Best pocket camera for digiscoping without adaptor?? Advice please! (1 Viewer)

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VC65_Birder

Well-known member

• Feb 21, 2010

• #1

Hello experts,

I'm hoping for some advice - thanks in advance for all suggestions?

I'd like to get a small, pocket camera that I use for digiscoping through a Swaro ATS/HD80, without the need to use an adaptor. Any suggestions??

I've done quite a bit of digiscoping in the past with my trusty old Coolpix 995, but just don't find myself carrying it and all the adaptors round with me. I'd rather just have a small pocket camera that I can handhold over the eyepiece should the need arise.

Whilst not an approach for the purist, I know pretty good results can be gained using some cameras (for example Rich Bonser seems to do well with his old Samsung NV3).

Any suggestions?? Thanks in advance for all your help - I've no idea where to start!

 

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Neil

Well-known member

• Feb 21, 2010

• #2

If you have a straight scope it's more difficult to use most of the digicams unless they have big screens that can be seen from various angles. An angles scope is better as you can keep the tripod lower and shade the screen from the sun with your body.
I can't use my Nikon P6000 or Panasonic GF1 out in the sun for this reason ( I have straight scope ).
Most 3x zoom digicams should do ok and some 4x zooms. Have a look at the new Sony's
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dscs2100.asp
which have a "traditional" 3x zoom lens.
Neil.

 

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dipped

Well-known member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #3

The rollei x-8 works well with my kowa 32x eyepiece, no vignetting and also the RSPB 33.5x eyepiece. I hope to get one but in the meantime I use my Sony Ericcson K800 phone pushed onto the eyepiece in bestpic mode to give me 9 pics in rapid succession. It gives pretty good results for a cameraphone.

Nev

 

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shorebirder

Well-known member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #4

Would imaging most good pocket cameras will give good results if the fit into the scope eyepiece is good. I use a Nikon P1 with my Nikon EDIII. Had a nylon spacer machined to fit into scope eyepiece and to accept camera turret. Simple, just slide spacer into eyepiece and insert camera into spacer and you are ready, takes seconds to set up and results are good. Scope can still be used for observation with spacer in place so if it is a good fit in eyepiece it can stay there at all times making set up even easier.

 

gasjkh2

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #5

I use the brilliant Nikon P6000 (now very hard to buy new although Camerabox still have some) with a Zeiss 65 angled scope combination.

Bought the Zeiss camera bracket also which swivels the camera into position over the scope eyepiece - really simple combination and quick to setup/dismantle between scoping and digiscoping options.

 

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RedBishop

Well-known member

• Mar 7, 2010

• #6

Canon S90

I'm a very happy user of the S90.

I still need more field expirience with it, but the basic testing looks great.

I do not use anyadapter, I simply hold the camera against the scope (Pentax PF-80 ED), I used to do the same for many years now with the Canon A95 and Nikon 8400, so far the S90 seems to provide better results than previous camera's I used.

 

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Davey Leigh

Davey Leigh

• Mar 7, 2010

• #7

I've recently invested in a Nikon P6000 which is fantastic compared to my wife's panasonic fugi fd100 it has an anti vibration feature so hand held photos come out pretty good. It is a bit larger than most p&s cameras but still very light. you can still get them through amazon. I'm also getting adapters anyway.

all the best
Davey

 

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VC65_Birder

Well-known member

• Mar 13, 2010

• #8

Many thanks all!