iScope Videos and Stills
Scope evaluations:
Zeiss (85mm w/20-60x EP): bright FOV, sharp in center, soft at edges; some distortion at higher mags. Yellowish color cast, but no purple fringing. "Tunnel effect" (vignetting) when digiscoping at 20x, high mags not sharp enough for pics.
Swaro (80mm w/25-50x EP): slightly less bright (it has an 80mm objective vs 85mm for the Zeiss), but sharp edge to edge, better contrast, more accurate color rendition. Slight purple fringing seen with high contrast subjects at edge of field (can be fixed in Photoshop). The 25-50x EP is excellent; very wide FOV at 25x, and sharp all the way to 50x, though more prone to "blackout" (aka "kidney bean effect") at higher mags if eye not exactly centered.
I am moving my videos to Vimeo. The link is https://vimeo.com/easternbluebird/videos
2 June 2018: Henslow's Sparrow at Shawangunk Grasslands NWR
(NY: Ulster County) The bird was singing 60ft away from us.
26 July: Least Bittern being photobombed by a Marsh Wren at DeKorte Park (digiscoped)
10 August: Little Gull at the Jones Beach CGS, with Common Terns, Least Terns, Semipalmated Plovers, and a single Piping Plover. Digiscoped @50x with the iPhone.
10 August: Little Gull at the Jones Beach CGS. Digiscoped with the iPhone.
10 August: Little Gull at the Jones Beach CGS. Digiscoped with the iPhone.
2 August: Three Stilt Sandpipers and a Short-billed Dowitcher at Jamaica Bay WR. Digiscoped. The dowitcher has a green plastic band on its left leg and a metal band on its right, neither of which could be read at 50x.
2 August: American Avocet at Jamaica Bay WR. Digiscoped.
26 May: Bald Eagles in Ulster County (digiscoped)
17 Feb: Red-headed Woodpecker at Croton Point Park. iPhone 5s + Swaro 80mm w/25-50x + Kowa iPhone adapter
1 Feb: Snow Buntings on Randall's Island. iPhone 5s + Swaro 80mm w/25-50x + Kowa iPhone adapter
1 Feb: Snow Bunting on Randall's Island. iPhone 5s + Swaro 80mm w/25-50x + Kowa iPhone adapter
1 Feb: Savannah Sparrow on Randall's Island. iPhone 5s + Swaro 80mm w/25-50x + Kowa iPhone adapter
1 Feb: Barnacle Goose at Randall's Island. iPhone 5s + Swaro 80mm w/25-50x + Kowa iPhone adapter
20 Jan: Six American Oystercatchers with Brant at the Jones Beach Coast Guard Station
12 Jan: Rough-legged Hawk at DeKorte Park
12 Jan: Snowy Owl at DeKorte Park
8 Dec: Purple Sandpipers at Point Lookout. Zeiss 85mm Diascope + iPhone 5s + Kowa iPhone adapter
11 August: Upland Sandpiper at Jones Beach West End, in the grassy area east of the Nature Center parking lot. Silent. Moved slowly through the tall grass, occasionally pumping its tail and flexing its neck.
11 August: Upland Sandpiper at Jones Beach West End, in the grassy area east of the Nature Center parking lot. Silent. Moved slowly through the tall grass, occasionally pumping its tail and flexing its neck. Stayed in view for a good 50 minutes, and still present when I left.
4 August: Semipalmated Plovers in Piermont, NY
23 June: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at the Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area
11 August: Upland Sandpiper at Jones Beach West End, in the grassy area east of the Nature Center parking lot. Silent. Moved slowly through the tall grass, occasionally pumping its tail and flexing its neck. Video shortened to the first 26s.
31 Jan: Hooded Mergansers displaying in Central Park
Two drake Hooded Mergansers displaying at the Reservoir
12 Jan: Rough-legged Hawk at DeKorte Park, viewed from Disposal Road. iVideo
4 August: Semipalmated Plovers (adult and juvenile) in Piermont, NY
25 Dec: Black Guillemot in Sea Cliff, found by Steve Schellenger on the 21st. Distant scope views at 50x so not the best quality, but white wing patches were clearly visible during wing flaps.
