Digiscoped Owlets

[woundedmallard]

Hey Everybirdy,

A pair of Great Horned owlets patiently waiting for Mom to return. Was hoping to get the return shot but lost the setting sun quickly. Next time out I'll shoot at 400mm on my D70 for an interesting comparison.

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View attachment 87841

 

[snownow]

if you get a chance mind taking a picture of this set up?

 

[cajun angel]

Awwww, what pretty little babies you captured! Way to go! Post more when you can!

 

[Gale]

Aren't they cute:>))
Not bad for digi

Are those the ones at MWR

 

[Lou Buscher]

Tom The second one looks a little soft. Did you digiscope these??? If so about how far are you taking the photos. I have had some sucess with my telescope and a D70 but very little and find my long glass works better for me but I have tried the Nikon set up (long time ago) but sent it back. With their P3 (I think) camera it gives a fair size print.
Lou
www.loubuscher.com

 

[Lou Buscher]

if you get a chance mind taking a picture of this set up?

Robert take a look at this link. It will gie you everything you want to know about a digiscope system This is Nikon but bear in mind there are better scopes out there if you want to spend the money. I can give you a few good dealers if you are interested in attempting this type of photography.

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/digiscope.php?group=15&subgroup=152&num=1

Lou

 

[Gale]

Lou
Well if this was taken where I think it was
The are a very longggggggggggggggggggggg distance away.
You can barely see them with a 500 and 1.7 tc.
But not sure of the location.
There is another nest closer..

 

[Lou Buscher]

Lou
Well if this was taken where I think it was
The are a very longggggggggggggggggggggg distance away.
You can barely see them with a 500 and 1.7 tc.
But not sure of the location.
There is another nest closer..

Thanks Gale, that's why I ask about how far the photos were taken. I have tried this type of photography and found it was not the greatest for birds as they are always moving. I did have some luck with my Kenco 80MM Telescope and adaptors for both Nikon and Pentax but I have only produced a few of any quality compared to useing my 800MM lens on my eagle nests. I have much better controll over my photo with the light that is available and I can do it much quicker which is a big factor. I still do it sometimes just for fun but if you really want to reach and get good quality than I believe vidio is the way to go but with a really good camera and they don't come cheap and there is maintance. Sometimes we just have to place a limit to the distance we have and if it goes beond that just record it in your mind. I have many like that. Check the link I placed on Roberts reply.
Lou

 

[Gale]

Lou
I wonder if the hubble would be enough...lolol
Long enough just never seems to be LONG enough. lol

Yes the limits are just so frustrating when you want a picture of what you see.
But yes memories are good to:>)))
I will check that link

 

[Gale]

Wow 3420mm...:>)))))
Ya know, that does look interesting.
OMG thats all I need to do is get interested in that money hole...lol

 

[Lou Buscher]

Wow 3420mm...:>)))))
Ya know, that does look interesting.
OMG thats all I need to do is get interested in that money hole...lol

Gale before you jump in make sure you have life preserver on.
I think you will find as many of us have already that what you see is not always what you get. Now that's nice of Nikon to post those numbers but remember one thing and thats with power come everything in the air you are trying to look through. Ever wonder where all those heat rays come from on a cool day when your looking through a scope or a good pair of bonocs. Try looking through a pair of 18X Canon binocs with image stableizer on them and just watch the rays as you push the button down to kick in the stableizer.
I have a lot of trouble with my 800mm if I place a 2X on it and try to MF on a hot day as the rays make it impossible to focus. But there is that one time and one photo that will make it seem worth while. Listen if your roof don't leak and the fridge is full and ths gas tank is also full and you want to do it than do it as life is short. Besides a good dealer will take it back in 30 days if you don't like it.:biggrin:
Lou

 

[woundedmallard]

Robert take a look at this link. It will gie you everything you want to know about a digiscope system This is Nikon but bear in mind there are better scopes out there if you want to spend the money. I can give you a few good dealers if you are interested in attempting this type of photography.

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/digiscope.php?group=15&subgroup=152&num=1

Lou

While there are certainly more expensive scopes, I don't know how much better. I used to have a top of the line Kowa scope, and used to have people with Swarovski's look in mine and say "wow"! And now having the Nikon 80mm ED, I don't see any difference. At the moment I'm using the 30 DS wide eyepiece which, while not bad simply for birding, is more suitable for digiscoping. I'm looking inot getting the 20-60X zoom eyepiece which is better for straight up birding.

 

[woundedmallard]

Gale before you jump in make sure you have life preserver on.
I think you will find as many of us have already that what you see is not always what you get. Now that's nice of Nikon to post those numbers but remember one thing and thats with power come everything in the air you are trying to look through. Ever wonder where all those heat rays come from on a cool day when your looking through a scope or a good pair of bonocs. Try looking through a pair of 18X Canon binocs with image stableizer on them and just watch the rays as you push the button down to kick in the stableizer.
I have a lot of trouble with my 800mm if I place a 2X on it and try to MF on a hot day as the rays make it impossible to focus. But there is that one time and one photo that will make it seem worth while. Listen if your roof don't leak and the fridge is full and ths gas tank is also full and you want to do it than do it as life is short. Besides a good dealer will take it back in 30 days if you don't like it.:biggrin:
Lou

Indeed the focal length quoted is more than likely with the full 4X digital zoom activated. I prefer to keep to the optical zoom. Heat shimmer will play a factor as will wind with all that magnification. Been learning not to stratch too far if you want a keeper. Have a comparison post coming up shortly.

 

[Phil K]

Thank Thomas, and also Lou. I already have a Swarovski scope for birdwatching and so is very interested in trying digiscopy. There are birds nesting on an island near my usual birding spot and the only way I can get some photos is by digiscopy as they are very very far away.

I tried last weekend with a Panasonic P&S but was unsuccessful as the light was very poor.

 

[Lou Buscher]

Indeed the focal length quoted is more than likely with the full 4X digital zoom activated. I prefer to keep to the optical zoom. Heat shimmer will play a factor as will wind with all that magnification. Been learning not to stratch too far if you want a keeper. Have a comparison post coming up shortly.

HI Tom I am afraid I don't understand your part about a digital zoom being activated as with both my Sigma 800MM and Canon 500MM these are the focal length of each lens. If I add the 2X to the 800mm it becomes 1600MM but it bumps the F stop up to F11 so I need a good day of light to use it plus a tripod of great strgenth which is an old wooden surveyors tripod I converted just for this. I did make one mistake as the Canon Binocs are not 18X but a stright 15X with the image stabilazer (IS) no digital factor is involved in any of these optics.
Lou

 

[Louis Champan]

Good shot for digiscoping.

Louie

 

[Lou Buscher]

While there are certainly more expensive scopes, I don't know how much better. I used to have a top of the line Kowa scope, and used to have people with Swarovski's look in mine and say "wow"! And now having the Nikon 80mm ED, I don't see any difference. At the moment I'm using the 30 DS wide eyepiece which, while not bad simply for birding, is more suitable for digiscoping. I'm looking inot getting the 20-60X zoom eyepiece which is better for straight up birding.

Tom Kowa is a great scope and I have a friend that uses one so I am not surprised to hear you say this about your Kowa scope. I do believe the very best is this one in this link if you can afford it.

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A80033F8E4/Contents-Frame/5E6B31A921D17AB8C12571C5004EAE5E
I also use a 20-60 TelVue eye piece for my telescope and yes it does work good
Lou