Attaching my phone to spotting scope

I am pondering attaching my mobile to the ocular of my spotting scope for the range/ zeroing, I do use iron sights and low mag scopes, so I regularly use a spotting scope.

It would be easier to just look at a screen instead of breaking position to look down a scope, any suggestions?

You need a Digiscoping adapter, Google it there’s lots to choose from.

That looks like a deep rabbit hole, bugger, anyone with any recommendations?

You can probably tell by my user name that digital does not enter my vocabulary very often.

Or of course there is always plan B........ tell your quarry to keep as still as possible and line up your pocket camera while you faff about with the scope!

Ha! Yes that's an option, target frame's tend not to wonder around a lot though?

There are quite a few options on Amazon. Other than that some good but expensive options from Highland Outdoors

i use this one. you can also use apple final cut camera to view and record because it has image stabilisation.

i have also read that these ones are good

I’ve got one of these, I haven’t used it much however it seemed to work well!

I went down this route last year.

Attaching my phone to my spotting scope has transformed my zeroing/practice sessions, not so much the convenience of not having to peer through the spotter, but if you are on your own, by recording video with the phone through the spotter you can then play back afterwards and spot your misses - something I struggle with through the rifle scope with the bigger calibers.

I bought a Hawke adapter which is all spring loaded so fits any phone and any type of spotter. It is a bit fiddly to get everything lined up (takes about 1 min), but then again with my spotter the eye relief changes as you zoom in, so you need to move it again anyway, so do wonder how the more expensive magnetic clip-on type cope with that. All in all I’m pleased with Hawk adapter.

A few tips based on my experience:
1. Using the zoom on the phone can give better picture quality than zooming in on the spotter. I have found a mixture of some zoom on the phone and some zoom on the spotter works best.
2. The spotter/phone combo needs to be mounted on a tripod that isn’t stood on the same table you’re shooting off otherwise the vibration of the shots upsets the picture which kinda defeats the purpose. Even a bit of wind will cause a surprising amount of camera wobble.
3. Getting the spotter/phone pointing at target does require a lot of patience!

Some photos of the Hawke adapter below. I’d hoped to attach a short video clip of me missing as well, but the technology has defeated me (again) or perhaps pride got in the way.

Hope this helps

303British said:

That looks like a deep rabbit hole, bugger, anyone with any recommendations?

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Hawke do an inexpensive universal one.

Swarovski do an expensive model.
Both work reasonably well, the Swarovski has the edge. There are quite a few good self centring magnetic ones on the market, £££ though.

Maybe say which spotting scope and phone you have to tailor replies of people with the same or similar set up

It's an old opticrom scope , the ocular housing is quite small, 30mm approx, phone Motorola.

The Hawke one looks pretty flexible, will have a bash with that one I think.