Best Point and Shoot for digiscoping?

[Broken Compass]

I had the tines up adaptor on an old, cheap, Nikon L22. The LCD on the camera went out so I swiched the adaptor over to my wifes Sony DSC-W350 thinking it would be a much better camera being that it shoots HD video and has a higher resolution.
However, 90 percent of the digiscoping I do is video and this camera sucks at it!
It takes the same quality of pictures as the old Nikon, but in video mode it will not hold still, like it is trying to auto focus or something? I dont know the technical term for this but it is like it zooms in and out and in and out and in and out barely, just enough to drive me crazy.
Also with the scope zoomed all the way in, little black dots appear on the video or picture, I have played with it enough to determine that it is dust or something on the inside of the camera lens. I have cleaned both scope lenses and the camera lens very well and it doesnt go away, and if I zoom the camera all the way out and hold it up to something bright like the computer screen the same spots appear.
I have also tryed all of the settings on the camera (there aren't many in video mode) trying to get the camera to stop moving.

So I guess I will just get another camera and try unless someone can tell me what is going on with the sony I am using

So back to my original question, What is the best camera for this?

Keep in mind I am not using a high end spotting scope, it is a Christiansen 20x60x60 (think Vortex Nomad), maybe this is my biggest problem?

 

[maverick]

Try putting the camera in manual focus. Use the scope to focus the scene. I have had the same problem before also. It does drive you crazy. I picked up a Sony RX100 and I'm just getting it figured out but looks like it will be awsome for digiscoping.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I've had good luck with canon cameras.
This coyote was at 650 yds.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Just about any digicam with a 5x or less maximum zoom should work ok. It sounds like your Sony has dust on the sensor, which would account for the dots, and even possibly problems with focus.

I have had great luck with the Sony WX-1 for good video. The Sony RX100 mentioned above has a huge sensor for a compact, and would likely do well for digiscoping, but is pretty spendy.

I have had way better luck letting the camera acheive focus than trying to manually focus the scope while using the LCD for judging focus, especially in video mode.