Sony RX100 for Digiscoping (1 Viewer)

Marsh Warbler said:

:t: thank you Neil... at this point I want to buy it... but I think that max magnification with VA3 + rx100 is 28x, is correct? 14x * (100mm/50mm)
For digiscoping with RX100 is the 25xLER better than 30wide?

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Yes, you are right. I only use the VA3 for cameras with "difficult" digiscoping lenses , like the Canon G series and longer zoom digicams ( eg Nikon S9100 and Sony DSC HX9V ).
The 25x LER eyepiece has too much Eye Relief for the RX100 so the camera has to be too far from the eyepiece. The 30x will give the best results, closely followed by the 20-60 zoom ( with universal adapter ).
Neil.

MalR said:

Hi Neil,

I've been following this thread with interest and also re-reading the one you started on the Nikon V1. Would you say you prefer the RX100 to the V1 or is there not much to choose between them?

Obviously the Nikon has the advantage of a viewfinder, but I'm guessing the Zeiss lens on the Sony is better than the Nikon kit lenses?

Thanks a lot.

Malcolm

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I'd be interested to hear thoughts on this comparisson too. My J1 has started playing up (only a couple of months old) and is already on it's second visit to Nikon. Hopefully this time they will bother sorting it out this time rather than just returning it with a generic checked and cleaned note!

I have been toying with replacing my P300 with a RX100 but haven't done so yet, if it could also replace the J1 as a primary digiscoping camera I think I'd go for it. To be honest I'd quite happily not see the J1 again as it has caused me to much hassle, just need to get it repaired (or hopefully replaced) so that I can sell it.

postcardcv said:

I'd be interested to hear thoughts on this comparisson too. My J1 has started playing up (only a couple of months old) and is already on it's second visit to Nikon. Hopefully this time they will bother sorting it out this time rather than just returning it with a generic checked and cleaned note!

I have been toying with replacing my P300 with a RX100 but haven't done so yet, if it could also replace the J1 as a primary digiscoping camera I think I'd go for it. To be honest I'd quite happily not see the J1 again as it has caused me to much hassle, just need to get it repaired (or hopefully replaced) so that I can sell it.

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Sorry to hear about your J1 problems.
The comparison is now impacted by the announcement of the Nikon V2. The new 18.5/1.8 lens for the V2 might be step up from the zooms. I've always preferred to zoom an eyepiece than zoom a lens too far.
For the V1 against the RX100 -
Nikon V1
Pros - Electronic Viewfinder
- screw thread in lens for adapter ( 40.5 mm )
- high speed frames per second ( 5/10/20/60 ) with Raw
- silent in Electronic Mode.
- easily selectable HD Video Mode with separate settings to stills
- IR Remote Control
- bulit in ND Filter for Video
- excellent battery life (same battery as D7000 and D800)
- huge buffer means that you can continue shooting
- and of course ability to use other legacy lenses with the FT1 adapter
Negs
- no rotatable screen
- only 10 megs
- overheats in summer in Video Mode after about 10 mins
- only 5x digital crop for MF

Sony RX100
Pros - very sharp Carl Zeiss lens to full zoom ( f1.8 ) 28 -100 mm
- little vignetting with zoom and fixed eyepieces ( using Universal Adpt)
- 20 megs good for cropping
- large sensor gives excellent quality
- fits in a pocket so always with you
- Sweep Panorama Mode ( stitched in-camera)
- hi quality HD Video ( 60/50 fps at 24 megs/sec )
- 3 shot Self-timer Mode ( V1 only 1 shot )
Negs
- no Remote Control
- no rotatable screen
- no Electronic Viewfinder ( I digiscope 90% from hides so not as much of a problem as out in the sunshine)
- shorter battery life.
- buttons are a bit fiddly and hard to see in the darkness of the hide

Overall I would give the RX100 9/10 for image quality, 8/10 for Operation and 8/10 for other functions.
The V1 8/10 image quality ( less difference at under 30 meters ),9/10 for operation and 7/10 for other functions ( no Sweep Panorama which I like a lot)
The new V2 should narrow the gap in image quality so the ability to use a Remote and screw thread for adapters will swing the vote back in it's favor.
You will improve your digiscoping with both cameras though.
Hope this helps a bit.
Neil
Hong Kong,
China.
Oct 201

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to post such an in-depth comparison, Neil. Seems to bear out the old saying that the perfect digiscoping camera still hasn't been made. Looks like a case of wait and see what the V2 brings to the table.

Thanks again.

Malcolm

Very nice video captures, quite impressive.

phil

MalR said:

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to post such an in-depth comparison, Neil. Seems to bear out the old saying that the perfect digiscoping camera still hasn't been made. Looks like a case of wait and see what the V2 brings to the table.

Thanks again.

Malcolm

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Malcolm,
If the V2 had a rotatable screen and Continuous Remote it would be very close.
Neil.

Jersey Digiscoping by Kevin Bolton now has a few images with the RX 100. He has used many cameras and is saying he likes the RX100, his yellow rumped warbler has some of the finest feather detail I've ever seen.

Not to take props away from them, but I think you have to look at the Yellow Rumped Warbler pictures in context assuming he was using the 25x LER eyepiece on the Kowa884. Especially, if we assume these were the "best 5" of the ~250 shots taken based on the serial number spread!

Out of these 5, we can see EXIF data for 3 of them. The data indicates he took one at an effective focal length/aperture of fl=~1500mm @ F5.7 1/40sec and two at fl=~1000m @ F4 and 1/160sec and 1/400sec all at ISO100. Judging from their narrow DoF and light glints in the eyes, I suspect he was very close too and had good light.

Based on this, my take is that there is nothing extraordinary about the detail in these pics. Pretty much any camera will produce fine results under these conditions. I would hate to wade thru 250+ 20mp rez pics of just one bird though. And ~3000 shots in just 2 weeks!

Another pro for the V1

Hi Neil,

Thanks for posting the detailed comparison between the V1 and RX100.
Perhaps another advantage of the V1 (and J2) is the ability to clean the sensor.

I have recently scrapped a TZ7 due to dust on the inside of a lense.
Since the Sony lense extends every time the camera is switched on, do you think there is a greater risk of the lense taking in dust ? Could be a frustrating repair for such an expensive compact.

Maybe this isn't an issue though.

scotview

scotview said:

Hi Neil,

Thanks for posting the detailed comparison between the V1 and RX100.
Perhaps another advantage of the V1 (and J2) is the ability to clean the sensor.

I have recently scrapped a TZ7 due to dust on the inside of a lense.
Since the Sony lense extends every time the camera is switched on, do you think there is a greater risk of the lense taking in dust ? Could be a frustrating repair for such an expensive compact.

Maybe this isn't an issue though.

scotview

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I've only had this problem with two cameras out of 30 over the years ( a Ricoh and a Canon) so I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Neil.

Interesting to see that there is CA trouble off the center of picture ( of the zoomed in birds, I mean), but fantastic in the center! I have a rather old (15 years old) Kowa that I tried digiscoping with, using an adapter from SRB-Griturn, but that wasn't a great success - the Swarovsky thing looks much more durable/rigid).

V1 and 10-30, that's an idea (tried NEX-5N, and some really old compacts before)!

RJM said:

Not to take props away from them, but I think you have to look at the Yellow Rumped Warbler pictures in context assuming he was using the 25x LER eyepiece on the Kowa884. Especially, if we assume these were the "best 5" of the ~250 shots taken based on the serial number spread!

Out of these 5, we can see EXIF data for 3 of them. The data indicates he took one at an effective focal length/aperture of fl=~1500mm @ F5.7 1/40sec and two at fl=~1000m @ F4 and 1/160sec and 1/400sec all at ISO100. Judging from their narrow DoF and light glints in the eyes, I suspect he was very close too and had good light.

Based on this, my take is that there is nothing extraordinary about the detail in these pics. Pretty much any camera will produce fine results under these conditions. I would hate to wade thru 250+ 20mp rez pics of just one bird though. And ~3000 shots in just 2 weeks!

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Hey RJM do have any captures with the Sony RX-100?????? And to correct you not every cam at that distance can produce great results! My distance was about at 25 feet along with defused lighting + you were not by my side on the outing so thanks for the your useless opinion and technical insight.

Kevin ,,

Kevin, sorry my post got your panties in a knot. I was responding to another poster who represented your pics as demostrating some extraordinary capability from the RX100.

IMO, they still say very little about the capability of the camera, only your obviously excellent skills as a digiscoper.

But getting so many perched shots within a birds typical "circle of fear" is certainly extraordinary. Did you use staging and flash? And just to be clear, I see nothing "wrong" about that. Many prize winning nature photos have some staging.

Am also puzzled how both you and Neil seem to different opinions of which Kowa eyepiece works best. I would have guessed the 25x LER too, but Neil says different.

Am also puzzled how both you and Neil seem to different opinions of which Kowa eyepiece works best. I would have guessed the 25x LER too, but Neil says different.[/QUOTE]

Rick,
The RX100 has an eyepiece friendly lens so it doesn't need the Long Eye Relief of the Kowa 25x LER ( which is the best digiscoping eyepiece in my opinion ). You have to pull it back from the eyepiece at least 1/2 inch to eliminate vignetting. On a universal adapter this allows light in so you need to shield it. With the 30x you get a bit more reach and the glass surfaces much closer to each other.
Neil

RX100 attached to Hyperion Zoom with Microstage

Hi,

I have newly purchased an RX100 and have attached photos of the RX100 mounted on a Celestron Ultima 80ED with Baader Hyperion Zoom using a Baader Microstage II adaptor.

A few observations.

1 There is adequate length in the microstage to accommodate the length of the RX 100 at full lense extension.

2 The microstage can support the weight of the RX100

3 Vignetting can be overcome at about 2.3X zoom. Note, access to the EP zoom control is excellent with the Microstage.

4 The RX100 has a very useful inclination indicator that allows good horizontal alignment with the microstage.

5 The Microstage adaptor provides good access to the RX100 control ring. For example, the RX100 allows for exposure compensation while taking a video real time and this can be set using the adjustment ring. This is really useful because exposure level adjustment is much harder with video editing software than photo editing software.

Just waiting for some sunshine now in our Scottish winter to get some decent testing done, can't see me reaching Neil's standard though !

Hope this is useful.

scotview said:

Hi,

I have newly purchased an RX100 and have attached photos of the RX100 mounted on a Celestron Ultima 80ED with Baader Hyperion Zoom using a Baader Microstage II adaptor.

A few observations.

1 There is adequate length in the microstage to accommodate the length of the RX 100 at full lense extension.

2 The microstage can support the weight of the RX100

3 Vignetting can be overcome at about 2.3X zoom. Note, access to the EP zoom control is excellent with the Microstage.

4 The RX100 has a very useful inclination indicator that allows good horizontal alignment with the microstage.

5 The Microstage adaptor provides good access to the RX100 control ring. For example, the RX100 allows for exposure compensation while taking a video real time and this can be set using the adjustment ring. This is really useful because exposure level adjustment is much harder with video editing software than photo editing software.

Just waiting for some sunshine now in our Scottish winter to get some decent testing done, can't see me reaching Neil's standard though !

Hope this is useful.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Make sure that you are in Aperture Priority Mode and that the aperture is as wide as possible. Stopping down the lens make vignetting/shadowing worse.
Neil.

First shots with RX100

Well, first use of RX100 today, got this shot of possible Snowgoose at RSPB Loch of Strathbeg Reserve in NE Scotland.

The image was taken from video footage. The birds were 500 metres out, measured from Google maps.

The location of the birds is shown by the arrow in the second picture, to put the magnification into context.

This set-up looks as though it will deliver for me in the long range ID department at least...good start.

Incidentally, the camera screen is quite sharp and bright but I improved this by using a pair of X3 "ready reader" spectacles, which I use for fly tying. These magnify the screen image and assist with focusing.

Sample video of RX100

Early days with the camera but some test video on this link (click on HD to get best playing quality)
https://vimeo.com/54769829

Scope: Celestron Ultima80ED
Eyepiece : Baader Hyperion zoom
Adaptor: Baader Microstage.

Desert Wheatear with RX100

Was really lucky to get a very rare Desert Wheatear at Rattray Head in North East Scotland yesterday with the scope and new RX100 camera.

Not easy weather conditions and a very flighty bird !

See link to short youtube video. (select 720 or 1080 for best quality)

http://www.youtube.com/user/scotview?feature=mhee

Stills were taken with Sony HX20V handheld (20X zoom). This is a good combination with the RX100 on the scope for a flighty bird.

Scotview

When I bought my Canon s95 it came with digital photo professional which sold me on using RAW. I guess some second parties now have support for the RX100 and I was wondering if anyone can comment on their experience using RAW with this camera.