iPhone 15 pro max 5x lens for digiscoping? (3 Viewers)

[mpeace]

Hi, any advice on this please? I’ve tried to find info on the usefulness of higher magnification phone camera lenses for digiscoping, but haven’t found much. I’m wondering if there’s any principles that apply generally, but also as an iPhone user wondering about my next upgrade.

I currently have an iPhone 12 mini, which is great, but it just has 1x and 0.5x lenses. I know the 2x and 3x lenses of other models are reported to work well for some, so now with the 5x lens of the iPhone 15 pro max do you think it work? I’ve heard it said that some higher mag lenses on Android phones are a non-starter for digiscoping.

So, forgetting issues with lens selection problems that some face, what’s the problem with higher mag lenses for digiscoping? Will it not focus for instance or only at limited distance with not enough focus play on the scope or is there something else going on? Or is it actually not a problem.

If the 5x lens of the 15 pro max won’t work for digiscoping then perhaps the Pro model with 3x lens might be better for digiscoping? It would be a shame though as the 5x lens would be handy for general photography. But for digiscoping I’d be back to using it’s 1x lens or be it with greater ability to crop.

Thanks for any advice or insight.

 

[BywaysNW]

I'm no expert, but as I understand it, the 48-meg Iphone 15 pro max gives you the 12-meg center-image resolution after zooming in that you get for the unzoomed image on the 12-meg cameras of earlier generations. It's not about the lenses but about the number of pixels at the center of the image.

 

[Homeyborb]

Hi, any advice on this please? I’ve tried to find info on the usefulness of higher magnification phone camera lenses for digiscoping, but haven’t found much. I’m wondering if there’s any principles that apply generally, but also as an iPhone user wondering about my next upgrade.

I currently have an iPhone 12 mini, which is great, but it just has 1x and 0.5x lenses. I know the 2x and 3x lenses of other models are reported to work well for some, so now with the 5x lens of the iPhone 15 pro max do you think it work? I’ve heard it said that some higher mag lenses on Android phones are a non-starter for digiscoping.

So, forgetting issues with lens selection problems that some face, what’s the problem with higher mag lenses for digiscoping? Will it not focus for instance or only at limited distance with not enough focus play on the scope or is there something else going on? Or is it actually not a problem.

If the 5x lens of the 15 pro max won’t work for digiscoping then perhaps the Pro model with 3x lens might be better for digiscoping? It would be a shame though as the 5x lens would be handy for general photography. But for digiscoping I’d be back to using it’s 1x lens or be it with greater ability to crop.

Thanks for any advice or insight.

I used to digiscope with an iPhone 11 pro with no problem. But I recently purchased an iPhone 15 pro and can no longer digiscope because the moment the view through the binos starts coming into focus, the phone automatically switches lenses and the view is no longer through the binos. If I move the phone to view through the binos with that lens, the phone switches back to the other lens and on and on eliminating its use for digiscoping. Take your binos to an Apple Store and try to view through them with an iPhone before you purchase.

 

[pbjosh]

I used to digiscope with an iPhone 11 pro with no problem. But I recently purchased an iPhone 15 pro and can no longer digiscope because the moment the view through the binos starts coming into focus, the phone automatically switches lenses and the view is no longer through the binos. If I move the phone to view through the binos with that lens, the phone switches back to the other lens and on and on eliminating its use for digiscoping. Take your binos to an Apple Store and try to view through them with an iPhone before you purchase.

This is a really annoying problem but can be avoided with 3rd party camera apps. I am no expert nor photographer but when I researched it I followed recommendations and got a free app called Yamera. You can choose which of the cameras to use. I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max and the 3x zoom is the useful camera for me when I occasionally try to digi-bin / digo-scope.

 

[Elpha8888]

I used to digiscope with an iPhone 11 pro with no problem. But I recently purchased an iPhone 15 pro and can no longer digiscope because the moment the view through the binos starts coming into focus, the phone automatically switches lenses and the view is no longer through the binos. If I move the phone to view through the binos with that lens, the phone switches back to the other lens and on and on eliminating its use for digiscoping. Take your binos to an Apple Store and try to view through them with an iPhone before you purchase.

You can make the phone not do that btw.
It's the same for macro, it'll change lenses in certain scenarios. I had the 15 pro.
You can download certain camera apps, usually pro apps that'll keep the lens from not changing.
Regards

 

[Elpha8888]

A

Hi, any advice on this please? I’ve tried to find info on the usefulness of higher magnification phone camera lenses for digiscoping, but haven’t found much. I’m wondering if there’s any principles that apply generally, but also as an iPhone user wondering about my next upgrade.

I currently have an iPhone 12 mini, which is great, but it just has 1x and 0.5x lenses. I know the 2x and 3x lenses of other models are reported to work well for some, so now with the 5x lens of the iPhone 15 pro max do you think it work? I’ve heard it said that some higher mag lenses on Android phones are a non-starter for digiscoping.

So, forgetting issues with lens selection problems that some face, what’s the problem with higher mag lenses for digiscoping? Will it not focus for instance or only at limited distance with not enough focus play on the scope or is there something else going on? Or is it actually not a problem.

If the 5x lens of the 15 pro max won’t work for digiscoping then perhaps the Pro model with 3x lens might be better for digiscoping? It would be a shame though as the 5x lens would be handy for general photography. But for digiscoping I’d be back to using it’s 1x lens or be it with greater ability to crop.

Thanks for any advice or insight.

Zooming through a lens degrades the image quickly. I've had better luck actually with digital zoom rather than optical.
Depends on the set up I guess, Swarovski glass is more forgiving. Spent hours under the stars digiscoping, I had 10x optical zoom and was getting better results with a cheaper phone and digital zoom. I've found Sony sensors perform very well.

 

[Avocet3]

Old thread I know but we tried my iPhone 15 Pro Max with a PhoneSkope case and attachment for our Swarovski 85 ATX scope this week at a local RSPB reserve.

Turned the phone on and selected the x5 lens. All works. Then when attaching the case and adaptor the picture blacks out even before attaching it all to the scope. Am I doing something wrong? I had the hole of the adapter over the corresponding lens. When using the x1 lens all is fine. The info / manual that came with the adapter explains how to use it on the x5 lens on the right of the lens grouping but I can’t seem to get an image

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Avocet3]

Anyone tried this combination?

 

[Gzoladz74]

Old thread I know but we tried my iPhone 15 Pro Max with a PhoneSkope case and attachment for our Swarovski 85 ATX scope this week at a local RSPB reserve.

Turned the phone on and selected the x5 lens. All works. Then when attaching the case and adaptor the picture blacks out even before attaching it all to the scope. Am I doing something wrong? I had the hole of the adapter over the corresponding lens. When using the x1 lens all is fine. The info / manual that came with the adapter explains how to use it on the x5 lens on the right of the lens grouping but I can’t seem to get an image

Any help would be appreciated.

Probably the phone is changing from one camera to another. To ensure the camera does not change from the lens I want to use to another one, I use it on Manual/Pro mode (I am on Android but I would imaging iPhones have a manual/pro equivalent mode).

 

[Avocet3]

Thanks. Not sure on my iPhone. I’ll investigate