[Sandpiper]

I have already posted a question regarding using the EagleEye 5x OpticZoom lens coupled to a camcorder. As yet I have not received any replies, so I have reposted the question in a slightly different form hoping I may get some response.
What I am thinking of doing is purchasing a camcorder with the intention of using it to video birds, etc. at fairly long range, but not attaching it to a scope. I already possess the OpticZoom lens and wondered if anyone else had tried this combination and if so what kind of results were obtained. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Paul Hackett]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper

I have already posted a question regarding using the EagleEye 5x OpticZoom lens coupled to a camcorder. As yet I have not received any replies, so I have reposted the question in a slightly different form hoping I may get some response.
What I am thinking of doing is purchasing a camcorder with the intention of using it to video birds, etc. at fairly long range, but not attaching it to a scope. I already possess the OpticZoom lens and wondered if anyone else had tried this combination and if so what kind of results were obtained. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Sandpiper

You need to realise that dependant on your optical zoom on your camcorder, this will be a principal factor in videoing long distance birds, for example with an optical zoom on your Camcorder of 10X coupled with the eagleeye 5X converter it gives you 50X mag ? not really what you would consider long distance, if your optical zoom is say 20X then you are only looking at 100X mag maximum and because you are at the extreme end of your zoom for maximum magnification, the picture in your average british climate will not be fantastic and only in the brightest of days will the quality in my opinion be acceptable at the extreme end of the optical zoom, you can bump up the contrast on the camcorder but not much, you can just edge into the digital zoom to make a bigger image on your camcorder also without to much pixelation of the video footage but not much !

You would also need to use the lens tripod mount that you can purchase with the 5X converter and this goes round the barrel of the 5X and then attaches to the plate on your tripod head, this is needed because it is difficult to manually focus when the you mount the camcorder on the tripod, these were my findings when i first used the 5X

so the choice of the optical zoom on your camcorder is quite important for you
but try it out befor you buy, this is a must ! and remember the thread size on a 5X converter is 37mm, so a lot of the Sony camcorders are 37mm, otherwise you will have to buy a step up or step down ring to attach the 5x to the camcorder of your choice

hope this helps

good luck !

rgds

Paul

[John Fleet]

I've just purchased the EagleEye from another Forum member (thanks Richard) and I'll be coupling it to my Nikon 990 and my Sony TRV25E camcorder, which has a 10 x optical zoom. Looking forward to a nice bright weekend so I can try them both out!

John Fleet

[Sandpiper]

Thanks Paul for your helpful advice. I have placed an order for the new Sony DCR-PC330 Camcorder which has a 10x Carl Zeiss zoom lens and a 37mm filter thread. Looking forward to trying this out in a few weeks.

[smiths]

I have been using the 5x EagleEye converter with my Sony DCR-TRV120 camcorder, which has an optical zoom of 25x, for some years now. I have never been able to obtain a completely sharp image with this combination! It is always out of focus. I prefer filming through a scope instead.

[Didier Godreau]

Sandpiper

did you make some video with your DCRPC330, as I have the same
camcorder and want to use it with maximum results : what kind
of additional item gave you this maximum result ?
is the 5x a real good choice ? did you try the video with
scope, if yes what kind of brand and result you had ?
many thanks for your next comments,

Didier
;-)

Originally Posted by Sandpiper

Thanks Paul for your helpful advice. I have placed an order for the new Sony DCR-PC330 Camcorder which has a 10x Carl Zeiss zoom lens and a 37mm filter thread. Looking forward to trying this out in a few weeks.

[Sandpiper]

Didier

I have used the camcorder with a 2X video quality teleconverter, the 5X OpticZoom lens and hand-held to the 20X eyepiece of my Leica scope. Both video and stills taken using the teleconverter were OK except for slight colour-fringeing towards the sun or with semi-silhouetted subjects. This I put down to the quality of the teleconverter lens. I have the same problem when using it with my Coolpix still camera.
Results with the OpticZoom lens are also OK with slight colour-fringeing in similar conditions (but not as bad). You will need to have the camcorder on almost full optical zoom to avoid vignetting. Vignetting occurs when taking stills.
With the scope I have only tried holding the camcorder up to the eyepiece without any attachment. Stills are rather grainy in dull light but I have not yet tried any video.
If you need any further help or information please contact me privately.

Sandpiper