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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

SLR Magic 12-36x50 ED Spotting Scope (1 Viewer)

Difficult to say. I tried the other day handholding my GH2 w the 14-42 lens to the ocular of my scope with decent results (much vignetting but the bird in the center could easily be cropped out.
I do not have a clue about the optical quality of the scope part of the setup.

Maybe also ask the question in the scope section of BF (http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=286)

Niels
 
Hi all,

I was given the opportunity to buy this scope for $250 but at the time I went for a Sigma 150-500mm lens. Wondering if I made a mistake since of the price difference.

I would be very interested in seeing the reviews of this scope. Maybe my next birthday present if the optics are up to par.
 
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i don't think you made a mistake, Sigma 500mm lenses are great one i got the 50-500mm for my Olympus cameras and its giving a good reach (1000mm on the full frame). but for some elusive birds i feel a longer reach is needed.

was thinking of a Kowa or other brand spotting scope but when i found this as it is specially made for m4/3, i thought no way the IQ with only 500 USD could be comparable to the achieved with a good brand scope with 2000+ USD, but then who knows.
 
Its a nice lens but it loses a bit of shapness at 500mm. One thing I noticed though if you hack the Panasonic GH2 way past 132 mega bit the quality is so good that you don't notice the drop in sharpness.

Just got get myself a faster card to cope with the higher bit rates.
 
Its a nice lens but it loses a bit of shapness at 500mm.

from my use to Sigma 50-500mm, i noticed it gives sharper results at 500mm when you stop it down to 8 or 9, specially for distance bird. and if the BG is far you can still get good isolation at f 11, like in here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5744067072/in/photostream/

here it was a bit closer yet the f 11 gave clean bokeh.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5953319883/in/photostream/

both shots were on the same BG.
 
Did you take it on a Olympus Camera? - so I presume that was a Micro 4/3 system or slightly different?

For some reason the 50-500mm seems to perform well on the Panasonic GH2 and on your it seems.

As soon as I can afford a much faster memory card I will crank up the bit rate so its on full power!!
 
Did you take it on a Olympus Camera? - so I presume that was a Micro 4/3 system or slightly different?

For some reason the 50-500mm seems to perform well on the Panasonic GH2 and on your it seems.

As soon as I can afford a much faster memory card I will crank up the bit rate so its on full power!!

no both are taken on DSLR Olympus E620.

this is taken with m4/3 Olympus EPL1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5917278862/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5786017144/in/photostream

but with manual focus, as AF is very slow with the Bigma. but the MF is more accurate than what you get with the Zuiko 70-300mm.

here a 16 GB with 30 MB/s speed SD card (scan disk) is worth what is equal to 50USD.

a CF some how coast more wonder why.
 
Have you thought of trying the EC14 convertor with the Bigma? I have heard it works quite well, the EC20 can be more difficult.
 
Have you thought of trying the EC14 convertor with the Bigma? I have heard it works quite well, the EC20 can be more difficult.

i thought so as it would make it reach to 700mm (1400 full frame) but i was not happy with the results, maybe that i did not try enough it was only once two year ago and with a willow warbler that is requires high shutter speed.

but Colin Bax is getting some nice results with this combination.

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/338984/ppuser/53334

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/337960/ppuser/53334

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/337757/ppuser/53334

but not as sharp as the images he posts with the Bigma alone

i still think to get a long reach with Olympus cameras (DSLR or m4/3) one need a spotted scope, i am very interested in the Kowa 880, but it is really expensive, have to save.
 
Unfortunately with optical instruments there usually is a correlation: you get what you pay for ...

Niels
 
Unfortunately with optical instruments there usually is a correlation: you get what you pay for ...

Niels

that's right, but i am thinking also even if i can afford it, is it worth it, i just do it for fun isn't the Bigma and the Lumix 100-300mm, enough?

but i still want to do digiscoping :-O
 
Personally, I did some digiscoping a while back but with the reach you have I would imagine the additional benefits to be minor, especially considering the added time to set up the digiscoping equipment. Do consider that with increased distance you get increased degradation of the image due to air movements no matter how you capture the image.

One person who might give you some good info regarding relative merit of digiscoping and regular lens photos would be Neil, as he seems to be continually using both.

Niels
 
thanks Niles so much.

you may think its crazy but some of the birds that come to the back of my house are driving me mad they are only less than 50 meter away and i can't capture them at all. using a blind or hide is not very nice option here it is a bit hot being inside a prison is something i can't take, bet claustrophobic i am afraid.
 
I may get some samples sent from SLR Magic sometime soon. If anybody is interested that is. These should be full resolution and not the cropped samples that are seen on eBay.

Chris

:news:
 
SLR Magic Scope Examples

Today I got a reply from SLR Magic and they kindly provided me with some samples.

Its the same as ebay site but bigger.

:t:
 

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