# Digiscoping > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Digiscoping > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Digiscoping.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digiscoping > Source revision: 1339483063 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Photographic technique}} [[File:Nikon digiscoping set.jpg|thumb|right|[Spotting scope](/source/Spotting_scope) with a digital camera mounted afocally using an adapter.]] thumbnail|Digiscoping waterfowl [[File:Digiscope - 20x - 24mm - Ystad-2021.jpg|thumb|Typical uncropped digiscope image; the [spotting scope](/source/spotting_scope) has 20x magnification. Camera focal length is 24 mm; distance to the subject is about 90 meters.]] '''Digiscoping''' is a type of [afocal photography](/source/afocal_photography), using a [digital camera](/source/digital_camera) to record distant images through the [eyepiece](/source/eyepiece) of an [optical telescope](/source/optical_telescope). It commonly involves either a [digital single-lens reflex camera](/source/digital_single-lens_reflex_camera) with lens attached or, more often, a fixed-lens [point and shoot](/source/Point-and-shoot_camera) digital camera, mounted to obtain photos through the eyepiece of a [birdwatcher](/source/birdwatcher)'s [spotting scope](/source/spotting_scope).{{cite book |last1= Davies |first1 = Adrian |date= 2005 |title= The Focal Digital Imaging A-Z |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=j7l0CxBUwGwC&dq=digiscoping&pg=PA41 |isbn= 9780240519807 |page= 41 }} The term has also been associated with the use of a digital camera and spotting scope equipped for [prime focus](/source/prime_focus) photography.[http://www.dphoto.us/news/node/359 DphotoNews's blog - Nikon introduces the Digiscoping System - Fieldscope Digital SLR Camera Attachment FSA-L1] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224063308/http://www.dphoto.us/news/node/359 |date=2010-02-24 }} ==Origins== The portmanteau [neologism](/source/neologism) ''digiscoping'' (= digital camera + telescoping) was coined in 1999 by French [birdwatcher](/source/Birdwatching) [Alain Fossé](/source/%3Afr%3AAlain_Foss%C3%A9). Less notable neologisms for this activity are ''digiscope birding'', ''digiscopy birding'', ''digi-birding'', ''digibinning'' (using digital camera with [binoculars](/source/binoculars)), and ''phonescoping''[http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique/equipemt/equipement_art42_1.htm Ornithomedia - Pratique - Equipement, A new step in ornithology Digital] (using a digital [camera phone](/source/camera_phone) with a spotting scope or binoculars). The origin of digiscoping has been attributed to the photographic methods of [Laurence Poh](/source/Laurence_Poh), a birdwatcher from the [Malaysian Nature Society](/source/Malaysian_Nature_Society), who discovered in 1999 almost by accident that the new generation of [point and shoot](/source/Point-and-shoot_camera) digital cameras could be held up to the eyepiece of a standard spotting scope and achieve surprisingly good results.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} He spread his findings through birding [internet discussion forums](/source/Internet_forum) and one member, French birdwatcher Alain Fossé, coined the name ''digiscoping'' to describe the technique.[http://longexposurephotographytips.com/digiscoping/, Digiscoping: What is it?] Poh is sometimes credited with "inventing" the technique,[http://www.allaboutbirds.org/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=1171 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Birding Basics, Digiscoping] although his contribution may be more along the lines of popularizing the idea and refining the technology. Using a camera with its lens attached at the eyepiece of optical devices such as microscopes or telescopes, creating an [afocal system](/source/afocal_system) (technically called ''afocal photography'' or ''afocal projection'') had been used for nearly 100 years[http://www.sover.net/~nvmug/news/enews01-04-21.html NVMUG eNews 4/21/2001 Bill Amos’ Digital Photography Presentation and Warren Walker's Photo Editing - "''in the 1930s Bill used afocal photography when taking pictures through a microscope''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907093256/http://www.sover.net/~nvmug/news/enews01-04-21.html |date=2008-09-07 }} and digital camera afocal photography was already being employed in the amateur astronomical community.[https://books.google.com/books?id=WTKcbdR-2h8C&dq=afocal+photography+digital&pg=PA243 Michael A. Covington, Astrophotography for the amateur, page 243, afocally video imaging from 1997] This form of afocal photography became more common in general photography in the 21st century with the spread of point and shoot digital cameras[https://books.google.com/books?id=V3tyCXsCCkMC&dq=afocal+astrophotography&pg=PA198 Michael W. Swanson, The NexStar user's guide, page 198] because of the ease of use of this type of setup.[http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/astrophotography/3304336.html Dennis di Cicco, Afocal What?, SkyandTelescope.com] Several companies sell couplers and other devices for mounting digital cameras afocally.{{Cite web |title=Digiscoping Adapters {{!}} B&H Photo Video |url=https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Digiscoping/ci/14671 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=www.bhphotovideo.com |language=en}} ==See also== * [Wildlife photography](/source/Wildlife_photography) ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading== * [https://books.google.com/books?id=zaXQioI2JvcC&dq=digiscoping&pg=PA272 "Digital Photography Hacks" by Derrick Story, pages 272-276 "''Hack #94 - Get Close with Digiscoping''"] ==External links== {{Commons category|Digiscoping|lcfirst=yes}} * [http://www.laurencepoh.com/static/digiscoping.shtml laurencepoh.com, website of the man attributed as the developer of “Digiscoping”] * [http://www.digimages.info/ Website of Alain Fosse who coined the word “digiscoping”] * [http://www.photoinfos.com/Spektiv/Digiscoping.htm German website about digiscoping with very inspiring images] {{Photography}} Category:Astrophotography Category:Birdwatching Category:Ornithological equipment and methods Category:Photographic techniques Category:Neologisms Category:1990s neologisms --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Digiscoping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digiscoping) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digiscoping?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.