[ralph]

I have the Nikon Coolpix 775 Digital Camera. I was really hoping that there was some way I could fit this to some sort of third-party adaptor and use it with a decent scope.

Does anyone know of such an adaptor? I need to get a good scope as well, although money is a little tight at the moment. Any suggestions on the price of a good (cheapish) scope plus adaptor that I can use with my Nikon. Or is it a case of chuck the Nikon away and save up for a scope and different camera?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Andy Bright]

Hi Ralph, I gave a brief reply to your cp775 question on another thread (hello from Surrey?) but this is a better place for digiscoping questions and allows all to see.
You can attach accessory lenses to the Nikon cp775 via the Nikon UR-E3 adapter (I think Marysan uses one on her cp775), therefore you should also be able to attach a typical digiscoping adapter..... though with your camera's moving lens system it may pose problems. I'd suggest talking to one of the manufacturers involved, maybe Trev Codlin at the Winchester branch of L.C.E (though I know he doesn't reckon the cp775 is much good) or maybe Eagle-eyeUK.
Another alternative are the digiscoping brackets (SRB and Opticron) that hold your camera up to the scope's eyepiece.... these always look awkward, but attach to your camera's tripod socket (hopefully the 775 has one?) instead of the lens accessory thread.
I think Roy H knows someone who digiscopes successfully with the cp775.
What-ever, get yourself a scope.... try secondhand as they are pretty reliable objects. The cheapest good 'un that I can think of is the old Kowa TSN3/TSN4 (Fluorite 77mm), a lot of the pics on my website were taken with my much loved but often abused TSN4 .... sold it for about £350.
Try to aim for a scope with an objective lens of 77mm+, in a best case scenario it will have Fluorite/ED/HD or APO glass..... though you can see for yourself how much ££ they add to the cost, but worth it for digiscoping.
Get yourself a scope because you're a birder then try out your cp775 with it and see how it goes...just hand holding it up to the eyepeice can give good results.
Best regards,
Andy B

[ralph]

Thank you so much for the reply Andy - very much appreciated.

I'm real pleased there is an adaptor for the 775. I shall check that one out right away, and as for the scope, well, I'll have a look round on eBay and also Bins/Scope stores nationwide.

Thank you again, very much indeed. I'll let you know if I have any success.

[Andy Bright]

As a quick (Ralph-depressing) follow-up to the cp775 for digiscoping post..... I noticed that Nikon's pamphlet on digiscoping makes no mention of the cp775 being suitable, yet list all the others in the range (cp880/885/900 series, 4500 and 5000). It may be that they just don't bother to make a digiscoping adapter for it (Nikon's adapters only fit on to MC series eyepieces of their own scopes).
Andy B

[ralph]

Er,

So that UR-E3 thingy (which I looked up, and looks like a rather harsh shackle) is only good for attaching some big lens? So I can't attach it to a scope then?

*Ralph is even more confused and pushes crayon even further up his nose!*

I don't have a scope at the moment, so it looks like I'm gonna have to ditch said 775 and get something that Nikon do allow to be fixed fast to scopes.

Aaaaaaaarggggggh!!!

[Andy Bright]

The UR-E3 is an adapter that gives you a 28mm thread for adding various bits (filters, 2x, 3x, 5x teleconverters to the camera), the digiscoping adapter fits to this 28mm thread.
I wouldn't take it as gospel that a digiscoping adapter (Digimount or L.C.E) won't work with the cp775..... just that Nikon's own adapters for their own scopes don't seem to cater for that camera.
Get a scope (you'll never regret buying one), have a play with the cp775 handheld up to the scope..... maybe buying a UR-E3 adapter and a digiscoping adapter, the digiscoping adapter can always be used if you buy a cp990/995 or cp4500 in the future.
Andy B

[ralph]

Thank you Andy. I suppose it makes sense for me just to buy a scope and then see what happens. Maybe the UR-E3 will work, maybe it won't. Hey, I can always sell the thing on eBay if it don't!

Thanks again for all your help.

[Marysan]

Hi Andy,

This thread has been very illuminating for me. I no longer have the CP 775. After two sets of problems with it, Nikon made a full replacement by giving me a CP 4300. A fellow birder, who has a scope and I don't know the brand, asked me if I'd try getting some pics by holding my CP 4300 up against his scope. I have the UR-E4 Step Down Ring Adapter for use with the Nikon TC-E2 TeleConverter lens. We wouldn't be attempting this until Jan. 13th. Any ideas or tips on this for me?

Thanks,
Mary

PS: In defense of the 775, I precipitated the initial problem which was a malfunction of the flash by using the 2X teleconverter lens with the flash on. Please don't tell Nikon about this. TIA.

[Doug]

I use a 775 for digiscoping - firstly because the camera was provided to me by my company and secondly because I can't yet afford a better one. Having said that, I can use it, albeit clumsily for digiscoping. Digiscoping in the raw really!!! I simply hold the camera up to the eyepeice of my Kowa TSN3 with the zoom full on (optical - not digital zoom) and then focus the scope finely viewing on the monitor on the back of the camera - it works!!! I have to set it to BSS as this turns off the flash which on theis camera works automatically and it is only this setting that prevents it firing as far as I can tell. If the flash goes off it spoils the image and frightens some birds. I have taken some good shots bearing in mind how heath robinson the process I use - but often have to take 20 or 30 to get one really good shot. I wouldn't recommend the 775 - but if you do have one - it can be used!!!

[Marysan]

Thanks for the info, Doug. As I stated above, I no longer have the CP 775, I have the CP 4300 and I will apply your advice to that camera and keep the flash off.

Thanks much,
Marysan

[tonyh]

the reason the cp775 is not suited to digiscoping is because unlike the 7/8/900 and 4500 cp's it does not have a filter thread and the lens mech zooms INTERNALLY ! which is why LCE's adapter WILL NOT work with the 775 ( trust me i know this ) the LCE adapters are designed to be used with the aforementioned cp's they are also designed to fit specific scope eyepeices so a leica adapter will not fit a swaro etc
hope this helps

[tonyh]

just reread my last post and its possible that parts might be confusing so just to clear it up
cp775 - lens zooms in and out of camera during operation and does not have a filter thread
cp7/8/900 amd 4500's have a filter thread (28mm) and the zoom mech is internal so suit digiscope adapters better

hope this is a better explanation
off for a lie down now !

[Marysan]

If anybody can offer specific advice on digiscoping with the Nikon 4300 I would appreciate it.

[RoyH]

Originally posted by Andybrightuk
Hi Ralph, I gave a brief reply to your cp775 question on another thread (hello from Surrey?) but this is a better place for digiscoping questions and allows all to see.
You can attach accessory lenses to the Nikon cp775 via the Nikon UR-E3 adapter (I think Marysan uses one on her cp775), therefore you should also be able to attach a typical digiscoping adapter..... though with your camera's moving lens system it may pose problems. I'd suggest talking to one of the manufacturers involved, maybe Trev Codlin at the Winchester branch of L.C.E (though I know he doesn't reckon the cp775 is much good) or maybe Eagle-eyeUK.
Another alternative are the digiscoping brackets (SRB and Opticron) that hold your camera up to the scope's eyepiece.... these always look awkward, but attach to your camera's tripod socket (hopefully the 775 has one?) instead of the lens accessory thread.
I think Roy H knows someone who digiscopes successfully with the cp775.

Hi all,

Just been enjoying reading this mosting interesting thread by you all. Yes, Gramham Catley of Barton-on-Humber uses this technque and he's a whiz kid. It just amazes me how sharp his images are.

RoyH.
What-ever, get yourself a scope.... try secondhand as they are pretty reliable objects. The cheapest good 'un that I can think of is the old Kowa TSN3/TSN4 (Fluorite 77mm), a lot of the pics on my website were taken with my much loved but often abused TSN4 .... sold it for about £350.
Try to aim for a scope with an objective lens of 77mm+, in a best case scenario it will have Fluorite/ED/HD or APO glass..... though you can see for yourself how much ££ they add to the cost, but worth it for digiscoping.
Get yourself a scope because you're a birder then try out your cp775 with it and see how it goes...just hand holding it up to the eyepeice can give good results.
Best regards,
Andy B

[RoyH]

Originally posted by Andybrightuk
Hi Ralph, I gave a brief reply to your cp775 question on another thread (hello from Surrey?) but this is a better place for digiscoping questions and allows all to see.
You can attach accessory lenses to the Nikon cp775 via the Nikon UR-E3 adapter (I think Marysan uses one on her cp775), therefore you should also be able to attach a typical digiscoping adapter..... though with your camera's moving lens system it may pose problems. I'd suggest talking to one of the manufacturers involved, maybe Trev Codlin at the Winchester branch of L.C.E (though I know he doesn't reckon the cp775 is much good) or maybe Eagle-eyeUK.
Another alternative are the digiscoping brackets (SRB and Opticron) that hold your camera up to the scope's eyepiece.... these always look awkward, but attach to your camera's tripod socket (hopefully the 775 has one?) instead of the lens accessory thread.
I think Roy H knows someone who digiscopes successfully with the cp775.

Hi Andy and All,

Just been enjoying reading this most interesting thread. Yes Graham Catley of Barton on Humber uses this method and it he just amazes me how sharp his images are. I have met the guy and seen him perform, he leaves his 880 switched on all the time he is well armed with battery power. He has owned the Swaro HD 80 plus the 65 he is doing some field test with the new Swaro HD 80 don't know if this is on behalf of a dealer but the results were out of this world.

Apart from you Andy he's my hero.

RoyH.
What-ever, get yourself a scope.... try secondhand as they are pretty reliable objects. The cheapest good 'un that I can think of is the old Kowa TSN3/TSN4 (Fluorite 77mm), a lot of the pics on my website were taken with my much loved but often abused TSN4 .... sold it for about £350.
Try to aim for a scope with an objective lens of 77mm+, in a best case scenario it will have Fluorite/ED/HD or APO glass..... though you can see for yourself how much ££ they add to the cost, but worth it for digiscoping.
Get yourself a scope because you're a birder then try out your cp775 with it and see how it goes...just hand holding it up to the eyepeice can give good results.
Best regards,
Andy B