Camera for digiscoping?

huntindad4 · Mar 31, 2011

I am shopping for a point and shoot for my wife and will also use it for digiscoping with my Pentax PF80ED which I have the 20-60 zoom and also the 36x fixed wide angle lens.

Any advice is appreciated.

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!

Bruinbrewin · Apr 1, 2011

You need to stay under 4X optical zoom. I have 2 Canon's- an older SD800 3.8X with 7MP that works great for digi-scoping and a SX210 14X with 14MP that takes okay pictures with the scope. The smaller optical zoom allows you to zoom in closer using the spotting scope. The SX210 is a great camera but my older camera works much better for scoping pics.
BB

huntindad4 · Apr 2, 2011

Thanks for the response I was beginning to think I was asking for trade secrets or something.

I will check those out.

Any more from others?

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!

SLIVER · Apr 4, 2011

Tines up makes a great camera package that comes with the adapter for your spotting scope. I have it and it is sweet and way easy to use. The camera is a little cannon elf that will do pic's and 720p video. I love mine.

}}-SLIVER-->

huntindad4 · Apr 5, 2011

Sweet thanks SLIVER!

I have seen some of your pics on here I think, were they taken through a Pentax?

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!

SLIVER · Apr 5, 2011

The camera that I have is the cannon sd 1400is.

}}-SLIVER-->

O_S_O_K · Jun 6, 2011

Hey SLIVER,

Does the SD1400 have a tripod mount on it? Does it have a self timer?

Pretty tought to take good quality pics without a self timer, at least in my experience.

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

c3 · Jun 7, 2011

>You need to stay under 4X
>optical zoom. I have 2
>Canon's- an older SD800 3.8X
>with 7MP that works great
>for digi-scoping and a SX210
>14X with 14MP that takes
>okay pictures with the scope.
>The smaller optical zoom allows
>you to zoom in closer
>using the spotting scope. The
>SX210 is a great camera
>but my older camera works
>much better for scoping pics.
>
>BB

This is not correct. It is not the optical zoom that matters. It is the diameter of the lens. If the sensor and lens are too big you have to zoom in too far to see past the tube of the scope. Larger diameter lenses with low optical zoom like 6x max will never be able to see past the tube and only show a circle in the center.

A dslr for instance has a lens that is way bigger than the eye piece and can never get full frame pics or video through even the biggest eyepiece. It sees the outside of the eyepiece as much as through it. The SX210 has sensors and lens that is too big to work with any scope. They always have vignetting or a full black ring.

I have used a Panasonic TM700 camcorder with a 46mm diameter lens quite successfully, but I have to zoom in to 14x to get rid of the vignetting in the corners. This forces me to be at least 1/2 mile away to get an elk full frame.

This is why the SD1400 that tines up sells is so good. It has a small sensor and small lens that sees through the scope with out the vignetting even as low as 1.5x zoom.

Another cam that takes incredible 1080HD video is the Sony WX9. It again works very well.

Cheers,
Pete

huntindad4 · Jun 8, 2011

Awesome info ,thanks!

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!

SLIVER · Jun 8, 2011

>Hey SLIVER,
>
>Does the SD1400 have a tripod
>mount on it? Does
>it have a self timer?
>
>
>Pretty tought to take good quality
>pics without a self timer,
>at least in my experience.
>
>
>Let me know your thoughts.
>Thanks

Sorry for the late reply. The camera does have a tripod mounting hole, and self timer. I have taken some great pics/video with this little set up at far distances and it is way easy to use. The quality of the pic's can be attributed to the quality of your spotting scope.

}}-SLIVER-->

SLIVER · Jun 8, 2011

Sorry for the late reply. The camera does have a tripod mounting hole, and self timer. I have taken some great pics/video with this little set up at far distances and it is way easy to use. The quality of the pic's can be attributed to the quality of your spotting scope.

}}-SLIVER-->