Anyone using loupe magnifier for P&S digiscoping? (1 Viewer)

Two manufacturers come to mind (at least in the U.S.): Hoodman and Extend-a-View magnifier. I tried the Extend-a-View magnifier today on my Canon A590IS/Kowa digiscope setup, and can't really say if I see any marked improvement in focusing. The instructions that came with the Viewer said to try "defocusing" the Viewer by rotating its eyepiece to minimize the pixel dots but I'm not sure if I see any improvement in the screen.

Ultimately I believe the most important factor is the focusing of the scope, and having good light.

I think the A590 screen rez is too low and has a low angle of view. Many digicams now hax 2x more pixels. FWIW, I used this pop-up sunshade w/2x loupe from Velbon on my Pentax digicam. I don't know if it is sold outside Japan though.

cheers,
Rick

I agree with you. The A590IS LCD pixel count is 115,000. Are there any P&S cameras out there with a pixel count of better than 230,000?

wings said:

Two manufacturers come to mind (at least in the U.S.): Hoodman and Extend-a-View magnifier. I tried the Extend-a-View magnifier today on my Canon A590IS/Kowa digiscope setup, and can't really say if I see any marked improvement in focusing. The instructions that came with the Viewer said to try "defocusing" the Viewer by rotating its eyepiece to minimize the pixel dots but I'm not sure if I see any improvement in the screen.

Ultimately I believe the most important factor is the focusing of the scope, and having good light.

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To rotate the screen as suggested is right, it does make a difference, use the writing for the settings on the screen to see if they get sharp or not, you may find you have to rotate it at least 3 - 4 mms out, then you lock down the position with the allen key into one corner of the extend-a -view. You see through the pixelated screen, and when you focus and the image is brittle and jagged, that is when your focus is accurate.

I hold down the button 50% to instigate focus lock, then back and forth with scope focus wheel/mechanaism to get precise focus, when ready, take the picture, i also switch on the "digital zoom" and sometimes zoom up into the digital zoom to get focus, when happy, then i bring the camera zoom down into the required "optical zoom" and take the pic, i have used the Extend-a-view for over 7 years now, its the main reason i get sharp pictures IMHO

Paul

wings said:

I agree with you. The A590IS LCD pixel count is 115,000. Are there any P&S cameras out there with a pixel count of better than 230,000?

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The LX3 screen has 460,000 pixels. I like the camera for digiscoping but the 24-60mm zoom is a limitation.

I also have the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 (TZ7), which uses the same screen. But this camera, which has a 25-300mm zoom, vignettes at every focal length even with a LER eyepiece, so is not suited to digiscoping.