Digiscoping (1 Viewer)

I have a Nikon 4500 and a Leica APO Televid 77 combination for digscoping and have been getting some reasonable results.I do have a problem however with my eyesight.I am longsighted and use reading glasses for close work so when I focus my `scope using the LCD screen I cannot get the image pin sharp.Does anyone know if there are magnifying screens I can attach to the back of the camera to make it clearer.I don`t fancy using a hand held magnifier as this would be too clumsy.
Thanks.
Ron Pearcy

There are various LCD magnifiers that you can use. One of the best available is the Xtend-a-View LCD magnifier/sunshade from EagleEye in the UK. The pro one fits the CP4500 either via velcro or using the wing-bracket which also takes a cable release.

They do quite a few digiscoping accessories.

Thank You.
R Pearcy

A lot of people use the Camera Bellows version which is available from 7dayshop.com. It is available with a clip in plastic magnifier or with a built in glass lens. They are out of stock of the better value plastic version at the moment, however.

There is a thread about them somewhere on this forum.

Ron

Ron,
You can get away without using the screen. Focus the scope first and give the focus wheel a "small turn" further. Then do a half-press on the shutter and watch the "little green" focus light under the viewfinder window. When it's steady Green you should have focus. If it seems to be having trouble "locking on" try focusing on the birds legs,branch or ground in the same plane. Neil.

Neil, the AF light doesn't seem to work on mine. Is there something I need to do to turn it on?

Thanks.
Jaff

Jaff,
There are actually two little lights next to the optical viewfinder (left side). One indicates a Flash symbol and flashes red if the light is too low and the other is the focus indicator (Green). If you half depress the shutter inside they should both flash. If they don't then you have a problem. Neil.

Neil, I recently put together a Fuji F30 with a SRB Griturn swing away adapter attached to a Leica APO 62 scope.
I read on a thread on here that you COULD get the scope in focus with the subject and then move the camera in position and take the picture, reading that suited me down to the ground with not being the most technical of photographers, but its not turned out to be as easy as it sounds, pictures not very sharp but not too bad. The Leica scope was spot on, but not the finished article.
You mention on this thread to focus the scope and then a 'small turn' further, can you explain please the 'small turn' and anything else that comes to mind.
Thanks.

"You mention on this thread to focus the scope and then a 'small turn' further, can you explain please the 'small turn' and anything else that comes to mind. "

Using the SRB-Griturn with the F30/31 may not require an extra "small turn" as this camera lens doesn't move much when zoomed as compared to many others. The Nikon 4500 lens is actually well back inside the camera body so the focus point may not be the same as your eye position against the eyepiece. Because of shallow depth-of-field with digiscoping , even 1/4in can make a difference so with some cameras need the scope focus "tweaked" just a tad more.
But the main reason for out-of-focus/soft images is too much magnfication with the camera lens plus eyepiece with a subject that it too far away. This greatly reduces the contrast for the camera to focus on. Most cameras perform best in the 1/3 - 2/3 rd zoom range and the wider the better for focus. Small subjects at greater than 30 metres (particularly over water ) may give the camera some difficulty to focus. Back-off the zoom a bit and watch the little Green Focus light (under the zoom rocker switch ). When it's steady take a Continuous series of 3 and two should be sharp (the first one may not be due to camera shake ). I normally focus on the birds legs as there is often good contrast between them and the background. Don't try and focus on moving subjects at higher zooms as the camera will have difficulty. If the bird is walking/running focus of the ground in front of it and let it walk/run into focus.
The attached photo was taken with the F31 yesterday and because of the light I was having no luck getting focus on the bird's body so I focused on it's feet I ( I use Spot Metering/focus ).
I hope this helps, Neil.

Neil said:

Jaff,
There are actually two little lights next to the optical viewfinder (left side). One indicates a Flash symbol and flashes red if the light is too low and the other is the focus indicator (Green). If you half depress the shutter inside they should both flash. If they don't then you have a problem. Neil.

Click to expand...

I guess I have a problem then. No biggie, I've managed o.k. without them.

Thanks Neil. Sorry for the mini-hijack of the thread Ron.
Jaff