Advice/Comments on Nikon Digiscoping Setup (1 Viewer)

Jason Bugay Reyes · Sep 18, 2011

SeeToh said:
Thanks for all your comments on the tripod combo.

After careful consideration, I have decided on the Induro CT213 Carbon Fibre Tripod legs.

Chose this instead of the Gizo Aluminium tripod legs because both costs about the same but Induro is lighter (1.5 against 1.8 kg), support a heavier setup (12 against 9 kg) and also taller (max ht of 1.41 m against 1.31 m w/column retracted). Hope I made the right choice

As for the head, chose the Jobu Jr3 Gimbal Head with a recommended load of below 4.53 kg.

The nikon 82mm spotting scope/P300 digiscope setup only weigh only around 2 kg and around below 2.8 kg with the gimbal head. So I reckoned this gimbal head/tripod legs combo should be able to provide extra stability to the nikon digiscoping setup.

One additional advantage of this combo is that if I upgrade to a DSLR plus 300mm f/2.8 setup in the future, I do not have to buy another tripod set.

I have also decided to buy the straight body scope as this seems to be more friendly for digiscoping but costs US$150 more than an angled body scope at Adorama. Duno why but thought an angled body should cost more right? :C

That's strange because in Malaysia, straight and angled body scope by Nikon is similar in price.

SeeToh · Sep 26, 2011

Just received my scope, digiscoping wide angle eyepiece, and P300 camera. Still waiting for the tripod, gimbal head and FSB-8 adaptor to arrive probably early next week.

The P300 does not come with any SD card. Any recommendation on what card to use for digiscoping purpose? Like brand, capacity, speed, etc?

SeeToh · Oct 11, 2011

Quite happy with this shot taken with my new toy

The subject was quite near (about 10m) and lighting condition was pretty good.

Settings: 8.1mm ISO 160 1/100s f/2.8 -0.7EV.

mayoayo · Oct 11, 2011

A Shrike!..You are starting with good foot!..excellent capture,..No matter if close or not,is never easy to get a good digiscoped shot,specially in the beggining...I think You are a natural..!!..also ,the Nikon ED82...never fails to impress me as a digiscoping tool...most of my favorite shots are from those scopes(I do not own one..sight!)

SeeToh · Oct 11, 2011

Thanks Mayoayo for your encouraging words.

The attached photo showed me that the P300 + Nikon 82mm Fieldscope combo could not produce sharp photos in high ISO and bad lighting.

Camera settings: 7.2mm ISO 1600 1/30s f/2.6 +2.0EV

Had sharpened and increased contrast and brightness of the image which was shot at around 6:45 pm under low light condition. Had to ramp up the ISO to 1600 to get a decent record of this rare resident Blue-eared Kingfisher of Singapore.

SeeToh · Oct 26, 2011

Shot this with my Nikon setup at full zoom (3000mm in 35mm terms) and croped image by 67.5%. No other processing done. ISO160, 1/1250s f/4.9 -0.3EV

RJM · Oct 26, 2011

So are you pleased, disappointed, asking for technical/artistic advise or what with this pic?

SeeToh · Oct 27, 2011

RJM said:
So are you pleased, disappointed, asking for technical/artistic advise or what with this pic?

I am pretty happy with the image. The tern was about 200m away.

But my DSLR friend felt that the pic is pretty noisy and thought that it was shot at high ISO. The apparent noise probably cause by the cropping right?

Also, should I increase the sharpness, contrast and brightness?

RJM · Oct 27, 2011

First, you were probably too far away based on the crop. Hard to expect best quality unless you can fill the frame with the bird.

Second, I think this photo shows why, if given the choice, it is better to zoom the eyepiece rather than the camera lens. Unfortunately, with the Nikon ED82 your eyepieces choices are limited and using the zoom eyepiece is not viable. Main reason I changed from Nikon to Kowa.

Finally, you should spend some time with indoor testing on a static target like a stuffed animal large enough to fill the frame when placed at ~40m distance. Vary the in-camera jpeg settings (Nikon Picture Control?) for sharpness, saturation, contrast, and hue until you find the combination that on average reflects the "look" you want. Might also take a test print to make sure what you see on a monitor translates to paper. Keep in mind what you like in pic can be very different from what someone else likes.

SeeToh · Oct 27, 2011

RJM said:
First, you were probably too far away based on the crop. Hard to expect best quality unless you can fill the frame with the bird.

Second, I think this photo shows why, if given the choice, it is better to zoom the eyepiece rather than the camera lens. Unfortunately, with the Nikon ED82 your eyepieces choices are limited and using the zoom eyepiece is not viable. Main reason I changed from Nikon to Kowa.

Finally, you should spend some time with indoor testing on a static target like a stuffed animal large enough to fill the frame when placed at ~40m distance. Vary the in-camera jpeg settings (Nikon Picture Control?) for sharpness, saturation, contrast, and hue until you find the combination that on average reflects the "look" you want. Might also take a test print to make sure what you see on a monitor translates to paper. Keep in mind what you like in pic can be very different from what someone else likes.

Thanks for the advice. I probably got to get the 50x DS eyepiece from Amazon Japan for further reach

Advice/Comments on Nikon Digiscoping Setup (1 Viewer)

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