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What scope is this ? (1 Viewer)

I used an early Sun zoom lens on my Minolta with a rifle stock looking mount and was almost seized as a threat when photographing a Royal.

Kilfitt made similar fast focus mounts. (Follow focus).

The Russian 300mm f/4.5? Tair? plus Zenit with a rifle mount is another no no nowadays. (Zenit Fotosniper).

I would definitely not use such a device nowadays.
 
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Especially in the U.S.A.

But I think that the police shot a man here who was carrying a table leg.

Since that incident in the 1970s I never used a rifle stock again, although I continued to use the Sun zoom lens without the stock.

I still use the tiny Pentax vertical post that screws into the bottom of Pentax compact binoculars.
This works well.

P.S.
The 1999 shooting by two marksmen was deemed an unlawful killing, (in 2004?)
They thought the table leg was a shotgun.
 
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nikon fieldscope mark 1 ?

They weren't nitrogen purged so could develop internal moisture problems. Being non ED, the image was noticably duller than the later upgraded II and III ( both standard and certainly ED versions imho ). Changing eyepiece in the field was considered risky due to dust and the risk of water ingress. At the time a useful and portable telescope that could if required be handheld, particularly the straight body.
The eyepieces at the time were the MC series with fold down rubber eyecup such as the one in the photo and wide angle options were available though the one showed isn't a w.
Good to have what looks a well cared for example.

Hi everybody

I just joined birdforum today
as I was looking for information on the www for the Nikon Fieldscope I bought in Japan in 1985 which still works perfectly well
Now I would like to use it with an slr camera (Cannon Eos)

as i am finally getting my head around the idea that I will stop "working" quite soon


i started here as you seem to know your stuff :/

Any tutorials or reading you can recommend ??
Have Fun
B
 
Hi everybody

I just joined birdforum today
as I was looking for information on the www for the Nikon Fieldscope I bought in Japan in 1985 which still works perfectly well
Now I would like to use it with an slr camera (Cannon Eos)

as i am finally getting my head around the idea that I will stop "working" quite soon


i started here as you seem to know your stuff :/

Any tutorials or reading you can recommend ??
Have Fun
B

Photography through your scope using a Canon camera is possible, but it will be tricky or expensive, and results will be modest in quality. Owners of Nikon F-mount cameras can use the old Fieldscopes as telephoto lenses by attaching the FSA-L1 (widely available on used market) in place of the scope eyepiece. The magnification will be lower than when using an eyepiece on the scope. I don't think that a similar adapter is available for Canon, so you'd have to fashion one yourself. Here's what it looks like:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/426034-REG/Nikon_8322_FSA_L1_Fieldscope_Digiscoping_SLR.html

Alternatively, you could use the scope with the eyepiece attached for "digiscoping". In that case, you need to put a lens on your camera with as small an objective lens as possible so it will closely match the size of the eyepiece lens. The best choices are ~40-55 mm pancake style or macro lenses with a very small front element. Next, you have to find a way to connect your camera (with mounted lens) to the scope eyepiece. You can just hold it in place, but for best results (to reduce shake and lateral light) you will have to buy or rig up something similar to, for example, this one from Novagrade.
https://novagrade.com/shop/camera-adapter/
To use the Novagrade with the Fieldscope I, you would also need the adapter rings for small eyepieces.
https://novagrade.com/shop/small-compression-ring-set/

One disadvantage of using an SLR rather than an EVF camera is that in low light the view will be very dark, making it hard to compose and focus.

Finally, if you own a cell phone with a decent camera, I think the best option for photography through your scope is to buy a bracket for your phone. Here is one that is very inexpensive but it is nicely made and it works very well with that scope and the 20x eyepiece.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QYDPJ3/ref=psdc_3426051_t3_B013D2ULO6

If you have earphones with an adjustment button, you may be able to use them as a cable release to minimize shake. Otherwise, consider a dedicated release, like this.
www.amazon.com/Gosky-Shutter-Smartp...&sr=1-2&keywords=cable+release+for+smartphone

Tip: Since most cell phones don't zoom optically, don't mess with zooming the phone itself while taking pictures. Just take a picture of the whole circular view and then crop the picture later.

Hope this info helps!

--AP
 
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Wow !
Alexis that is super merci !


excellent !
even though on re-reading it is not good news

and as you completly gob-smacked me with the quality and rapidity of your reply I have another question :

given that for obscure French reasons my employer has to buy me a "retirement present"

and i would like to start taking picture of birds on mudflats what would be an optimum set up ???

thanks again

B
 
Wow !
Alexis that is super merci !


excellent !
even though on re-reading it is not good news

and as you completly gob-smacked me with the quality and rapidity of your reply I have another question :

given that for obscure French reasons my employer has to buy me a "retirement present"

and i would like to start taking picture of birds on mudflats what would be an optimum set up ???

thanks again

B

Optimum is a dangerous word. And it would be _super_ expensive. And it depends on what you are trying to do.

I'm not an experienced digiscoper, but recently, I've had need for it for my research as a biologist, so I've done a bit to educate myself and am putting together a kit for my needs. [Because of that, and because I also happen to own the Nikon Fieldscope I, I was able to answer your first question very quickly and precisely]. An optimum setup for my purposes would consist of a sturdy carbon-fiber tripod, sturdy easy-handling video pan head, full-frame EVF camera with in-body image stabilization, pancake style ~45mm (for 35 mm full-frame) lens, high quality camera to scope connector, and a top-end scope with a really nice zoom eyepiece. Swarovski is the only top-end scope company that really seems to take digiscoping seriously, so if you have the money, you can put together a really nice setup with a superb Swarovski scope and dedicated Swarovski accessories. The other brands require a bit more work assembling a setup using products from multiple suppliers.

The setup that that I'm looking to assemble is not optimal, but is much less expensive and will be more than adequate for my and my grad students' research needs. I'm aiming for as much quality as I can get in a mid-priced rig, and I don't care about weight. What I'm after is something like the following:

Benro TMA37AL Long Series 3 Mach3 Aluminum Tripod [Carbon fiber version would be nicer, but this is cheap]
Manfrotto 502AH video head [Has very nice handling if you attach the handle backwards]
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera [cheap, excellent EVF, good in-body stabilization]
Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH lens [is pancake style, and for micro 4/3 is equivalent to 40 mm]
Olympus RM-UC1 remote cable release [I like wires rather than wireless; this works w/the M10 II but not the III]
Novagrade camera adapter w/46 mm ring

I will use my existing Nikon 78ED and 82ED Fieldscopes with 30x DS or 25-75 zoom eyepices. I've tested them and they work fine. However, I am considering getting another scope that would allow use of a wide-angle zoom, such as a Kowa 773, Kowa 883, or the Meopta S2. Or maybe I'll go cheap with the top offering from either Vortex or Athlon Optics.

Hope this points you in the right direction or is a useful starting point for your own product research.

--AP
 
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Hi Alexis
wow!!:! again :)
I wish my students gave answers like yours!
How sloppy of me to use "optimal" even worse when you think I work(ed) in Operations Research :/

now I know what to tell the children to get me for Christmas :)


I have a full day of "oral" exams so will look into this tonight

have fun in the Flint Hills

B
 
You're quite welcome. For as popular as digiscoping is said to be, I've found it difficult to find good answers to basic practical questions, so I'm glad to share what I've sorted out for myself. The digiscoping forum here on BirdForum isn't very active.

Yes, the Flint Hills are beautiful. The inland sea of grass. We got about 3 inches of puffy but sticky snow last night, and it is beautiful on the landscape and on trees (still w/their red and orange leaves) in the ravines and in town.

--AP
 
Hi Alexis

well Saturday so I have time to re-read your posts
I have ordered the Gosky Telescope Phone and it should be here Monday :)

No snow here just rain ! but after such a dry summer we really need it
I plan to get out on the salt flats (Pans?) at Guerande

and


Brière Regional Natural Park




I will start again reading up on Digiscoping but i doubt the kids are going to go for the budget

I might have to remind them who paid for their education !

thanks again
B
 
Hi Jerry, any results on your comparison? I'm curious. Fun to see these FS I's and II's pop up on the bay, sometimes very cheap. I picked up a mint FS II non-ED WITH a zoom eyepiece for $200...just a ridiculous value - and promptly gave it to a friend with a waterfront property.
 
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