Digiscoping

Digiscoping is a new word credited to French birdwatcher, Alain Fosse, in 1999.  It refers to the technique of attaching a spotting scope to a digital camera for the purpose of taking close-up photos of birds and other wildlife from a distance.  Two other pieces of essential equipment are: an adapter to attach the camera to the scope, and a tripod to hold the combined camera/scope. 

There have been subsequent technological improvements in cameras and lenses, giving the amateur wildlife photographer the ability to capture stunning close-up images with light weight, hand-held cameras.  However, for the past few months I have been experimenting with digiscoping with mixed results.  Early results were disappointing: poor focussing, lack of sharpness, and dull images. 

I reached a turning point in January during a morning visit to Stanpit Marsh, on the eastern shores of Christchurch Harbour.  There was bright sunshine, low in the sky.  I set the magnification of the scope at a mid-point.  On maximum magnification not enough light is let into the camera, and on the minimum setting the image is distorted around the edges.  My subject was a Little Egret, a large white bird, which stood out very clearly from its background.  It wasn’t troubled by my presence and in any case, I didn’t need to get too close.

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