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When I looked at the cost of the Sirui extended camera plate with adjustable camera support [possibly needing two of them for different heads!] I decided I could no longer resist the Kowa TSN-PA7. I really did not want to afford the high asking price to avoid encouraging them. Now it seems I have no option because of the mechanical problems with the Panasonic 20mm F:1.7 pancake lens in combination with the TSN-DA10.
ACCESSORIES | KOWA PROMINAR OFFICIAL WEB SITE TSN-PA7
The TSN-PA7 avoids using a camera lens altogether and bridges right over the TE-11WZ zoom eyepiece. Where it clamps to a ring threaded directly onto the telescope body. Two large cut-outs provide access to the eyepiece, zoom ring.
The camera end of the PA7 has a T2 thread to which an adapter ring must be added to match the bayonet of the camera body. A micro 4/3 mirror-less in my case of a Lumix DC-G9.
ACCESSORIES | KOWA PROMINAR OFFICIAL WEB SITE TSN-PA7
The TSN-PA7 avoids using a camera lens altogether and bridges right over the TE-11WZ zoom eyepiece. Where it clamps to a ring threaded directly onto the telescope body. Two large cut-outs provide access to the eyepiece, zoom ring.
The camera end of the PA7 has a T2 thread to which an adapter ring must be added to match the bayonet of the camera body. A micro 4/3 mirror-less in my case of a Lumix DC-G9.
Removing the camera lens from the optical system reduces the number of optical components. Which should, in theory, offer improved optical performance. The open camera body is now looking straight into the eyepiece in an afocal layout.
One slight worry is that the camera body is open and unprotected from dust and debris. The PA7 offers physical protection to the camera once in place but not from airborne dust. A T2 disk with protective glass is available to close off the camera opening. The T2 - bayonet ring would then be left in place to maintain the seal when a normal camera lens is not fitted to the body. A bulb lens blower will be my friend.
Another hurdle with the PA7 is that the camera body won't see any lens. Since none is fitted. Can the camera body autofocus without a lens? I would guess not but hopefully the excellent image stabilization in the body will still work.
Focusing will have to be entirely on the telescope. It is really just a super-telephoto lens after all. Though there will be no electrical contacts for the camera to read. Some experts have said that camera focusing should always be set to manual when digiscoping. Even when a pancake lens is fitted. I tried manual focusing with the 20mm lens in place and didn't much like the format compared to auto. Just something else to get used to I suppose.
I just hope the camera isn't going to ask for the focal length every single time I zoom the telescope. As it did when I experimentally removed the pancake lens. I suppose it needs this information for the image stabilisation to work properly. At least I could get a picture in the camera viewfinder by hovering just behind the telescope without a lens.
All will be laid bare when the new parts arrive in the post. Yet again the weekend has intervened. Not that it matters after two days of heavy cloud and the odd shower. Bright sunshine definitely helps with such slow, lens systems. See the telescope manufacturer's own table above right.
One slight worry is that the camera body is open and unprotected from dust and debris. The PA7 offers physical protection to the camera once in place but not from airborne dust. A T2 disk with protective glass is available to close off the camera opening. The T2 - bayonet ring would then be left in place to maintain the seal when a normal camera lens is not fitted to the body. A bulb lens blower will be my friend. Another hurdle with the PA7 is that the camera body won't see any lens. Since none is fitted. Can the camera body autofocus without a lens? I would guess not but hopefully the excellent image stabilization in the body will still work.
Focusing will have to be entirely on the telescope. It is really just a super-telephoto lens after all. Though there will be no electrical contacts for the camera to read. Some experts have said that camera focusing should always be set to manual when digiscoping. Even when a pancake lens is fitted. I tried manual focusing with the 20mm lens in place and didn't much like the format compared to auto. Just something else to get used to I suppose.
I just hope the camera isn't going to ask for the focal length every single time I zoom the telescope. As it did when I experimentally removed the pancake lens. I suppose it needs this information for the image stabilisation to work properly. At least I could get a picture in the camera viewfinder by hovering just behind the telescope without a lens.
All will be laid bare when the new parts arrive in the post. Yet again the weekend has intervened. Not that it matters after two days of heavy cloud and the odd shower. Bright sunshine definitely helps with such slow, lens systems. See the telescope manufacturer's own table above right.
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