ZIGView

[Cloudwatcher]

My ZigView S2 arrived today. Works great on the 350D for normal photography. Can't wait for some clear skies to give it a go astro wise.

Nice clear screen with five levels of brightness and five of magnification (could this mean the end of my blobby stars?) The screen rotates through 180 degrees in the vertical and 315 in horizontal. It is also detachable and can be hand held whilst still showing the image through the viewfinder during focusing. Like a mini laptop showing the view from a web cam. The screen will show either B/W or Colour views which can be flipped in the vertical at the press of a button. Handy if your using a Newt but want a 'right way up' view. If required there are composition/framing aids available on screen. Not sure that the latter will work against a dark sky but there are loads of other goodies that I haven't had the opportunity of trying yet.

Of course it's bound to be cloudy for the next few weeks but as and when I've tried it out on the heavens I'll let you know how It worked out.

Cheers

CW

PS Just had a thought....If this should have been posted in the Equipment Zone, please move.

[jonifive]

I'm really interested in this CW. I really have problems with the view finder, especially with the Swan adapter even at x2.

My eyesight is just not good enough to tell if I'm properly focused. I find myself taking many pics whilst adjusting the focus, then viewing them to see which is best! Time consuming and it ruins my dark adaption!!!

I look forward to your results.

JV

[Cloudwatcher]

OK JV, you will be the first second to know if it's any good. Incidentally,the unit comes with a video output connector cable so you can view on a monitor or TV provided it has the usual video input socket. An extension cable is available which allows something in excess of 37' between the unit and monitor which could be handy in cold weather. Just watch the view on TV and use the remote shutter release if you see a scene you like!

Viewfinder adapters are supplied including one for the Nikon but as yet I do not think there is 1.25" webcam type adaptor to fit it directly to the telescope. Shouldn't be too difficult to knock one up though.

Cheers

CW

[barkis]

I too am very interested to here how it copes with sky imagery CW. Whether I invest in one may rest on your unbiased report

I am positive you will give true and honest appraisal of this device. Of course you must have been impressed by it enough to buy it in the first place. Or have you managed to get on a trial basis?.

Ron.

[Cloudwatcher]

I too am very interested to here how it copes with sky imagery CW. Whether I invest in one may rest on your unbiased report

I am positive you will give true and honest appraisal of this device. Of course you must have been impressed by it enough to buy it in the first place. Or have you managed to get on a trial basis?.

Ron.

I will do my best (Dib Dib,Dob Dob) Ron, to give an honest report. (once the skies have cleared)

I have just been playing outside with the unit testing the inbuilt camera in low light condition. The light amplification,even at standard brightness setting,is quite astonishing! Pointing heavenwards the images of the clouds on screen were very detailed and I actually managed to glimpse a star,Capella I think, through the cloudcover even though it was not visible to the naked eye. The zoom effect also seems to work well at night although in the higher range you do start to get 'snowflakes' appearing on screen. This is to be expected of course but when attached to your DSLR/Scope I don't think it will affect ones ability to achieve a good focus as you will probably not need the zoom facility. The scope will be providing the magnification you need.

So,at this early stage,I can say with confidence that the ZIGView is showing great promise and potential for the DSLR user. The view provided by the screen is greater by several orders of magnitudes to that seen through the camera viewfinder, a bonus in it's self but additionally it can be adjust to an angle that allows the observer to compose his image without risk of permanent neck damage.

I will post a further report once I have tried a unit/dslr/scope combination so, JV & Ron, don't rush out and buy one just yet.

Cheers

CW

[barkis]

I will post a further report once I have tried a unit/dslr/scope combination so, JV & Ron, don't rush out and buy one just yet.

Cheers

CW

Sound good to me CW, and I am mightily grateful for your assessment, and future report on the merits, and usefullness of the Zigview.

You certainly do not have to put yourself under any pressure to provide this info in any hurry at all. Just in your own good time, and when conditions are suitable. We are all aware how long suitable conditions can take to arrive in our fair land. So, patience will be the watchword.

Well done brother.

Ron.

[jonifive]

CW....regardless of our Ron's zero presure response above, I think you should be outside at this very moment regardless of weather conditions/work/radiation poisoning/floods etc and be damn well reviewing this item!

Only kidding, you take your time matey

JV

[barkis]

CW....regardless of our Ron's zero presure response above, I think you should be outside at this very moment regardless of weather conditions/work/radiation poisoning/floods etc and be damn well reviewing this item!

Only kidding, you take your time matey

JV

That's terrible Jv. After the man, clutching his Woggle promised to do his duty and gave A Dib Dib Dob Dob mantra.

Besides, I have had a personal guarantee from the UKAEA, that there is no radiation emanating from the demolishing of the Sellafield cooling towers. It is raining heavily here though,, and I had bacon grill and chips for dinner, followed by Tirramisou, is that how you spell it? Spell Checker is flummoxed. But, no food poisoning. Now, I can't speak for the area where CW lives.

Now, after that tirade, I am tired and I am going to Bo Bo's.

[Cloudwatcher]

Sorry guys it's still 10/10 cloud here so I still haven't used the ZigView on the stars. I have used it in combination with the 350D and 80mm scope terrestrially and it works particularly well when the screen is detached and hand held whilst focusing the scope. Used this way the screen can be positioned so that reflections and LCD 'flare' are avoided.

Of course,all this means nothing as far as use for astro imaging is concerned which may prove an entirely different ball game.

That's all I can tell you until there are some clear skies here so don't hold your breath!

CW

[Cloudwatcher]

There were actually stars in numbers visible last night!

So,arriving home from work,a quick setup of the HEQ5 and ST150 on the patio with a rough polar alignment (very rough) was carried out. Conditions weren't brilliant, light high cloud,but I hoped to get a quick test of the ZIGView done before conditions deteriorated.

Let me say that this is not intended as a general critique of the ZIGView. The idea was to establish it's viability as an aid to focusing a DLSR when astro imaging.

With the perfunctory polar alignment in mind short exposures would have to be the order of the night.

A wide view first with the 350D at prime focus. I chose an area in Cygnus with a few fairly bright stars and switched the gear on. I found it fairly easy to obtain what appeared to be correct focus although no easier than with the viewfinder. The advantage was that with the screen hand held it could be done whilst standing comfortable beside the scope rather than kneeling on the ground with the head at a strange angle.

Next on the list was a narrower FOV. I fitted a diagonal to the scope and a x2 barlow to the camera. M45 was in view to the East ( the worst area for me) above the street lights so that was to be the target. I focused on the Alcyone area but found it was not so easy this time.The brightness and magnification levels had to be played with because of the skyglow. This option is not available through the viewfinder but I have to say that it's a mixed blessing. It seemed to take fair while to obtain the right combination,so much so that Alcyone had drifted in the FOV somewhat.

So,would I recommend a ZIGView for astronomical use? Based on this short trial and baring in mind the unit's cost,I would have to say,no.

This is no reflection on the unit itself which works well in it's intended field but at over £200 the money,in my view, would be better spent on dedicated astro gear.

I will try to post a couple of shots as downloaded from the camera if I can compress them enough to 'fit'

Cheers

CW

[jonifive]

CW

Thats such a shame....I was hoping this was the holy grail for my focus problems!

Never mind, the search continues.

JV

[Beyond_Vision]

Better to save your money for a Canon 40D which has a live preview mode. IMHO

[Cloudwatcher]

Thought I'd give the ZIGView a try on a larger target so took a single frame of the Moon on Friday night. Only just found time to download from the 350D. This is a 1/125 sec. shot at ISO800, Auto Levels & Auto Colour only in PS, reduced in size to fit.

Still not sure if focus is any better than through the view finder. Think I will have to take lessons from the Phone Wizard,SR!

CW

(click to enlarge)

[barkis]

So, it's looking like not being worthy of the spend, as it is not cutting the mustard with regard to the purpose we would be using it for, ie, remote focusing on stellar objects. Can I take this statement of mine to be in agreement with your thoughts on the matter CW.

I don't want to pre-empt you of course. I thank you for the checks you did on our behalf by the way.

Ron.

[Cloudwatcher]

Hi,Ron.

Sorry I haven't replied earlier but at the moment I am only able to make quick visits to the Forum. I think your summation is probably going to be correct. I have not yet been able to trial the unit on astro subjects when connected to a monitor but yes I do feel,as I said before,the results will not justify the expenditure.(Sounds a bit account-ish does that. No offence to any Accountants out there,Certified or otherwise. )

It seems to work OK when imaging the Moon although I have not yet been able to try any high magnification shots. It certainly makes life more comfortable when using the DSLR but you have to ask yourself......What price comfort?

I have just enhanced the previous Moon shot with a bit of sharpening and curves in photoshop but again I can't say that the result is an improvement on a view finder image it was just easier.

Cheers

CW

[barkis]

Thanks CW. As before, I appreciate your time and effort. Perhaps I will earmark the DSLR for the larger brighter solar system targets, and the CCD MX916 for the rest. Since my interest in the Zigview was always fired by it's Astro. potential, and perhaps found wanting in that area, I now will look at other toys to spend the dough on.

Cheers Mate, hope Jv. is coming to terms with his loss. Very sad time losing a parent.

Ron.