BrianInnes
Well-known member
Several months, and still undecided on the P5100! :-C Might have to read the thread from the start again to help me decide on a digiscoping camera to replace my old Olympus C5000 :t:
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Nikon P5100 (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Neil
- Start date
Thanks Neil, you are so right.
Today was the first chance I have had to test the P5100 after about 500 shots it did not disappoint except I could not test it's digiscope prowess because I have not been able to find an adapter for it. I took over 500 shots at 8M resolution and most were keepers but for the few where my unsteady hands failed me.
This post raves about how well the camera performs with a scope, please allow me to rave of something that is totally at the other end of the spectrum. This is a helluva macro unit too. The closeness to subject approximately 1 1/2in-2in, clarity, color, contrast, sharpness etc etc etc are excellent and it was a great surprise. Although I cannot personally attest for it's scope use, something the more knowledgeable members have already done and I will eat my words from my earlier post, the P5100 produces very good pictures. Further more, I switched to a Sanddisk 8M class 6 SDHC and had no problems with writing or lag time that caused shooting stoppage. The only problem encountered was reveiwing the pictures because I did not allow enough time for it to finish writing. With the resolution set to 8M and camera set to continuous shoot, I was able to keep my finger on the shutter switch for well over 10 shots and maybe a lot more if I had not stopped. As for focusing, no problem here either, it was fast and always right on. I shot in the different scene modes and they work great, I especially like the job it does on the backlight and panoramic modes. I love it's size and weight. I carried it all day everywhere without it being cumbersome or a burden but I do miss the high ISO of my DSLR when the sun goes down.
July can't come fast enough when I go west and I can get me an adaptor.
PS- Can someone send me a how-to attach pictures with my post?
Today was the first chance I have had to test the P5100 after about 500 shots it did not disappoint except I could not test it's digiscope prowess because I have not been able to find an adapter for it. I took over 500 shots at 8M resolution and most were keepers but for the few where my unsteady hands failed me.
This post raves about how well the camera performs with a scope, please allow me to rave of something that is totally at the other end of the spectrum. This is a helluva macro unit too. The closeness to subject approximately 1 1/2in-2in, clarity, color, contrast, sharpness etc etc etc are excellent and it was a great surprise. Although I cannot personally attest for it's scope use, something the more knowledgeable members have already done and I will eat my words from my earlier post, the P5100 produces very good pictures. Further more, I switched to a Sanddisk 8M class 6 SDHC and had no problems with writing or lag time that caused shooting stoppage. The only problem encountered was reveiwing the pictures because I did not allow enough time for it to finish writing. With the resolution set to 8M and camera set to continuous shoot, I was able to keep my finger on the shutter switch for well over 10 shots and maybe a lot more if I had not stopped. As for focusing, no problem here either, it was fast and always right on. I shot in the different scene modes and they work great, I especially like the job it does on the backlight and panoramic modes. I love it's size and weight. I carried it all day everywhere without it being cumbersome or a burden but I do miss the high ISO of my DSLR when the sun goes down.
July can't come fast enough when I go west and I can get me an adaptor.
PS- Can someone send me a how-to attach pictures with my post?
Last edited:
Can anyone help please. I am new to Digiscoping, with all Nikon equipment..ED50A, zoom lens, Coolpix 5100, FSA 1&2 and FSB6 adapters.
I get the expected vignetting which can be overcome by zooming in a couple of stops. However, within a split second of turning the camera on, the circular vignette is distorted and made much worse in the bottom right corner (between 2 and 7 o'clock) by a dark shadow which can only be overcome by zooming in about 5 stops. Occasionally the dark shadow goes for a short while, but seems to be retriggered by the camera altering its focus?, aperture? or something else. All the bits fit together well and dont seem to move, so it seems to be something within the camera operation that causes the problem. The problem seems the same whether in Aperture priority or other modes.
Any suggestions please?
I get the expected vignetting which can be overcome by zooming in a couple of stops. However, within a split second of turning the camera on, the circular vignette is distorted and made much worse in the bottom right corner (between 2 and 7 o'clock) by a dark shadow which can only be overcome by zooming in about 5 stops. Occasionally the dark shadow goes for a short while, but seems to be retriggered by the camera altering its focus?, aperture? or something else. All the bits fit together well and dont seem to move, so it seems to be something within the camera operation that causes the problem. The problem seems the same whether in Aperture priority or other modes.
Any suggestions please?
tamandua
Well-known member
Hi
I am totally new to digiscoping and thought I'd show you my first result.
Equipment:
P5100
Leica Televid 77
Olivon Universal Camera Adapter
Settings:
Aperture Priority
Macro Mode (Green Zone)
Spot Focus
Spot Exposure
Flash Off
Iso 64-200
Do you have any suggestions what can be improved? I will buy a wire release next week.
The bird is a Wood Pigeon perched in a tree around 20 metres away. I reduced noise with NeatImage and sharpened one time.
I am totally new to digiscoping and thought I'd show you my first result.
Equipment:
P5100
Leica Televid 77
Olivon Universal Camera Adapter
Settings:
Aperture Priority
Macro Mode (Green Zone)
Spot Focus
Spot Exposure
Flash Off
Iso 64-200
Do you have any suggestions what can be improved? I will buy a wire release next week.
The bird is a Wood Pigeon perched in a tree around 20 metres away. I reduced noise with NeatImage and sharpened one time.
Attachments
Hi
I normally have these same symptoms when the camera is not "dead centre" or "square" to the eyepiece. I would say check again to see if camera lens is square on and dead centre. Hope this helps.
Nice work. Now you will be addicted for life.
With birds in trees against the light I usually find that I have to open up the exposure about +0.7 or +1.0 . I ran your photo through CS2 to simulate the benefit of this. I hope you don't mind.
Let's see more soon , Neil.
Attachments
As suggested the cause is the camera not dead center and/or square on to the eyepiece. The shadowing will change when you half press the shutter and the camera lens stops down but it probably won't go away. It is possible the eyepiece is not locked to the scope properly so check that too.
Neil.
Thanks Neil and Sleeper for your replies.
I have double checked all the connections and all seem
o.k. Also, when I turn the camera on, the image is dead centre and equally bright all-round, rather suggesting that positioning is correct.. It is when I pan the camera and it (automatically) refocuses on another object that the shadow starts. Once there, it can only be removed by switching off and re-starting, when once again the image is perfect. Does this give further clues as to what is going on?
It would be a bit surprising and dissappointing if I just had to live with the problem, given that all the kit is designed to work together.
Any further thoughts would be very gratefully received.
Richard
revs45
punk birder
the FSB-6 kit comes with a black ring (can't remember what it's called) but don't make the mistake of attaching it to the FSB-6 as it causes vignetting.
i had that problem with the 50X eyepiece but not anymore since i took it out.
tamandua
Well-known member
Thank you very much, the photo looks much better now. I will have to learn how to use photoshop...
Now that I have made some shots I more and more think about selling my Olivon Universal Adapter. Everytime I slide the camera back in front of the ocular, it seems to be off-center. Another problem is that I won't be able to attach a wire release to the camera when the Olivon adapter is used.
So...I'm thinking about buying the 28mm DigiMount Adapter from eagleeyeuk to solve these problems. (The one specially designed for the Coolpix cameras) As far as I understand I need the UR-E20 from Nikon to make the p5100 fit on that 28mm adapter, is that correct? What else do I need to connect the 5100 to this adapter? Just the UR-E20 from Nikon, or do i also need one of the Step Rings eagleeyeuk offers?
Sorry for all the questions...I'm a beginner with absolutly no experience
.
barontan2418
Well-known member
Anybody know of a supplier in the UK who has the UR-E20 adapter in stock? I'm running out of retailers to phone.
http://www.srb-griturn.com/28mm-adaptor-sleeve-for-coolpix-50005100-1374-p.asp
They also do a P5000/ 5100 specific cable release adaptor
barontan2418
Well-known member
Many thanks, that was a great help. Both items ordered.
Richard,
Check the Aperture in the photos Exif. You can get shadowing if it's too high. It should be around f3 - f4 . If it's much higher it may be causing a problem. This is one reason it's best to use Aperture Priority. Neil.
More photos with the P5100
I had the P5100 out and about over the last two days back in Hong Kong but there are not many birds about as the heat and humidity have a touch of summer about them. Here are a couple of my favorite local birds. I waited for a little bit of cloud cover for the Little Egret so as not to have too much glare off his back and head. I was happy with these as it was a bit hit and miss on the focus due to the brightness of the light on the screen. Neil.
Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter
Lamma Island,
Hong Kong,
May 2008
I had the P5100 out and about over the last two days back in Hong Kong but there are not many birds about as the heat and humidity have a touch of summer about them. Here are a couple of my favorite local birds. I waited for a little bit of cloud cover for the Little Egret so as not to have too much glare off his back and head. I was happy with these as it was a bit hit and miss on the focus due to the brightness of the light on the screen. Neil.
Nikon P5100 plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter
Lamma Island,
Hong Kong,
May 2008
Attachments
Jason Bugay Reyes
Well-known member
nice egret neil !
notatwitcher!
Registered Gadget Freak
Mr F, thanks for posting the photos of the adapter on the other thread. Only just seen as had a few days on Scillies. Looks like it does the same job as the UR-E20, but at least its available. According to Amazon they now have the UR back in stock but its £30. Thanks be I got mine for 20. I have found the SRB-Griturn flash socket cable release adapter for the P5100 a real boon for speed of setup. I'm still getting some blur Neil but it might be more wind on feathers. The attached (the bee-eater on St Agnes) was the P5100/Ur-E20, Kowa adapter on a 773 and the zoom eyepiece. Zoomed out on the camera and about 50x on the eyepiece. Shutter too slow?
Mike
Mike
Attachments
Mike,
I imagine it was. You were out at about 100x optical magnification (5000 mm ). Don't be to optimistic with the magnification. Dial back the camera zoom to about 30 - 40 % ( I usually use Green Macro zone which is about from 7 - 10.1 mm for sharpest results. Any more than 3000 mm total (60 x for camera and eyepiece ) is going to be a stretch.
Neil.
This is one of those grab shots that happen that in the old days I would have missed (with Nikon 4500/Canon A640 type cameras ) as you need a good bright screen to get on the bird quickly ( I had the Hoodman connected too ).
This Greater Coucal flew out of a water channel away from me with this large frog in it's mouth. It landed on a banana tree for a few seconds about 40 metres away and I managed to get 3 frames before it flew off. Only the second frame got me the head turn so I could see the frog.
The AF on the P5100 nailed this one in cloudy conditions.
Neil.
This Greater Coucal flew out of a water channel away from me with this large frog in it's mouth. It landed on a banana tree for a few seconds about 40 metres away and I managed to get 3 frames before it flew off. Only the second frame got me the head turn so I could see the frog.
The AF on the P5100 nailed this one in cloudy conditions.
Neil.
