ETX-90 as daytime telephoto lens for wildlife?

Recently, I have become somewhat interested in trying to capture daytime
images of wildlife and landscapes. However, I am having difficulty deciding
what direction to take. After browsing the archives of the photo.digital
group, entering the wildlife realm looks like it might be an expensive
proposition, but I have an idea and I wonder if it would work:

For astronomy, I have been using an ETX-90/ webcam combination for nearly 3
years now with success. Why couldn't I just afocally couple a digicam to
the ETX-90 ota, with the combination mounted on a tripod? If the digicam I
use has a zoom, I would have a range of magnification just like I would with
a telephoto lens. Does anyone use a similar combination to image wildlife?
I'd be interested in seeing your results, so share your website if
appropriate.

I realize that there are some DSLRs, like the Canon Digital Rebel, that
could directly couple to the ETX or even a telephoto lens, but the price is
beyond my budget. The afocal method I could already do since I have the ETX
and a Scopetronics wide angle eyepiece- the only thing I would have to add
would be a digicam and would appreciate recommendations for a suitable, low
cost camera.

Like I said, the aforementioned is just an idea and wouldn't cost me much-
that is, if it would work.

Thanks, in advance, for your response.

Ian Robelot

Ian Robelot wrote:
Recently, I have become somewhat interested in trying to capture
daytime
images of wildlife and landscapes. However, I am having difficulty
deciding
what direction to take. After browsing the archives of the
photo.digital
group, entering the wildlife realm looks like it might be an
expensive
proposition, but I have an idea and I wonder if it would work:

For astronomy, I have been using an ETX-90/ webcam combination for
nearly 3
years now with success. Why couldn't I just afocally couple a
digicam to
the ETX-90 ota, with the combination mounted on a tripod? If the
digicam I
use has a zoom, I would have a range of magnification just like I
would with
a telephoto lens. Does anyone use a similar combination to image
wildlife?
I'd be interested in seeing your results, so share your website if
appropriate.

I realize that there are some DSLRs, like the Canon Digital Rebel,
that
could directly couple to the ETX or even a telephoto lens, but the
price is
beyond my budget. The afocal method I could already do since I have
the ETX
and a Scopetronics wide angle eyepiece- the only thing I would have
to add
would be a digicam and would appreciate recommendations for a
suitable, low
cost camera.

Like I said, the aforementioned is just an idea and wouldn't cost me
much-
that is, if it would work.

Thanks, in advance, for your response.

Ian Robelot

Hello Ian,

Not sure it this is going to help you, but I have found just using a
digital camera up to a telecope can take some pretty awesome shots. Let
me know if you are interested in seeing some examples.

Birdman
Paul
ps (I sometimes take up to a week to reply. Thanks for your patients)

"birdman" wrote

ps (I sometimes take up to a week to reply. Thanks for your patients)

Is there a doctor in the house?

Hi,

I have tried doing this with tripods but found it rather fiddly to get the
camera lined up over the top of the eyepiece and focused correctly.

I have also tried using a SAC7 and got some reasonable results but the best
way of doing it is to hook the camera up directly to telescope using T-Ring
adapters.

I am using an Olympus C8080 with T-Ring Adapters and I connect the camera
directly to any eyepiece and then shoot through the telescope. Have a look
at http://www.rogerhembury.co.uk for an example shot of a blue tit on a bird
feeder and then for an astro shot there is one of the moon I took the other
night.

For a lot more information have a look at
http://www.scopetronics.com/digicam.htm as well.


Regards

Roger Hembury





"birdman" wrote in message
oups.com...

Ian Robelot wrote:
Recently, I have become somewhat interested in trying to capture
daytime
images of wildlife and landscapes. However, I am having difficulty
deciding
what direction to take. After browsing the archives of the
photo.digital
group, entering the wildlife realm looks like it might be an
expensive
proposition, but I have an idea and I wonder if it would work:

For astronomy, I have been using an ETX-90/ webcam combination for
nearly 3
years now with success. Why couldn't I just afocally couple a
digicam to
the ETX-90 ota, with the combination mounted on a tripod? If the
digicam I
use has a zoom, I would have a range of magnification just like I
would with
a telephoto lens. Does anyone use a similar combination to image
wildlife?
I'd be interested in seeing your results, so share your website if
appropriate.

I realize that there are some DSLRs, like the Canon Digital Rebel,
that
could directly couple to the ETX or even a telephoto lens, but the
price is
beyond my budget. The afocal method I could already do since I have
the ETX
and a Scopetronics wide angle eyepiece- the only thing I would have
to add
would be a digicam and would appreciate recommendations for a
suitable, low
cost camera.

Like I said, the aforementioned is just an idea and wouldn't cost me
much-
that is, if it would work.

Thanks, in advance, for your response.

Ian Robelot