Spotting Scope as DSLR lens?

[GetCarter]

Mrs Get has come into a few quid and wants to buy a good quality wildlife spotting scope (not astro). After much surfing, the Leica APO-Televid 77 looks like the choice as not only is it (apparently) blimmin' good... but we can strap the DSLR's onto the back end and get some pics.

My question.... take a look at the stats below... Is f10.4/f13 just too slow? If so there are other scopes that we are considering, but without the photo opportunities - the SLR adaptor is quite a cost in itself.

"35mm SLR photo adapter makes scope become 800mm f/10.4 or 1000mm f/13 lens"

We are keen on the above, but worried that we'll need very bright days to get any decent shots. (Otters tend to move quite fast!)

Bumping up ISO big time perhaps?

Thoughts?

Ta

[ledaig]

No idea myself, but if no one else here can help you could try : bird forum

Although bird biased, there are plenty of people into digiscoping over there.

hth

[GetCarter]

Cheers... I've posted there.

Steve

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

800mm slow lens... ooo that's going to be nasty to use. From my experiments out at those focal lengths you need a tripod you'd usually mount a Gatling gun on AND mirror lock up at anything but super fast shutter speeds. @ 1000mm / F11 with a very good astro tripod but sat on a well built wooden deck, I could see me heart beat moving everything through the view finder, and that was with me stood next to it, not touching!

I've used a very similar scope to the one you mention and they're very good for viewing wildlife and I nearly bought one (I just got sidetracked and didn't get around to it). I'm not sure how many shots I'd get out of it with a camera on it though.

[grimston barr]

Can't help with the digiscoping aspect as I've never tried it. However, I did 'test drive' the Leica 'scope and whilst I cannot fault the optics (stunning clarity) it is a real monster to use. In the end I bought a Nikon 60mm Fieldscope ED III angled; the clarity is superb and it's a much smaller 'scope which I found easier to handle. Not sure if there are any relative benefits with physical 'scope size when it comes to digiscoping, but I would recommend you try the Nikon as a possible alternative - you're a Nikon junkie anyway, aren't you...!?

[FunkyNige]

Dad looked into getting a mount for his scope, but after seeing the price he just sticks his digi-compact up to the viewfinder -

[GetCarter]

grimston barr said:

I did 'test drive' the Leica 'scope and whilst I cannot fault the optics (stunning clarity) it is a real monster to use.

Question... The scope isn't going to be lugged around the Highlands, but permanently situated looking over a loch. Was it a monster to use because of weight, setup etc, or a monster even when it was setup?

Ta

[sparkythecat]

Think 800mm is big, what about this one?.



Used by Life magazine to photograph the early Apollo space launches, it's 2000mm

[Grimston Barr]

GetCarter said:

Question..

More of a monster in regard to lugging it around. If you haven't yet seen/tried one, it's BIG. As I said though, cannot fault the optics, probably the best out there for the money. If you're not intending to carry it far and wide I think you'll be well pleased with it. Even in grey / overcast conditions it seems to suck in light from another world...!

If you can arrange a demo of a few different scopes you'll see what I mean. I think 'In Focus' organise field sales days - have a look at their web site [url]www.at-infocus.co.uk/[/url]

Whatever you decide to get it makes you more critical of camera lenses. I bought a Nikon eyepiece with x20 to x60 zoom capability and whenever I look through the scope I always wish I had a camera lens that could get that close with so much clarity and light...

[GetCarter]

Grimston Barr said:

GetCarter said: Question.. More of a monster in regard to lugging it around. If you haven't yet seen/tried one, it's BIG. As I said though, cannot fault the optics, probably the best out there for the money. If you're not intending to carry it far and wide I think you'll be well pleased with it. Even in grey / overcast conditions it seems to suck in light from another world...! If you can arrange a demo of a few different scopes you'll see what I mean. I think 'In Focus' organise field sales days - have a look at their web site [url]www.at-infocus.co.uk/[/url] Whatever you decide to get it makes you more critical of camera lenses. I bought a Nikon eyepiece with x20 to x60 zoom capability and whenever I look through the scope I always wish I had a camera lens that could get that close with so much clarity and light...

Cheers for the help chap.

[te51cle]

Can it really be done with DSLRs ? I thought digiscoping was confined to compacts ?

[GetCarter]

DSLRs are not a problem (with certain scopes and expensive adapters - £279 for the Leica).


Lots of talk of a new 82mm Leica scope coming out in the next few months, so we're going to keep our eye to the ground.




>> Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 26th March 13:40

[Bacardi]

Well if you need something with larger aperture you could try one of these, same brand, same excellent optical quality:



Apo-Telyt-R 5,6/1600mm (or 3200mm with a 2x converter... and that's full frame 35mm!), 42kg. A snip at $1500000.

[GetCarter]

Don't you just hate show offs?

[cvp]

GetCarter said:

Mrs Get has come into a few quid and wants to buy a good quality wildlife spotting scope (not astro). After much surfing, the Leica APO-Televid 77 looks like the choice as not only is it (apparently) blimmin' good... but we can strap the DSLR's onto the back end and get some pics. Bumping up ISO big time perhaps? Thoughts? Ta

Steve

Have you thought about the Nikon Fieldscope series? Also has a dedicated adaptor for F mount Nikons, so you can use both your cameras on these.

I haven't seent he output from thr Nikon or the leica but have from soem birders using Swarskoki(?sp) scopes and older Nikon Collpix 4500's on the back. The quality from this combo was amazingly good as it was quite a basic compact.

All were tripod mounted and shot with a shutter release and were of animals in a very static "display" type posture. In terms of bang for the buck I costed the Nikon ED 82 scope plus adaptor plus 20-60* zoom eyepiece at about a grand.

So if it's relatively slow moving stuff then I'd certainly recommend it based on the results I have seen achieved, but for fast moving animals you may be fairly constrained by that aperture.

Chris

[dcw@pr]

Bacardi said:

Well if you need something with larger aperture you could try one of these, same brand, same excellent optical quality: Apo-Telyt-R 5,6/1600mm (or 3200mm with a 2x converter... and that's full frame 35mm!), 42kg. A snip at $1500000.

wtf?

who would use that?

[GetCarter]

...a bloke with a big camera bag or a small willy

edited to add... or a blue check shirt obviously

>> Edited by GetCarter on Monday 27th March 14:48

[ehasler]

GetCarter said:

...a bloke with a big camera bag or a small willy

It would be cheaper to buy a Ferrari

[Bacardi]

dcw@pr said:

who would use that?

Someone very rich who wants to photograph far away things?

I would just like to point out that it's not me in the picture, although I plead guilty to buying a 5L V8 to compensate for any shortcomings .