Extend-a-view pro

I was told about it from another BF member just after I started digiscoping and had just finished my custom adapter. I dismantled the adapter and installed the extend a view on the adapter with a hinge at the bottom and a very light spring which snugs the viewer up to the monitor. It was an evening of puttering but well worth it. To install the camera I use one finger to swing the viewer out of the way, slide the camera (Oly c-60) in and rotate the securing screw and its ready to go.

Wearing trifocal glasses and getting it to focus was my most difficult task. At first I tried to focus it on the monitor but with limited success. Since I intended to use the monitor to focus the scope, the viewer eyepiece had to be set perfectly. I did this by placing the viewer on a new dollar bill with backlight and rotated the eyepiece until sharpest view was obtained, then reinstalled it onto the adapter.

I\'ve used the extend a view now for about 2 years and removed it from my adapter once for an adjustment check. With my glasses I couldn\'t digiscope without it.

A major problem that afflicts users of many digital cameras is when bright light reflects off of the cameras lcd monitor, often totally obscuring the image being shown. In conventional use the traditional optical viewfinder can be used. In digiscoping the view from the optical viewfinder will be blocked by the scope or the adapter itself, in any event you will not be able to focus the scope onto the subject nor read any vital exposure detail.

The Extend-a-View Pro is an alloy device with a 2x eyepiece incorperated into it that fits over your lcd monitor. It's held in place by narrow velcro strips , though only one strip of Velcro need be applied so as to create a hinge effect. This single strip of Velcro holds the Xtend-a-View securely enough, never having fallen off, even whilst the set-up is carried around. Obviously a coresponding strip of Velcro needs to be stuck onto your camera (just above the monitor), so it may be difficult to remove the glue in the future.
The Extend-a-View will fit many digital cameras as it's available in three sizes, the 'mini' will fit 1.5 inch monitors like that on the cp4500

The rubber eye-cup provides comfort to your eye and eliminates stray light from entering, not unlike looking through your scope in a conventional manner. The beauty of the glass eyepiece is that you can have your eye close to the monitor, traditional sunshades may cut out the light but your eye is too close to the monitor for you to be able to focus on it.
The view can be a little bit pixellated with the 2x magnification, though I have found the view to be good enough to get a precise focus with. The traditional technique of using the digital zoom of the camera to get a precise focus isn't really needed, this is just as well as the view would be quite poor.