Sitting on a hillside scouting a mountain far away or trying to take a zoomed-in picture is now easily done with your phone with Phone Skope.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve tried holding your camera or phone camera up to your scope or binoculars to try and get a zoomed-in picture only to get a small piece of something not in focus. The only way to get it done is with perfect alignment and a quick trigger to get a decent pic.
The makers of Phone Skope have come up with an easy way to precisely and easily mount your phone on your spotting scope, rifle scope, or even binoculars. With their different universal adapters and custom-designed cases for your phone, you’ll be able to sit back and watch and record clearly from far away.
Using the Phone Skope
I have been testing the Phone Skope adapter with my Samsung S6 and Steiner 10-42 binoculars. Setting up the adapter takes just a minute as the self-centering design also clamps to the binocular. Once it’s tight, you know it’s centered and ready. After that, all you have to do is pop your phone in the case that is specifically designed for your phone, twist it on the adapter and turn on your camera. That’s it, you’re ready.
With using binoculars, I learned very quickly that trying to freehand hold all this with the phone zoomed in with the binocular zoom, it was impossible to hold steady enough. It would require letting the Steiner binoculars rest on a stable surface or in my case, duct tape it all to a tripod. Either way works, but the tripod is by far the best option. This is where if your wanting something is take on scouting trips or to take video from a distance, using an optic with a tripod mount is the best option like a spotting scope. But, use what you got and make it work.
What it Looks Like
Once you get the Phone Skope and phone installed on your optic, you will notice that a small round view you probably remember from trying this without an adapter. You can use your zoom ability on your phone to get through that and fill up your screen. Just realize that now you’re zooming into your already zoomed-in view.
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With camera zoomed all the way out. |
With camera zoomed all the way in |
With the camera adapter, you can also rotate to take vertical (portrait) orientated photos and videos as well.
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What you can do with a Phone Skope has endless options especially when matched up with quality optics like Steiner. I know I will be using to take pics and videos of my kids at their games, have it in the stand with me during the gun season even have some fun target practice with a rifle. The Phone Skope is a useful and fun addition to your pack. It gets my vote as top gear for sure.
Catcha Outdoors – Matt
