ATM 80 HD test report (1 Viewer)

Nice report Ilkka. I understand that one of the reasons we haven't been seeing a lot of the new scopes around was they had to sell down the old stock first. I'm looking to seeing some photos from the field.
I've got a loaner STM80HD which I packed today with 7 cameras to take to Singapore for a couple of days of serious digiscoping. I'm hoping it doesn't rain too much which it did the last time I was there.
I'll post some comments next week.
Neil
ps also have the TLS and will give it a workout.

Just spent the last two days with the new scope or Lillian the hussey as my wife calls it:-O. The first day out was a little dissapointing as the tide was out and I dont think even Hubble would see that far out. But I was still impressed with the views it was giving me. Over 40 the fov gets a little too narrow for my liking but the view was still very clear. Today was a wonderful day, I timed the tides right this time and the images were spectacular. I zoomed in on a pair of little egrets and the detail of the plummage was unreal. The sun was shining so I pulled out the sun shade with no problems whatsoever. I found the focusing very smooth and easy to use. As I said the imaging was spectacular and I cant see how a picture can get any clearer especially at 20x. Any doubts I had about this big investment have thoroughly been quashed and I know I made the right choice. Although I'm off now to sell the dog to fund the 25x50 zoom just for that extra fov. Thanks Ger.

Congrats Ger! I´ll buy your dog. Sick of buying optics...BTW, were you happy with your tripod choice?

I got a manfotto 055 classic, Its a bit on the heavy side but it does the job. The head is 128rc same as your own, its fairly smooth when panning the scope. When finances allow I'll probably get the 190 carbon fibre but thats after I get the new 25x50 zoom also the 30xw also the new 8.5 swaro bins also 7x bins also a pair of compacts and maybe a travel scope8-P

squidge said:

I got a manfotto 055 classic, Its a bit on the heavy side but it does the job. The head is 128rc same as your own, its fairly smooth when panning the scope. When finances allow I'll probably get the 190 carbon fibre but thats after I get the new 25x50 zoom also the 30xw also the new 8.5 swaro bins also 7x bins also a pair of compacts and maybe a travel scope8-P

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So it'll be a while then.

Neil.

It may take a wee while alright unless I win the lottery. Ger.

kabsetz said:

It seemed like a few owners of the AT HD started saving for the new zoom right away, but not necessarily for the scope,

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Like me, I use now the new 25x50 on the old AT 80Hd and I am very happy with it. I like it, that its possible, that Swarovski let me the choice of upgrading the body or not. The wider view is great, no kiddney beans, the optical quality is extraordinary......

Shooting out in the wetlands in Singapore and the Bird Park with the new STM80HD was more fun than I've had digiscoping for a while. The weather was good , although hot, and there were good birds around that didn't fly off the moment they saw you.
The view through the scope seemed better than I was getting from the old STS80HD but I don't have it for comparison. The light in Singapore is better than HK so that would be a factor too , although by 10.00 am it was time to pack it in until 3.00 pm .
I had 9 cameras with me to test out -
Canon S90,A590IS and G10,Nikon P6000 and D90, Fuji F100, Olympus E430,Ricoh GX100, Panasonic Lumix G1 and GF1.
I used the 25-50x zoom with the UCA adapter for most of the shots , except for the Panasonic G1 and GF1 which were mostly used with the DCA.
The new zoom eyepiece and the new scope work well together and it was nice to have a smooth focusing wheel again.
These photos were taken from 8 metres to 40 metres.
Neil
ps the night heron in water was taken with the TLS on the scope and the D90

Singapore.
April 2010

I just got back from a week in Florida , digiscoping with our old mate Roy Halpin. Weather was great and I gave the STM80HD a good workout with the Nikon P6000 and the Panasonic G1. Due to the brightness of the light I tested out my Hoodman on the Panasonic GF1 and it worked well , although I prefer the rotatable screen of the G1.
I was impressed with the lack of "fringing" with the scope. Normally I see it where you have black and white birds ( Pied Cormorants and Magpies ) but when I looked closely at the Anhinga images there was none. I did see a hint of it at the edges but not enough to worry about.
This was the first time I'd seen the Anhinga mating display too which was impressive.
I was at a perfect digiscoping spot , The Gator Farm in Orlando and we had 5 hours there on my last day. You can get a photographers pass for US$10 to stay until sunset ( 8.00 pm ). They even had an electric car to take us back to the car park.
Here are some images from there.
Neil

Nikon P6000 plus Swarovski STM80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter and Telescope Rail - Manfrotto 501 head.

Orlando,Fl.
USA
May 2010

Hi Neil, I hope you had a good time here!! Excellent pictures I especially like the Greenshank with the reflections and the (Snakebird ones.:t:

Regards,Steve

mooreorless said:

Hi Neil, I hope you had a good time here!! Excellent pictures I especially like the Greenshank with the reflections and the (Snakebird ones.:t:

Regards,Steve

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Thanks Steve. It looks like I'll be back in NY this weekend and hope to catch the last of the shorebirds going through.
Neil.