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Panasonic Lumix LX5 Digiscoping Leica Televid 82 Adaptor D-Lux4 (1 Viewer)

D

Definitive

Member
I have now fully tested my new Panasonic Lumix LX5 on my Leica Televid 82 spotting scope and have concluded this is an excellent combination for digiscoping. I am using the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4 (42309) that is made for the Leica D-Lux4. This is easily adapted for use on the LX5 using a standard metal 45mm (male) to 46mm (female) step up ring which I purchased from Ebay for less than £10. This works because:
- the thread on the Leica Adaptor 4 is 45mm (female); and
- the thread on the LX5 is 46mm (male). Note that this is 1mm greater than the thread on the Panasonic Lumix LX3 which is 45mm (male).
This combination allows digiscoping at the full non-optical zoom of the LX5 without vignetting. In fact, the lens distance/adaptor length is so spot-on that I wonder whether, when Leica releases its version of the the LX5, it will only need to provide its own adaptor ring on a relabelled version of the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4.
I hope this post is useful. It took me ages to find out the size of the thread on the LX5 lens and eventually I tracked it down via a single photo of the DMW-LA6 adaptor which showed the LX5 has a 46mm thread. Use of the step ring proved it.
I am extremely impressed by the LX5 and how well it works in this combination. Having tested Leica's spotting scope/adaptor/digiscope competitors at this year's BirdFair, I suspect this combination is the best available.
 
Thanks for that. Sounds very promising. Can I ask what eyepiece you're using and how much vignetting there is, esp at full zoom? I seem to remember reading that the LX5 lens extends furthest when at the wide end and is relatively short at the telephoto end. Is this true? Finally, have you found any problem with autofocus when digiscoping with it.

Any chance of a couple of digiscoped example shots as well?

Thanks,

David
 
Hi. Comments on your questions as follows:

Question 1: Can I ask what eyepiece you're using and how much vignetting there is, esp at full zoom?
Answer: I am using the 25-50X zoom eyepiece of the Leica Televid 82. The LX5 works best at full optical zoom at 25X eyepiece magnification. At this setting, there is no significant vignetting at the widest "film" setting. There is none (obviously) at the narrower settings either. Zooming on the eyepiece results in gradually greater vignetting (depending on the "film" width set on the LX5). With the i-zoom function ON, this automatically removes vignetting. I'm sure it would be possible to pull together a comprehensive table however it would only be relevant for this LX5/Televid 82/adaptor combination. The bottom line is that this combination works well.

Question 2: I seem to remember reading that the LX5 lens extends furthest when at the wide end and is relatively short at the telephoto end. Is this true?
Answer: No. The smallest barrel protrudes by 13mm at no zoom and 15 mm at full zoom i.e. 2mm difference. Between this the barrel moves in a non-linear way but never exceeds the maximum extension of 15mm at full zoom.

Question 3: Finally, have you found any problem with autofocus when digiscoping with it.
Answer: I have experienced no issues with the autofocus.

Hope these answers are helpful and sorry for the delay in replying.
 
Some further comments on using the Leica Televid 82 and Panasonic LX5 for digiscoping:

Can and should I use a remote release cord for the LX5?

I use an attachment that allows a remote release cable to be used to trigger the shutter button. It is designed by Richard Franiec (http://www.kleptography.com/rf/) and allows the button to be pressed slightly (for exposure, focusing etc) and then pressed fully at the best moment. It really helps avoid camera shake and allows one to sit back and view the screen and wait for the right moment using the LED on the back of the LX5 to view. This approach is highly recommended and so in my view the answer to (admittedly by own) question is Yes (you can) and Yes (you should) for digiscoping; however it isn't essential.

What about the Leica Televid focusing system?

As an aside, with this approach, the focus system on the Televid 82 (and as used by Leica on its other spotting scopes: Televid 62, Televid 65 and Televid 77) really comes into its own. The use of the two turning dials to focus really does work well (compared to other scopes which have the more cumbersome barrel focus) and the LED on the LX5 is sensitive enough to allow this to be done with the LX5 attached whilst viewing the camera's LED screen.
 
replace DMW-LA6 adaptor with step up ring

Definitive said:
I have now fully tested my new Panasonic Lumix LX5 on my Leica Televid 82 spotting scope and have concluded this is an excellent combination for digiscoping. I am using the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4 (42309) that is made for the Leica D-Lux4. This is easily adapted for use on the LX5 using a standard metal 45mm (male) to 46mm (female) step up ring which I purchased from Ebay for less than £10. This works because:
- the thread on the Leica Adaptor 4 is 45mm (female); and
- the thread on the LX5 is 46mm (male). Note that this is 1mm greater than the thread on the Panasonic Lumix LX3 which is 45mm (male).
This combination allows digiscoping at the full non-optical zoom of the LX5 without vignetting. In fact, the lens distance/adaptor length is so spot-on that I wonder whether, when Leica releases its version of the the LX5, it will only need to provide its own adaptor ring on a relabelled version of the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4.
I hope this post is useful. It took me ages to find out the size of the thread on the LX5 lens and eventually I tracked it down via a single photo of the DMW-LA6 adaptor which showed the LX5 has a 46mm thread. Use of the step ring proved it.
I am extremely impressed by the LX5 and how well it works in this combination. Having tested Leica's spotting scope/adaptor/digiscope competitors at this year's BirdFair, I suspect this combination is the best available.
Click to expand...

Excuse my ignorance please but the Leica Dig. Adapter 4 is used in lieu of the DMW-LA6 adapter. You then add the step up ring?

Also, would the DMW-LA6 adapter be strong enough to attach the Lx5 to a Swar eyepiece via suitable threaded barrel?

Thanks

finno
 
Definitive said:
I have now fully tested my new Panasonic Lumix LX5 on my Leica Televid 82 spotting scope and have concluded this is an excellent combination for digiscoping. I am using the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4 (42309) that is made for the Leica D-Lux4. This is easily adapted for use on the LX5 using a standard metal 45mm (male) to 46mm (female) step up ring which I purchased from Ebay for less than £10. This works because:
- the thread on the Leica Adaptor 4 is 45mm (female); and
- the thread on the LX5 is 46mm (male). Note that this is 1mm greater than the thread on the Panasonic Lumix LX3 which is 45mm (male).
This combination allows digiscoping at the full non-optical zoom of the LX5 without vignetting. In fact, the lens distance/adaptor length is so spot-on that I wonder whether, when Leica releases its version of the the LX5, it will only need to provide its own adaptor ring on a relabelled version of the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4.
I hope this post is useful. It took me ages to find out the size of the thread on the LX5 lens and eventually I tracked it down via a single photo of the DMW-LA6 adaptor which showed the LX5 has a 46mm thread. Use of the step ring proved it.
I am extremely impressed by the LX5 and how well it works in this combination. Having tested Leica's spotting scope/adaptor/digiscope competitors at this year's BirdFair, I suspect this combination is the best available.
Click to expand...

Could you provide a picture of your setup? and if possible, a picture for each notch of the optical zoom to show the vignetting from wide to full optical zoom please ?

Regards

Paul
 
Definitive said:
I have now fully tested my new Panasonic Lumix LX5 on my Leica Televid 82 spotting scope and have concluded this is an excellent combination for digiscoping. I am using the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4 (42309) that is made for the Leica D-Lux4. This is easily adapted for use on the LX5 using a standard metal 45mm (male) to 46mm (female) step up ring which I purchased from Ebay for less than £10. This works because:
- the thread on the Leica Adaptor 4 is 45mm (female); and
- the thread on the LX5 is 46mm (male). Note that this is 1mm greater than the thread on the Panasonic Lumix LX3 which is 45mm (male).
This combination allows digiscoping at the full non-optical zoom of the LX5 without vignetting. In fact, the lens distance/adaptor length is so spot-on that I wonder whether, when Leica releases its version of the the LX5, it will only need to provide its own adaptor ring on a relabelled version of the Leica Digiscoping Adaptor 4.
I hope this post is useful. It took me ages to find out the size of the thread on the LX5 lens and eventually I tracked it down via a single photo of the DMW-LA6 adaptor which showed the LX5 has a 46mm thread. Use of the step ring proved it.
I am extremely impressed by the LX5 and how well it works in this combination. Having tested Leica's spotting scope/adaptor/digiscope competitors at this year's BirdFair, I suspect this combination is the best available.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information,just a couple of points I am not clear on 1/when you fitted the adaptor ring this would bring the camera further back from the rear lens giving vignetting at full aperture.2/You said you could use the camera at full non-optical zoom you did not say if you could use optical zoom and if so what is the minimum you can get without vignetting I believe the maximum optical zoom is about 3.8 so with the Leica at minimum zoom of 25 this would give a magnification of about 95 which is just about entering fantasy land.I must add I have been using a similar setup but mine is the Leica 65 with the LX3 and even though I say it myself the results are stunning.
Regards Chippy.
 
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