CalvinFold
Well-known member
For me, reach is a factor of getting a clear image, how far away (in meters generally, because of the nature of this forum's audience).I always like to think of the magnification in terms of binoculars and telescopes (of which I frequently use) - I know it's a bit 'rough and ready', but it gives me a bit of an indication of the reach in a way that I can best understand it......I think the 400mm image (X 1.6) is like looking through 12X binos......
By your method, stated in 35mm equivalencies:
- My digiscoping rig was a 1250mm scope ("42x zoom") with a 155mm Nikon Coolpix 4500 (using about "2x zoom" at the eyepiece). This setup is 4MP resolution.
- The Canon SX60 by itself has a 1350mm optical zoom ("65x zoom"). This setup has 16MP resolution.
I haven't photographed the White-Tailed Kites yet with the SX60 (a pair of them I have photographed for over a year so I know how close I can view them with the digiscoping setup), but as near as I can tell I have about the same "reach" with the SX60 as I do with the digiscoping setup...and get far better photos without being tethered to a big setup and a tripod.
Another reference: I also have a pair of 10x25 binoculars. And my girlfriend is borrowing a Nikon D700 full-frame DSLR long term that has a 300mm lens. Judging by her photos, I'd say she can't photograph as close as the binoculars can see, though it may be fairly close (tough to make this sort of comparison without doing it intentionally, which we've never bothered).
It may not be until Spring when I can catch the White-Tailed Kites again, so I won't know until then what I've really lost or gained with the SX60 compared to my digiscoping setup...but I certainly will report back when I figure it out.