question about purchasing Nikon photo- and/or Swarovski digiscoping- equipment (1 Viewer)

[vd Berg]

Hello,

Is the photo quality of a Nikon Z8 + Z 800mm f6.3 + Z TC-2.0x (autofocus, 32x magnification, f/12.6) (very) (much) better / equal / worse than the digiscoping photo quality of a Nikon Z8 + Swarovski 115mm lens (manual focus, 30x magnification, approximately f/11.2) for example a Little Stint (Calidris minuta) at approximately 100m distance?

In other words, invest in a Nikon Z camera + Nikon lens or Nikon Z camera + Swarovski lens?

Kind regards, Jac

 

[etudiant]

I've no experience with any of this gear, so can't begin to answer your question.
DRodrigues ( [email protected]) is probably your best source here on BF, he has posted extensively on extreme digiscoping systems such as you are considering. See his CR-Photography on PT-Ducks for an intro.
It may help that these are two pretty disparate use cases, the camera setup is at relatively flexible and responsive, certainly much more so than the hulking Z8/Swaro 115/tripod combo, which however would shine when used for long observations.

 

[vd Berg]

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Hello,

Is the photo quality of a Nikon Z8 + Z 800mm f6.3 + Z TC-2.0x (autofocus, 32x magnification, f/12.6) (very) (much) better / equal / worse than the digiscoping photo quality of a Nikon Z8 + Swarovski 115mm lens (manual focus, 30x magnification, approximately f/11.2) for example a Little Stint (Calidris minuta) at approximately 100m distance?

In other words, invest in a Nikon Z camera + Nikon lens or Nikon Z camera + Swarovski lens?

Kind regards, Jac

I have old Nikon and 95mm Swarovski for digiscoping etc. At 100m, I don't think the quality from digiscoping would be able to match the 800mm with TC.

If you want to observe and take pics of birds, scope would be the best bet. If you want to take excellent quality of images, the 800mm lens would be the best ones.

Black & Yellow Broadbill with Nikon V1 + Swarovski Optik STX95 scope at 5m at 30x




Purple Heron with Nikon D3s + Swarovski Optik STX65 scope around 20m at 20x




Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks

 

[vd Berg]

Thanks for your help.

 

[MiddleRiver]

I’ve seen some great scope pics but 95% of my pics are ‘on the move’. NO way I’d have time to setup scope etc., so for me it’s comparing apples and oranges. Each has its place but they overlap little imho.

 

[Gzoladz74]

Digiscoping is great for when you don't have a camera at hand or you don't want to carry one. But for the best pictures, camera + lens is the best option for most, if not all, cases.