Anyway, after I'd swapped my eyepiece I realised I'd have to change my system. Should have thought about that before I swapped it really. I experimented with some other plumbing connectors but none of them fitted properly. Then I remembered I still had my proper Kowa adapter that I used with a camcorder when I first started digiscoping (note: it now seems like a bit of luck that I jumped in at the digiscoping deep end by trying to use a video camera. Still cameras are a doddle compared to that). So, I sawed the plumbing connector off my old adapter, stuck a 52mm stepping ring on it, and screwed it on to the Kowa adapter. It probably takes a second or so longer to put on than the old one did but it's also a bit firmer once it's on there.

As mentioned before, the camera just sits in the wooden bit. It can be made safer with an elastic band but, seeing as it's an angled scope, gravity usually holds it in place. With the kind of digiscoping I do, quick and cheap and simple really does matter. I know, I said that before but I'll say it again. Cheap because it's nice not to have to be continually worrying about something dropping on the floor. Quick and simple because all I'm after really are record shots of locally scarce species/occurrences and I want to be as ready as possible for them when they present themselves.

Whilst writing this I've thought of a few other things which might be a bit more universally applicable, eg about scopes, cameras, tripods, bean bags, red dot finders etc. I'll put some more on later. Also see the digiscoping section on Birdforum and the Yahoo Digiscoping Birds group. One thing you get when looking at these is that there are almost as many digiscoping methods as there are people digiscoping, and that there are people getting excellent results with methods/equipment that other very good digiscopers think are impossible or useless.

http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=243

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/digiscopingbirds/

Excellent piece of work Dave which you have put together here, one thing I might add to all of this if I may is that it is imperative to have a solid base to work upon, therefore your tripod is a vital piece of kit for decent results if you intend to digiscope.

One of the reasons I have virtually stopped digiscoping is that I have moved away from my original tripod (Velbon Delta) which was fine for digiscoping, but a bit on the heavy side for lumping around and not that great for panning smoothly through gulls for instance and following birds in flight.

I now use a Manfrotto tripod which is much lighter, smooth as silk for panning but not quite sturdy enough for vibration free digiscoping!

Very often I obtained my best digiscoping results by lowering the tripod to a usable height, in order to negate any excess movement  which will inevitably result in a shot that is not quite sharp enough.

Digiscoping and birding is not that easy and I think Dave's results are fantastic to be truthful, it requires a fair bit of patience as very often a perched bird flies off just as you are about to press the shutter button. and it can be extremely frustrating as you have no idea which direction the bird has flown, but having said that if you get a decent record shot of any subject, I think you can learn so much more about a particular species by then studying it at a later date in the comfort of your own home.

There is no right or wrong way as Dave has said, it isn't expensive to have a go as most birders have a tripod and scope anyway, you just require a bit of luck with your choice of digital camera and hope that it fits well with your eyepiece, I bought a Casio Exilim in 2005 for not much money and it still works fine, you just have to experiment and one day might be as good as the maestro himself but I wouldn't bet on that!