Pros and Cons of Digiscoping

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SJD

Senior Member
Is anyone using Digiscoping ? what are the pros ans cons of using one compared to using a telephoto lens ?
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
If you are talking about trying to just hold the camera up to the telescope or spotting scope I doubt you will ever get the results that you would with a proper telephoto lens.
 
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NVSteve

Senior Member
SJD said:
Is anyone using Digiscoping ? what are the pros ans cons of using one compared to using a telephoto lens ?
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you are talking about astrophotography?

Pros:
about the only way to capture really distance objects on the cheap
resulting images, when done properly, look very good

Cons:
fixed aperture
good scopes=$$$
not something you can really take with you on a hike
lots of time/effort required for good results

Of course you will also want a tracking mount to eliminate star trails. Lots of adapters available to make it work: brackets to allow for focusing onto the eyepiece image, t-mount adapters to use the scope as a lens, or eyepiece adapters.

If you are talking about land based digiscoping, then I apologize for all the info above which won't apply. Let me ask you this: have you ever used a mirror lens on a camera before? Digiscoping with something like a spotting scope looks worse, IMO, and certainly far worse than an actual lens. But, if you need 1200mm or whatever, scopes can be a cheap way to get it, and oftentimes the only way.
 
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