Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Improvised zoom lens

While vacationing in Monterrey, California recently I had the opportunity to try something out that's been on my mind. I had my digital camera and my binoculars in my hands at the same time so I decided to try and take a picture holding the camera up to the binoculars lens

The first picture you see here was taken using only my camera zoomed in all the way. The second was taken using the binoculars. It worked but it took multiple attempts to get it just right. It's tough to hold the two together and keep everything steady. I had a lot of blurred shots. You also have to line the two up perfectly. The bird didn't help by walking out of the frame.

I think a simple jig might do the trick here if I were to try this again. Something that could hold both in the same plain and free me up to focus and frame my shot.

Now if I only had a telescope.......











[Images all taken by Al Gunn and are free for the taking. No restrictions. No attributions. If you need a free picture of a sea gull than I'm your man!]

2 comments:

  1. At BSA camp summer before last, Connie and I took pictures of the full moon through a telescope the kids used for the Astronomy merit badge. It can be done, and in high resolution. Connie used her Canon G9 12.1MP camera. Beautiful effects.

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  2. I knew someone had probably done this before. Did you tape the lens to the telescope to keep out any ambient light, or just hold it up to the lens tightly?

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