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Digiscope camera adaptor (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Felipe
- Start date
Hi Felipe, As far as I know the new UCA from Swarovski is the one to go for as you can use compacts as well as DSLR's. Once its set up you can remove the camera & part of the adaptor quickly & easily to view, then just as easily slide the camera back over the EP ready to shoot. Cheers, Neil.
Neil,
Thank you for you reply.
I am new to using a scope, normally I use a 50-500 mm lens on my Nikon
d700.
Can you answer a few questions?
Do you take the lens off your camera when you use a scope? If not what focal length lens is good to use with the variable eyepiece 20 to 60?
Thank you again,
Felipe
Thank you for you reply.
I am new to using a scope, normally I use a 50-500 mm lens on my Nikon
d700.
Can you answer a few questions?
Do you take the lens off your camera when you use a scope? If not what focal length lens is good to use with the variable eyepiece 20 to 60?
Thank you again,
Felipe
Hi Felipe, You don't need to remove the camera lens to use with the scope.I'm afraid i've no experience of using DSLR cameras so I can't help with settings ect but there are lots of good digiscopers on this forum, so I'm sure someone can help you. Cheers, Neil.
SteveClifton
Well-known member
Hi Felipe,
I can't answer all of your questions regarding the use of a DSLR camera for digiscipong, as I have limited experience myself. I find it easier with a digital compact camera, but that doesn't mean you won't have success with a DSLR.
If you want to proceed with this I think you have 2 main options:
1. Leave the camera lens attached to the camera and use either the DCA or UCA adapters to connect the camera to the scope eyepiece. Success will largely depend on which camera lens you couple with which eyepiece. Usually a 50mm prime will work best with a wide angle eyepiece of say 30x, but some trial and error might be necessary.
In the link below someone appears to be using a DSLR with the UCA adapter, but I'm not sure which camera & lens is being used. If you do find that your 50mm standard lens works then great, but expect at least some vignetting, especially with the 20-60x zoom.
The man in the link below could be using a Panasonic G1 with the kit zoom lens, which does work with Swarovski wide eyepieces, including the new 25-50x zoom. There is a long thread on BF about using this camera for digiscoping.
http://www.swarovskioptik.com/en/digiscoping_equipment
see here for some information about compatible cameras:
http://www.swarovskioptik.com/en/digiscoping_cameras
2. Option 2 involves using the TLS 800 SLR adapter:
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-swarovski-tele-adaptor-for-ats-and-sts-spotting-scopes/p1002757
I have little knowledge of using this adapter, though good results can be achieved in good light (I think it gives you a fixed aperture 800mm focal length at something like F11 or F13). You need a T2 adapter to connect your camera body directly to the adapter which bayonets to the scope in place of the eyepiece. Click on the accessories link for these.
Details about other Swarovski adapters can be found here:
http://www.swarovskioptik.com/en/products/52
Hope some of this was helpful and points you in the right direction,
Steve
Hi Felipe, Personally I would not use the DCA with a DSLR camera. The thread at the front of the camera lens is a fine thread & designed for filters. As you have a STS Swaro scope then the fine thread would have to support the entire weight of the camera+lens which the thread is not designed to do. Even on the ATS I think it would be a little risky you would have to be very carefull. Good luck, Neil.
SteveClifton
Well-known member
I agree, that what might work in theory isn't necessarily ideal in practice. Just one thing though. Neil who started the 'G1 what a gem for digiscoping' thread uses the DCA mainly to 'couple' the camera to the scope's eyepiece. The G1 is a light camera, but even so he has made a 'special balance bar' to support the weight of his scope and camera so that he doesn't place undue stress on the filter threads. Thanks for pointing this out BTW.
I haven't looked in on that thread for a while but I think he has recently moved over to the UCA for the reasons you have outlined.
All the best,
Steve
Link to the above thread. It's been running for almost a year now so it's rather long;
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=133032
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Yes I've had a look at the G1 thread & it looks like a good digiscoping camera. I have an engineering background so the adaptors & set ups used to connect camera to scope I find interesting & straightforward, its the camera settings & computer software I struggle with. I'm a complete novice in this respect. The only camera I've ever owned was a Practica about 30 years ago & I only ended up using it a few times. I hope to remedy this in the comming year if I can find someone patient enough to help me.
ATB, Neil.
Neil,
I have decided to go with the Swarovsk TLS 800 and a Kasier T2 Adaptor for Nikon.
Look here: http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-swarovski-tele-adaptor-for-ats-and-sts-spotting-scopes/p1002757
Do you anything wrong with my choice?
Felipe
I have decided to go with the Swarovsk TLS 800 and a Kasier T2 Adaptor for Nikon.
Look here: http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-swarovski-tele-adaptor-for-ats-and-sts-spotting-scopes/p1002757
Do you anything wrong with my choice?
Felipe
SteveClifton
Well-known member
Are you buying from Warehouse Express? looking at their website they don't normally ship to Spain, but if you ask they might work something out for you.
Some people (from reports I've read) find this adapter difficult to use, presumably because of the limited F-number. I could be wrong about this, and the latest model might have variable aperture built it.
Wherever you buy it from check that you can either try before you buy or return it within a week or so. When you order on the net here in the UK you legally have a right to return within this time. Warehouse Express are very good and have a section on their website for returned items that are being re-sold. Worth checking out first.
Cheers,
Steve
See here for some user reviews:http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=77754 , and a link to some pictures taken with it in post 6.
Note that it gives a fixed aperture of F9, and that fast shutter speeds will be hard to get without good light, so fast moving subjects will present problems. User reviews seem mixed...
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Felipe,
I think Steve has given you some good advice. It is important that you can return your purchase if you find its not what you expected. Personaly I know very little about the TLS 800. As I understand it, and I could be wrong, when using this adaptor you remove both the scope EP & the camera lens then the adaptor fits inbetween the two making the scope the equivalent of an 800m lens. I would find this set up limiting I think, but then again I know little about photography.
May I suggest you do some more research before you buy then you can be sure your getting what you want. ATB, Neil.
Dale Forbes
Swarovski Optik, Austria
Hi all,
I have used the TLS800 a lot recently (mostly coupled with a Canon 5D mark II but also smaller DSLRs) and have really enjoyed it particularly because it was so easy to use. With decent light and a higher ISO (not a problem with the full format) I have taken some very nice free-hand photos, tracking flying birds. Doing this with any normal adapter is always difficult.
The TLS800 suffers from not allowing any aperture control, it is essentially always wide open giving you the fastest shutter speed possible. On an 80mm scope, the focal length of 800mm would give you an f10 aperture (800/80). This is no worse than any other digiscoping setup: e.g.
DSLR with 50mm fixed objective lens
Adapter
20-60x Eyepiece
80mm Telescope
This means that at the minimum ocular zoom, the system would have a focal length of 1000mm.
f = 1000mm/80mm = 12.5
i.e. under the same light conditions, the TLS800 would give a faster shutter speed than the "regular" setup. This is just a factor of focal length.
As Neil points out, this adapter requires you to remove the scope's eyepiece in order to attach the camera. This makes for a very stable and sturdy setup, but it also means that switching between observation and photography is more difficult.
If you are more in to taking good photographs easily in a relatively light package, then the TLS800 may be for you. You may then want to carry an eyepiece in your pocket (as I tend to do) or just use the camera's viewfinder for observation.
If you are more likely to use your scope for observation with the occasional digiscoped photo, then I would suggest the UCA.
I took tons of photos with both of these setups (and a small Canon EOS 1000D) when I was in Africa last Austral winter: http://alpinebirds.blogspot.com/search/label/Africa
I have attached an image I took using the TLS800, and a crop of the same image, focussed on the bird's face. The image size has been scaled down so that it fit as an attachment, but I think it will give an idea of just how much detail this adapter can harness.
The quality of the image from the TLS800 continually astounds me - great resolution and edge sharpness. This is a great piece of kit.
I have more TLS800 images and posts on my blog. e.g. here:
http://alpinebirds.blogspot.com/2009/12/canon-5d-mark-ii-digiscoping-with.html
Happy digiscoping :t:
Dale
Attachments
Dale,
Thank you so much for your reply, it has been very informative.
A question please:
I have a Sigma 50 to 500mm telephoto lens with an f between F4 and F6.3.
I also have a Sigma 2X teleconverter which looses 2 f stops and which would make the lens a 1000 mm lens at f 8.3.
Would you still go ahead with the set up I have been discussing or stick with what I have?
I have the Nikon D700 which is a full frame camera.
Thank you,
Felipe
Thank you so much for your reply, it has been very informative.
A question please:
I have a Sigma 50 to 500mm telephoto lens with an f between F4 and F6.3.
I also have a Sigma 2X teleconverter which looses 2 f stops and which would make the lens a 1000 mm lens at f 8.3.
Would you still go ahead with the set up I have been discussing or stick with what I have?
I have the Nikon D700 which is a full frame camera.
Thank you,
Felipe
Dale Forbes
Swarovski Optik, Austria
¡Hola Don Felipe!
I suppose at the heart of the issue lies why you would like to digiscope.
I have not tried it myself, but I doubt the D700 will work with a regular digiscoping adapter and ocular. i.e. if you would like to use a full format camera, then something like the TLS800 adapter is necessary.
With a TLS800 system, you still have the option of switching between observation and photography by attaching the ocular.
Happy birding,
Dale
