'digiscoping adaptor'

[JPS]

Hi all,
has anyone used a 'digiscoping adaptor' connecting their D-SLR camera with a spotting scopes or telescope?
I was wondering if they worked well or the end results (pictures) were poor.

If anyone has any experience in using one I would be interested in their thoughts. Any pictures using one would be nice to see if possible.

Cheers
John

[shreds]

John,

I think you will find that whilst they will give the magnification, the quality will degrade significantly especially with any adaptors or similar. It all depends on what you want the end product to be.

I am sure reasonable shots can be obtained on a bright perfect condition day, but would you be better hiring a big lens for a day?

[JPS]

Thanks Ian,
I thought that might be the case; I was thinking of trying moon / star shots; big lens it is then.
Now how do I tell the wife?

Cheers
John

[ajohnw]

It's probably very much like taking photo's through a microscope. The eyepieces are used to finally correct the optics so one of the easiest ways is to use a compact camera focused to infinity very close to the eyepiece. The camera needs a zoom to allow the image to fully fill the frame. Couple of links

http://www.digiscopediary.co.uk/

Having done this sort of thing with a microscope he gives a decent run down. Getting distance between the camera lens and the eyepiece correct for best results can be a bit tricky with some set ups. Not sure about the way he is using a DSLR. I would expect some one to make a special form of eyepiece for that and the one to use would have to be made by the same people who made the scope.

Another

http://petapixel.com/2012/11/09/digi...elephoto-lens/

This seems to get lost on the way to a conclusion. Telescopes have a limit on maximum magnification. One is the usual diffraction aspect and the other is the quality of the optics. A term called empty magnification is used. At some point higher magnification results in less contrast and no more detail. Or worse still if the optics deviate from being diffraction limited within reason more and more fuzzy which often means that the theoretical maximum magnification can't be reached. Nothing remotely like it in practice unless the optics are really good = expensive.

John
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[shreds]

Thanks Ian,
I thought that might be the case; I was thinking of trying moon / star shots; big lens it is then.
Now how do I tell the wife?

Cheers
John

Preferably with a bottle of wine, expensive meal, new shoes, new handbag, new purse, new coat and a foreign holiday should just about swing a days hire for you.

[Ken MT]

Should be able to buy it for that!

[shreds]

Thats why lenses are so expensive

Not forgetting to say…….'because you are worth it'.

[jcuknz]

From what I read about using telescopes it was frequently mentioned that results depend on the quality of the telescope and your ability to work with an up-side down image the way LF users do. This was some years back before the long 'super-zoom' cameras came out. I guess it is assumed that the DSLR user will get the proper gear for the job and it was done by fixed lens cameras users

[ajohnw]

Olivon make an 80mm scope that uses ED glass and has a focal length of 480mm. They also make a projection eyepiece for it to use with dslr's. Cost about £1000 for the scope and £150 for the eyepiece. Doesn't seem to be much information about on what the effective focal length of the set up is or it's magnification.

John
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[Rob Ekins]

Hi all,
has anyone used a 'digiscoping adaptor' connecting their D-SLR camera with a spotting scopes or telescope?
I was wondering if they worked well or the end results (pictures) were poor.

If anyone has any experience in using one I would be interested in their thoughts. Any pictures using one would be nice to see if possible.

Cheers
John

John,
I have just recently found the "Ice in space" website. It seems to have plenty of helpful folks just like here.

Take a look, I am sure there will be plenty of folk there happy to answer all of your questions.

Link to the "Beginners Astrophotography forum"

Robbie.