Adapter for Spotting Scope

Directx · Aug 21, 2016

I'm new here, so Hello to everyone!

I'm need of help, today my friend gave me his old spotting scope Vanguard VSF-55, so I was wondering is it posible to attach my Nikon D200 on it? I'm from Serbia, so I'm limited on the adapters that I can find in my country. Is there anyone who has any idea of how to attach my dslr? I'm 21years old self-taught photographer, this is my 2nd camera, so I don't have a lot of expiriance in lenses, my first was Canon D1000 with kit 18-55 and now I have D200 with Sigma 18-50 2.8f. Or can you recommend me any lens to buy with my low budget brand new or 2nd hand (about 100-150e)

It has some sort of thread under focus and zoom ring so I think there is something to attach on it.

P.S. It is not working like this

My 500px portfolio so feel free to give me any advice on my pictures, maybe i can improve myself with your help guys Ivan Sinadinovic
Wish you all the best guys!

astroNikon · Aug 21, 2016

searching the internet I found this ==>Vanguard PA-202 Digiscoping Adapter PA-202 B&H Photo Video

apparenlty the top part goes into the scope.
Then you have to have a lens with a filter thread of 55mm or 58mm lens that it screws on to.

But, I know nothing about this .. only reading the description.

petrochemist · Aug 21, 2016

It should be possible to get it working as you've tried, with the scope focused correctly the image projected by the scope should look to the camera as if its coming from infinity. This approach is called eyepiece projection, and tends to give very high magnifications. Manual focus may be needed on the camera as the image can be too dark for the AF system.

It's also possible to use the camera connected directly to the scope without a lens fitted on the camera.
If the scope's eyepiece is removed (which may not be possible with this scope) this is 'prime focus' generally giving the lowest magnification.
Using the scope with the eyepiece but no lens on the camera is 'positive projection'. This gives the best results on my Tasco scope (which has a fixed eyepiece) It looks as if your scope is designed to have a tube screwed over the eyepiece (and connected to a T2 adapter) for just this sort of connection.

Which ever set up you try vibrations will be a significant risk I had to get an extra heavy duty tripod/head to get fair results from my scope at lowest magnification (equivalent to a 1000mm f16 before the crop factor).
Zooming in to 4000mm made it F64 so diffraction effects lost any gain.