Roy Halpin
Well-known member
Since 2001 we have been trying to find Digiscope solutions, from the perfect camera, adapters, lenses, eyepieces, scopes and mounting systems. Now we have great camera, lenses, eyepieces Super Scopes and mounting systems. To my way of thinking Adapters have always been a challenge and the weakest link in Digiscoping. The Manufactures of the adapters have been camera brand specific, over engineered, or have depended on the filter threads of a camera or camera lens to support totally the weight of the camera. No Good, I promise that no lens manufacture would recommend that. Referring to the term “over engineered” I am referring to adapters like the swing models. Personally I believe that they lack support for the camera and seem to be easily damaged while in the field. The new ATX/STX Swarovski seems to have corrected the major concern of camera support, not depending of the filter threads to support the camera system unlike the DCA or the DA-10 from Kowa what I currently use. I have broken in half 4 lenses in the past years using those systems before I tried Support Brackets like the TSN-DA3. Support brackets are great; the scope, eyepiece, adapter and camera are now one secure solid piece if one can remember to lock everything down. I have to confess that due to my negligence of not checking to see if everything was tightened I have send a Scope in for repair and ruined an expensive DSLR when it smashed on the asphalt road. Weight is another issue. The Kowa TSN-DA3 Digiscope Support Bracket weighs 2.58 pounds. The one I own went to a machine shop and all none structural Aluminum was milled away cutting the weight to just over 2 pounds. Some of my days in the field carry me 8 or more miles walking. So like a back packer every pound counts. Up until now the TSN-DA3 was very important to keep my kit functioning and secure. So I carried that 2 + additional pounds.
At the Space Coast Festival two different people showed me a new Adapter. Angie “just a birder” bought one she is excited and bragging about hers. It was of high quality machined Aluminum that will work with 4/3 camera as well as DSLR and P&S cameras. A minor sleeve change (inner ring) and it will adapt to any spotting scope eyepiece. It is not expensive and best of all the weight of the camera stresses the scope not the filter threads of the lens. There for a support bracket is not necessary, cutting my carry weight 2+ pounds. I ordered one.
Yesterday I received my Digidapter. I watched the video on for quick assembly instructions. I inspected it for deficits like over engineering or a key feature not considered. I could not any faults. It was designed for quality, for the speed and smoothness in mounting the camera on a scope coming back to same position each time without adjustment or alignment.
• The fasteners are of the highest quality, brass and Stainless.
• The screw design for mounting the camera in the tripod mount is superior.
• The brass stop screws on the mounting plate are designed for finger tightening, no fear of stripping the brass parts from over tightening. The camera comes back to the same spot every time.
• The elevation plate has milled slots so only the provided Allen key is necessary to lock the camera in place.
• The camera does not have to be removed from the Digidapter to replace batteries and flash cards. .
• Coupling the camera to the eyepiece is a breeze. Close tolerance machining and the highest quality anodizing is why it is smooth and easy.
• To change from one scope manufacture to another or if the eyepiece is different in size all that is needed is a different inner ring, all of the other parts will remain the same. This means for those scope owners that would like a functional adapter for a Pentax, Celestron, Vortex or Vanguard scope it is now available at a reasonable price.
• Overall, it is solid and functional, easy to use, returns to the same position with each mounting. No binding, pieces glide together, no effort. Percussion and effortless in use, protecting the camera and eyepiece from stress damage. No adapter that I have seen mounts the camera and has it ready to shoot faster, safer and with more percussion.
• The Digidapter is the best I have seen.
The big question at the Space Coast Festival was would the new 20mm f/1.7 ll ASPH Lumix lens works with this adapter. That lens is short like a Pancake lens but it is about 2 inches in diameter. I phoned my order to Paul Sayegh the owner and designer of the Digidapter. We spent hours on the phone discussing the 4/3s and some of the unique lenses that this system is creating. I had the lens in hand with a pair of dial calipers. I measured and re-measured the key points of the lens and measurement in relation to the camera. I took and then emailed to Paul the photos of the GX 7 and lens and added the measurement to the photos. After receiving the photos we talked again and at Paul’s request I re-measured everything once more. In three days I received my Digidapter and it was perfect.
Paul is an engineer, a designer, a communicator and a great machinist with an advanced knowledge of stress and tolerances. Paul is a big lens photographer that found Digiscoping and knows the importance of Digiscoping as a tool in photography. Digidapter and Paul Sayegh deserve our support.
Go to [URL="http://digiscopeadapter.com/home.html"] to see and learn more.
Roy Halpin
At the Space Coast Festival two different people showed me a new Adapter. Angie “just a birder” bought one she is excited and bragging about hers. It was of high quality machined Aluminum that will work with 4/3 camera as well as DSLR and P&S cameras. A minor sleeve change (inner ring) and it will adapt to any spotting scope eyepiece. It is not expensive and best of all the weight of the camera stresses the scope not the filter threads of the lens. There for a support bracket is not necessary, cutting my carry weight 2+ pounds. I ordered one.
Yesterday I received my Digidapter. I watched the video on for quick assembly instructions. I inspected it for deficits like over engineering or a key feature not considered. I could not any faults. It was designed for quality, for the speed and smoothness in mounting the camera on a scope coming back to same position each time without adjustment or alignment.
• The fasteners are of the highest quality, brass and Stainless.
• The screw design for mounting the camera in the tripod mount is superior.
• The brass stop screws on the mounting plate are designed for finger tightening, no fear of stripping the brass parts from over tightening. The camera comes back to the same spot every time.
• The elevation plate has milled slots so only the provided Allen key is necessary to lock the camera in place.
• The camera does not have to be removed from the Digidapter to replace batteries and flash cards. .
• Coupling the camera to the eyepiece is a breeze. Close tolerance machining and the highest quality anodizing is why it is smooth and easy.
• To change from one scope manufacture to another or if the eyepiece is different in size all that is needed is a different inner ring, all of the other parts will remain the same. This means for those scope owners that would like a functional adapter for a Pentax, Celestron, Vortex or Vanguard scope it is now available at a reasonable price.
• Overall, it is solid and functional, easy to use, returns to the same position with each mounting. No binding, pieces glide together, no effort. Percussion and effortless in use, protecting the camera and eyepiece from stress damage. No adapter that I have seen mounts the camera and has it ready to shoot faster, safer and with more percussion.
• The Digidapter is the best I have seen.
The big question at the Space Coast Festival was would the new 20mm f/1.7 ll ASPH Lumix lens works with this adapter. That lens is short like a Pancake lens but it is about 2 inches in diameter. I phoned my order to Paul Sayegh the owner and designer of the Digidapter. We spent hours on the phone discussing the 4/3s and some of the unique lenses that this system is creating. I had the lens in hand with a pair of dial calipers. I measured and re-measured the key points of the lens and measurement in relation to the camera. I took and then emailed to Paul the photos of the GX 7 and lens and added the measurement to the photos. After receiving the photos we talked again and at Paul’s request I re-measured everything once more. In three days I received my Digidapter and it was perfect.
Paul is an engineer, a designer, a communicator and a great machinist with an advanced knowledge of stress and tolerances. Paul is a big lens photographer that found Digiscoping and knows the importance of Digiscoping as a tool in photography. Digidapter and Paul Sayegh deserve our support.
Go to [URL="http://digiscopeadapter.com/home.html"] to see and learn more.
Roy Halpin