MY EQUIPMENT
DIGITAL-SLR
This is the EOS-10D, a 6.2 mega-pixel camera. The lens depicted mounted to the camera above is just stock photo footage. I purchased a 10D brand new in December of 2003. If I can get a decent shot of any Bird, this is the camera of choice! It is the only camera I now bring with me on vacations.
The 100-400mm zoom lens is very easy to use. It has built in image stabilization that assists with hand-holding the camera and lens. It is a bit heavy, and VERY fragile if dropped.
I purchased this accessory but seldom utilize it. If you mount the 1.4X tele-converter to the 100-400mm lens, you can not use the autofocus. The aperture approaches f-8 as you zoom in. You will find some shots on my PHOTOS page where I used this item, but I have to get better at using manual focus before use becomes routine!
DIGISCOPING
Learn How I Fabricated a Home Rigged Digiscoping Adapter Here
This is the Nikon Coolpix 995 (CP-995), the camera which I use to Digiscope most of my Bird pics with. When it was introduced in 2001, it quickly gained a reputation as THE Digiscoping camera. I have also heard strong praises for the CP-990, and just purchased the new CP-4500. The CP-9XX series have distinguished themselves from competing digital cameras because of small objective lens size (about the size of a US $0.25 coin), high megapixels (3-4 MP's), and great degree of versatility (twist body design). The ability for the photographer to utilize manual settings further optimizes photographic results. Currently, the CP-995 is only available as a factory refurbished purchase; it was taken off the market in 2002. The all new CP-4500 retails for about $600 US, and is the new model of choice for Digiscoping Birds.
One optional accessory no one should be without is the EagleEye OpticZoom 5X lens from EagleEye UK (seen above attached to the new CP-4500). A fixed lens with a 5X magnification, the Eagle Eye lens mounts physically to the CP-9XX series of cameras by a mated step-up ring (sold seperately). The ring mounts the camera and the lens VERY closely, resulting in beatuiful pictures. The OpticZoom 5X comes in handy for shooting Birds in flight, or small Birds that move about frequently. The twisting barrel design of the lens allows the user to rotate the barrel of the lens to fine tune the focus on the subject. The 5X magnification is just enough to utilize hand-held without the aid of stabilization. Using a CP-995, the 3X magnification of the camera times the 5X of the OpticZoom yields 15X total power. With the CP-4500, the 4X zoom of the camera X 5X OpticZoom lens yields 20X total power. NICE!! Want to look into purchasing your own OpticZoom 5X? Click HERE to visit EagleEye UK's website.
This is how the technique is done. Our target is located atop the largest rock to the right (just to give you an idea of the distance here, you can see the target better below...). The CP-995 (or 99X, take your pick) is set to full manual settings. I am fond of aperture priority. I usually try for a shutter speed of AT LEAST 1/60, so adjust the aperture accordingly. Next, metering should be set to center-weighted. Continuous setting should be engaged, this way when you hold down the shutter, the camera records 3-4 shots in sequence. Focus Options are Area Focus, Manual. You may choose to stop up or down, depending upon conditions. Consult your owner's manual for a crash course in manual settings. Alternately, check out the Digiscoping Birds website under Files, then select FAQ.
Once your camera is set, you are ready to take pictures. Here is the same scene above targeting our 'Bird', a soda can. The distance from the scope and camera is 125 feet. Digiscoping brings the image in nicely! This technique works because you can be a good distance from your mark, yet still photograph like you were up close. It is less likely the subject will be frightened away. Focus your scope on your target. Pray it sits still... Hold your camera up to the scope's lens as depicted above. You will see a series of brackets in the camera's LCD. By moving the arrow keys (round button on the extreme right of the CP-995, joystick control on CP-4500), you can select which bracket and thus which portion of the frame the camera should focus upon. Is the camera reluctant to comply with your wishes? With a free hand, rotate the scope's focus wheel SLIGHTLY. The camera may then figure out what you wish to focus upon. If not, try shifting to the top-most or even the bottom bracket. Half-depress the shutter button to lock the focus on your subject. If all goes well...
YOU GOT IT!!! Shooting continuous ensures you will get better results. Now, the raw image needs to go to Photoshop for editing...
Here, the image has been cut, cropped, resized, and sharpened with Adobe Photoshop to make the image more perfect. Consult Jay Arraich's site (see links) for a tutorial. Isn't this easy???
