Nikon P5100 (1 Viewer)

[notatwitcher!]

MrF et al, its not just Campkins out of stock - seems to be a country wide shortage (I've been trying all over internet sellers) unless you are prepared to pay ridiculous £30-32. Nikon quoting 2-3 weeks delivery.

Rob - yes that's it - in my case Kowa 773 and 20-60 - now its just the UR-E20 . . . you could use the DA4 universal adapter with the DA10 and you wouldn't need the 28mm adapter and the UR-E20, but its a lot more expensive option if you've got the Nikon and more fiddley.

 

[birchall]

To avoid any confusion when ordering:

The Kowa reference no. for 28mm Kowa adapter ring is DA1-AR28.

The ref. PTL5281 given by Martin is a Warehouseexpress product code

 

[Kalispera]

Help required please!!
It's regarding my Nikon P5100, when in Aperture Priority I have managed to get myself stuck on the page with the ICONS on a single page, and can't find a way out. There is an EXIT box at the bottom left of the screen, but can't access it.
I was originally on the default setting, with the menus displayed in list format, and this is how I prefer to see the camera.
HELP!! Thanks.

 

[MrFlibble]

turn the dial on the top to setup, select menu, then text.

 

[notatwitcher!]

K, try turning the mode dial to SETUP, the 1st icon highlighted should be MENU (or navigate up/down left/right to get to it - press OK and should get "Menus" screen. Press (navigate)up to highlight "Text", press OK, turn mode dial away from SETUP.

Or turn to SETUP, navigate to RESET and press OK (which will reset all).

You can only navigate around the Setup menus, whether icon or text, when dial turned to SETUP, then away from it to get to anything else

Mike

edited - Oh all right MrF - thats quicker than my long winded description!

 

[Martin Standley]

Hi all,

A great thread and I think I have got the correct info but I want to double check before ordering....

I want to connect my 5100 to 883 plus 20-60x zoom, and I understand I need the following;

1) Kowa DCA DA-10
2) 28mm Kowa adapter ring PTL5281
3) Nikon adapter UR-E20

Is this correct? or are there alternative set ups to consider?

Where is the best place to order the UR-E20?

I also need a cable release rig for the camera, what are the options?

Thanks in advance and apologies if I am asking questions which have been answered previously.

Hi Rob

I have used the 20-60 for digiscoping before, its not the best.Once you start to zoom out you loose the sharpness.
I'm not sure how the DCa-DA10 connects, but with my DA-1 I needed the zoom extension.I just use fixed lenses (27x or 32x) and these seem to get better results.
I got my ure-20 from warehouse express.
For a cable release system I use the one supplied by SRB griturnhttp://www.srb-griturn.com/cable-release-bracket-for-compact-digital-camera-angled-1215-p.asp, I put a small square of electrical tape over the shutter release button to help it get more grip.

Hope this is of some use.

 

[notatwitcher!]

You don't need the zoom extension with the newer 20-60 for 770/880 - DCA10 screws on instead of the eyecup on this, then ur-e20 into that via the 28mm adapter. But you have to keep the scope magnification lowish to avoid vignetting. Or as you say Martin, use fixed wides . . .

Rgds, Mike

 

[BrianInnes]

Still undecided on the Nikon P5100. an IR or wired remote would mean this is an ideal digiscoping camera.

But I know people are getting good results with the P5100, and not seen much about other cameras.

Hmmm

 

[Paul Jarvis]

Not sure why you would consider the ur-e20 when the p5100 works very well using the DA10 and DA4 swing away adapter. You can still use the scope and digiscope in seconds.

 

[notatwitcher!]

UR-E20 costs £20 against c. £200 for DA4. DA4 fiddly to set up and use, more fragile and takes more space, not really carriable without taking off P5100. UR-E20 just screws into outer part of DA10 via 28mm adapter and is aligned. Outer part of DA10 lifts off with UR and camera quicker than folding back DA4. This is both received wisdom and I have tried both - no contest - and the cost was not the decider for me.

But its your money and your choice ;-) Why not try both rather than deciding on paper?

This only applies to the 770/880 and the P5100 of course . . .

Mike

 

[Kalispera]

MrF and nota - many thanks regarding my request for help, AND it worked!!

 

[steveblain]

Having had my P5100 for a few days now I have to say I'm disappointed.

I purchased it as a replacement for my Canon S80 (which I thought was excellent, if a little long in the tooth now) which has developed a fault. Straight away I noticed how slow the shooting rate were and saving images to the card were taking a long time too. When a bird is performing, the last thing I want to do is wait for the damn camera to be saving images to the card! At 0.8 frames a second it's painfully slow compared to other makes and models of 12MP cameras.

I'm also not very happy with the autofocus. It somehow seems to miss the mark, dispite having the focusing area on the right bit of the bird. It's very hit-and-miss indeed and that, combined with the slow shooting rate, is making me miss images.

I'll keep it and see if I can improve my technique using it, but as soon as something vaguely better comes along I'm jumping ship!

Steve
ps I've been digiscoping for almost eight years, so no newbie! (Cameras thus far - various camcorders in the early days, Coolpix 4500, Contax U4R, Canon S80, now Coolpix P5100)

 

[Paul Jarvis]

UR-E20 costs £20 against c. £200 for DA4

That is a fair point that you have raised money is hard to come by at the moment with the credit crunch.

 

[Neil]

"

Having had my P5100 for a few days now I have to say I'm disappointed.

I purchased it as a replacement for my Canon S80 (which I thought was excellent, if a little long in the tooth now) which has developed a fault. Straight away I noticed how slow the shooting rate were and saving images to the card were taking a long time too. When a bird is performing, the last thing I want to do is wait for the damn camera to be saving images to the card! At 0.8 frames a second it's painfully slow compared to other makes and models of 12MP cameras.

I'm also not very happy with the autofocus. It somehow seems to miss the mark, dispite having the focusing area on the right bit of the bird. It's very hit-and-miss indeed and that, combined with the slow shooting rate, is making me miss images."

Steve,
Don't give up yet the P5100 will reward you. I'm surprised you say it's slow writing to the card because it's the fastest digicam that I have. It writes 3 x 12 megs files in about 3 seconds and is faster than the Canon A650. Try a faster card.
On the focusing side try focusing on the legs/branch/rock as this is where I get the best results. Focusing on the birds body if it's moving is not so reliable, particularly if it's white/black.
The 0.8 fps one of it's drawbacks but I'm getting used to it and make allowances ( the others for me are lack of rotatable screen and 1 shot Self-timer ).
Let us know how you get on, Neil.

ps the attached photos were taken in Florida and I focused on the legs .

 

[horukuru]

amazing pictures neil

 

[notatwitcher!]

Finally got out to play with my 773/DA10 w.28mm/UR-E20/P5100 today, not quite good enough to risk posting results yet, but a few things clear . . .

No problems with save speed, I have a fast card as Neill suggests.
Focussing - autofocus slow and inaccurate as others are saying - infinity focus on camera and focus on scope seems much better - as Kowa also suggest.

"shake" was worst - even 3 second timer wasn't helping - although was using scope on hide clamp in a nice bouncy wooden hide, I must admit! And I forgot to use aperture priotity so probably got shutter speed slower than ideal.

I think maybe a standard personal setting using infinity focus and aperture priority (for faster shutter ) - and setting the shut down time longer (kept going black just as about to fire!) coluld be good. And a remote release capability! - birds kept moving out of shot while waiting for the timer. SRB are getting an order right away . . .

One thing was really good - once I'd got the Kowa DA10 properly seated, I found I could use the scope zoom at seemingly all mags with no vignetting - providing I'd zoomed the camera toward the optical telephoto end. It was though pretty dark towards the 60x end so I guess would mean v.slow shutter as well.

So . . . Neill (or others). . please what are recommendations as to best experience on focus/exposure bit? If I could get near the quality of those Florida pics I could probably die happy!

TIA Mike

 

[pinussen]

Hi,

just a quick question, how do I achieve infinity focus? Is that a setting or something else?

Regards Björn

 

[notatwitcher!]

bottom right on back of camera "multi selector" when in one or other shooting mode - press "down" (icon of flower or some such ) - then pick the "mountains" symbol (infinity as in far away) - then OK. Don't know if it can be saved into a personal setting . . .

Mike

 

[pinussen]

Ahh, nice Didn't think about using that mode before. Much faster as well when you don't have to wait for it to focus, can't wait until the next outing...

This setting is saved in the user settings along with the rest of the settings. I have assigned the Fn button so I can change between the two user settings fast, normal shooting and digiscope mode

 

[notatwitcher!]

pinussen - but how do you do that? For me it disappears when the camera switches off and is defaulted back to autofocus. I want to be able to switch camera on and press one button to go to aperture priority , infinity focus and ISO no higher than say 400 - (and anything else) as a personal preset. That is how do I set up a "digiscope mode" tha doesn't disappear when camera switches off?

Not sure who's ahead on sorting this all out . . .

Mike