Digital Camera attached to a Scope
Capturing the perfect photo of a bird can be one of the most challenging tasks for amateur and professional photographers alike. To overcome the difficulties involved with securing a clear, close-up image while bird watching – also known as "birding" – photographers may affix a digital camera to a spotting scope in order to acquire extreme close-ups.
The cameras typically used for this type of photography are usually small in size, most often pocket-sized. To attain the closest image of the bird possible, the camera must be attached to the scope with a tube type adapter. The adapter connects to the eyepiece at one end and introduces a thread at the other, which twists onto the lens of the camera.
Tube Type Adapter for Digiscoping
The entire apparatus fits securely to the eyepiece, which permits panning and tilting of the scope and camera while mounted upon a tripod. Using the camera's monitor, the photographer focuses the scope to take the picture.
For those interested in birding and photography as a hobby, obtaining a fully functional digital camera couldn't be more important. The Nikon Coolpix series - Coolpix 990, 995 and 4500 – are especially well suited for this pursuit, while Canon Powershot A95 is also a nice choice. Several different kinds of spotting scopes are also available, giving birders a number of options in selecting the best equipment for their pastime.
- Spot scope
- Digital camera
- Memory card
- Adapter for securing the camera to the scope
- Tripod
- Cable release
- Computer to store images
Scope's Eyepiece
You may also wish to invest in spare batteries and memory cards if you don't have them. As any birder knows, the perfect shot may not come around until a few hours into an expedition, so ensuring a backup power supply is crucial.
Finding and capturing the perfect shot can be challenging, especially if you are trying to catch a bird mid-flight. If you are just beginning as a bird photographer, begin by observing subjects that are perched in your own backyard. You can also start with simple subjects, like docile birds that don't become startled easily (like pigeons and seagulls!) They may not be the most glamorous winged creatures around, but you'll soon discover limitless opportunity for testing the waters of bird photography!