Chooing a camera for Swarovski ATS80HD with 20-60x, DCB (1 Viewer)

[yenlung]

I have a Swarovski ATS80HD spotting scope with a 20-60x zoom eyepiece. Recently I bought a DCB bracket because I like the idea that I can use my spotting scope as usual and flip my camera down to take a quick picture if I want.

Anyway, I start to look for a camera. I try to read as many posts in this forum as possible. However, the more I read, the harder I can make the decision and the list of possible cameras becomes longer and longer...

To name a few,

Nikon P6000

Canon S90, G11 (I still don't quite understand why a G series camera is not a good choice for digiscoping?)

Panasonic FX150 (FX180), LX3 (70mm is too short?)

Sony WX1, TX1 (today a friend of mine told me I should consider a camera with "internal zoom lens", that's why I add TX1 to my list)

Fujifilm F200EXR

Ricoh GX200 (again, 70mm is too short?) or new GXR

...

I hope the camera:

1. have no vignetting if it is possible.
2. can be quickly setup.
3. have a shutter release cable or a remote control (is it important?)

I am still debating whether I should get a smaller compact camera or a more powerful, but heavier one (like P6000).

Do I miss some important point? Do you have any experience in this kind of (or similar) setup? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Yenlung

 

[jourdaj]

Yenlung,
Welcome to BirdForum! I'm sure you'll get more responses, but my vote is for a Coolpix P6000. Its may not give you a vignette-free image, but image quality is very good and color balance is great! Check out Neil Pfifer's P6000 Forum thread. I have one and am extremely happy w/ the quality from it! Best of luck w/ whichever camera you choose!

 

[yenlung]

Jerry,

Thanks a lot for your recommendation. Coolpix P6000 is on the top of my list. I like P6000 for its high optical quality, and also GPS and remote control. Although some reported that GPS and remote control might not as helpful as I thought.

I am still debating that I should get a full-featured but "bulky" one like P6000, or some ultra compact ones which will be easier to carry around.

Yenlung

 

[davidblades]

Guys

I tried to order a P6000 yesterday and was told it has been discontinued :-(

In the UK everyone seems to be out of stock.

Dave

 

[obelix]

yenlugn, the zoom range of the canon g series is too large, which gives you a LOT of vignetting. If you're willing to spend that amount of money, you might wanna check out the panasonic lumix g1. It's being discussed at lenghth in this forum.

Paul

 

[yenlung]

Thanks, Paul. You answered to my question for a long time. I also found the discussion http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=125411 is helpful. Now I can at least drop one camera from my list.

Panasonic G1 is a nice camera, but I don't think it will fit my DCB-A. I believe that I will need a DCA or UCA. Of course I might get one someday.

 

[obelix]

Panasonic G1 is a nice camera, but I don't think it will fit my DCB-A. I believe that I will need a DCA or UCA. Of course I might get one someday.

Yes, I think you're right. Moreover, in the G1 thread someone said the G1 doesn't work very well with a 20-60 zoom eyepiece. Well, I think you might want to try the S90 then; I haven't used it myself but have been looking at it with eager eyes ;-)

I have Canon 590IS now. It works pretty well, but the LCD is'n't very good, making focusing a bit of a hassle.

Paul

 

[bughunter]

Panasonic G1 is a nice camera, but I don't think it will fit my DCB-A. I believe that I will need a DCA or UCA. Of course I might get one someday.

Today I bought a G1. I have also a DCB-A. A pancake is on the way to me, I hope I will get it soon. With the pancake I hope I can still use the DCB-A. With that kind of mounting the front of the pancake can move in and out during auto focus, which may be a problem with the DCA.

 

[wings]

I have Canon 590IS now. It works pretty well, but the LCD is'n't very good, making focusing a bit of a hassle.

Paul

___________________

I am inclined to agree with you on this. I have one. Also, as with most Point-and-shoot cameras there is so much grain beyond ISO 200 because of the small sensor size, coupled with more and more megapixels.

 

[yenlung]

Today I bought a G1. I have also a DCB-A. A pancake is on the way to me, I hope I will get it soon. With the pancake I hope I can still use the DCB-A. With that kind of mounting the front of the pancake can move in and out during auto focus, which may be a problem with the DCA.

Sound interesting. Please let me know if the G1 + pancake can fit DCB-A.

 

[Suffolkringer]

Camera

Hello

I have swaro 80hd, 20x60 but a DCA adapter. I use a Sony W300 which I see is no longer about, however if all the Sony cameras still use the stamina battery I can very much recomend one.

I used to have a Nikon before Sony and I have to say the battery life on the Sony is far far superior. Something to consider maybe?

All the best

 

[Hanno]

I use the Ricoh Caplio GX 100. Some vignetting, but I like the fact that I can shoot RAW and that it comes witha wire remote.

 

[yenlung]

Hello

I have swaro 80hd, 20x60 but a DCA adapter. I use a Sony W300 which I see is no longer about, however if all the Sony cameras still use the stamina battery I can very much recomend one.

I used to have a Nikon before Sony and I have to say the battery life on the Sony is far far superior. Something to consider maybe?

All the best

Thanks, I think W300 is replaced by WX1, and I am considering to buy it. "Party-shot" is kind of cool though it is not related to digiscoping, at least by now. It would be very cool if someday there is a device that can automatically take pictures of birds.

 

[yenlung]

I use the Ricoh Caplio GX 100. Some vignetting, but I like the fact that I can shoot RAW and that it comes witha wire remote.

I actually have a Ricoh GRD, so I do like cameras from Ricoh. I never use a USB remote before. I heard it lag a bit, is it? If it works well, it might be the few cameras with "official" wired shutter release.

Since I do like a camera with a shutter release cable or a remote control, I do some homework and here are the results.

Nikon:
P6000 has an optional remote control ML-L3.

Ricoh:
GX200/GXR have an optional USB remote control.

Canon:
Canons might use http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK to provide the ability of using a USB remote control. Unfortunately, new S90 is not on the list (yet). S90 can use an adapter http://www.digiscoshop.com/digisco_mart/digisco_br_s90.htm with a shutter release cable.

Sony:
Like S90, there is an adapter to enable WX1 to use with a shutter release cable:
http://www.digiscoshop.com/digisco_mart/digisco_br_wx1.htm

 

[Hanno]

I heard it lag a bit, is it?

Can't say that I have noticed that.

 

[bughunter]

Nikon:
P6000 has an optional remote control ML-L3.

I have the P6000 with this IR remote, but it has some disadvantages:
- only single shots, no series
- no prefocus
Yes, the P6000 AF works great behind a eyepiece - but it needs some time so I missed some good shots due to the delay between pressing the button on the IR and the shot.

CHDK for Canon is working much better. There is also only one signal (power on USB), but you can prefocus before taking the shot. The clever CHDK developers implemented somekind of a "double click".

Regarding the G1: I haven't forget your question regarding DCB-A, but my pancake doesn't arrived yet. And yes, there is also a cable release for the G1.

 

[bughunter]

Sound interesting. Please let me know if the G1 + pancake can fit DCB-A.

This evening the pancake arrived and yes, the G1 can be mounted with the 20mm pancake. So I can post some pics as promised. If the DCB-A camera slider is moved to the far end, then there is a 30mm space between the front of the pancake and the eyepiece, so there is some space for bigger lenses.
On the pictures the cam is mounted it one click to close to the eyepiece, so the lens could touch the eyepiece during hunting for focus.
For optical quality I cannot say anything at the moment, because its already dark outside.

 

[RJM]

Most of my digiscoped shots are between 3000mm and 5000mm. That's the main reason I gave up trying to make a dslr work afocally with a fieldscope. Trying to get that focal length just made everything too big/heavy and cumbersome to use in the field. I am perfectly content with my Pany FX150 now.

happy holidays,
Rick

 

[yenlung]

I have the P6000 with this IR remote, but it has some disadvantages:
- only single shots, no series
- no prefocus
Yes, the P6000 AF works great behind a eyepiece - but it needs some time so I missed some good shots due to the delay between pressing the button on the IR and the shot.

CHDK for Canon is working much better. There is also only one signal (power on USB), but you can prefocus before taking the shot. The clever CHDK developers implemented somekind of a "double click".
G1.

Thank you very much for providing so much valuable information. Your G1 setting looks pretty good. Please share the experience once you have a chance to try it.

Yenlung

 

[yenlung]

Rick,

I am still debating between a compact digital camera or something with more control. I notice that you have some kind of bracket to use a cable release on your FX150. Does it work well? I am asking because I did try something similar long time ago, but when I took picture the device will shake the camera a bit.