Best Camera? (1 Viewer)

[Tannin]

Ian, take care just the same. The adaptor thread on the A95 (i.e., the bit on the camera where the adaptor screws in) is only plastic and if you bash the thing on a doorway or a tree or similar while it's attached to the scope over your shoulder (very easy to do) it will give way. I fixed mine with Araldite and it's fine now, but you need to be careful - they are quite delicate.

 

[Cowser]

Thanks Tannin.

I use the Baader Microstage adapter as it does away with the need to use the Canon adapter. I need to get a few other bits and pieces such as a cable release mounting (available locally) and then I'll venture into the great outdoors once I've had a bit of practice in the garden.

Cheers, Ian,

 

[Paul Jarvis]

Thanks everyone

This has given me a few ideas for my A620, I've had play with it since and I think I can use it with out the zoom all the way out. I just need to shop around for an adapter to fit to my scope.

Paul

 

[Paul Jarvis]

Hi Paul,

After much deliberation I opted for the A95. The adapter (£15.00) made of plastic, was in my opinion too light for digiscoping and so I went for a Baader Microstage unit which, although not a thing of beauty fits my Opticron and seems to me to be good value at around £30.00.

Cheers Ian.

Cowser

What other cameras were on your short list if you opted for the A95.

The adapter you use sounds quite reasonable at 30, where did you get it from please?

Thanks Paul

 

[Cowser]

Hello Paul,

I'm new to all this digiscoping but I have been keeping track on the Forum to check out the gear used by other members.

I had thought about the A620 but was convinced that, as a beginner, the A95 was a well proven piece of kit. I hope I have chosen wisely.

The Baader Microstage adapter was supplied by Sherwoods at Morton Bagot, Warwickshire, and you can check out the adapter on their website - www.sherwoods-photo.com

Cheers, Ian

 

[Paul Jarvis]

Hi Cowser

Thanks for this I will look into the baader.

Paul

 

[Neil]

With my Olympus 7070wz it has a Super Macro Mode which locks the zoom in the middle of it's zoom range. If a camera has a custom or user function you should be able to the same thing. I mention this for cameras that can't be used at full zoom without vignetting. They may be able to be programmed so that the lens always starts up at wherever there is the least amount of vignetting. This could apply for the Canon 620. Neil.

 

[Paul Jarvis]

I've been able to test my new A620 yesterday using an Opticron ES 80 ED and Kowa TSN 4, and I must say I am impressed with the results and it's potential as a digiscope camera. All the pictures are hand held using auto setting in dull conditions and I accept there is a little light leakage, but there is not much vignetting and nothing an adapter can't sort out with a cable release. For me the results kind of speak for themselves and hopefully there is more improvement to come.

See gallery

 

[BillboHants]

If C***Sburg made digi cams, they'd probably be the best

No seriously, answer to above is if Apple did, it probably would be. They produced one in 1994.
I totally agree with you about the endless search. I recently had my "Ye Olde Nikon 45" which I purchased in Singapore, (they thought I was mad for not buying the latest model), stolen and was given a replacement Coolpix 8800 replacement by insurers, no digiscoping camera obviously, but at last I'm getting some really good bird shots (by my standards), colour/macro excellent, some actually do not require any work at all on the computer. I have had the feeling for quite a while now that there is something masochistic about digiscoping, if it isn't the latest great hope camera cancelling out the Swarov. scope, its vice versa. It takes too much time out of the actual birding and time is passing. When I read in books that 3 - 4 good pics out of 100 is fair going?? I think the last straw was when I used my wife's 3mp party point and shoot Coolpix 775 and got as good results as anything else!!! I also do a fair bit of sea watching so not much scope for pics , ( 45xw) scope. So its bring on a tele lense that is 10x from the camera and 1.7x tele to keep me going until I'm ready for the heavy stuff, I think you know where I'm heading. Sorry about this rant but it had to happen sometime. I believe the new mantra in our brave new world is: "It's not the 12 million pixels that count, it's the quality of your 12 million pixels.

QUOTE=Colin Key]Hi Tannin,

Your post just about sums up the dire situation for digiscopers. I am keen to replace my CP4500 with something better (clearer and larger screen, faster and more efficient focussing, etc) but seem to be chasing the unobtainable at the moment. The Contax U4R looked good but disappeared almost as soon as it was released, have seen and was impressed with the A95 in use but that now no longer available via mail order (I believe they can be found if you try very hard), and the A620 is, to date, not getting good reports.

I am on the verge of going down the DSLR + 600mm lens route at extreme cost, but would still like to have an efficient compact camera for digiscoping. I am a birder first and foremost, photography is secondary (my thoughts at the moment are that the two are not easily combined), but I would like the ability to be able to take "record shots" as and when required.

It is a pity that compact digital cameras are now "consumables" which need replacing every two years or so. It would be good if the top-end 'scope manufacturers (Swaro., Leica & Zeiss) could persuade Canon and/or Nikon to come up with something which universally suited their optics for digiscoping.[/QUOTE]

 

[BillboHants]

620 boxed

I have a boxed/untouched A620 (Absolutely Gen.), look at going price and make me an offer I can't refuse.

John-Henry

I downloaded the manual for the A95. It is in pdf format and was 163 pages, you know how much printing that is. The 300D manual was even longer!

As to the cameras I have had another look at these and whilst Ikka threw up some points on the 4x zoom of the A620 as did Yossi, I took a long hard look at this and the other cameras. Okay you want a quick startup and focus time which the A620 has but surely it is image quality that really counts. The A620 has that per the review great image quality. From reading all the reviews again I think that the A620 is technically ahead of the others. AS for the zoom, if you experiment with the camera so you know when the lens is extended to give 3x, get a felt tip and draw round the barrel, so henceforth you know exactly where to zoom to for 3x, stick to that and there should be no problem about the lens colliding with the eyepiece. Also if that is sorted you should then be in control of any vignetting which may occur.

Ikka, if Yossi still has the camera perhaps he can look again at it.

 

[baillieswells]

Alright,

I finally might get a camera for digiscoping, as a college graduation gift. Here's what I have as other equipment.

Scope: Lecia Televid APO 77mm straight, with 20-60x Zoom Lens
Tripod: Bogen Manfrotto 3221WN

What's the best camera that doesn't cost more than US$1000? Is a Nikon Coolpix the way to go? Also, what would be the best attachment combo. I guess this is two parted, because I'd like a camera that the ability to be quick and doesn't need to be permanently mounted to the camera for best results, because I'll likely be out using the scope, then taking occasional shots.

I've used the Nikon 4500, and the shutter can be pretty slow and it has difficulty with focus. But, it makes some darn nice images.

Sorry if this is common post, I'd just like to get the best possible setup, tailored for my equipment.

Thanks!
Tom Auer

As I use binoculars to look at birds and a camera and lenses to take photographs I have to plead ignorance on digiscoping, indeed what is the difference between a digiscope and a telescope? However, and this is the reason for my writing, Canon make a version of the EOS 20D known as the 20Da which is specifically designed to be attached to a telescope.This uses a T-mount adaptor and tube.

 

[Adey Baker]

For anyone interested, Park Cameras www.parkcameras.com have seven Canon A95 cameras in stock at £189.99

 

[Mike Penfold]

Attached is a digiscoped photograph of a Varied Thrush, taken this morning near Shallow Lake, Ontario, on the Bruce Peninsula, using an Olympus Stylus 500 Digital, spice-lid-adapted to a Zeiss 85 T* FL, with the scope's zoom at 20x and the camera's optical zoom at 3x to avoid vignetting. The Olympus Stylus 600 and 800 Digital have faster ISOs and all are weather-gasketed, relatively small and light.

Mike

 

[fishingruddy]

i have a kowa ts601 scope, not the best but it does me, i also have a nikon coolpix 4300, its crap. i cant see the screen because of too much or too little light, and i can't look through the veiw finder becuase, obviously, you just see the top of the scope.

i was thinking about a nikon coolpix 4500 but it hasn't had the best of reveiws, has anybody got any advice on a camera that isn't too expensive?

utterly confused, fishingruddy