Sony have their version of Silkypix which comes with the camera and handles their Raw. It's a bit clumsier than Photoshop but does a reasonable job.
Neil.
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Sony RX100 for Digiscoping (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Neil
- Start date
Sony have their version of Silkypix which comes with the camera and handles their Raw. It's a bit clumsier than Photoshop but does a reasonable job.
Neil.
Photo vs jpegs from video with the RX100
I was out yesterday in a snowy coastal environment to capture an image of a rare Desert Wheatear here in North East Scotland, before it migrates to a warmer place, (hopefully it will survive our winter)
I took video and photos in the field for record purposes.
I have attached a couple of practical examples, The first image is grabbed from 1080p video, the second is a photo taken at auto setting, (perhaps aperture priority might have been a better choice).
Some of observations:
1 Video is very useful for record shots, you can choose the best frame and grab an image..
2 Getting a good stills photo in difficult field conditions is not an easy task.
3 The quality of jpegs grabbed from video footage with the RX100 seems to be more than adequate for record purposes.
Scope: Celestron Ultima 80ED with Hyperion zoom
I was out yesterday in a snowy coastal environment to capture an image of a rare Desert Wheatear here in North East Scotland, before it migrates to a warmer place, (hopefully it will survive our winter)
I took video and photos in the field for record purposes.
I have attached a couple of practical examples, The first image is grabbed from 1080p video, the second is a photo taken at auto setting, (perhaps aperture priority might have been a better choice).
Some of observations:
1 Video is very useful for record shots, you can choose the best frame and grab an image..
2 Getting a good stills photo in difficult field conditions is not an easy task.
3 The quality of jpegs grabbed from video footage with the RX100 seems to be more than adequate for record purposes.
Scope: Celestron Ultima 80ED with Hyperion zoom
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First real (for me) digiscoping with the RX100
Last week I got an RX100 and was able to take, what are for me at least, a couple of okay (if a bit soft) shots using a lowly Celestron Ultima 80 (non-ED version). These are cropped with some PP, but I am pretty happy esp given this was in the late afternoon. Previously I'd used a Nikon J1 with the kit lens but I was never able to get satisfactory results (either due to my scope or my skill, hard to say which).
One thing I've been experimenting with is how to optimize range, and eliminate vignetting while preserving the highest shutter speeds possible. Turns out somewhere around 43mm @ f3.2 on the lens and 45x on the stock zoom eyepiece is the best I can do with the stock 20-60x zoom. I found this calculater super helpful:
http://www.jayandwanda.com/digiscope/digiscope_calc.html
Up next before my trip to the NC Outer Banks will be a Celestron Regal F-ED in either 80mm or 100mm. I'm hoping that scope while also reducing CA and increasing light transmission would let me zoom the RX100 lens less when paired with an LER eyepiece in the 10mm to 13mm range. Thoughts on that would certainly be appreciated.
For the pics below, the first two are digiscoped and the third is the RX100 at it's widest angle to give a sense of context. The doves were on the roof of my neighbor's shed center back.
Last week I got an RX100 and was able to take, what are for me at least, a couple of okay (if a bit soft) shots using a lowly Celestron Ultima 80 (non-ED version). These are cropped with some PP, but I am pretty happy esp given this was in the late afternoon. Previously I'd used a Nikon J1 with the kit lens but I was never able to get satisfactory results (either due to my scope or my skill, hard to say which).
One thing I've been experimenting with is how to optimize range, and eliminate vignetting while preserving the highest shutter speeds possible. Turns out somewhere around 43mm @ f3.2 on the lens and 45x on the stock zoom eyepiece is the best I can do with the stock 20-60x zoom. I found this calculater super helpful:
http://www.jayandwanda.com/digiscope/digiscope_calc.html
Up next before my trip to the NC Outer Banks will be a Celestron Regal F-ED in either 80mm or 100mm. I'm hoping that scope while also reducing CA and increasing light transmission would let me zoom the RX100 lens less when paired with an LER eyepiece in the 10mm to 13mm range. Thoughts on that would certainly be appreciated.
For the pics below, the first two are digiscoped and the third is the RX100 at it's widest angle to give a sense of context. The doves were on the roof of my neighbor's shed center back.
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I'm very interest in this camera's video capabilities. Neil I was watching your videos on Vimeo(some really great footage you have btw)and noticed there were a few clips where you used the Sony HX9V to record the video. Could you please give me your opinion between the RX100's video quality compared to the HX9V's video quality? Better yet if by chance you've had the opportunity to use the HX30V I'd really like to hear your opinion on how the footage from this cameras compare to the RX100.
The RX100 is a better camera with more options for taking videos and with a better lens. The 9v is still a great little video digicam and I use it at it's long end of the zoom mostly as I set it up on the window ledge of the hide and just let it run. It's still photo capability is poor though so I only use if for video.
This is typical of the type of video I use it for
https://vimeo.com/49292915
I have digiscoped with the 9v on the Kowa VA3 Video Adapter (14x).
I'm still looking for a longer zoom digicam that does 1080/60p HD video and goes out to 500/600 mm.
Neil
Birdman7
Bird photographer
Sony RX100
On paper it looks like a great little camera for digiscoping with great specs and the Exmor sensor has already proved to be a good performer at all ISO's on Sony & Nikon cameras, particularly lifting shadows on RAW. Looks some some users are obtaining good results grabbing stills from video which is good for record shots, particular those rarities. Would love to try one with my setup. Pricewise, looks like a better purchase from the UK rather than the US taking into account current Sterling / Dollar echange rates.
On paper it looks like a great little camera for digiscoping with great specs and the Exmor sensor has already proved to be a good performer at all ISO's on Sony & Nikon cameras, particularly lifting shadows on RAW. Looks some some users are obtaining good results grabbing stills from video which is good for record shots, particular those rarities. Would love to try one with my setup. Pricewise, looks like a better purchase from the UK rather than the US taking into account current Sterling / Dollar echange rates.
Wimpy
Well-known member
Sony Rx100 v Nikon V1
Now I know that Neil has been trying the Nikon V1 with the 18mm f1.8 pancake lens with some excellent results.
With the price of the Nikon and an additional 18mm fixed lens coming at around the price of the Sony, which is going to give the better quality image for the price.
Does the Sony have any major advantages over the Nikon. I like the fact that the Nikon has an electronic remote and of course the basic camera comes with 10-30mm lens in the basic price.
I have seen the V1 in action with a fellow birder who continues to get excellent results with an Opticron HR 80. I would be using mine behind a Swaro ATS 80mm with the 25-50 eyepice.
Or is there a third contender
Now I know that Neil has been trying the Nikon V1 with the 18mm f1.8 pancake lens with some excellent results.
With the price of the Nikon and an additional 18mm fixed lens coming at around the price of the Sony, which is going to give the better quality image for the price.
Does the Sony have any major advantages over the Nikon. I like the fact that the Nikon has an electronic remote and of course the basic camera comes with 10-30mm lens in the basic price.
I have seen the V1 in action with a fellow birder who continues to get excellent results with an Opticron HR 80. I would be using mine behind a Swaro ATS 80mm with the 25-50 eyepice.
Or is there a third contender
Now I know that Neil has been trying the Nikon V1 with the 18mm f1.8 pancake lens with some excellent results.
With the price of the Nikon and an additional 18mm fixed lens coming at around the price of the Sony, which is going to give the better quality image for the price.
Does the Sony have any major advantages over the Nikon. I like the fact that the Nikon has an electronic remote and of course the basic camera comes with 10-30mm lens in the basic price.
I have seen the V1 in action with a fellow birder who continues to get excellent results with an Opticron HR 80. I would be using mine behind a Swaro ATS 80mm with the 25-50 eyepice.
Or is there a third contender
I shot with both cameras the other day and here is a comparison. I cropped the RX100 image to roughly the size from the 18/1.8 lens. This "cropping room"is a major advantage of the RX100. If you zoom in you will see the RX100 shows more detail . You can see bigger files here http://www.flickr.com/photos/7892550@N03/
I love the sweep panorama mode of the Sony's too. Also multi-frame Self-timer and Focus Peaking to aid MF.
The V1 is faster though and you can set up Video for different settings to Stills.
If you look at DxoMark scores the RX100 wins.
Neil
Hong Kong,
China
March 2013
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RX100 - Reasons for purchasing this one.
My reasons for getting the RX100 were twofold.
1 For digiscoping, primarily taking 1080p video and grabbing images.
2 For taking photos when hill walking (non-scope). I like to produce 12" X 24" photo books and the RX100 is small enough to put in my pocket, yet produce large printed photos with very low noise.
I supplement the RX100 with a Sony HX20V. This means that I dont have to dismantle the RX100 from the scope. The HX20V takes good video and has 20X optical zoom. This is also a compact camera. The photo quality is however noisy compared to the RX100.
Also, with the above options, I dont have lenses to interchange and lens caps to lose. I like to keep the RX100 on the scope once it is set up, to make sure I get that opportunity video.
To put things into context, I am still very much a beginner and have a lot to learn !
Hope this helps.
My reasons for getting the RX100 were twofold.
1 For digiscoping, primarily taking 1080p video and grabbing images.
2 For taking photos when hill walking (non-scope). I like to produce 12" X 24" photo books and the RX100 is small enough to put in my pocket, yet produce large printed photos with very low noise.
I supplement the RX100 with a Sony HX20V. This means that I dont have to dismantle the RX100 from the scope. The HX20V takes good video and has 20X optical zoom. This is also a compact camera. The photo quality is however noisy compared to the RX100.
Also, with the above options, I dont have lenses to interchange and lens caps to lose. I like to keep the RX100 on the scope once it is set up, to make sure I get that opportunity video.
To put things into context, I am still very much a beginner and have a lot to learn !
Hope this helps.
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Wimpy
Well-known member
Thanks guys. There is something to be said for not having to change lenses all the time and I had clean forgotten about the focus peaking on the RX100. Neil you are right about the clarity from the RX having a slight edge over the Nikon in those comparison shots. But I have to say that the images you are producing with the V1 and the 18mm lens still have me scratching my head over the choice.
If I only had to take one camera out to the mudflats it would be a difficult call.
In the old days it was a "no brainer". It was the Nikon 4500 and then the 8400 and I could use one camera all day. The pace was so much slower then. And there was no HD video so that wasn't a distraction. Now I shoot more video than stills so the cameras has to have good video and easy to switch back and forward.
The simplest camera I have with the good results is the Nikon P310. The fastest is the V1 and the best quality is the RX100.
The V1 overheats when shooting over 10 minutes of video in the heat here so that a problem I don't get with the P310 and the RX 100. I have to switch it off for at least 15 minutes. They don't tell you that in the PR.
I guess I would have to take the camera with the best battery life that did good stills and video and that would be the V1. Two batteries would last all day. The P310 and RX100 batteries last about two hours so you would need 3 or 4 for a day out ( I take from 30 - 60 gigs of photo/video a day ).
If I wanted the best quality video I would take the RX100.
The speed of the V1 always impresses me.
Get the V1 with the 11-27.5 zoom or the 18.5/1.8. You won't be sorry. The price is very good at the moment so pound for pound it's better value.
Neil.
Fast Auto Focus and up to 60 fps in Raw/jpeg.
When you hold you finger on the shutter for 1 second and then review the 60 frames you just took you will be amazed. As it's so silent you don't believe that it's done it.
Neil.
I tried the RX100 for video for the first time last week, but have not worked out how to get the best from it. I was in a rainforest and though the exposure looked fine on the LCD monitor, but when I pressed record, the LCD and resulting video picture went quite dark.
My short-term solution was to switch back to the Nikon P300 and got some nice HD video of a Red-collared Trogon. I was really surprised by the Sony's behaviour because one of the attractions of video in both of my previous cameras (Fuji F31fd and Nikon P300) has been the possibility to get decent video, and even framegrabs, when the light is too poor for still photograhy.
I have not yet RTFM, so maybe there's an easy fix. Anyone here know?
Ian
I think the RX100 defaults to iso 125 in video mode so you will have to change it up until exposure is right.
Neil
Which adaptor is better between Swarovsky UCA and Kowa TSN-DA4 Universal Adapter
Thanks Neil
I'm using the Kowa prominar 773, want to buy the RX100 based in your experience, but don't know in this case which adaptor is better, Swarovsky UCA or Kowa TSN-DA4 Universal Adapter?
I got some pics with iphone4 but want to improve the quality.
(sorry about my english)
Thanks Neil
I'm using the Kowa prominar 773, want to buy the RX100 based in your experience, but don't know in this case which adaptor is better, Swarovsky UCA or Kowa TSN-DA4 Universal Adapter?
I got some pics with iphone4 but want to improve the quality.
(sorry about my english)
You will need the 30x eyepiece for the RX100 so as no vignetting. If you have the 20-60 zoom then the Nikon P310 is a better choice or Nikon V1.
Either adapter will do a good job.
Neil
