger than what's described above. With that in mind, what's been discussed still work for me?
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RJM
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Not your fault. I understood your camera but it was early morning here and my train of thought did not completely translate to the keyboard.There are two main issues. First, as with a video camera, the sensor on a 20x superzoom resides deep behind the lens. You will need a low power eyepiece of 50mm or more of eyerelief to achieve focus. I am not aware of ANY conventional eyepieces for the Pentax that could even come close. Second, because superzooms have relatively large lens apertures compared to the exit pupil of your eyepiece, you will almost certainly have severe vignetting across the entire zoom range except for somewhere in the 50-70mm setting PROVIDED you have an eyepiece with the necessary eyerelief.
Hope this clears it up.
Rick
Hope this clears it up.
Rick
Can Popper
Well-known member
Yes. My recommendation should work. Did you follow the link and see the picture of the SteadyPix with a DSLR? That camera is bigger than yours. Also read the user reviews.
When I get mine tomorrow, I verify personally by taking pictures with it using my Pentax K10D DLSR camera.
Can Popper
Well-known member
Instead of speculating, cabo, why don't you just get a Hyperion 21mm eyepiece and hold your HX1 camera to its eye lens? Then play with the magnification to see if you can eliminate vignetting.
I've already received my Steadypix. It holds my Pentax K10D DSLR camera just fine and I was able to eliminate vignetting by adjusting the zoom and distance between camera and eye lens.
I really don't see why the HX1 will have a problem when my DSLR does not. And if you really need the eyerelief, just hook it up to a rifle scope. The reason why I got the Steadypix was to do rifle scope videoscoping anyways. I'm currently posting an HD video I took through my rifle scope.
I've already received my Steadypix. It holds my Pentax K10D DSLR camera just fine and I was able to eliminate vignetting by adjusting the zoom and distance between camera and eye lens.
I really don't see why the HX1 will have a problem when my DSLR does not. And if you really need the eyerelief, just hook it up to a rifle scope. The reason why I got the Steadypix was to do rifle scope videoscoping anyways. I'm currently posting an HD video I took through my rifle scope.
This seems like excellent advice. I might hold out a little longer just in case I get lucky and find someone that is successfully using a Sony Cybershot HX1 for digiscoping with a Pentax 80mmed. I just don't get it, you focus your camera and you focus your scope, you'd think the view through the camera would be in focus as well? However, it's obviously not as simple as that.
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Hi Cabo,
Have you been able to get the Sony HX1 working with your scope. I own that camera as well and was curious.
Thanks
Bill
