Written By Jerald (jerald@1stlighthuntingjournal.com)
For those that love viewing and capturing distant images through a lens, the opportunities are many. Why? For one, there are plenty of places on God’s green earth to roam, whether in the back forty, backyard, or local park. Second, there are so many outdoor activities, sports, and hobbies to go around – ones that warrant capturing, recording, and sharing.
That’s why when Phone Skope offered its first series of digiscoping adapter kits in 2011, the act of digiscoping with a smartphone took on a life of its own. Aside from the optics and said smartphone, these nifty setups made it easy to magnify far-off landscapes, wildlife, and even humans and take pictures or videos – and it didn’t require a fancy expensive camera and lens.
This was great news for a variety of nature lovers, including hunters, birders, and hikers. It was also groundbreaking for outdoor photographers and other content creators – ones that revel in outdoor spaces and want the ability to capture cool moments in the fields, forests, hills, and waterways they visit.
New and Improved?
There has always been a pull toward new outdoor gear. Outdoorsmen and women love their gizmos and gadgets. Every year, countless outdoor products hit the market and there are plenty of consumers ready to pounce on the next best thing; hunting calls, rangefinders, and optics come to mind. Some products are new and innovative; others represent a perpetual quest to improve a current product on the market. Don’t believe me? Spend a couple of hours walking the convention center floors of any outdoor trade show.
The digiscoping industry is certainly no stranger to the eternal pursuit to improve current technology. The entrepreneurial spirit is a great thing. However, there are cases when the wise adage that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes into play.
For years, companies have been trying to devise new types of digiscoping gadgets and accessories – ones that effectively connect optics to smartphone cameras. Since Phone Skope’s beginning, many kits and devices have hit the market. Digiscoping is a unique and rewarding undertaking and there’s been no shortage of entrepreneurs seeking a better way. Mostly universal setups, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.
“It’s amazing how many new digiscoping setups have hit the market since Phone Skope’s inception,” said Tanner Kochever, Phone Skope General Manager and avid digiscoper.
Making the Connection
There are a lot of factors that determine digiscoping success, such as proper lighting, steadiness, and focus. While it’s not difficult, any repetition using this cool form of photography is righteous. It pays dividends.
There are a lot of tips and tactics for successful digiscoping but it starts with a good bond between your device and optics. The absence of a good connection leads to a clumsy cumbersome affair. In these instances, a great day outdoors is sabotaged by an inability to visually find your target through optics; shaky imagery, and my favorite, the abrupt clunking sound of my smartphone hitting the hunting blind floor after losing its connection. Hint; the latter is immediately followed by the frantic exit of the wildlife I was hoping to capture in the first place. It’s maddening.
Most digiscoping adapters depend on knobs or screws for connecting smartphones to optics. However, these and other components either don’t effectively connect or, even worse, break.
Most, if not all digiscoping adaptor kits depend on knobs, screws, and magnets
to connect smartphone cameras to optics – but it’s not a sustainable solution.
A Polarizing Topic
The latest development has been the use of magnets for securing smartphone devices to binoculars and spotting scopes. Problem solved?
Not so fast, my friend.
There has long since been a plethora of third-party manufacturers devising smartphone accessories that utilize magnets and magnetizable metal plates for attaching to phone cases, car mounts, and even the device itself. However, magnets can impair successful smartphone camera operation.
According to Apple, “A strong magnetic field can interfere with features such as Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and closed-loop Auto Focus (AF)”.
Today’s smartphone camera technology is off-the-chart, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The very features that help combat blurry images and vibration can be rendered useless with magnets.
So, new innovation often gives way to unintended consequences. If you’re putting your smartphone camera success at risk, you’re hindering your digiscoping efforts as well.
The Beauty of Customization
Custom is good. It’s true. From a nicely tailored suit to a bow set up perfectly for your strength, arm length, and proper arrow flight, there’s no real substitute for seeking the perfect fit. If you don’t prescribe to the theory, try buying your best formal suit off the rack and hitting your next wedding or another important event. You’ll likely be a popular topic behind muted voices. Heck, you might even end up on social media (but I digress).
Phone Skope adapter kits provide a custom fit meaning you can even keep your
optics tightly attached to your smartphone camera if you choose.
Digiscoping is no different. In the quest to make things better, you can’t beat a custom setup like those offered by Phone Skope. In the digiscoping world, gear that’s made specifically for the likes of your favorite spotting scope or binos provides the ability to more seamlessly scope out a promising game animal, mountain range, or interesting lighting effects.
When these and other outdoor wonders reveal themselves, time is precious and, depending on a customized connection is a coup.
“As the first to the table, we’ve always spent a lot of time testing new methods, such as knobs and magnets. We also seek to improve our custom offerings. We’ve yet to find a more effective way to seamlessly digiscope,” said Kochever.
While Phone Skope’s unique kits didn’t appear until 2011, there was a ton of upfront trial and error. No stone was left unturned when it came to developing effective ways to marry smartphone devices with optics.
If it Ain’t Broke…
Entrepreneurship will always be a positive thing, but sometimes you’re better off relying on the technology that’s stood the test of time. From a digiscoping perspective, there’s still no better way to visually capture the outdoors than to visit the Phone Skope Builder’s Page. Whether for your $5,000 set of glass or your $100 pair of knock-around binos, you can build your custom kit – one that won’t fail you during the moment of truth when an unexpected bull elk or other subject comes into view. Beyond the simple builder’s page lies Phone Skope staff eager to help you arrive at an optimal fit for your digiscoping exploits. It’s custom, from the accessories themselves to the assistance from the leaders in smartphone digiscoping.
No knobs, no magnets; just a snug fit that will allow you to capitalize on the outdoor moments you seek. Don’t let the allure of a universal kit you found on Amazon or the gut-reaction attraction of a magnet-driven setup you saw at a hunting show sway you. If you’re serious about utilizing and mastering the powerful tool of digiscoping, there are no real shortcuts. At a manageable price point, go with the tailor-made solution.
Remember, custom is good.
When you prescribe to this undeniable fact, you’ll reap great rewards at the hands of digiscoping. The tagline “Capture Record Share” is best realized when you create your personal digiscoping kits with the help of Phone Skope, the original and genuine article.