Image Stabilized point and shoot camera (1 Viewer)

Is there an advantage to using an Image Stabilized point and shoot camera for digiscoping? About 2/3's of my captures are handheld camera held up to a spotting scope on a tripod.



Thank in advance,

MarkW

Mark W said:

Is there an advantage to using an Image Stabilized point and shoot camera for digiscoping? About 2/3's of my captures are handheld camera held up to a spotting scope on a tripod.

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Mark,

Looks like no one knows yet . On a couple of occasions I have suggested people to try the Panasonic FX9 for digiscoping. Most cameras with IS have too long zoom lenses for digiscoping, but this model seems to have a relatively short 3x zoom ...and a large display, long battery life, fast focusing etc. Minolta seems also bringing its "AS" technology to small point-and-shoot cameras. IMO, at least in theory, the IS should be a very useful feature for digiscoping.

Regards,

Ilkka

For handheld shots held up to the scope (on a tripod), I should think that IS would be a big advantage. Can't imagine why it wouldn't.

For the other 1/3 of your shots, if you have some kind of rig that also attaches the camera to the tripod somehow (e.g. attaches it to the scope's eyepiece), you should NOT use IS, because manufacturers generally tell you not to use IS when using a tripod.

Hi RAH,

I'd think that IS might be useful even when the camera is physically attached to the scope (depending on the IS used - some IS systems work fine on tripods) as a way to negate camera shake when the shutter is pressed.

It could be a viable alternative to using a shutter release cable and a bracket to hold the cable to the camera.

Hummmmmm

Not sure about this IS and digiscoping - I don't see IS working properly on an angled scope - the sensors for left-right-up-down movement would not be in the proper plane with the actual image since the camera would be at an angle to the subject. Straight scopes should be OK.

On the Canon DSLR system of image stabilization (actually in the lenses rather than the camera body) the newer versions of IS sense when they are mounted on a tripod and turn off - Older versions of IS require you to turn off the IS manually when on a tripod. If you don't turn IS off you get image creep. Hard to explain but nasty when looking through the viewfinder.

Image stabilization is not some sort of miracle that gives you perfect photos ... but it does give you a little bit of an edge in sharpness. And, with enough small improvements combined, you get a great photo.

compa said:

Not sure about this IS and digiscoping - I don't see IS working properly on an angled scope - the sensors for left-right-up-down movement would not be in the proper plane with the actual image since the camera would be at an angle to the subject. Straight scopes should be OK.

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Jim,

As long as I don't know the mechanism of Panasonic's MEGA OIS this is purely academical (but fun) speculation. I think the mobility sensors don't sense camera's absolute position but movement (acceleration/deceleration/direction). IMO most shaking movements occur around the tripod mount of the scope - and the difference should actually be quite small between straight and angled scopes. But I do agree with you about significance of IS - it may be about as beneficial as a CCD-sensor which is 1-2 stops more sensitive.

Ilkka