Casio Exilim EX-P505 - suitablity for digiscoping? (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo · Mar 30, 2005

I had a quick peek at the new 5 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-P505 camera in my local branch of Dixons today and wonder about its potential for digiscoping (see www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Casio/casio_exp505.asp ) It's not as small as the Contax SL300R but is still pretty dinky. I also suspect, might be a more versatile "off 'scope" camera to own than the alternatives. It has a very compact body (weight inc. batteries 275 g [= 9.7 oz]; 99x56x74mm [3.9x2.2x2.9 in]) which fits snugly into the palm of your hand, but a relatively large (x5 optical) barrel lens. However, this lens doesn't move back and forth as the focus is internal and has a screw thread so may be compatible with an adapter. The viewfinder is one of those natty little swivelling jobs too. At £399 (I think) it's possibly a tad pricey for what it is, but on paper it has, potentially at least, good credentials for digiscoping. Anyone tried it?

The original game plan was to get my wife to buy a 'digiscoping friendly camera' as a back-up to my Panasonic FZ10. Ergonomically, though, the new Casio wouldn't suit her as she's a left hander with suspect grip in her right hand - why are there no camera out there that are leftie friendly? (I'm a right hander with equally dodgy grip in my left hand .. what a pair!). Besides, she's just sabotaged my plan by going out and getting the latest Samsung 7M pixel camera. I've already tried it, handheld, for digiscoping and got a couple of fair pictures. As the lens shifts in and out it ain't ideal for digiscoping, but you can get a remote for it which could be an advantage,

John

siberian · Apr 5, 2005

John Cantelo said:
I had a quick peek at the new 5 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-P505 camera in my local branch of Dixons today and wonder about its potential for digiscoping (see www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Casio/casio_exp505.asp ) It's not as small as the Contax SL300R but is still pretty dinky. I also suspect, might be a more versatile "off 'scope" camera to own than the alternatives. It has a very compact body (weight inc. batteries 275 g [= 9.7 oz]; 99x56x74mm [3.9x2.2x2.9 in]) which fits snugly into the palm of your hand, but a relatively large (x5 optical) barrel lens. However, this lens doesn't move back and forth as the focus is internal and has a screw thread so may be compatible with an adapter. The viewfinder is one of those natty little swivelling jobs too. At £399 (I think) it's possibly a tad pricey for what it is, but on paper it has, potentially at least, good credentials for digiscoping. Anyone tried it?

The original game plan was to get my wife to buy a 'digiscoping friendly camera' as a back-up to my Panasonic FZ10. Ergonomically, though, the new Casio wouldn't suit her as she's a left hander with suspect grip in her right hand - why are there no camera out there that are leftie friendly? (I'm a right hander with equally dodgy grip in my left hand .. what a pair!). Besides, she's just sabotaged my plan by going out and getting the latest Samsung 7M pixel camera. I've already tried it, handheld, for digiscoping and got a couple of fair pictures. As the lens shifts in and out it ain't ideal for digiscoping, but you can get a remote for it which could be an advantage,

John

It looks good, but is dear compared to one I was looking at, the Kyocera
Finecam M410R, which is 4meg, 10x zoom(internal), for £210. Its somewhat larger, but nearly half the price.
Don`t know if either are any good for digiscoping though.
The LCD and viewfinder sound good on the M410R, which is my only gripe with my SL400R. I find it so hard to focus at times in bright sunlight. Review here
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/m410.html

Brian.

siberian · Apr 8, 2005

siberian said:
It looks good, but is dear compared to one I was looking at, the Kyocera
Finecam M410R, which is 4meg, 10x zoom(internal), for £210. Its somewhat larger, but nearly half the price.
Don`t know if either are any good for digiscoping though.

.

Just tried the Kyocera Finecam M410R handheld on my scope ( Zeiss 65 with zoom). The black ring (can`t remember name) just gets bigger as either zoom
is increased, so therefore unsuitable for digiscoping. I read in someone else`s thread about watching the iris movement as a means of checking a camera for use in digiscoping. Don`t know much about that sort of thing.

Brian.

rka · Apr 9, 2005

I dont have actual dimensions but looking at the size of the objective lens, I'm guessing that the EX-P505 will have a lot of vignetting.

Canons A-Series cameras seem to be the best option for digiscoping. The Sony Wx series has potential.

John Cantelo · Apr 15, 2005

rka said:
I dont have actual dimensions but looking at the size of the objective lens, I'm guessing that the EX-P505 will have a lot of vignetting.

Canons A-Series cameras seem to be the best option for digiscoping. The Sony Wx series has potential.

My suggestion seems to have recieved pretty short shrift, but perhaps folks are being too hasty! The apparent dimensions of the lens, for example, may be misleading. The fat little barrel looks too big, but the lens within it has a diameter of only 2 cm whereas my eyepiece lens Leica scope is 2.3 cm. In my ignorance this suggests to me that vignetting wouldn't be as greater problem as suggested. Has anyone actually bothered to LOOK at this neat little camera rather than dismiss it out of hand? John

Erwin Driessens · Apr 16, 2005

I find the sample images on www.steves-digicams.com quite messy, compared to other
5 MP cameras.

John Cantelo · Apr 21, 2005

I realise that I'm flogging not so much a dead horse here as a putrid one, but I had another look at this camera. With the rubber ring removed, the lens hood of this camera slips snugly over the X32 eyepiece of my Leica scope. OK not enough to let go of the camera completely, but certainly very useful for acurately marrying the two instruments together. I'd have thought it would prove to be very useful for taking quick pictures without the expense of an adaptor. As for the image quality, the photos on the website didn't look too bad to me! John

iporali · Apr 22, 2005

John Cantelo said:
With the rubber ring removed, the lens hood of this camera slips snugly over the X32 eyepiece of my Leica scope. OK not enough to let go of the camera completely, but certainly very useful for acurately marrying the two instruments together.

Hi John,

Did you try to take pictures? I am usually very skeptical to all the cameras with more than 4x zoom - I mean in digiscoping. Vignetting is not so much about the lens diameter but its physical length, which usually make it difficult to fit the eye-relief of the eyepiece to the entrance pupil of the camera lens. But - one good sample image and I am happy to admit I was wrong :t:.

Ilkka

John Cantelo · Apr 22, 2005

iporali said:
Hi John,

Did you try to take pictures? I am usually very skeptical to all the cameras with more than 4x zoom - I mean in digiscoping. Vignetting is not so much about the lens diameter but its physical length, which usually make it difficult to fit the eye-relief of the eyepiece to the entrance pupil of the camera lens. But - one good sample image and I am happy to admit I was wrong :t:.

Ilkka

No I didnt actually try to take any pictures. As, since looking at the camera for the first time, I find my financial situation is far less 'elastic' than hothero so I've put plans to buy a camera very firmly on the back burner. Didn't stop me finding out, but I didn't really want to push it too far! You may well be right in what you say, but it would be nice to know! John

Casio Exilim EX-P505 - suitablity for digiscoping? (1 Viewer)

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