Combining a telescope and eyepiece with a digital camera creates a photographic tool with tremendous range in a very sturdy and transportable package. A digital camera combined with 20x scope eyepiece has a focal length equivalent to a 35mm camera with a 3000mm lens. Frame-filling photos can be made of a small bird, flower or insect at a distance great enough not to disturb your subject. And images of larger birds and natural features can be taken at a very long distance.

   Many digital cameras have been adapted for use with a telescope, but the Nikon Coolpix 990-995-4500 series is preferred by a large majority of digi-scopers. The 4500 is the current model, superceding the 995 and 990. The 990 and 995 are still available from Nikon as reconditioned models at www.nikonoutlet.com and as used equipment on Ebay.

   The Coolpix 990-995-4500 cameras are preferred primarily because of the location of the lens. The first optical element of the Coolpix lens is small and is located very close to the front of the camera. The lens matches up well with the exit pupil of the scope eyepiece, and can be positioned close enough to the eyepiece to lie within its eye relief (usually a distance of only 15 to 20 mm). This permits the camera to see the full field of view of the telescope. Also, the lens zoom action is internal to the camera so it can't bump into the telescope eyepiece.

   The Coolpix series of cameras have a two-part body connected by a swivel joint. This permits the camera's LCD viewscreen to be set to a comfortable viewing angle while the lens points along the axis of the telescope eyepiece.

   Because so many digi-scopers use the Coolpix series of cameras, help and advice on technical issues is easy to find online. Digi-scopers have used this camera with a wide range of telescopes.

   In general, a scope with a larger objective aperture (75-90mm) is preferred. Compared to scopes with 60-65mm apertures, the larger aperture helps compensate for the loss of brightness that results from magnifying the image so much. An 80mm objective is about one f-stop brighter or one step faster in shutter speed than 60mm.

   Angled or straight eyepiece is a personal preference. The angled eyepiece typically can be used with a lower tripod height, enhancing stability. Gravity helps hold the camera to the angled eyepiece, too.

   Compared to a zoom eyepiece, a fixed power eyepiece almost always has sharper optics at same magnification, wider field of view, brighter image, and longer eye relief. Because it can't be manipulated like a zoom, a fixed eyepiece is one less thing to think about when you're trying to capture an image.

   Even though the fixed power eyepiece has these advantages, most people choose the zoom because they intend to use the scope for birding as well as photography. The new zoom lenses are much improved. Few high quality photos are taken with eyepiece magnification beyond 30x, but photos at higher zoom settings can be useful for documentation.

   The Swarovski AT HD 80mm scope with 20-60x zoom eyepiece.

   Leica, Kowa, Nikon, Pentax, and Celestron models all have their supporters, but the Swarovski AT HD 80mm is the choice of most digi-scopers. The Swarovski zoom eyepiece is excellent. Because the scope is so widely used, several third parties sell attachments for digital cameras that allow use of the zoom while the camera is mounted to the scope.

   A sturdy tripod is required to reduce shaking of the camera at the moment the photo is taken. A heavy-duty tripod is also better able to handle the extra mass of the scope and camera combination. Many people have had success with the Bogen 3021BN. A superior model (at a much higher price) is the Gitzo 1325.

   The simplest way to connect the camera and scope is to hold the camera up to the scope eyepiece by hand. Hand-holding is good for quick snaps to document a sighting, but it can become tiring while waiting for the right moment. Hand-holding the camera also increases the chance that it won't be properly aligned with the scope.

   So most digi-scopers attach the camera to the scope somehow. The most popular approach is a slide-on tubular mount that permits quick attachment and removal of the camera. Kowa and Nikon make slide-on camera mounts for their scopes. Several third parties make similar mounts for other scope brands. Worthy of special note is Cheang Kum Seng's high quality machined mount that connects a Swarovski 80mm scope with zoom eyepiece to a Coolpix 990 or 995.

   Several individuals have successfully made ingenious tubular mounts from PVC pipe, medicine bottle caps, plastic bottles, and other found items.

   A permanent mounting for the camera usually interferes with viewing through the scope for focusing, and for using the scope for birding. There are a variety of clever homemade swing-away mounts that address this problem.

   With the LCD viewscreen turned on, any digital camera uses up its battery very quickly. It's a good idea to carry several spares, or use an external power source such as the Dual-Force Pro PowerPack from EagleEye Optics.

   It's hard to see the camera's LCD viewscreen in bright light outdoors. Several companies market hoods that shield the LCD. The Extend-a-View LCD shade from Eagle-Eye Optics is one popular model. Some digi-scopers modify an inexpensive slide viewer to shield and magnify the LCD.

   Digital cameras store their images on flash memory cards. A card with a faster write speed lets you take the next shot more quickly. The Lexar 12x 256MB compactflash card is popular among digi-scopers for its high performance at a reasonable price.

   Most digital cameras are equipped with a USB port to transfer images to a computer. Many digi-scopers prefer to purchase a USB flash memory card reader they can leave permanently attached to their computer.

   A portable battery-powered hard disc with flash memory slot is a useful accessory to store images when traveling. Popular models include the Jobo Image Tank and Nixvue Vista. This device costs less than purchasing several flash memory cards. After capturing images on the camera's flash memory card, insert it into the Image Tank slot and copy the files to the hard disc. Then you can erase the flash memory card and return it to the camera. When you return home, attach the Image Tank to your computer via a USB cable.

   The balance of the scope on the tripod is changed when the camera is attached to it. Some digi-scopers counter-balance the camera by hanging weights from the objective end of the scope. Others change the mounting point of the scope to the tripod by fabricating a metal bar that moves the scope forward. Or they purchase the Bogen Micropositioning plate, which accomplishes the same goal.

   A computer is your digital darkroom for digi-scoped images. In experienced hands, a program like Adobe Photoshop can make big improvements to your original. Philosophically, most digi-scopers try to limit image manipulations to cropping, and adjustments in brightness, contrast and sharpness. Don't put those Carmine Bee-Eaters in Central Park!

   Your first attempts at digi-scoping will probably be frustrating. It's not easy to locate the subject, frame the photo, adjust focus and shoot before the subject moves. And when you do take a shot, it's easy for camera shake to blur the image. Even experienced digi-scopers say they get good photos as little as 5 percent of the time. But don't be discouraged. Practice on a fixed object at the distance you expect you'll need to use on a live subject. Your craft will improve with practice.

   Reduce camera shake every way you can
   Use a remote shutter release
   Set shutter for 3 second delay
   Shoot in bright light so shutter speed can be as fast as possible
   Shelter from the wind
   Add extra weight to the tripod
   Set the scope zoom eyepiece to as low a magnification as you can


Two schools of thought on camera focus:

1) Manual focus only. Set camera focus on Infinity. Don't change focus using the camera, just use the scope focus.
2) Use the camera Auto Focus to help sharpen up the scope focus.

   Sharpen focus through the scope by looking at the eyepiece image through a magnifier (such as your binoculars) Then position the camera in front of the eyepiece for the photo.

   ISO setting equivalent to 100 preferred, 200 sometimes OK. Higher ISO will cause the image quality to degrade.

   Exposure control: Choose to adjust for white rather than black parts of image to avoid glare. It's easier to brighten up an image using Photoshop than it is to deal with over-exposure.

   Shoot at your camera's best mode/highest resolution. Scale down from that afterwards using Photoshop.

   Keep the original copy of your photos. Your Photoshop technique may improve with time, or new software may become available to fix problems with the original.

Record mode	Aperture priority (camera sets shutter speed based on aperture you select) (some prefer Manual mode, focus set to Infinity Lock)
White Balance	Auto
Metering	Center-Weighted (or Spot for a back-lighted subject)
Exposure Compensation	0 EV (or perhaps -1 EV)
Best Shot Selecter	off
Lens	Normal
Image Adjustment	Normal
Image Sharpening	Normal
Shooting Mode	Continuous (results in 4 or 5 photos; some prefer single photo)
Focus	AF Area Mode - Manual ( you focus on the subject's head) or AF Area Mode - Off (camera focuses on center of frame)
Focus Confirmation	On (some have trouble seeing this feature)
Image Quality	Fine

   Information about the camera settings used to capture each image, known as EXIF data, is recorded in the camera's flash memory in a file called info.txt. A free reader that helps display EXIF data is available for Windows PCs at http://www.takenet.or.jp/~ryuuji/minisoft/exifread/english/