New Canon S95 first digiscoped pics/review on the net (1 Viewer)

I tried the S95 on my Swaro ATM-80 HD with the 25-50 zoom today, and was slightly disappointed. It seems to be a great camera, I love the handling, but it gives me much more vignetting problems than my current camera, the old Casio Z750 (3x zoom, 35-105mm equivalent).

I attached the S95 to the scope with my DCB as close as possible to the ocular (the camera lens extension is the longest at 105 mm). At 25x zoom on the scope I got vignetting free images only at 85 mm and 105 mm on the camera. At 50 mm and below there was significant vignetting.

I could achieve a vignetting free image at 50 mm if I moved the camera a little closer to the ocular (so that the camera lens was just 1-2 millimeter apart from the ocular at 85 mm focal length). In this case the image was vignetting free at 50 mm and 85 mm, but now I am at risk of the camera lens bumping into my ocular if I am not careful to avoid the 105 mm setting.

At 50x zoom on the scope, the vignetting was slightly less, almost giving a vignetting free image at 35 mm on the camera.

Not a perfect camera for my current scope and ocular obviously, so I might consider getting a fixed 30x ocular for the scope, or consider another camera, perhaps the Canon SD4000.

As the s95 lens should be the same as the one on the S90, can someone using the S90 with a 25-50 Swaro ocular confirm whether they have experienced similar performance? Thanks.

Edit: For comparison my Z750 gives vignetting free images from 42-105 mm at 25x on the scope.

I can't confirm with the 25-50 Swaro but ifit will help I can confirm the S90 with a 20-60 Swaro ocular. As you stated, same lens essentially. Vignetting at 50 below...none at 85-105.

My question to you is in reference to the DCB. I love mine but find that it is difficult to actually adjust the closeness to the ocular. The way the DCB is made, one really has to force it and not merely adjust it. Have you found that to be true? ... Anyhow, lovely piece of equipment regardless...

Oh....I have used the Canon SD1200 IS and have obtained great results so I am sure the SD 4000 is a good one too.

Sorry, I am just off a bit on all of the cameras and oculars but the products are close enough to have similar results, jim

@lmans66: I agree, it is difficult to adjust the camera slider, but since I don't need to adjust it after the initial tuning of the setup, it doesn't bother me much.

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lmans66 said:

My question to you is in reference to the DCB. I love mine but find that it is difficult to actually adjust the closeness to the ocular. The way the DCB is made, one really has to force it and not merely adjust it. Have you found that to be true? ... Anyhow, lovely piece of equipment regardless...

Click to expand...

Hi Jim, to move the DCB base plate back and forth, push down on the camera. This jumps the teeth out of their groove and if you keep pressure from above, you can slide the plate and camera back and forth without it ratcheting along. This should make it easier.

I have tried out the s95 and I think it is a camera of great potential. Apart from its lready impressive features, what I really love is the fact that the start-up zoom can be pre-set. I use a Nikon ED 78mm scope with a DS eyepiece of approximately 18.3mm eye relief. I have found that pre-setting the zoom to 50mm (by using the dial control that surrounds the lens) will give you a vignetting-free start-up zoom. This would be useful in taking a quick snap-shot for record purposes. Are there any controls in the menu other than this control ring that would allow one to set a start-up zoom?

My other digiscoping cameras (Coolpix 8400 and P6000) seem to lack this pre-set start up zoom feature and this slows them down a bit. Any idea whether the Coolpix P300 has this feature?

Thanks.

Hor Kee said:

I have tried out the s95 and I think it is a camera of great potential. Apart from its lready impressive features, what I really love is the fact that the start-up zoom can be pre-set. I use a Nikon ED 78mm scope with a DS eyepiece of approximately 18.3mm eye relief. I have found that pre-setting the zoom to 50mm (by using the dial control that surrounds the lens) will give you a vignetting-free start-up zoom. This would be useful in taking a quick snap-shot for record purposes. Are there any controls in the menu other than this control ring that would allow one to set a start-up zoom?

My other digiscoping cameras (Coolpix 8400 and P6000) seem to lack this pre-set start up zoom feature and this slows them down a bit. Any idea whether the Coolpix P300 has this feature?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

If I understand you correctly, you have been using a function of the front lens ring to pre-set the zoom to 50mm. I own an S95 but haven't yet figured out this way of doing to it.

I agree that having the option to save the zoom setting is great as it saves time when in a hurry. This is the way I do it. Connect the camera to the scope via your chosen adapter. Zoom the camera zoom to the desired amount to eliminate any vignetting, using the control around the shutter button. Then press the menu button, and, in the left hand menu (camera icon) scroll to the bottom and select 'save settings'. This saves whatever other settings you are using, including of course the one you asked about, the amount the lens is zoomed to. The next time you switch on the camera the lens zooms out the same amount as when it was last saved. I think this method also gives more fine control over the method you used, which limits you to one of the following pre-sets: 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm & 105mm.

Works in Custom mode and AV mode, which I use most often, and probably also Manual and TV, though I rarely use these.

Hope this is what you were after,

ATB

Steve

Canon S95 & Nikon ED50 Scope

I've been using my Canon S95 attached to a Nikon ED50 scope with the 27x digiscoping eyepiece via a FoxPhoto universal adapter for a while now and considering the small size of the scope I'm pretty pleased with the results so far. The following link will take you to the videos I've taken, all but the Waxwing video was taken with this set-up. I usually use a pretty light tripod but I find that panning smoothly with the light tripod is difficult, hence the static videos so far:

http://www.vimeo.com/user5287223/videos

mjgbirder, Those are some great clips your getting with the S95 and the little ED50.

hi guy can you give some advice here! ive been digiscope with an adpotor with lummex tz10 camera getting images, but lots nosie in photo, so wondered if any had reconditions for compact digi that i get eyepice adoptor to fit a kowa 883 angled scope
any help on this would most greatly reviced, as i am buy some new gear this month?
thanks steve kane