Digiscoping

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As of October 4th, 2008, we have officially joined the cult of Digiscopers. Not sure what a digiscoper is or what you need to participate in digiscoping? You’ve come to the right place!

If you have a digiscoping question please contact us and we’ll do our best to assist you.

digiscoping definition: to combine a spotting scope and a digital camera to produce digital photography. Thus, a digiscoper is someone who does digiscoping. We discuss the digiscoping definition in more detail here.

View our Digiscoped Lifelist – birds we’ve digiscoped.

Our Digiscoping Setup

Check out our updated digiscoping setup!!

Other Digiscoping Setups

The Bufflehead Birder – Swarovski 80HD AT and Nikon P5100
Mike McDowell – Swarovski 80HD AT (older version) and Nikon Coolpix 8400
Discovering Alpine Birds

If you have a digiscoping question please contact us and we’ll do our best to assist you.

{ 7 trackbacks }

Phriday Photo (and Video) - Pine Siskin & American Goldfinch | Birdfreak: The Bird Conservation Blog: January 2, 2009 at 3:57 am
Swarovski Optik and 10,000 Birds: January 6, 2009 at 4:01 am
Phriday Photo - Cardinals and Waxwings | Birdfreak: The Bird Conservation Blog: January 9, 2009 at 8:00 am
Phriday Photo - Digiscoped Dunlins: May 29, 2009 at 2:11 am
Digiscoping is Child’s Play: June 30, 2009 at 5:10 am
Review of Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: July 21, 2009 at 2:14 am
Phriday Photo – Whooping Cranes at Nygren Wetlands: November 27, 2009 at 4:50 am

{ 15 comments }

1 Amanda Barber October 8, 2008 at 9:05 am: I am so confused about this digiscoping! (
2 The Birdfreak Team October 10, 2008 at 10:49 am: Stay tuned and we’ll try to explain it as best as possible!!
3 wren October 10, 2008 at 4:23 pm: My adapter looks very different from yours, and is a bit awkward to use. Perhaps they’ve improved the design since I bought mine? It might be worth an update/upgrade.
4 Amanda Barber October 12, 2008 at 11:18 pm: Is the set up very expensive?? I desperately want to get better photos.
5 The Birdfreak Team October 16, 2008 at 7:22 pm: Wren – not sure about the different adapters. The one we got matches the scope and is made by Swarovski.

Amanda – yes, the setup is expensive but the scope itself is super awesome without taking photos through it. Getting good photos takes a lot of practice as we are finding out. But you can get some AMAZING photos with it (we need more practice).
6 Pat O'Donnell October 18, 2008 at 10:29 pm: Really cool set-up! I get some good shots with hand held Sony Cybershot and Swarovski 65mm but only with a lot of light. Kind of wishing I would have sprung the extra bucks for the 80 HD.
7 Kshea November 6, 2008 at 7:47 pm: Love the swaro-centric digiscoping setup. This is such an awesome way to take reference shots or better in the field. Just 1 question though, why not use a cable remote with the XTi to free up your right hand for pan/tilt?

~K
8 The Birdfreak Team November 7, 2008 at 10:11 am: We do have a remote but it isn’t a cable remote. We’ll have to try using it in the field but the tripod allows for panning with the left hand on the scope (for focusing as well).
9 edho November 15, 2008 at 11:50 pm: can i get the detail info on the price for this device (exclude camera) thanks! greetings from indonesia
10 The Birdfreak Team November 18, 2008 at 8:38 pm: edho – retail price varies but currently a package deal at eagleoptics.com is going for around $3,300.
11 Daniel November 24, 2008 at 4:38 pm: I have the scope (NC STAR 20×60) I have the camera (Sony H7)….cant make the camera lens fit to the scopes eye piece…so it aint working.

any ideas?
12 The Birdfreak Team December 3, 2008 at 7:47 pm: Daniel – a camera store would be the best bet. You probably need an adapter or step up/down ring to attach the camera properly. Or you could email eagleoptics.com as they are more familiar with all the hundreds of cameras and scopes.
13 Melissa Gold December 6, 2008 at 7:52 pm: Wow, dream stuff for me
14 Gary December 27, 2008 at 4:02 pm: I have the Swaro 80 HD ATS, DCA and Nikon d300 plus 50mm lens.
Curious about which mode you shoot with, ISO, speed etc.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
15 Prakash Tuljapurkar April 27, 2009 at 9:58 pm: I aminterested in bird photography.For last 3 years I am in this line and is my hobby.
I have a canon DSLR 400 D camera with 18-55 and 70- 300 lenses.
whether this digiscope will add more facility for shhoting birds? I am specialising on flying birds. Have good collection. Please let me know whether the attachments can be used for my camera? what could be the price? And whethe it will add to my
capability to get better photographs?