AX Visio: is it really as bad as some reviewers claim?? (2 Viewers)

[Hermann]

I tried to be fair: the ax is on auto, so I left the G9 to fend for itself. But I'm still impressed with the ax result: it is for documentation, not photo contests😄
The power of the G9 with the 100-400mm is quite lovely!

Yes, the Visio is for documentation. And the Visio is of course a lot lighter than a binocular+camera+lens. That's what makes it attractive.

Edit: the G9 fully equipped plus the AX is till way less than a Canon F4 600 mm...(price has been mentioned as a factor earlier)

Too right. The big white (or, in the case of Nikon, black) lenses are not only very expensive but also bulky and heavy. I certainly wouldn't want to carry an f4/600 in the field. And certainly not in the fjells ...

The Visio is more for people who have been struggling with digiscoping difficulties forever like me and want an easy-to -carry straightforward combination of good binocular optics with a documentation feature that‘s at least acceptable. But, of course a camera with more FL and better sensor would be welcome.

Sure, but more focal length and a bigger sensor would make the Visio bigger and heavier. It's a compromise. And everyone must decide for themselves whether that compromise works for them. I myself will continue to carry a camera when necessary (or when it makes sense) for the time being.

By the way: in the birding community, other features of the Visio beside bird ID seem almost never discussed. I was recently told by an army instructor in artillery that he had been waiting forever for something like the new „share-discoveries“ function with the compass and inclinometer which makes it much easier to teach his class target identification in mountain terrain.
I could imagine hunters and also birders who observe in groups might find these features useful as well.

They may well be useful. I'd need to try a Visio in the field to decide whether they are worth it.

Hermann

 

[Dyrlege]

And you should see how badly the Visio camera fares against really good cameras like e.g. my Leica Q2 (which cost about the same as the Visio).

So don‘t count on the Visio if you are an avid wildlife or landscape photographer looking for a good camera.
The Visio is more for people who have been struggling with digiscoping difficulties forever like me and want an easy-to -carry straightforward combination of good binocular optics with a documentation feature that‘s at least acceptable. But, of course a camera with more FL and better sensor would be welcome.

By the way: in the birding community, other features of the Visio beside bird ID seem almost never discussed. I was recently told by an army instructor in artillery that he had been waiting forever for something like the new „share-discoveries“ function with the compass and inclinometer which makes it much easier to teach his class target identification in mountain terrain.
I could imagine hunters and also birders who observe in groups might find these features useful as well.

Canip

Observation and documentation, not least imagesharing: imagine an artillery observer sharing targets for ID or for effect assessment, or just snapping a picture of a possible target for evaluation (you dont't use laser range finders, they tend to provoke a response) etc. The military is very keen on observe and document. As is the press.
Per

 

[tenex]

I wonder whether all that can be happening on your phone; perhaps some of the hard work occurs in the cloud instead, and that's what's missing in Visio. Canip, if you disable its network connection, does the Merlin phone app still outperform Visio on the same photos?

This question may have got lost. I'm wondering whether the AI power that improves detection of birds in poor photos when using the Merlin app on a phone is actually in the cloud, which Visio itself has no access to, limiting its success.

 

[Canip]

Will have to try out when back home (currently traveling for a few days).

 

[Canip]

This question may have got lost. I'm wondering whether the AI power that improves detection of birds in poor photos when using the Merlin app on a phone is actually in the cloud, which Visio itself has no access to, limiting its success.

As far as I can tell, when using the Merlin app with the smartphone in flight mode the results are the same as when network connection is active.

 

[Canip]

Some more samples taken with the (quote from another post) "expensive proof of concept/protoype that will either be a one off or be technologically obsolete in a year or two (with zero resale value in either case)" (unquote) - some members here are really fast with their opinions

Pictures taken through thick underwood and branches are a real challenge for the Visio, but it did overall well in identifying birds even when they were not that well visible or partially covered by foreground items. The following will hopefully come in the right order as listed (if not, it will be a great identification exercise "which is which" for everybody)

• Spotted Woodpecker at 38 m (laser measured)
• Great Tit at ca. 15 m
• Collared Dove at 52 m (laser measured)
• Blue Tit at ca. 15 m
• Blue Tit at ca. 15 m
• Cormorant at ca 60 m
• Eurasian Teal at ca 30 m
• Tufted Duck at ca 40 m
• Mallards at ca 30 m

 

[Dyrlege]

Nah! Don't 'elp naught. Just a piece of expensive 'tronics. 🥳🎉😂

Lovely. And the photo quality is very good.
The tufted duck is at the same distance (+/-) as one I saw some days ago (ax was not in the car), and I caught on my mobile (Experia IV, supposed to be a good Zeiss camera with physical Tele) and used to provoke Merlin with. Merlin needed convincing!
Well done, you and the AX!
Per

 

[tenex]

As far as I can tell, when using the Merlin app with the smartphone in flight mode the results are the same as when network connection is active.

Thanks. As to why AX itself performs worse than the app on the same photos then, I'll return to the previous idea of some limitation due to processing speed. The four-segment display also suggests a need to entertain and reassure the user that something is happening. How long does the process take to complete?

 

[Canip]

How long does the process take to complete?

The „process“ means:

• observing bird, pressing button halfway to start ID, waiting for display segments to become bold: if bird is well visible (not partially hidden by foreground branches etc) and not too far away for the Visio, from about 1.5 to 5 secs** (if bird is out of reach, segments will not become bold, however long you press the button)
• then pressing the button fully, waiting for bird name to appear in the display: 1 - 2 secs** (same for result „no identifiable bird“)

**Edit: that‘s why you may use the photo app of the Visio instead of the bird ID app if the bird is likely to disappear quickly