[Widowmaker]

Well I finally got my 4500 back after a whole month at Nikon Service for being all but DOA. I was upset and originally planned on just letting the camera go back but once I got it back from Nikon and saw that it was repaired correctly, I had to give it a try. These are my first shots and Im no photographer by any means. They have been rezised and compressed so some quality is lost. This is late afternoon so lighting was probably not optimal. I also hope to find some more colorful subjects but I was taking what I could get. Any input appreciated.


Shot 2

[IanF]

WOW! - I think it's fair enough to say that any of us would be very happy to end up with a shot like this. It's crisp, has good detail even in the shadows and highlights, which also retain the colours - all in difficult photographic conditions. Even the iris is clearly visible.

Was this just using the camera alone with a very obliging bird letting you get so close as the quality seems too good for a scope shot ?

I'll swap you my 4500 for yours if you want

[Widowmaker]

Originally posted by IanF
WOW! - I think it's fair enough to say that any of us would be very happy to end up with a shot like this. It's crisp, has good detail even in the shadows and highlights, which also retain the colours - all in difficult photographic conditions. Even the iris is clearly visible.

Was this just using the camera alone with a very obliging bird letting you get so close as the quality seems too good for a scope shot ?

I'll swap you my 4500 for yours if you want

Thanks for the positive comments Its through the ETX 90. It was only between about 30 to 35 yards away. Do you have any estimation on what distances I should be expecting with this setup, still being able to capture acceptable bird images? Anyone?

ETX90 scope with Williams Optics 28 as suggested in this forum.

[Chuck A. Walla]

Just saw your post. Acceptability of bird images is highly subjective. Anyone here can tell you that the closer the better with any lens. On a clear calm day with a solid tripod and a motionless bird in bright sunlight, I'd say 50-60 yards. Even then, air turbulence will undo the finest lens.

Record shots useful for identification can be gotten under fairly poor conditions however.
I have a lot of those taken with my ETX 90.

Birds will often come in much closer, sometimes too close, with patience. Small twitchy birds like warblers are a terrific challenge regardless of what you're shooting with.

bob

[Sumit]

Having seen many digiscoped images, I'd say that you and your camera performed very well in the conditions you describe.

Sumit

[Widowmaker]

Having had time to practice I have learned a little bit. I see now that lighting is very important. I seem to get better pictures when the sun is low. It also seems that your choice of metering is equally important. I changed my metering options on a subject that was being very cooperative. I set each one and the differences are very noticeable.

One of my problems is focusing. The 4500 focus indication light is next to the viewfinder. My setup puts this light facing up because my camera is in the top port of the scope. Is there a indicator on the LCD for focusing that I don't know about .That sure would be nice. I already know about the focus confirmation feature where the in focus subjects are sharply outlined. That feature does not work well for me.

One major complaint I have about the 4500, and again maybe someone can tell me something I'm missing, is that to use Manual Focus you have to keep the MF button pressed. It seems to me you should be able to select MF by pressing the MF button and then just use the dial to focus.

Heres another pic. Kind of windy but it turned out ok.

[IanF]

Sorry Widowmaker I don't know how your query got past me and everyone else for that matter. Bob is definitely right in that the closer you can get to subjects, the better the quality of images. most of mine seem to get taken at any where from 30 yards up as much as 90 yards, but it really does depend on having the right conditions. A cool bright sunny day with no wind or heat haze seems to be the best - with the sun behind you. I have had reasonable shots at a lot greater distances too, but they are the exception.

Realistically for consistent good results I'd agree that 20-60 yards should be about right, perhaps a bit more with your scope being a bit 90mm.

* Oops I think we posted at the same moment.

I agree that afternoon sun gives the right angle for decent lighting conditions. I can't answer your query about the manual focus as I only use the autofocus which I lock by half depressing the shutter button and then re-focus using the scope adjuster whilst looking through a 2x magnifier. I find it is far less fiddly doing it that way.

I'd say your Chickadee shot came out just fine. The only additional thing I'd have done would be to maybe use the five focus brackets and on this shot have selected the left hand one which would have given the sharpest focus on the head and eye. I always try to get the eye as the sharpest part of the bird. By locking the autofocus in the fashion I describe it's pretty easy to use the scope adjustment to focus on the bit you want.

[Widowmaker]

Originally posted by IanF
Sorry Widowmaker I don't know how your query got past me and everyone else for that matter. Bob is definitely right in that the closer you can get to subjects, the better the quality of images. most of mine seem to get taken at any where from 30 yards up as much as 90 yards, but it really does depend on having the right conditions. A cool bright sunny day with no wind or heat haze seems to be the best - with the sun behind you. I have had reasonable shots at a lot greater distances too, but they are the exception.

Realistically for consistent good results I'd agree that 20-60 yards should be about right, perhaps a bit more with your scope being a bit 90mm.

* Oops I think we posted at the same moment.

I agree that afternoon sun gives the right angle for decent lighting conditions. I can't answer your query about the manual focus as I only use the autofocus which I lock by half depressing the shutter button and then re-focus using the scope adjuster whilst looking through a 2x magnifier. I find it is far less fiddly doing it that way.

I'd say your Chickadee shot came out just fine. The only additional thing I'd have done would be to maybe use the five focus brackets and on this shot have selected the left hand one which would have given the sharpest focus on the head and eye. I always try to get the eye as the sharpest part of the bird. By locking the autofocus in the fashion I describe it's pretty easy to use the scope adjustment to focus on the bit you want.

I will have to try that little trick of fine tuning the focus after the half depress. What I normally do is focus with the scope, choose the focal point, half depress and then take the shot. I was going to manually choose the focal point and use the eye but this little sucker would not sit still so I got a lock and layed down on the shutter till he flew away.

I may be expecting too much from my setup but I guess if I continue to get shots at least this good, I can be happy with that.