All,
I would suggest that what we are seeing here is not indicative of any camera drawback, as much as a problem with specific usage. ANY camera would perform similarly under these same settings. We don't have the whole story here and unless you are familiar with the equipment and the limitations of ANY digiscoping/optical system you may be tempted to draw this same unfair (and incorrect) conclusion about the quality of the equipment being used!
Dear Jeff
Dont really subscribe to this theory as there are other P & S cameras that can be used with Leica eyepieces (athough not the same image quality) where vignetting is not evident at all through the optical zoom range, ( Leica 20XWA on a Sony N1, Fuji F30, Contax and Kyocera range) and the external zoom does not retract and switch the camera off when it comes into contact with a hard object, ie scope eyepiece.
Please answer me honestly, if you noted the vignetting and retractable lens problem of the camera to the customer before they bought the items, would they buy?
The image stabilisation is not really functional in terms of digiscoping and only adds a little noise to the picture IMHO, the image stabilisation is only for the movement associated with hand holding the camera, not for the camera to be connected to a scope and the movement associated with that ( this is true of any of the new generation cameras with this function) and not really what we want for digiscoping, i couldnt see any difference in picture sharpness when i tried it out, so kept it switched off.
Also, to be told you can crop the picture to gain a vignetting free picture is acceptable?
With this amount of money spent on a camera and adapter why would you have to fiddle with the set up to gain a good picture? the current cost of these items in the UK is £490 for the camera and £138 for the adapter, £628/$1140 in total, OK, UK taxes stink, but we have to pay it in this country
This is another attempt by Leica to introduce a camera deemed suitable for digiscoping, and its clearly not, nobody doubts the quality of the image, but the R & D have not done their homework as they would have picked up on feedback from the last model and would have fixed the vignetting and retracting lens issue, it was noted on enough websites, which leads me to believe this camera and the C-LUX1 was not designed for digiscoping, or it wasnt deemed important or cost effective enough to fix these problems? The digiscoping adapter is crying out for a designated cable release to be affixed, because especially in this country and others in Europe, we do not have the hours of sunshine over the year to use just our forefinger!
The solution would require running the camera zoom out even more, or reducing scope zoom and cropping a clearer subject in post processing. Increasing camera zoom obviously complicates things by reducing shutter speeds to the point where it is difficult to eliminate motion blur. This also causes loss of resolution by inducing more noise (a result of magnifying impurities, water vapor, etc. in the air seen with all cameras!) This is why I suggested earlier and still maintain to use minimum zoom with any digiscoping systems for best results.
The long term solution is to address the vignetting problem on at least one or both of the Leica Lenses, 20xWA or 32XWA
IMHO the D-Lux3 will be a fantastic digiscoping camera just as its predecessor was with a great lens, optical image stabilization, 8 mega-pixel, large bright screen, etc.
Jeff, it wont be a great digiscoping camera and neither was its predecessor because of the problems noted, it will be a digiscoping camera that can take digiscoped shots but with some real and practical problems associated with the taking of those pictures, if these problems were addressed, many Leica users would buy the camera just for the ability to use RAW files that is fact, believe me
I own a Leica APO 77mm scope, 20XWA, 32XWA and Zoom eyepieces, it was my first scope i used for digiscoping 7 years ago, the 20XWA is one of the best digiscopng eyepieces around, and i still use it, i have tried out both the C-LUX 1 and D-LUX3 cameras so therefore can speak from experience
I also use the Leica scope when i give lectures and seminars in the UK and have also bought the Leica digiscoping adapter to use on other cameras, the Sony N1 and Fuji F30 fit it nicely without any vignetting on the 20XWA eyepiece, i have a home made cable release to allow me to take steady shots
To conclude, for the money Leica are charging, there needs to be changes in the next generation of Leica cameras suitable for digiscoping( if there is a next generation? ) the camera lens needs to be free of vignetting against the scope eyepiece through the full range of the camera optical zoom, ( WA eypieces only) and the retractable lens problem needs dealing with, the anti shake function needs removing, the adapter needs some sort of fixing which centres and locks the camera more accurately, then a fine tuning mechanism which moves the camera on a X and Y axis as to centralise the camera over the eyepeice to find the sweet spot, and a designated cable release connecting to the adapter or even a remote method created. If these points are addressed, then yes you have a very good digiscoping camera and adapter for the Leica scopes.
Jeff, i understand the need for you to help your customers after they have bought the product, but the product really does fall short on the points above when you are extolling the virtues of this setup as a suitable digiscoping setup, considering it is the most expensive P & S camera recommended for Digiscoping at the moment in the UK.
Paul
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