Nikon P5100 (3 Viewers)

[kingfisher]

Hi All,

Really enjoying the thread, I am thinking of going for the Nikon P5100, before I take the plunge, does anyone know which adapter works best for the Swaro ATS 80. Also as the Nikon has VR has anone tried it without the use of an adapter.

Cheers guys.

 

[paddyenglishman]

i am enjoying this thread as well. it has been full of useful advice re this camera . i bought a P5100 as my first digiscoping camera because of this thread back in November Thanks .
I don't get chance to use it properly as i am stuck indoors most of the time.Today was a decent day over here so i got chance to try out some of the recommendations .
I am pleased with it , i have no prior photography knowledge other than what you lot have posted in here .
The one thing i am having problems with is viewing the screen , i bought a screen hood and i think it is as useful at a chocolate ashtray , today i have had to put my excessively large coat hood over the camera just so i can see whats going on .Any advice here? the hood i bought is a Jenis one , its probably a cheap copy of a brand name .i got it one ebay . It fits the screen ok but as my scope is angled up it doesnt seem to help .Am i doing something wrong ?
Anyway these are todays favorite shots , Not brilliant compared to others i ve seen in here ,but i'm trying

 

[ostling41]

Anyway these are todays favorite shots , Not brilliant compared to others i ve seen in here ,but i'm trying

Not bad. I think your images could be improved a lot by bumping up the contrast, and increasing the sharpening. This can be done with your camera settings, or in an image editor (I usually need nothing more than iPhoto).

You don't know how lucky you are, to be in Kerry. I relish the seafood chowders served in the pubs there.

 

[Neil]

The one thing i am having problems with is viewing the screen , i bought a screen hood and i think it is as useful at a chocolate ashtray , today i have had to put my excessively large coat hood over the camera just so i can see whats going on .Any advice here?

None of the screens are very good when you have lot's of sunshine about but the P5100's screen is better than most. Try keeping the sun behind you if it's early or late in the day. If it's middle of the day ( not a good time for digiscoping usually ) stand under a tree or similar. You can also use an umbrella. Locate and focus on bird with scope , mount camera and then put up umbrella for viewing screen. You can also throw a towel over you head. Don't worry too much about what you look like. Neil.

 

[revs45]

The one thing i am having problems with is viewing the screen , i bought a screen hood and i think it is as useful at a chocolate ashtray , today i have had to put my excessively large coat hood over the camera just so i can see whats going on .Any advice here?

None of the screens are very good when you have lot's of sunshine about but the P5100's screen is better than most. Try keeping the sun behind you if it's early or late in the day. If it's middle of the day ( not a good time for digiscoping usually ) stand under a tree or similar. You can also use an umbrella. Locate and focus on bird with scope , mount camera and then put up umbrella for viewing screen. You can also throw a towel over you head. Don't worry too much about what you look like. Neil.

i wear a baseball cap and typically wear it so low on my head sometimes that you can't see my eyes, sometimes i will adjust the brim of the cap and wear the cap sideways all in an effort to block out the sun.
i find when the bird is in view i don't care at all what i look like

 

[postcardcv]

These are pretty impressive! and make my first attempts with my new P5100 look dire! :C Are you using the same settings as discussed earlier in this thread?
Look forward to seeing your future pics once you've had some practise!
Regards Kim

Cheers, I was quite happy with them, it's certainly a nice camera to use. I'm not sure how my settings compare to others on the thread, but I started out using the following:

white balance - auto
ISO - auto upto 200
metering - center weighted
continuous shooting
auto bracketing - off
AF area - center
AF mode - single AF
AF assist - off
flash - off
VR - off

hope that helps.

Really enjoying the thread, I am thinking of going for the Nikon P5100, before I take the plunge, does anyone know which adapter works best for the Swaro ATS 80. Also as the Nikon has VR has anone tried it without the use of an adapter.

I use mine with an ATS65 and use a tube type adapter - the Swarovski DCA would be ideal, you'd need to use the UR-E20 to attach it to the camera.

 

[birdsofvirginia]

Nikon P5100 + Kowa Prominar 823 test image

Weather cleared yesterday and I headed out to further test my new P5100 with Kowa Prominar 823 w/32 wide angle eyepiece.

I think the attached images show how well this camera handles distant birds in bright light and breezy conditions. Bottom line, the results were impressive, considering subject was approximately 210 yards away!

(Side Note: Major problem I had was determining focus using the lcd panel. For my old Nikon 990 & 4500 I used an Extend-a-Mount Wing II system that attached to camera using tripod thread and then added the Extend-a-View LCD viewer. This is a great setup that even provides a shutter release cable bracket.

The US-based company, Photosolve (www.photosolve.com), now offers Xtend-a-Mount Omni accessory bracket that screws into the tripod thread. You can then add the Extend-a-View Pro LCD viewer without using velcro. Product info states it will fit most digital cameras and I plan to contact them to verify this will work with the P5100.)

Info on the image of Osprey:

Distance to subject: 210 yards (measured using laser finder)
Scope: Kowa Prominar 823 (angled) w/32x WA

Macro setting: on
Focal Length: 10 mm
Vibration Reduction (VR): on
F-stop: F/4.3
Exposure Time: 1/636 sec.
ISO: 100
White balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Partial
Exposure Program: Aperture Priority
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 step



Brenda Tekin
www.birdsofvirginia.com

 

[buzzard12]

Another question, my last.....!

Is there a cable release system available for the 5100? I know the 4500 had a great electronic cable release, is a simular system available for the 5100? Failing that, what is the situation with manual brackets and cables?

 

[hansw]

Another question, my last.....!

Is there a cable release system available for the 5100? I know the 4500 had a great electronic cable release, is a simular system available for the 5100? Failing that, what is the situation with manual brackets and cables?

Nikon has the FSB-6 bracket including mechanical remote release. Can't tell you of how well this works, as Nikon seems to have difficulty delivering my bracket and other accessories in order to mount my p5100 to the ed82...

http://www.ave.nikon.co.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm#d2

 

[paddyenglishman]

this thread covers cable releases As i said previously i made mine and to be honest i think i saved little money in making it .
Dave

 

[jason stannage]

hi neil still enjoying the thread some more pics as promised starting to enjoy the camera all pics taken on auto taken with a swarovski 80 hd scope set on the 20x zoom eyepiece

 

[jason stannage]

a couple of more here.

got to admit i really do love the video mode.

 

[Feathered one]

Nice Pictures Pelican
Your hooked now.

Malc

 

[nick the grief]

Another question, my last.....!

Is there a cable release system available for the 5100? I know the 4500 had a great electronic cable release, is a simular system available for the 5100? Failing that, what is the situation with manual brackets and cables?

I've got one of these & it works OK

Bracket

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Nikon has the FSB-6 bracket including mechanical remote release. Can't tell you of how well this works, as Nikon seems to have difficulty delivering my bracket and other accessories in order to mount my p5100 to the ed82...

http://www.ave.nikon.co.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm#d2

hio hansw,

welcome to birdforum :t:

by the way, u can check from this website as the owner works in japan now and i've found out he sells the fsb-6 together with the cable release too

http://shashinki.com/shop/nikon-fie...ix-p5000-p5100-p-845.html?manufacturers_id=11

 

[Lawts]

Cheers, I was quite happy with them, it's certainly a nice camera to use. I'm not sure how my settings compare to others on the thread, but I started out using the following:

white balance - auto
ISO - auto upto 200
metering - center weighted
continuous shooting
auto bracketing - off
AF area - center
AF mode - single AF
AF assist - off
flash - off
VR - off

hope that helps.



I use mine with an ATS65 and use a tube type adapter - the Swarovski DCA would be ideal, you'd need to use the UR-E20 to attach it to the camera.

Great pics. What actual mode/setting do you use it on?

I've hit a mental block now where I'm relatively happy with the shots I'm getting on auto, and as I usually have limited time for birding, and am usually chasing some rarity, I find I just shoot in auto and am probably limiting my results, (notwithstanding that some are very pleasing).


How do I take the next step, and do you need to keep fiddling with the settings if the light and distance alter from one bird to the next?


Is there a setting that is better than auto but that you can keep it on - hence I'm a snapper not a photographer. my problem is I need someone to explain what the f setting and aperture settings is all about.

Thanks.

 

[Neil]

hi neil still enjoying the thread some more pics as promised starting to enjoy the camera all pics taken on auto taken with a swarovski 80 hd scope set on the 20x zoom eyepiece

Nice images. The third image looks about right for this camera. Nice detail in the feathers. Neil.

 

[Darren Pearce]

I have had the camera for about 2 months. Before this I have never really bothered with photography. Now I'm hooked. For ease of use you cannot go wrong with this camera.

Here are some from the weekend

 

[Neil]

I have had the camera for about 2 months. Before this I have never really bothered with photography. Now I'm hooked. For ease of use you cannot go wrong with this camera.

Here are some from the weekend

Darren,
I should have warned you in red about the addictive nature of digiscoping. I've been addicted for 10 years now.
The owl image is very nice. Well composed.
Neil.

 

[postcardcv]

Great pics. What actual mode/setting do you use it on?

I've hit a mental block now where I'm relatively happy with the shots I'm getting on auto, and as I usually have limited time for birding, and am usually chasing some rarity, I find I just shoot in auto and am probably limiting my results, (notwithstanding that some are very pleasing).


How do I take the next step, and do you need to keep fiddling with the settings if the light and distance alter from one bird to the next?


Is there a setting that is better than auto but that you can keep it on - hence I'm a snapper not a photographer. my problem is I need someone to explain what the f setting and aperture settings is all about.

Thanks.

Shooting in A is a good starting place, the lower the f number the wider the aperture of the lens, so more light gets through and the shutter speed is faster. In A it's best to start with the aperture set wide open (lowest f number you can get at a given point on the zoom) as this should keep your shutter speeds nice and high. If you start getting really good shutter speeds (1/500th or faster) then reduce the aperture by uping the f number (refered to as stopping down). Most lenses are sharper when stopped down a bit, so it's worth doing this if you can. If you use the camera in P then it will control both aperture and shutter speed, the camera will stop down when light allows (however as it doesn't account for the extra magification of digiscoping it may do so at too low a shutter speed). Try using A, it is fairly straight forward and apart from the aperture the camera still does it all for you!