Problems , problems problems!!!!! (1 Viewer)

I have started digiscoping after getting some sound advice from members. I am using a leica 62, adapter 2 with a nikon p310. All good so far. Is there a step by step beginners guide with helpful hints now that I have the gear so that I can make the best of it?
After spending several hours now trying to take photos I still find many aspects very difficult and wonder if this is just the way it is or maybe there are a few 'tricks of the trade' that can help.
1. Positioning the camera in the adapter to get the sharpest and largest image. It seems if you alter the distance of the camera from the lens at the beginning this alters when you use the lens, so do you zoom out first?
2. As many birds are on or around water getting the correct exposure with the camera is difficult.
3. Do i focus the telescope first then the camera or both? Do I use manual focus or automatic focus? With my long sight this is even more of a problem.
4.How do you get the birds to keep still?

Just a few of the problems.....................

Here are a couple of today's photos.



Also a video.

http://youtu.be/X2N4Ax4c5io

Digiscoping does take much practice and can be frustrating.

I'm not familar with your particular camera but assuming it to have an extendable zoom lens, this is the practice I tend to follow.

Focus the scope - if the bird is moving, especially if relatively close as with the duck in your image then this will present some challenges. I try not to focus the scope with camera attached unless I have to. You may be able to view focus accuracy using the screen on your camera?

Now extend the camera zoom to the extent you need to remove vignetting when offered to the Scope eye piece.

Couple the camera lens as close as possible and square to the scope eyepiece eliminating stray light.

I would advocate using AF on the Camera and where possible, a remote shutter device to eliminate camera shake. If the bird is moving then you will need to maximise shutter speed and follow the bird by gently moving the scope on it's tripod.

Check here for some more detailed advice :- http://birdingfrontiers.com/category/digiscoping/

How do you stop the bird from moving - now there's a question

I am more than willing to do the practice.
The duck was about twenty metres away. Does af focus on the camera corectly as it seems to miss sometimes.
I have used the 2 second delay feature somtimes but at high shutter speeds the picture seems OK.
Not tried picture burst yet.
The digiscoping forum looks interesting, thanks for that.

Jon

Don't zoom too much with the camera - most cameras perform best when they are about 1/3 - 1/2 of their optical zoom range.

The image will look very small, but with cropping should prove to be sharper than with a lot of zoom.

Do a few tests - anything with a written label on is good as a subject - positioned at your average shooting range to see where the sweet spot for your camera/scope combo is. Use the timer to take the test pics to eliminate any blurriness due to camera shake.

I will do some experimenting today - thanks
Jon

Hi, Jon
Hope you're getting some better results now, but here's my two ha'porth:

I have a P5100 which is like an older clunkier p310, but shares some of the same functionality (I think!)

First, I use the p5100's customisability a fair bit, I use :

• a User set up with greater saturation and the EV cranked down;
• center spot AF with AF assist OFF;
• bracketing so it takes three shots, with =, - & +ev
• Aperture Priority, always
• I have the Fn button set to control ISO, so I can change it quickly

I use this to keep the exposure speed up to over 1/125 sec unless impossible, so I keep the aperture wide and if that's not enough sacrifice a bit of grain by putting the ASA up. I think speed is important even if the subject is static - your pics get that soft look otherwise.

When a subject is moving, I don't even try to get a shot unless it starts moving slowly across the shot after I've got a crisp focus on it whilst static. Sometimes that means I don't take a shot at all and go back to straight birdwatching; I suppose I see digiscoping as taking advantage of the right conditions when they present themselves and not worrying when they don't.
I've also found this much easier since I got a half decent fluid head.

Notice also, how your camera changes aperture (and hence speed) when you zoom the camera. Half press the shutter button and watch the display. If yours is like mine you'll notice the speed dropping to unusably slow in some situations. Another reason not to zoom too much unless you have to.

Hope some of this is useful.

"3. Do i focus the telescope first then the camera or both? Do I use manual focus or automatic focus? With my long sight this is even more of a problem.
4.How do you get the birds to keep still?"

The P310 is a fast camera ( Continuous High ) with a very bright, sharp screen. It's AF is the best I've found on cameras I've digiscoped with but it can still "miss" if the subject is moving too fast. Ducks/grebes swimming around can be tough. I often switch to MF for these type of subjects. The center of the screen will give you a digital enhancement which makes focusing on the screen easy. I never focus the scope first as it takes too long. We had to do it in the olden days as the screen resolutions were rubbish, but today they are very good. If there is a static object to focus on first eg branch/rock/ground then the AF should nail it most time after you have first focused the scope as best you can on the screen first.
To set it up I first set it to Macro Mode. I then switch to video mode and with the video running I slide the camera forward on the adapter until I see no vignetting. I know then that when I switch to Aperture Priority for stills there will also be no vignetting. If you don't shoot video then you don't need to set it up in Video Mode first.
You don't want to be digiscoping beyond the end of the Macro Mode which is about 60 mm. The image will get very soft beyond this and the AF will be less reliable.
Fire bursts and check the images in the middle of the burst for the sharpest one.
Don't shooting in the middle of the day as the light is not very good and heat haze is not good either. I like first and last 2 hours of the day.
And take a lot of photos. I normally shoot about 2,000 in a half day.
Happy digiscoping and let us know how you are going.
Neil.