-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Ats 80hd (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter CJW
- Start date
scampo
Steve Campsall
Tim has a good point - my son has the Swaro 65 and the not-so-good Skua case - but with 100% waterproofing and a complete thick protective rubber covering (which must add to the price a good deal) I must say I often wonder why the case is needed. It's a bit like my mother-in-law who puts covers over everything, sometimes covers over covers.CJW said:
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
Yep, I have a habit of carrying my Kowa 824 scope over my shoulder on the tripod and occasionally the scope hits the roof of a doorway or at Slimbridge, the roof of a tunnel to one of the hides but the SOC has saved it from damage. It has even accidentally blown over in a gale at Eyebrook Reservoir in Leicestershire and survived. Fortunately to help it fell on the grass and got muddy but someone elses scope fell on the tarmac and when he next looked through it at the only gull on the water, he could see hundreds of gulls - one of the prisms had crazed - expensive!!
My SOC has also saved the scope from general abrasion. In fact the case had worn through in parts from many trips lying in the back of a Landrover and driven over rough, real off road, terrain while doing Lapwing and Redshank breeding surveys on the Severn Estuary. I had to sew replacement canvas over the rubbed out holes. So in summary, I would always go for a SOC.
My SOC has also saved the scope from general abrasion. In fact the case had worn through in parts from many trips lying in the back of a Landrover and driven over rough, real off road, terrain while doing Lapwing and Redshank breeding surveys on the Severn Estuary. I had to sew replacement canvas over the rubbed out holes. So in summary, I would always go for a SOC.
Recently at one of our rspb/soc outdoor meets a members swaro 65 was blown over onto tarmac.A horrified look on their face was soon gone as I assured them that it was ok.They didn't have a cover but there were no marks whatsoever on the scope and the optics were fine.I use a skua case to keep the scope clean in case of future sale or trade in.
wizard
Well-known member
Swarovski-Skau-! stay with original
well i got the Swarovski ATA80HD with the Swaro case & it's perfect, the case fits like a glove & very easy to use, :clap: from reading the hiccups with Skau not fitting correct i wanted to see one before i got mine. so warehouseexpress was out. anyway my local shop beat them in price with a load of things thrown in like a £40+ filter etc. it pays to do a bit of research & dealing before you decide.
the scope is out of this world & i know i will never get another so had to make it right first time, went out sunday & froze my nuts off, a small price to pay to get used to looking at things so clear. maybe in the future i will have a go at attaching a camera but when i do i will go for the Swarovski addaptor and make sure to get that right too.
well i got the Swarovski ATA80HD with the Swaro case & it's perfect, the case fits like a glove & very easy to use, :clap: from reading the hiccups with Skau not fitting correct i wanted to see one before i got mine. so warehouseexpress was out. anyway my local shop beat them in price with a load of things thrown in like a £40+ filter etc. it pays to do a bit of research & dealing before you decide.
the scope is out of this world & i know i will never get another so had to make it right first time, went out sunday & froze my nuts off, a small price to pay to get used to looking at things so clear. maybe in the future i will have a go at attaching a camera but when i do i will go for the Swarovski addaptor and make sure to get that right too.
wizard
Well-known member
hi Steve
your right, nothing much out there at all. it was so cold & with the wind chill it really got to me so i packed in. on the way down the lane i seen about 20 siskin. sods law eh, i was in the car at the time. still it was a nice day to get out in just a bit on the cold side down here.
cant wait for the warm long days sitting on dry grass eh
. the scope really is outstanding, i looked through a chear one back last summer & even in good light the images were dark so i am glad i paid more & had the top one in the end. even if i am living out in the kennel
your right, nothing much out there at all. it was so cold & with the wind chill it really got to me so i packed in. on the way down the lane i seen about 20 siskin. sods law eh, i was in the car at the time. still it was a nice day to get out in just a bit on the cold side down here.
cant wait for the warm long days sitting on dry grass eh
. the scope really is outstanding, i looked through a chear one back last summer & even in good light the images were dark so i am glad i paid more & had the top one in the end. even if i am living out in the kennel
I was in a hide on Sunday when it bucketed it down. Only lasted 10 minutes though and then the sun popped out. There was a male Smew preening itself 100m away. That's when I wish I had a nice scope and not just good bins.
Wizard: Did you do much comparison of scopes, or just go for the one that seems overall best - but at a healthy price?
Wizard: Did you do much comparison of scopes, or just go for the one that seems overall best - but at a healthy price?
Hello,
this is my first post and I'm very interested in buying a Swarovski ATS 80 HD. I already own a Coolpix 4500.
I have a question and I'm sorry if it sounds basic...
Does it only take an adapter like the LCE between the Swarovski and the CP 4500?
Does it also require an eyepiece?
I'm not sure about the difference between an eyepiece and an adapter but if I well understood, an eyepiece is a lens that can be used to screw up the camera to the scope.
An adapter like the LCE will allow to remove fastly (without screwing) the camera from the lens (in this case the Swarovski) to focus the subject first with the Swarovski alone. Am I right?
Thanks for any explanation you may have.
Luric
this is my first post and I'm very interested in buying a Swarovski ATS 80 HD. I already own a Coolpix 4500.
I have a question and I'm sorry if it sounds basic...
Does it only take an adapter like the LCE between the Swarovski and the CP 4500?
Does it also require an eyepiece?
I'm not sure about the difference between an eyepiece and an adapter but if I well understood, an eyepiece is a lens that can be used to screw up the camera to the scope.
An adapter like the LCE will allow to remove fastly (without screwing) the camera from the lens (in this case the Swarovski) to focus the subject first with the Swarovski alone. Am I right?
Thanks for any explanation you may have.
Luric
Last edited:
scampo
Steve Campsall
You can buy the LCE adapter, but Swarovski make their own and it is excellent. One part screws into the 28mm CP4500 lens mount, the other attaches to the eyepiece of the Swarovski. The two then slide over each other very easily to allow the photo to be composed, focused and taken. The zoom lens is very good for digiscoping.Luric said:
Here is a good site that will tell you far more:
http://digiscopingukbirds.homestead.com/
An alternative to an eyepiece adapter is to buy something such as a Zeiss Diascope 85T* (similar optical quality to a Swaro but with a better zoom in my view owing to its very wide field of view) along with Zeiss's own 'quick camera adapter'. This different approach to digiscoping allows the scope to be used for birding much more easily and then for the camera to be swung in and out of position very easily and quickly.
http://www.zeiss.de/de/bino/home_e.nsf
Last edited:
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
The Swar scopes seem all but bullet proof,I have never used a case on the scope.When transporting it,I put it in a Jessops tripod bag,but it is never covered when on the tripod.But then I do not carry the tripod +scope over my shoulder,I assemble everything either in the hide,or where I am taking photos,or viewing,so it does not get knocked around as such.But the outer casing of these scopes is pretty tough and I think will withstand a few knocks and bumps.Having said that,I do keep the lense cap in situ,and pop a cover over the eyepeice(when not in use)
digi-birder
Well-known member
Luric,
On behalf of admin and all the moderators, let me offer you a warm welcome to Bird Forum.
I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice here - please don't hesitate to ask any questions you want, no matter how basic you think they are.
On behalf of admin and all the moderators, let me offer you a warm welcome to Bird Forum.
I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice here - please don't hesitate to ask any questions you want, no matter how basic you think they are.
Jay Turberville
Well-known member
Luric said:
Unless a scope is used as a lens on an SLR or similar design, it requires the use of an eyepiece.
Luric said:
At its most basic, a scope is an objective lens and an eyepiece. Typically, the eyepiece is NOT and adapter. But lately some specialty eyepieces have been made that also serve as an adapter. This can be as simple as adding lens threads to the eyepiece or perhaps lens threads and a sliding sleeve for adjusting the camera to eyepiece distance.
Adapters that aren't part of eyepieces come in a wide variety of designs. Some are as simply as a means of attaching threads to an eyepiece. I have adapted some eyepieces by simply epoxying a filter thread adapter directly to an eyepiece.
Some are multi-piece devices that allow you to zoom the scope eyepiece with the camera in place. Still others attach to the camera's tripod mounting threads and allow the camera to be flipped into and out of place. There are many different approaches and about as many opinions about which approach is the best.
Luric said:
I'm not familiar with the LCE, but I do use the Swarovski DCA. It will allow you to quickly remove the camera from the eyepice by simply loosening a small clamping knob. Scampo described the two major pieces quite well. Though he may not have given enough credit to how easy it is to switch back and forth between using the camera and not using the camera.
Whether you focus first without the camera in place is entirely a personal matter. I prefer leaving the camera in place all the time. But doing so means I don't get to enjoy the scope's wonderful views.
Wow! Thanks everybody for all theses explanations! It's very kind from all of yours!
So, I must to tell you that my first language is French so, sometimes I need extra information!
So, let's make this example: a CP 4500 and the Swarovski ATS 80 HD.
To screw up together, I can use the Swarovski DCA adapter. The DCA will be screwed to the CP 4500 (28 mm threaded front side) and it will be attached directly to the Swarovski eyepiece scope?
When we buy a Swarovski ATS 80 HD, is the eyepiece already included? Is it sold separately?
In other words, does it only take 3 pieces to make my kit?
CP 4500 + Swarovski DCA (or another adapter) + Swarovski ATS 80 HD ?
Thanks a lot to everybody!
Luric
Quebec, Canada
So, I must to tell you that my first language is French so, sometimes I need extra information!
So, let's make this example: a CP 4500 and the Swarovski ATS 80 HD.
To screw up together, I can use the Swarovski DCA adapter. The DCA will be screwed to the CP 4500 (28 mm threaded front side) and it will be attached directly to the Swarovski eyepiece scope?
When we buy a Swarovski ATS 80 HD, is the eyepiece already included? Is it sold separately?
In other words, does it only take 3 pieces to make my kit?
CP 4500 + Swarovski DCA (or another adapter) + Swarovski ATS 80 HD ?
Thanks a lot to everybody!
Luric
Quebec, Canada
Luric said:
Luric - The eyepieces are usually sold separately, but sometimes there may be special offers which also include the eyepiece. So you need to add an eyepiece (=ocular) to your list. Both the zoom (20-60x) and the fixed wide angle (30x) are excellent for digiscoping.
I would agree with Steve (scampo) that a swing-out style adapters allow you to switch between digiscoping and viewing more easily - and with this kind of adapter you also have more flexibility to choose the digital camera (and the eyepiece). The Zeiss Quick Adapter is reviewed in the Equipment Review section and it seems to work also with the Swaro ATS scope. Swarovski has now an own version of this type of adapter: a "Digital Camera Base", which flips the camera up and down on the scope (see http://www.swarovskioptik.at/englis...group=Teleskope&cat=Products&type=Accessories).
The problem with these support brackets is that they are considerably more expensive and a lot heavier. However, if you do a lot of digiscoping and plan to use the CP4500 you are fine with the tube adapters (LCE, DCA, Spidertech...).
Good luck!
Ilkka
I guess most digiscopers start by using the original eyepieces from the scope manufacturer. If they start to feel that the magnification is too big, they may afterwards purchase low power (10x to 20x) eyepieces from some other manufacturers (like William Optics or Scopetronics). I recommend buying either zoom or 30x (or both) from Swarovski, if that is the scope you will use - but if you have not made your mind up yet, do try the other top makes as well (Zeiss, Leica, Nikon).Luric said:
Once again, a great resource for digiscoping related stuff (scopes, cameras, adapters) is Andy Bright's website (http://www.digiscoped.com/Digiscopingindex.html)
Ilkka
scampo
Steve Campsall
It's worth keeping in mind that for much digiscoping the lowest magnification you can achieve is likely to be the most useful (camera shake is much reduced at lower magnifications). So... a good 20-60x zoom is a wise choice (and is the equal of a fixed eyepiece in quality).
The Swaro zoom is excellent for digiscoping, but, as I suggested above, the Zeiss zoom does as well offer a better birding experience in my view as it gives such a wide field of view.
The Swaro zoom is excellent for digiscoping, but, as I suggested above, the Zeiss zoom does as well offer a better birding experience in my view as it gives such a wide field of view.
Jay Turberville
Well-known member
Luric said:
If you are going to spend the money on a nice scope like the ATS80HD, then I would strongly suggest you also get either the 30xSW or the 20-60x zoom. Either should give you a better viewing experience than the DCL-28 due to their wider and/or more versatile views.
The DCL-28 is a 24mm Plossl which will provide a 50 degree AFOV at its widest. It will provide about 20x of magnification, but it will also require you to purchase and adapter so that you can use 1.25" eyepieces with the Swarovski. Its probably a very good eyepiece for digiscoping and it may even more more sense to buy it than a DCA adapter. But it would be shame to have that nice scope and not also have access to the best views it can provide.
Make sure you consider how you will use the scope when you aren't digiscoping as well as how you will use it when digiscoping.