[oingyboingybob]

Hello folks.

I've just joined birdforum after buying, at last, some decent kit. I will review it in a while but will give it a little time for me to get used to it and give it a fair critique.

I'm starting to realise what a minefield digiscoping may be. I've been taking 'normal' photographs with an Olympus DSLR for quite some years now and have around 3 tonnes of good camera gear which I'll soon need a wheelbarrow to move about! I have been checking out the various adapters, tubes and scaffolding that appear to be required to take shots of wildlife via a spotting scope and it's difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff. The Swarovski TLS800 seems to get mixed reviews which is worrying as cheap it ain't....it's an expensive bit of kit for potentially mediochre results. There are other, much cheaper, gizmos that will support and offer up a compact digital camera (in my case a Finepix AV230 which I will borrow from 'er indoors) against the eyepiece of the scope...this seems to me to be a much cheaper and possibly better option.

I would really welcome any advice or suggestions...

[Josef]

Bob,

Welcome to Birdforum, maybe you could tell us what your goals are, hand held or full force digiscoping. If its the latter its important to see the whole set up as a unit and if it is, it often pays to spend a little more. When I started I bought a used scope, made an adapter from metal with a shutter release and put it on a tripod. After a 1000 or so trys I went back to birdform and wrote down the equipment that was being used (back then it was 80% digiscopes with point and shoots). After noting equipment I copied it and got serious.

Today I use a Kowa 883 with a 21x eye piece, custom adapter with built in release and shaded monitor, and a canon s95. All this sits on a tripod with a gimbal head. Oh I also use a simple sight to follow the movers in the bushes - a wire attached to the front of the scope with a rubber band.

Joe

[oingyboingybob]

Hey Joe

thanks for your reply.

What I'm trying to achieve is to produce photographs to the quality of many that appear in the gallery. Some are just fantastic, but after further searching it would appear that the best shots seem mostly to have been taken from hides, with camera and long lens, and with the subject pretty close. I don't know whether top quality shots can be attained thru digiscoping, however I'm going to try as long as it doesn't cost too much. The Swaro TLS800 would allow me to use my DSLR with no lens but the results might not be what I want and it would cost me a fair bit. I've managed to find and order a digiscoping adapter which hopefully will attach my Finepix AV230 compact camera to my scope. If the results are not what I want then at least I haven't thrown away too much money.

Attached is a shot of a wagtail which has just appeared in, and taken over, my back garden now that the snow is here. Taken with my Olympus E600 with long lens.Quality wise I don't think it's terrible but I am looking to achieve much better.

Maybe I'm setting my target too high; your thoughts would be appreciated.
Can you please provide a photo of your gear as it sounds interesting.

Bob

[walt-m]

Hi Bob
That is verry nice shot of the wagtail, i don,t think you need to worry.
All the best

[oingyboingybob]

Thanks Walt. You're too kind. Have now got really brave and posted a slightly different shot of the Wagtail onto the gallery and have had some nice comments. It's really encouraging to receive them. I'll keep trying.

oingy

[Neil]

Welcome to the joys and frustrations of digiscoping. If you look through the Digiscoping camera threads in this Forum, especially near the start of the threads you will see photos posted with the various cameras. You can then decide if any of them meet your quality requirements.
The further away your subject and the smaller your lens , then the less resolution you will capture, so digiscoping is always a compromise. Also because of the high magnifications stability becomes more of a concern. The Swarovski TLS approach is basically a manual focus , long lens solution. You lose the ability to use the scope for "scoping" while it's attached.
Most digiscopers prefer the DCA/DCB adapter approach with an eyepiece so that they can observe first and then take photos.
The Nikon P6000 has been producing good results and I like the P7000/7100. It is possible to digiscope with the Canon G12 which is an excellent camera. Some of the cameras need a long Eye Relief Eyepiece so as not too have too much ( or any vignetting). The smaller cameras also can do a good job eg Canon S90/95, Nikon P300 and some of the Panasonics.
If you want to invest some money then you can get some serious results.
Keep asking questions and someone will have the answers.
Happy digiscoping, Neil

[knuck45]

Neil,

I picked up a Celestron Ultima 100 ED scope (eye relief with the stock eyepiece is 18 mm) and am now looking for a good match in a compact camera. Down the road I will probably upgrade the zoom to a Baader Hyperion Clickstop and also pick up a 17 mm Baader fixed EP. Unfortunately the big box stores have closed down the local camera shops so taking my scope to check for vignetting is not an option. Can you recommend any of the above cameras for my scope? My initial goal is decent record shots and to get better from there.

[oingyboingybob]

Have quickly found that digiscoping using the above method ie a compact camera with an adapter is not for me. Results have been sub-standard and the fiddling about is just too frustrating. The adapter has therefore been returned.
So now I have another decision to make...do I invest in a TLS800 or do I just continue using my trusty DSLR and long lens? Decisions decisions.......

Think I'll just wait for a while.

[punta]

Originally Posted by oingyboingybob

Have quickly found that digiscoping using the above method ie a compact camera with an adapter is not for me. Results have been sub-standard and the fiddling about is just too frustrating. The adapter has therefore been returned.
So now I have another decision to make...do I invest in a TLS800 or do I just continue using my trusty DSLR and long lens? Decisions decisions.......

Think I'll just wait for a while.

Thats just how I found it, so I went out and bought a second hand Canon 40d a 400 5.6 lens with a 1.5 teleconverter and I am as happy as a pig in you know what now

[postcardcv]

Originally Posted by oingyboingybob

Have quickly found that digiscoping using the above method ie a compact camera with an adapter is not for me. Results have been sub-standard and the fiddling about is just too frustrating. The adapter has therefore been returned.
So now I have another decision to make...do I invest in a TLS800 or do I just continue using my trusty DSLR and long lens? Decisions decisions.......

Think I'll just wait for a while.

I take it that you already have a Swaro scope as you're looking at the TLS800? If so perhaps try using a DCA and one of the m43 cameras. I have just got (arrived yesterday) an Olympus EPM1 which seems to work very nicely with the Swaro. You'll get more magnification than using the TLS800 and it is much easier to switch from viewing to taking photos. Not sure where in Suffolk you are but if you are over my way (near Swaffham) then you could take a look at this set up.

[Josef]

This thread is sort of confirming my notion that digiscoping is not for every one, oh well we have only been at it for a decade now and with all the new stuff something is bound to happen. Blue sky it will be interesting to see your m43 results.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by punta

Thats just how I found it, so I went out and bought a second hand Canon 40d a 400 5.6 lens with a 1.5 teleconverter and I am as happy as a pig in you know what now

The Canon 400/5.6 is one of the best walk-around bird lenses. If you match it with one of the new , hi rez, bodies then you will get a lot of cropping room.
For a light weight walk-around combo, the new Nikon V1 and Nikon 70-200/2.8 AFS plus 1.4x tele gives a 756/4 reach.
For digiscoping, one the best combos out there at the moment is the Nikon V1 on the Swarovski scope attached with the DCA on the 25-50 zoom eyepiece. Electronic Viewfinder makes focusing a breeze and fast Frames per Second means no missing of poses due to slow buffer issues, even in Raw. Auto Focus is fast too. HD video is excellent. The attachment makes this a simple solution as the DCA screws into the camera lens (you need to add a 52/40.5 mm adapter) .This could be the last digiscoping rig most people would ever need.
Neil