Fuji F30 - more thoughts (1 Viewer)

Richard JSH · Oct 21, 2006

Thanks for the kind words, gentlemen. Of course the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, so when I've had chance to use the new set up, I'll post some images and see whether you all think the adapter works ok.

In the meantime, the three below were taken with my F401 and the old adapter through my Opticron ES80. See what you think and be brutally frank if necessary. Good criticism can only improve my technique!

Cheers,

Richard.

Robert L Jarvis · Oct 21, 2006

Richard

I have to say that I would be satisfied with those images. On the heron although slightly dark the white is not blown and feather detail can be seen. Be interesting to see if you can improve on them!

Robert

Winterdune · Oct 22, 2006

The Red Grouse is a lovely atmospheric shot, though it's a pity the foreground grass blades go through the eye...

By the way, what contact adhesive did you use, Richard? And did you have any trouble getting your setup perfectly at right-angle to the eyepiece?

Looking forward to the F30 shots...
Sean

Richard JSH · Oct 27, 2006

seanofford said:
By the way, what contact adhesive did you use, Richard? And did you have any trouble getting your setup perfectly at right-angle to the eyepiece?

Sean

Hi Sean,

I used Evo-Stik Impact adhesive but I would imagine Dunlop Thixofix or even standard Araldite would do. I only really went for the contact stuff because I couldn't wait for the normal stuff to cure! Still it saves you from having to clamp everything in place. I used an engineering square to level the ends of the tube. This should put things close to the right-angle. As I said, there is a bit of play in the set-up and i'm still contemplating whether to try and tighten the fitting up a bit. I don't know whether some of my soft focus problems are due to bad light, not getting the camera settings right or whether it's caused by not getting that perfect right-angle with the scope lens. I'd be very interested if anyone has any thoughts on the angle between camera and scope aspect of digiscoping. If the camera is a midge's off line, will it cause a focus problem given the contour of the lenses?

All the best, Richard.

Richard JSH · Oct 27, 2006

Robert L Jarvis said:
Richard

I have to say that I would be satisfied with those images. On the heron although slightly dark the white is not blown and feather detail can be seen. Be interesting to see if you can improve on them!

Robert

Thanks, Robert.

I am pleased with them really but I always think I could do better, particularly when I look at some of the images posted earlier in this thread. Now they are truly spectacular.

Richard

Forcreeks · Oct 29, 2006

Hi Richard,
To answer your question about the lens to eyepiece plane angle (I'll call it); no, it does not have to be precisely parallel. You'll notice little if any difference at all. I designed and manufacture a swing-away camera mount which I've been using for several years now, so I know this question and answer well. I just swing the camera around until it looks pretty much parallel to the eye.. nothing fussy. It's the scope's manual focus and camera auto focus that are critical to a sharp shot, so don't give it another worry.

For you others who may not prefer to make the adapter, our adapter is for straight-viewing eyepieces only, is called the Simplicity SDA-100 and is available through www.simplicitytool.com for USD $80, last I checked. I posted two new gallery shots today, so stopped by here to answer the angle question. I like the Northern Flicker shot at the BF link below.

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/113043/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

monstermuley · Nov 1, 2006

what Scopetronix EZ-Pix adapter was it

Neil, I am wondering if you had the small or the large Scopetronix EZ-Pix adapter. I need to keep things as light as possible and would like to go with the small on if possible. I got the Swaro 20x60x65 STS HD scope and am going to get the fuji f30 camera and the Scopetronix EZ-Pix adapter. Just not sure what one.

Thanks

Richard JSH · Nov 4, 2006

First chance of a trip out today with the F30 and the new adapter. All images captured on Automatic mode, ISO 100 and Macro focusing. The day was pretty dull, so i'm quite pleased with these. Will post more when I've got the chance.

Richard.

Paul Jarvis · Nov 4, 2006

Richard JSH said:
First chance of a trip out today with the F30 and the new adapter. All images captured on Automatic mode, ISO 100 and Macro focusing. The day was pretty dull, so i'm quite pleased with these. Will post more when I've got the chance.

Richard.

Richard where you at Martin Mere today by any chance?

Richard JSH · Nov 4, 2006

Paul Jarvis said:
Richard where you at Martin Mere today by any chance?

How did you guess, Paul!

Neil · Nov 4, 2006

Scopetronix Ez-pix adapter

monstermuley said:
Neil, I am wondering if you had the small or the large Scopetronix EZ-Pix adapter. I need to keep things as light as possible and would like to go with the small on if possible. I got the Swaro 20x60x65 STS HD scope and am going to get the fuji f30 camera and the Scopetronix EZ-Pix adapter. Just not sure what one.

Thanks

I have the Ez-Pix 1 which fits smaller eyepieces but won't fit the larger ones so you would need the Ez-Pix 11 for the zoom and larger fixed eyepieces. Check the measurements on the site though first to make sure. Neil.

Paul Jarvis · Nov 5, 2006

Richard JSH said:
How did you guess, Paul!

I was there also having a few hours taking pics of swans and the ruffs while there were so close in front of swan link. I recognised the light conditions from your swan pic, may be see you at the birdfair weekend if your there a few of us are meeting up.

Mike Penfold · Nov 5, 2006

Richard JSH said:
First chance of a trip out today with the F30 and the new adapter. All images captured on Automatic mode, ISO 100 and Macro focusing. The day was pretty dull, so i'm quite pleased with these. Will post more when I've got the chance.

Richard.

Richard,

I'd be happy with any of these photographs. Just a little puzzled you can get excellent results at ISO 100, as I still get variable soft resolution due to camera movement at 400 ISO with an Olympus 500/Zeiss 85, with relatively steady hands. Mind you, I've been using a spice jar lid adapter, and thinking about a digiscoping alignment collar from srbfilm for the Fuji F30, because of its longer front lens element -- both being quick, small and light, but more susceptible to camera movement.

Also with the Fuji F30 in Auto mode, you would be seeing the ISO on the LCD screen after the photograph is taken, while the Manual or A/S modes give you the opportunity to select ISO.

Could you tell me about using the Macro mode for digiscoping; out of 30-40 shots, I usually get a handful that are reasonable, but not using Macro focusing.

Mike Penfold

Richard JSH · Nov 8, 2006

Paul Jarvis said:
I was there also having a few hours taking pics of swans and the ruffs while there were so close in front of swan link. I recognised the light conditions from your swan pic, may be see you at the birdfair weekend if your there a few of us are meeting up.

Hi Paul.

There was certainly plenty going on in front of the hide. Pitty the light conditions let us down a bit. I'm not sure whether I will be able to get across for the Birdfair. Work is a bit manic at the minute and I don't know whether I'll have to work that weekend.

Cheers, Richard.

Richard JSH · Nov 8, 2006

Mike Penfold said:
Richard,

I'd be happy with any of these photographs. Just a little puzzled you can get excellent results at ISO 100, as I still get variable soft resolution due to camera movement at 400 ISO with an Olympus 500/Zeiss 85, with relatively steady hands. Mind you, I've been using a spice jar lid adapter, and thinking about a digiscoping alignment collar from srbfilm for the Fuji F30, because of its longer front lens element -- both being quick, small and light, but more susceptible to camera movement.

Also with the Fuji F30 in Auto mode, you would be seeing the ISO on the LCD screen after the photograph is taken, while the Manual or A/S modes give you the opportunity to select ISO.

Could you tell me about using the Macro mode for digiscoping; out of 30-40 shots, I usually get a handful that are reasonable, but not using Macro focusing.

Mike Penfold

Hello Mike,

Your post got me thinking and I quickly had another look at the F30's manual. I have to admit I got things mixed up a bit. The Auto mode selects the ISO for you, but I had thought that setting it manually myself would override this. It seems it won't, whoops! However, when I checked the properties of the three images it turns out that the Ruff was on ISO200 but the other two were indeed on ISO100.

We seem to be having similar problems with our digiscoping. Soft focus / resolution is my main problem. I too only get a handful of usable images from many, many shots. That was my main reason for upgrading from a Fuji 401 to the Fuji F30. The reviews I had found and images posted earlier in this thread made my mind up for me.

I too am using a home made adpater (see earlier post). I like to think I am reasonably steady of hand and so am wondering whether the soft focus is due to the usually dull light conditions in Lancashire and my inability to use the camera properly to compensate for this. I would be very interested in what the light conditions in your part of the world are like. I do seem to have more acceptable results when it is clear and sunny.

With regard to the macro focusing, I think it was Neil that mentioned earlier in the thread that Macro mode gives more focusing steps than the standard setting. I took this to mean it was a finer, more acurate focus mode and so gave it a try. Neil may be able to expand on the science of that one as I am still very much learning and trying things out as I hear about them.

Kind Regards,

Richard.

Paul Jarvis · Nov 9, 2006

Richard JSH said:
Hi Paul.

There was certainly plenty going on in front of the hide. Pitty the light conditions let us down a bit. I'm not sure whether I will be able to get across for the Birdfair. Work is a bit manic at the minute and I don't know whether I'll have to work that weekend.

Cheers, Richard.

No problem Richard, may be another time.

Mike Penfold · Nov 10, 2006

Richard,

The Bruce Peninsula has relatively clear air, located between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, with prevailing winds from the west. The same winds give us lake effect snow, for example, 3 feet in 2 days in Owen Sound in February, 2006. With snow on the ground from mid-November to the end of March, it's often very bright.

However, getting fast enough shutter speeds for sharper resolution in low light is the reason I bought the Fuji F30. When I get an adapter for it, I'll be trying shutter speeds from 1/60 in A/S mode, with ISO's that give an aperture with decent depth of field, and the quality setting at 6MF (which gives 6 megapixels without compression).

I must have missed Neil's comments about using macro focusing on another thread, and would appreciate being directed to them.

Mike

Neil · Nov 10, 2006

If you're not sure why you are getting getting soft images try using the Self-timer as a controlled test. Take the first without the Self-timer (to make sure you get a photo ) and then with Self-timer. Also start at iso 800 (let's get serious here ), drop to 400 and then 100 and see if there is a difference. I use a ballhead and I have is set firm but not tight, so that I can pan with the subject but when I let the scope go it stays put. Most of my photos with the F30 (70%) where taken with my finger on the shutter. 90% of my photos with the CP8400 are taken this way. I do shoot in Continuous Mode as I expect the first frame to have a little camera shake. Neil.

Mike Penfold · Nov 10, 2006

Neil said:
If you're not sure why you are getting getting soft images try using the Self-timer as a controlled test. Take the first without the Self-timer (to make sure you get a photo ) and then with Self-timer. Also start at iso 800 (let's get serious here ), drop to 400 and then 100 and see if there is a difference. I use a ballhead and I have is set firm but not tight, so that I can pan with the subject but when I let the scope go it stays put. Most of my photos with the F30 (70%) where taken with my finger on the shutter. 90% of my photos with the CP8400 are taken this way. I do shoot in Continuous Mode as I expect the first frame to have a little camera shake. Neil.

Neil,

Using the 2-second self-timer, and one or more of the continuous shooting options are good ideas which would address additional movement caused by pressing the shutter button. I also set the tension a little higher on the tripod head, using a Manfrotto 128RC on an 055CL. I'm not having much luck figuring out using Macro mode, as the focusing distance is too short for the anticipated space between the scope's external eyepiece surface and the camera lens.

Mike

Neil · Nov 10, 2006

Mike,
I would ditch the 128C and move up to the 501. I bought the 128C and found it was not rigid enough. It also had to be used with a balance bar to move the Center of Gravity of the Scope/camera combo further forward (this is very important for digiscoping ). The 501 has the extension plate built in and is a more rigid design. I'm going to get one soon. Neil.

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