Digiscoping w/ Canon DSLR - need scope (1 Viewer)

I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel and would like to use it for digiscoping. I tried it with a Bushnell Discoverer a couple of times but, I was very dissatisfied with the results. I believe that this is a function of the quality of the Bushnell's optics more than anything else. (The Bushnell is a good scope for around $200 but, it is neither phase coated nor does it use ED glass - which I'm sure causes the majority of my image quality problems.)

I have looked at a few spotting scopes but, there seems to be a relative dearth of high-quality scopes that have available the proper accessories for attaching a DSLR camera. There are quite a few low-middle priced scopes like the Bushnell, Eagle Optics, and Konus scopes but, I wanted to step up in quality.

Can anyone help suggest a high-quality scope for which appropriate attachment accessories can be had to attach my Canon DSLR?

I both digiscope and use a DSLR.

You can digiscope with a DSLR but it's hard going - as far as I'm concerned they're mutually exclusive techniques.

If you're interested in digiscoping then it's best to use a compact digital camera so that you can make use of the scope eyepeice magnification as well as the camera built in optical zoom. Using a DSLR with a scope either entails connecting the camera body to the scope directly via a photo adapter - without the camera lens and without the scope eyepiece. The view is small and dark needing around f11 set manually. Else you use a 50mm prime lens connected to the scope eyepiece by an adapter - you at least have the scope eyepiece magnification but of course no 2-3x optical zoom from the camera so you're losing 2-3x magnification over what a compact camera could give. With compacts and DSLR's no having similar sized sensors in terms of MP, about the only plus for DSLR use is the larger sensor, but there are so amny more negatives.

For a DSLR then a 400+mm prime lens will allow photogrpahy of small birds from around 20yds max, but much further for larger birds like geese. There is a fair amount of overlap of distance between digiscoping and DSLR. The camera lens is of course designed for this use so there are no issues with faults in optics.

It can be done however. This Flickr member http://www.flickr.com/photos/faisca/ digiscopes with a Canon 350D. His work is amazing. His scope is the same as mine, a Zeiss 85T. Makes me want to scrape up the cash to buy a 350D.

lucznik said:

I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel and would like to use it for digiscoping. I tried it with a Bushnell Discoverer a couple of times but, I was very dissatisfied with the results. I believe that this is a function of the quality of the Bushnell's optics more than anything else. (The Bushnell is a good scope for around $200 but, it is neither phase coated nor does it use ED glass - which I'm sure causes the majority of my image quality problems.)

I have looked at a few spotting scopes but, there seems to be a relative dearth of high-quality scopes that have available the proper accessories for attaching a DSLR camera. There are quite a few low-middle priced scopes like the Bushnell, Eagle Optics, and Konus scopes but, I wanted to step up in quality.

Can anyone help suggest a high-quality scope for which appropriate attachment accessories can be had to attach my Canon DSLR?

Click to expand...

I would recommend a Nikon ED 82 I have tried quite successfully with my ed78 and found it much easier than using a camera such as the nikon cp 4500.

Have a look at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=49903

And also at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=53052

It may provide you with some information. I did quite a bit of digiscoping up till last year with my 300d and Nikon ed78 and was quite pleased with the results. I haven't bothered a lot recently I found that if I was taking pictures I wasn't bird watching and I missed a lot because I was concentrating on the camera. But I still usually have the capability with me when I go out.

lucznik said:

I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel and would like to use it for digiscoping. I tried it with a Bushnell Discoverer a couple of times but, I was very dissatisfied with the results. I believe that this is a function of the quality of the Bushnell's optics more than anything else. (The Bushnell is a good scope for around $200 but, it is neither phase coated nor does it use ED glass - which I'm sure causes the majority of my image quality problems.)

Click to expand...

I thought spotting scopes use porro prisms, instead of roof-prisms and do not need phase-coating. Maybe I was wrong. Can someone enlighten us?

You are both correct and incorrect.

Some (perhaps even most) spotting scopes are of porro prism design and as such do not require phase correction coatings for optimal image quality.

The B&L Discoverer however, is a roof prism design. Despite not having phase correction coatings, it is still a rather good scope - especially for its $200 price tag. (It unfortunately is also very heavy and not at all weatherproofed.)

Other roof-prism spotting scopes include the Bushnell Elite (15-45x60 & 20-60x70,) The Nikon Spotter XL (16-48x60,) and Burris Signature (18-46x60.) All of these are phase-correction coated but, none accept the adapter to attach the scope to my Canon DSLR.

Most straight spotting scopes use Porro's. The straight Zeiss Diascope uses a Schmidt-Pechan roof prism. Some angled scopes use Schmidt roof prisms. Some use a combination of Porro and semi-pentaprism. The Discoverer doesn't have a prism. It uses a lens system like a rifle scope.