"Rube Goldberg" scope adapter (1 Viewer)

For those who prefer an adapter so you can swing the camera out of the way, I've built an adapter that includes a Panavise cellular phone mount, an aluminum rod, a rubber grommet, and a foam foregrip from a fishing rod. If anybody's interested in the details for this monstrosity, please email me.

Sounds interesting. Can you post some pictures?

Sure, here they are. The mount on the adapter top plate is for the Toshiba PDR-4300 camera, since it doesn't have threads on its lens.

I cut a 1 - 11/16" rubber grommet in half and inserted it into the threaded lens mount so I wouldn't have metal to metal contact with the eyepiece of the scope.

The Panavise cellular phone mount is a model 727-09; I drilled out the 4 inner holes in the top plate, and attached it to the aluminum rod (as the foot plate for the adapter) using 2 U-bolts and some plastic spacers that I had laying around my shop. I then removed the foot plate from the cell mount, and cut a piece of aluminum stock to attach to the top of it in order to attach the camera. You could attach the adapter directly to the tripod handle, but I prefer this for the times when I'm not going to be using the camera.

I have a 4 - 1/2" long, 1/2" ID foam foregrip (used in custom fishing rod construction) to pad the adapter "handle", which is not installed at this time.

OOPS! Sorry, 2nd pic didn't make it. Here's the adapter lowered from the lens (and I can't show you the camera attached, 'cause unfortunately I had to have 'something' to take the pic with!):

Fascinating! Looks very professional, GR.

Thanks. The best part about it is that it wasn't close to $200.00, either! <g>