Android phone digiscoping on a budget (1 Viewer)

Cabo · Dec 17, 2019

I have an lg g6 smart android phone and would like to set it up to digiscope and hoping for some recommendations as to both a proper adapter and a portable zoom scope from users that actually use or have used the recommended gear. I have a budget of up to $1500? I would like something small enough to pack in and quickly setup. I've read through the posts and googled the internet and found it overwhelming, to say the least, of making sense of it. I'd much rather learn from your expertise as I value your opinions greatly. I would appreciate your input greatly!

Cabo · Jan 25, 2020

Early research suggests a Vortex Diamond 20x60x80 angled spotting scope and an adapter from phone skope. I looked through one at Bass Pro Shop and from what I could tell the clarity looked awesome. I looked through some other scopes but the other images didn't seem quite as crisp. Granted I looked indoors. On line reviews rate it pretty high, but most evals centered around target shooting and hunting; but I'm only interested in birding.The price came in at $499. What do you think? Has anyone used this scope in the field? It seems compact enough and ready to be packed into the field.

Piskeddu · Jan 25, 2020

hello, Vortex makes good products and makes excellent ones but the price goes up, for your figure look for an opticron model that has medium) high products. George.

Giorgio

Cabo · Jan 26, 2020

That's a great tip; I'll look into that.

Cabo · Jan 26, 2020

Cabo said:
Early research suggests a Vortex Diamond 20x60x80 angled spotting scope and an adapter from phone skope. I looked through one at Bass Pro Shop and from what I could tell the clarity looked awesome. I looked through some other scopes but the other images didn't seem quite as crisp. Granted I looked indoors. On line reviews rate it pretty high, but most evals centered around target shooting and hunting; but I'm only interested in birding.The price came in at $499. What do you think? Has anyone used this scope in the field? It seems compact enough and ready to be packed into the field.

So, I looked into a comparable Opticorn scope that specs out similar to the Vortex 20x60x80 including the zoom eyepiece and found it to be more than twice as expensive. Even though the Opticorn reviews were excellent. Is the significant extra cost worth the money? What do you think? I really value your opinion.

Piskeddu · Jan 26, 2020

Hi, I don't know the Vortex brand well but I would have liked to have one for sure. You have to decide if you want portability then choose a 60 aperture model or you are interested in photographing in every light situation and take an 80. I am not a professional in the trade but someone says that for digiscoping or phonescoping it is better to use a fixed lens, so you could take a 25x if you use a 60mm or a 32x if you take an 80mm. Good evening. George

Cabo · Jan 27, 2020

That's a very good point as portability is a big consideration. Between that and a tripod I would like to keep the weight below 10 pounds. I have a day pack that the scope and the tripod have to fit in. I like that idea of an 80mm lense so I'll be ready for most light situations. I have a Pentex 80mm ed with several eye pieces but it's too awkward to pack around. It is used in the house and on the rear deck. Anyway, I'm real close to pulling the trigger on a scope and a tripod. I'm hoping other people will chime in with what works for them or equipment they've heard about before I go shopping. I'm sure there's other posts on this forum related to this issue, but so far I've been unable to locate an applicable thread. Incidentally, Jekyll Island, Georgia, is a wonderful place to dodge around birding. I've missed many opportunities because I was I'll prepared, but that's about to change. Blessings.

Piskeddu · Jan 27, 2020

Hello I use this tracing, opticron ES ga 80 ED + zoom sdl2 20 x 60 including tripod Genesis C5 Carbon fiber, Head Velbon FDH51qn. The total weight is 4.5 kg

Giorgio

Cabo · Jan 27, 2020

How do you like ur set up? If you were to do it again what would you do differently?km

Piskeddu · Jan 28, 2020

Hi, I like taking into account that it is what I can afford, if I had economic possibility I would take all kowa. As a second choice but not least I would take Leica. later I will take a fixed 32x eyepiece, I am waiting for the adapter to connect the cellphone to arrive, I am not a maniac of the photos I prefer to observe but some shots to compare can be useful. I use the 1000 rule to buy, everything must not cost more than 1000

Cabo · Jan 29, 2020

I like your rule. The beauty of your 1k rule is once you purchase the equipment that's it. No further equipment costs.

Cabo · Jan 30, 2020

Okay, after lots of research and imput from fellow birders I've settled on a Vortex Diamondback 20x60x80 angled scope with a packable tripod. All that comes in under 10 pounds. I got the tripod, angled scope, and a "Phone Skope" phone adapter for around $650. The Vortex comes with a transferable lifetime warranty, no receipt required. So far I love the scope, nice and bright. However a more solid tripod (more weight) might be in my future. I find the lightweight tripod I have tends to have a bit of vibration to it. I find it necessary to have a 5 sec shutter delay when taking photos in order for the composition to settle down before the shutter fires. At 300 yards I can read the expiration date on a license plate sticker, however, the detail characteristics of the finished photo on the LG G6 isn't as sharpe. I would say anything above 50x through the phone camera wouldn't be as sharpe. This phone d-scope setup nailed a bald eagle at 100 yards looks not only in your face but crystal sharpe. I can enlarge it on the back of the camera and to me it's quite impressive.

Piskeddu · Feb 12, 2020

Hi, the important thing is that you are satisfied with your equipment, the rest does not count. Enjoy your birdwatching days, many people waste time looking for a better sharpness or performance, the time available must be used to observe.

Giorgio

Cabo · Feb 12, 2020

Thank you, good advice, and the same to you.

Piskeddu · Feb 19, 2020

It will be a pleasure to listen to your advice. Good evening.

Giorgio

Joker9937 · Mar 1, 2020

Cabo said:
Okay, after lots of research and imput from fellow birders I've settled on a Vortex Diamondback 20x60x80 angled scope with a packable tripod. All that comes in under 10 pounds. I got the tripod, angled scope, and a "Phone Skope" phone adapter for around $650. The Vortex comes with a transferable lifetime warranty, no receipt required. So far I love the scope, nice and bright. However a more solid tripod (more weight) might be in my future. I find the lightweight tripod I have tends to have a bit of vibration to it. I find it necessary to have a 5 sec shutter delay when taking photos in order for the composition to settle down before the shutter fires. At 300 yards I can read the expiration date on a license plate sticker, however, the detail characteristics of the finished photo on the LG G6 isn't as sharpe. I would say anything above 50x through the phone camera wouldn't be as sharpe. This phone d-scope setup nailed a bald eagle at 100 yards looks not only in your face but crystal sharpe. I can enlarge it on the back of the camera and to me it's quite impressive.

Hi! To both of you on this short thread, "Thanks". It was good info.

I have dabbled with digiscoping with my astro telescopes, and my cell phone, but did not know it had an official name. LOL. Really tough to get the settings right, and get good planetary pics, but I have had some fair results.

I had fumbled around with some old spotting scopes I have in an attempt to get some wildlife pics. There is a Bald Eagle nest about a half mile behind our house. That is my eventual objective.

I was curious about the photo you took of your eagle. Any chance you could post it here? I haven't attempted anything other than taking a few pics and videos with my bare phone. But, I am hoping to get a shot thru a scope soon.

Thanks.

Cabo · Mar 3, 2020

I would love to post a photo but I don't have a clue on how to do that. I need a step by step of how to do that. I see where you post a reply but no where do I see a place to attach a photo. I don't find attaching a photo user friendly in the least. It would be nice if there was a paper clip icon handy. I've been a member here for many years and never knew how to post photos in the reply. I would be very beholding if some very patient member could teach me how to do that. I have both the unaided bald eagle cell photo and the photo scoped photo. What an amazing difference. The other day I did the same with a cardinal behind my house. You could make out the beads of water on his head. Hope to hear from you.

Piskeddu · Mar 3, 2020

hi, what program or app are you using? , I think it's a fairly simple thing to publish a photo, the important thing is that you respect the size and weight that is required in the forum settings, if I can help you ... I try.

Inviato dal mio LG-H930 utilizzando Tapatalk

Cabo · Mar 4, 2020

What do you mean what program do I use? I just use the quick reply box provided by the Bird Forum. However, within that program I haven't found a way to add a photo. Isn't that the way I'm supposed to post replys? Obviously I'm doing something very wrong. How would you upload photos in the reply section?

Piskeddu · Mar 4, 2020

When you use the answer button, the screen that I have attached appears to you, by clicking the plus you can take a photo by attaching it or uploading it from the gallery.

Inviato dal mio LG-H930 utilizzando Tapatalk

Android phone digiscoping on a budget (1 Viewer)

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