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Panasonic Lumix FS10 (1 Viewer)

S

spuggyhawk

Well-known member
I'm thinking of changing my camera for digscoping, I'm using a nikon P6000 (may be for sale soon if anyone is interested) and really love the camera but i cant get on with it for digiscoping with my setup (opticron GA ES 80 ED and opticrons DCA) I'm having to use way to much zoom to get rid of the vignetting.
I have been looking at opticrons Lumix FS10 package... thinking the package is made to work with my scope.
So can i ask if anyone uses this setup or camera and if so what are your thoughts?.. both good and bad.

Thanks in advance
Jon
 
Jon
I've had the Lumix FS7 camera for about a year and bought the Opticron digiscoping kit for this model a week ago. All I can say is ..... it does the job and so easily.
The kit will depend upon the eyepiece you have, I'm using the SDL eyepiece.
Basically there is a tube that fits over your eyepiece and locks on to it, with a bracket that screws onto the tube to mount your camera on. With the FS7 you can mount the camera after attaching the bracket etc to the scope, as there is ample room to allow the camera lens to move forward.
You can if you wish use the kit as it arrives by just mounting the camera and clicking the shutter release or using the shutter timer, but I'd recommend getting a shutter release system, I think they add about £25 to the cost. It really makes a difference as you can hit the cable release without having to worry about knocking the set-up off target or out of focus.
The whole kit is small enough to fit into a pocket in my bumbag, even with camera attached.
 
Hi Keith
I already have the opticron adapter that fits over my eyepiece (HDF 40810), i'm using that with my P6000 now and i like this method of attachment to the scope.
The camera and bracket in the center pic second row http://www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/fs10camera.htm
is the one i'm looking at moving to...is this camera bracket the same as yours?
What i'm looking for is a camera that will give good images and that will attach and work well with my scope... not to fiddly
But i also want a set up that has little or no vignetting so i dont have to use half my optical zoom to remove it....whats the vignetting like on yours?

Thanks fotr the reply Keith !

Jon
 
Last edited:
IF I may make a recommendation, the 23x HDF Eyepiece (40810) is by far the best Opticron eyepiece to be used when digiscoping. When used with the FS-10 kit produces very little vignetting at the wide angle setting on the camera. There are some sample images on the Opticron website using this eyepiece with the FS-10 kit
 
Thanks for the recomendation Chris and as it happens thats the EP i have.
Its good to hear of the litte vignetting.
Some nice pic's on the website too.
 
The camera bracket is the same as the one in the picture, attaches to the camera via tripod mount on the camera.
I use about 2x zoom to get rid of the vignetting but the SDL is a zoom eyepiece 12-38x on my GS52 scope so it isn't too bad.
The FS7 has extra optical zoom if you drop the pixels used, so I reckon the FS10 would be the same. Can get up to 7.1x if I drop to 3 Mp so I can get the record shot if needed.
 
Yes its the same with the FS10...less pixels = more zoom Keith.
It sounds like the setup works and i'm probably going to switch.
Sad to be selling my Nikon P6000 though... i love the camera it just dont like my scope.
 
Hard to find information on this camera. Do not see any reviews. Is it sharp, does it autofocus well through a scope, does it have "A" priority, any remote trip, how is vignetting? I like to use the Baader Hyperions that has screw threads on top that fit my Lumix LX3. Nice line of pieces at only $119 each, 20mm eyerelief, 33mm eyelens, flat field. Not a good idea to use any zoom of any line of eyepiece, just not as digiscope friendly as the primes. Thanks, Gene
 
I agree i couldnt find any in depth reviews either Gene, Chris as already said there is very little vignetting on the wide angle with the EP i'll be using.

How sharp, "A" priority and fastness of auto focus may be answered by someone on here that uses the F10 with a bit of luck.
I dont think it has a shutter trip but a bracket and cable can be used to cover that.
I have no experience of Baader Hyperions and know very little about them so i cant respond on your comments on those... something i'll have to look up.

I'm very new to this Gene so some of the equipment others use i havent even looked at yet.
Thanks for the reply !

Jon
 
The Lumix Opticron kit also works with the Nikon ED50 Scope!!!!!!!

Extract from my blog:


'Went to Cleyspy............They have a fantastic new piece of kit in the shop - a Panasonic Lumix 12mp camera for digiscoping with the Opticron scope, BUT it also fits brilliantly onto the Nikon ED50!!!! It was so simple, it was awesome! Simple bracket that screws onto the camera in seconds - hold over eye piece - screw tight - done! No messing about! The images were brilliant through the 13-40x eye piece and stunning through the 20x! Whole kit £265.'
 
Penny Clarke said:
The Lumix Opticron kit also works with the Nikon ED50 Scope!!!!!!!

Extract from my blog:


'Went to Cleyspy............They have a fantastic new piece of kit in the shop - a Panasonic Lumix 12mp camera for digiscoping with the Opticron scope, BUT it also fits brilliantly onto the Nikon ED50!!!! It was so simple, it was awesome! Simple bracket that screws onto the camera in seconds - hold over eye piece - screw tight - done! No messing about! The images were brilliant through the 13-40x eye piece and stunning through the 20x! Whole kit £265.'
Click to expand...

Well that sounds like one happy customer:t:
i wish i had enough dosh to buy the kit without selling my P6000
 
No aperture priority, no IR remote (we supply a cable release and there's a 2 sec timer and 'good enough' burst mode), focus is also 'good enough' and as noted with the right eyepiece, vignetting is minimal.

I have yet to find the perfect digiscoping compact in the current market - the trend is for more megapixels, HD video, twin LCDs, GPS, Wi-Fi, Flickr connection etc etc. None of these things matter to a digiscoper but they do matter a great deal to the marketing bods at the camera companies.

And if the FS10 is around for more than 6 months then it will have had a long life...

Cheers, Pete

P.S. Review here:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/review/2010/02/12/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FS10/p1

which can be compared to reviews on the same site of the Panasonic DMC-FS7 and Samsung NV100HD which we previously supplied in kits.
 
Last edited:
I have a Nikon ED50 and 20x MC eyepiece can you tell me the part numbers of the opticron kit i require to fit the Lumix FS10 for digiscoping.
 
theconstantwalker said:
I have a Nikon ED50 and 20x MC eyepiece can you tell me the part numbers of the opticron kit i require to fit the Lumix FS10 for digiscoping.
Click to expand...

Andrew,

The kit is designed to work with Opticron eyepieces, the fact that it fits the Nikon eyepieces is a fluke. The Kit comprises of the Panasonic Lumix FS-10, 2 gb SD card, a lens mount (which fits into the tripod bush) and the DCC (Digital Camera Convertor) which comes with two different diameter inserts. These inserts ensure that the DCC fits over most of the Opticron eyepieces except the SDL zoom eyepiece.

The Whole kit cost £265
 
theconstantwalker said:
I have a Nikon ED50 and 20x MC eyepiece can you tell me the part numbers of the opticron kit i require to fit the Lumix FS10 for digiscoping.
Click to expand...

Cleyspy told me that its called the Optricron Panasonic Lumix FS10 DCC Kit - 50165. You can't buy the bracket etc seperate from the camera/kit - can only be bought as part of the whole kit.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Chris Galvin said:
Andrew,

The kit is designed to work with Opticron eyepieces, the fact that it fits the Nikon eyepieces is a fluke. The Kit comprises of the Panasonic Lumix FS-10, 2 gb SD card, a lens mount (which fits into the tripod bush) and the DCC (Digital Camera Convertor) which comes with two different diameter inserts. These inserts ensure that the DCC fits over most of the Opticron eyepieces except the SDL zoom eyepiece.

The Whole kit cost £265
Click to expand...

The photo adapter for the SDL eyepiece is part number 41114 and has been said the kit isn't available separately under normal circumstances.
However you can order spare parts from Opticron so I reckon you could build the kit by purchasing the parts separately over a short period of time.;)
 
Hi Keith - in this case, the lens mount i.e. the bit that attaches to the FS10 is not available to buy separately. All the mounts we've had made for the FS10 are put into the boxes that include the other parts.

At present, the only circumstance under which a mount would be supplied on its own would be to replace a faulty item.

Cheers, Pete
 
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