Took the camera for another walk today. I do this from time to time, but somehow it seldom gets used to the extent that I had intended.
The trouble is that as soon as I get in the hide and set up my tripod, telescope, camera, binoculars, notebook, sandwiches and coffee flask, (I believe in travelling light) I start scanning and before long I forget that I ever had any intention of photographing birds when I set out.
Although I have taken a few reasonable pictures from time to time, they have always contained an element of luck. You know the ort of thing, you just happen to have fitted the right lens, the light is favourable, and an obliging bird wanders within range before you get too engrossed in general birding.
What a boon digital cameras have proved to people like me! In the old days of film I would have high expectations of every shot, only to be bitterly disappointed when the results came back from Boots. Nowadays, I can get my disappointment over and done with as soon as I get home and download the pictures onto the laptop.
Just recently I have been intrigued to read about a technique called digi-binning, which seems to consist of taking pictures through a pair of binoculars by applying the camera lens to one of the binocular eye-pieces.
Apparently simple adaptors, not as complicated as those used for digi-scoping, are available to hold the camera and binoculars together, although I understand that it is possible to simply hold the two elements together by hand. I imagine that this latter method would be rather hit-or-miss. Still, (another benefit of digital photography), there is no cost involved, so provided the bird stays long enough, you can make a number of attempts at each shot.
If anyone reading this has tried digi-binning, either with or without an adaptor, please leave your comments at the end of this blog. I suppose the best way to find out is to get out there and try it. At least I may get a few more photographs, and I can continue to use my digital SLR for closer shots.
Does anyone want to buiy a digi-scope adaptor?
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Hi John,
ReplyDeleteI use digibinning quite a lot, mostly because when I am out on long hikes, I am less likely to take my telescope and digiscoping equipment with me. I am also more likely to have my bins in the boot of my car.
As a technique, it is certainly more difficult than having a nice big Cannon or Nikon with a telephoto lens. but digibinning has the major advantage of convenience!
With a bit of practice and bearing a few simple guidelines in mind, it can be quite effective.
As you mentioned, sometimes one's camera lens will fit nicely in to the eye-cup of one's binoculars. If this is the case, then it can be fairly easy to get a decent photo without an adaptor. My early photos were taken this way. Since then, however, I got a new camera and use it with the snapshot adaptor (from swaro) with great success.
You may find something interesting on my blog posts about digibinning.
Happy birding
Dale
http://alpinebirds.blogspot.com/search/label/digibinning