Of digital cameras and field telescopes

I just got off the phone from a local photography supplier. He was rude and hung up on me...saying he didn't have enough time to answer questions on the phone..but if I could just come down, he would be more then happy to answer them.

Pissed me off tremendously. End result..never will I buy stuff off of him again.

Anyhow, there is a happy ending to this. I phoned because I wanted to connect my Baush & Lomb Discoverer 15x -60x field telescope to my digital camera to give me a wildlife setup. Digital cameras only have 4X max zoom if your lucky. So, I had the 35MM adapter, and a minolta T2 adapter that came with the telescope when I bought it. I assumed that all I needed was a 28mm Nikon T2 adapter for my Nikon Coolpix 990 to use it.

Well, just before he hung up on me, he stated that since Nikon didn't support T2 adapters yet (I have had this camera for 2 years, and been waiting), he did let slip that some of his frustrated digital camera clients have forgone the adapter and just held it up to the eyepiece and took pictures.

Well this makes sense. Because 35mm and CCDs on digital cameras are not the same size, the photo adapter and a T2 adapter would not work with digital cameras. For 35MM camera, the set up would bring it to the focal point. On digital cameras, it wouldn't. End result, a small blurry white fuzzy circle with major vignetting.

So, I tried it, and it works wonderfully. Because I wear eyeglasses, I just focus so that I can see it clear, and place the camera to the eyepiece and presto, instant clear crisp 1000mm photos at low 15X zoom with no zoom on the camera. the autofocus even focuses through the lens on the object. So long as the telephoto is properly focused, you get really nice photos.

This gives me a vignette, so I just zoom all the way 3X on my camera, and I get nice super blow ups with no vignetting. Hot damn..I think I will post some pictures later. The only thing you have to do is turn off your flash, and hold it very steady. You can use 2 tripods as well if need be.

So, if you have a digital camera and a telescope..go for it.

Well I just got around to taking some pictures.

I have uploaded 2 series to just try it out.

Series one consist of several Cityworks dump trucks located 5 blocks away.They are messing up the road again.

Field scope 1: shows the vignetting when I have the camera set to wide angle 28mm. 15X zoom on B&L Discoverer.

2: 15X on Discoverer. Coolpix 990 set to 3x zoom. You can see it is a hot day due to the heat haze.
3: 30X on Discoverer. Wide angle on Coolpix.
4: 30X on Discoverer. 3x zoom on Coolpix.
5: 60X on Discoverer. Wide angle on Coolpix.
6: 60X on Discoverer. 3X zoom on Coolpix.
Field scope 3x: 3x zoom using the Coolpix alone.

Next series shows an industrial building..part of the steel plant. These were all set at 15X on the field scope. I just wanted to see what difference zooming the camera would have. Take note the purple fringe seen one the edges of the building. All digital cameras will do this if there is great contrast…dark building and bright sunlight. Normal photos..you won’t see it..but because these are all super tele shots, it magnifies the chromatic abrasion found in all lens. It doesn’t help either that I am using 2 lenses.

A: 3X zoom on camera.
B: 1x zoom on camera.
C: Wide angle on camera.

Field scope wide: shows wide angle setting of camera alone.
Field scope 3X: shows 3X zoom setting of camera alone.


Well, I will say, not bad. Keep in mind I am hand holding the camera. Using 2 tripods will work better. At these magnifications, any variance in handshake or focus really shows. These pictures can only get better with practice. I may build a custom tripod adapter for this set up in the future…

PICTURES