Digiscoping?

JohnN

JohnN

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Hi,

Amazingly (given the vast array of content out there now I start searching) I had not heard of digiscoping before yesterday!

Now I'm wondering if that is an angle I should pursue as I always seem to need more reach but my budget is now running out (OT ban at work :().

I currently have the 100-400 which is very good, IQ great etc etc, but again the reach sometimes is too short, that said I use it handheld for all sorts and not always at 400.

I guess my thoughts boil down to these questions:

  • Can a scope combination be as flexible as my 100-400?
  • Can a scoping setup be used handheld or would I be fixed to a tripod (which I almost never do at the moment)?
  • Is the IQ as good?
  • To get the reach I desire if the first three questions are answered yes would I be able to sell the 100-400 and get a better setup using digiscoping?
  • What setup would I need to work with my 7D to keep it in budget?
Cheers,

John
 
As I understand it digiscoping gives far greater magnification than even a 100-400 (which I also have). I'm told you can get up to 40x magnification! But, you can't use your 7D. AFAIK you can only use a small compact with a small fitting over the scope eyepice so your options are limited. The ones I looked at were essentially a rubber cup that you pushed your compact lens into you take a pictue of the image at the end of the scope, which is subtly different from what the 100-400 gives. My bird watching mate reckons that digiscoping gives good results if you want a photo for a record purposes - ticking the twitching lists etc. But if you want quality photos then they don't give that.

Then again think of the price of a full 600/800 prime setup, and digiscoping might be a sensible option.
 
I'm pretty sure there are DSLR adapters out there having seen a couple of photos using them, but I couldn't tell you which they are though... Its such a new field for me looking into I can't even tell which scopes are which :)
 
If it's for birds and you're struggling to get close i think your money would be better spent on getting a hide instead. The image quality really isn't there after you're used to high quality dslr lenses.
Also one of the frustrating aspects of wildlife photography is that you'll always come into a situation where you don't have enough focal length no matter what lens you have.
If you don't want to get a hide you can always learn better field craft, find places where animals are more easily approached etc.
 
Okay thanks guys - from both your responses it looks like I'd loose IQ, which is something I really don't want to do and have spent far too much money chasing that as it is.

Did seem a nice idea though
 
Now if you were a Nikon man.....see my posts in the 'Birds' sub-forum here:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317340
here: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317341
and here:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317342

As detailed in the threads themselves, these were taken hand held (okay, to be fair, the light in southwestern USA is pretty good!) using a Nikon D3S/Nikon FSA-L2 adapter to Nikon EDG 65mm scope set-up. It gives you a manual focus lens of 400-1400mm on a FX sensor.
 
Used to do this a while ago with a scope and Nikon Coolpix compact - still have it all somewhere. The Coolpix attached via an adapter but the results weren't that good. As has been said, ok for records and some twitchable shots would get published in the birding mags if there was nothing else. There used to be a lot about it on BirdForum.net - haven't visited that forum for a long time but it may still be in the archives.
 
Sorry D3S but as soon as i view those photos at 1024px horizontal (which should look fantastic resized to that with even the cheapest dslr telephoto lenses) the detail and image quality just evaporates.
It's not really the way to go for someone who owns a high end lens and who doesn't want to lose image quality.

D3S said:
Now if you were a Nikon man.....see my posts in the 'Birds' sub-forum here:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317340
here: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317341
and here:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=317342

As detailed in the threads themselves, these were taken hand held (okay, to be fair, the light in southwestern USA is pretty good!) using a Nikon D3S/Nikon FSA-L2 adapter to Nikon EDG 65mm scope set-up. It gives you a manual focus lens of 400-1400mm on a FX sensor.
Click to expand...
 
Werecrow....they weren't touted for a 'lens replacement' reason, just what's possible with the highest-end of the digiscoping equipment (i.e. versus a Coolpix slapped onto an eyepiece, etc..). I prefer my normal lenses without a doubt, and not just due to the AF ability. The amount of money you pay for the DSLR digiscoping set-up next to a decent 500/600mm lens however is an obvious story!

Cheers
 
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