Digiscoping – what is it and why do it?

Have you ever wondered how they get those detailed photos of birds and other critters you see on web pages?  Well a lot of times the photographer is using some huge lens set up that sits on the front of the camera like a bazooka. You often see these at sporting events where press photographers are taking pictures.  Nature photographers like to use these as well.  I have spoken here about Yellowstone several times and have indicated that there is a need for significant lensatic enhancement if you want to view the wildlife found in YNP.  It is not a requirement but it will enhance the joy of you visit considerably. But you say, I can’t afford a $1,500 – $5,000 lens for a every couple of years trip to one of our national parks. Amen brother neither can many of the rest of us. 

And this is where digiscoping comes in. Digiscoping is fundamentally using an inexpensive point and shoot camera attached to a spotting scope to achieve similar lens characteristics to those of much more expensive camera and lens set ups.  Before anyone gets too high on their horse, it is not the same, but for $400 ($250 for the spotting scope and $150 for the point and shoot camera) it is close enough for those of us who do not have our photos published in national periodicals. These set ups can provide upwards of 1,000 mm lens equivalence.  Now the light (f-stop) issues are going to be intense so depth of field will be an issue and chromatic (color) integrity won’t be as good as a high dollar lens but for the average viewer it will be amazing and reasonably priced.

The hobby of digiscoping has had its impetus from the birding community.  The birders have been putting more and more pressure on themselves to be absolutely certain of the species of bird they are documenting. To this end they require an inordinate amount of magnification out of their photographic equipment to be absolutely sure that that is a hooded merganser versus a northern shoveler.  Thanks to them this whole hobby has flourished and is quite fun whether you are a birder or some other kind of critter watcher.

Let’s spend a few minutes considering the stuff you need to make this happen.  First a point and shoot camera.  I use a Nikon CoolPix P5000 and a Nikon D 70.  Lest we get into a discussion about stuff that does not matter, any camera over 5 mega pixels will do fine so don’t worry about pixel counts. The bigger concern is the magnification needs to be down under 5X! You can google all of this stuff and find out lots more than I know about it but suffice it to say that cameras with less than 5X magnification will let enough light into the camera and keep aperture size large enough to make your photos not vignetted.  When photos vignette you get a picture of the object with a dark circle around the object which then has to be cropped out with some fancy or not so fancy software.  Keep your camera under 5X ( I never go over 3X) and you will much happier. 

Spotting scopes come in all sizes and flavors.  Something to consider is actual cost.  Sounds obvious but it is not.  Some scopes come without a lens which means you buy a scope for what seems like a good price $300 – $500 and when it shows up in the brown truck, and low and behold you need a lens.  So $150 later your reasonably priced scope is now pretty expensive.  Now here is the real kicker.  It is as important what tripod you use as it is what scope you buy.  Expect a good tripod to have a $300 – $400 price tag.  Now do you have to have that, nope, but eventually that is where you are headed.  So run to Wally World and pick up a Velbon that will get you by but know that it is just the hors d’oeuvre.

Other things to concider include scope lens caps, rain covers, camera mounts and adapters, a bag or case to carry this stuff. Cabela’s and Bass Pro are good places to find cases and whole kits that will get you ready for digiscoping. So shop around and see what bargains you can find. A tip. check out the bargain caves at Cabela’s and Bass Pro for returned stuff that you may be able to latch onto for a really low price.

Now a few comments on spotting scopes.  You are looking for something in the 20 – 60 power.  This is usually noted as 20 – 60x. Which means that stuff looks 20 – 60 times magnification.  There are fixed power scopes that are 28x or 35x or 60x and there are variables that are noted as 20 – 60x and so on.  I like the 20 – 60x variables.  They let me “find” things at 20 power and then get in real close at 60x. A word about the other end of the scope this is also much ballyhooed.  60mm and 80mm are the 2 most popular but you will find everything under the sun from 35mm to 105mm. 60 and 80 both work great and will do everything you want for most digiscoping needs.  and even if you pick out a 20 – 60x X 80mm you will only use it at 20x for digiscoping. But for just fun viewing, and there will be lots of that, you will want a high power magnification.  When that grizz is 3/4 of a mile away the 60x will be in use quite a bit. And folks will be walking up awkwardly and saying, “would you mind if I looked through your scope?” And you puff out your chest a little and say, “sure go ahead, my wife just got me this for our anniversary.”

So who makes these spotting scopes?  Bushnell, Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Leupold, Swarovski and a host of others. If you Google digiscoping you will be amazed.  B & H Photo and Eagle Optics and others provide valuable help in picking out your “package.” I mention these two because I have purchased equipment from both and have found them to be honest and trustworthy in their products and their service before and after the sale. One final word about scopes, Swarovski is the creme de la creme.  There stuff is known the world over as really high quality stuff and their prices reflect that quality.  Do some surfing and you will see what I mean. So if you wish to spend $2,500 – $3,000 you can but I use Bushnell products and have been very happy. I have an Legend spotting scope in 20 – 60X60 and an Elite in 20 – 60 X 80 and find them both to be excellent.

So we have a scope, a camera, a tripod and more memory cards than we think we can use and wonder, am I ready to go? Maybe an entry on photo storage devices is coming soon huh?  Nope you are missing the one ingredient that Mr. Golderg is working on as we speak.  You have to hook the camera to the spotting scope or (and there are a number of really good digiscopers who do it this way, Laurence Poh the father of digiscoping) be able to hold the camera very still while taking your pictures. These adaptors are found in every form and price range.  From $35 – $500 (Swarovski again) and attach your camera via the screw at the base of the camera to the lens via a compression screw system.  None of these are perfect, although the Swarovski one appears to be pretty close, They will allow you to take very nice photos of things so far away you cannot tell with the naked eye what it is you are looking at.

And the real fun of it all is having that stranger come up and say, ”what are we looking at? I promised my daughter she would see a grizzly while we were on vacation and we are leaving today without seeing one, are you guys watching a grizzly.”  And your response is, “yeah, right down there is a grizzly laying on its back and over to the left of it are 15 wolves from the Slough Creek pack, sunning themselves.  Bring her over and let’s let her see some wildlife.” At that moment the price of all of that stuff is completely forgotten and it is all about humans relating with humans about the wonder of nature.

Mom said, “Go Outside and Play!”

I can remember as a young man coming in from school or getting up on a Saturday morning and asking Mom, ” what should I do today?” Mom’s standard response was, “go outside and play.” She had house work to do keeping things neat and orderly, with my younger brother and I, that in itself was pretty time consuming.  None the less, being somewhat typical, we took Mom’s direction (does anyone remember minding what your mother told you to do?) and headed out the door to do the kinds of things that kids in the 50’s and 60’s did.  We played in the park across the alley and rode bicycles, waded in Blackhawk Creek (could this be a hint as to my origins?) and hunted feral pigeons with BB guns in the west end. As I matured (or at least grew older) these pass times turned into more focused hobbies. Playing in the park turned into hiking, hunting and fishing. Wading in the creek blended with pigeon shooting to become a passion for wild fowling and wild critter observation. Recording these events turned into an interest in photography, especially digital photography. Along the way ATVs, four wheel drive vehicles, Boy Scouting, and number of other outdoor based pass times became the core of who I am and what I value.

That said, I cherish most wild things and the world in which they exist. My personal code focuses the conservation of these things, whether it is water fowl or the Druid Peak Pack in Yellowstone. I value the world that let’s us co-exist with nature.  I appreciate the pursuit of wild game and skills needed to make all parties successful, both the predator and prey.

All of that leads to this first blog. Who am I, and what are the things I feel need to be said. In the coming weeks and months I will try and share the world through my eyes.  I have a penchant for research and the logic process needed to come to a conclusion that is useful for me. As with any decision making process the conclusions are never universal. Heck, they often are only valid to my situation for a short period of time. After all they are my criteria so if your posts focus on me and how could I come to that conclusion then please move along smartly on the information highway because I am sharing my thoughts, my process and my conclusions.  If they don’t apply to you, let me know why and how. If you have similar passions let me know about them.  Leave the judgement for those of superior intellect and experience.  You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, so let’s play nice and make this an enjoyable experience for everyone.

You are hopefully going to find me to be a “yarn spinner.” A bit o’ the blarney is not out of the question! Be forewarned.

I will write about outdoor stuff.  Right now it is likely to be duck hunting, selecting ATVs and other things pertinent to fowl hunting in the Midwest. That will quickly give way to more sedentary pass times as the winter sets in for real and drives all of us to cover, where we are safe from mother natures stinging reproach. She’s a crafty one that lady, so beware as the mercury falls deep into the glass vial and the ground hardens, and her north wind blows a sirens song, willing you outdoors for her to have her way with you.  Beware, she’s a tough one. She will play with you until she tires of your folly and then she will do away with you in the wink of an eye.  Be careful. 

So watch for some reports on the the duck and goose migration. Do you know what digiscoping is? We will get into that in a month or so.  As the water fowl season comes to a close that will be a topic of some discussion as a selection of camera adaptors and lenses as well as settings will come into focus. Gosh I may even let my guard down and discuss spotting scopes (I hope that does not happen) and even discuss favorite shotguns.  It is almost a universal truth that discussing other folks fetishes is bad medicine, but we shall see what we shall see. 

As the fowling season closes I want to get some photos of these magnificent birds both as they  head south and then again on their return trip north with their new found partners.  In some cases it looks more like closing time at the local pub than it does mating.

For now it is ducks and I am in the final throws of a decision about and selection of a new ATV so that will get some words very soon. In the mean time if there are technology decisions to be made, I will get after those as well and share my thoughts. I think most of the computer stuff and wireless stuff is put to bed for now. But all it takes is one hardware failure and there we go.  I do have need to discuss some ham radio things (K9RSL) as well, but for now antennas and radios will take a back burner until the winds howl around the window sills and the sleet tap, tap, taps against the glass as we drift off to sleep……