Prime lens for digiscoping?

[A.M.O]

Hey all, wondering if a fella can use a prime lens when using a DSLR to spotter? I know with my phone I zoom a bit, but not sure when it comes to the camera.
Also, any recommendations on brand?(phone skope,etc)

 

[Camera Land]

Depends what mount you are using. The better mounts attach to the camera without a lens on it. You use the tube as your lens

 

[maverick]

I use a 50MM equivalent lens and get no vignetting. It worked on my Canon crop camera with a 35MM lens and my Panasonic with a 25MM lens. I think you can get by with a 40MM equivalent lens before you get vignetting. There are several tests on YouTube comparing direct to the spotter vs using a camera lens to spotter combo. You can also look up digiscoper of the year for the past 10 years and see what equipment they use.

 

[MojoTX]

Check out some of the birding forums, they have some good info on digiscoping. From the posts and photos I have seen, using a camera lens behind the spotting scope is the way to go.

I am getting good results with the Sony a6600 (APS-C sensor) and the 20 mm Sony lens behind a Kowa 883 with the 25-60 WA eyepiece. There is vignetting at the lower end of the zoom range (25x-40x ish), but you can overcome this by zooming the eyepiece or with post editing.

Lens focal length is not the only thing to be aware of. I get vignetting with my 30 mm Sigma lens at all zoom ranges, which really sucks because it’s a great lens. This is because the lens objective sits too far behind the lens filter and the vignetting is caused by the eyepiece.

I’m not as talented as this guy, but he’s running a similar setup. Sony a6500 + 20mm Sony lens + Kowa 883

 

[Stalker69]

Would it not make more sense to film with a bridge camera ( super zoom) rather then having to tote both the spotting scope and camera around ?

 

[Jordan Budd]

Would it not make more sense to film with a bridge camera ( super zoom) rather then having to tote both the spotting scope and camera around ?

The "look" of the superzooms just aren't what DSLR's are, so for me I'd have to bring (which I've done, I've had a Panasonic Superzoom) the superzoom and my mirrorless. Plus I'd be bringing a spotting scope anyways.

To the OP if it's a cropped sensor camera a 50mm seems about right for me. The 50mm is too wide to digiscope with on a full frame unless you just want to crop in during post production. The nice thing about a 50mm prime is they are cheap, small and light.