"The less gear you use, the more you grow as a photographer. Although there are fewer options available, you'll find more creative ways to capture what you feel! In a way, all your technical options before turn into creative solutions that improve your photography even more."
― Marius Vieth
I've been meaning to write on this subject sooner, but there's always been something else of interest going on to share here. Seeing how the weekend's weather is still overcast and a little drizzly, I've written this post to show what I'm presently using for digiscoping adapters. Yes ― I still digiscope. Naturally, I spend way more time doing macro insect photography. You'll note while I've changed the name of this blog to Máistir Nádúraí a few years ago, the current URL retains its original intent: birddigiscoper.com. Originally I owned birddigiscoping.com, but the host provider I was using at the time experienced a massive catastrophic system error that necessitated me setting up a new domain.
Digital photography through telescopes existed before Laurence Poh popularized it in 1999 for bird photography. Sadly, he died in 2004 of pancreatic cancer and it looks like his website was finally taken offline. I entered my foray into the technique in 2000 with a Nikon Coolpix 995 and Swarovski AT80 HD spotting scope. I was greatly inspired by Ann Cook of Bird of Manitoba, but she disappeared from the Internet well over a decade ago ― her work was top-notch and the standard digiscopers aspired to at the time. Other pioneers and early adopters of digiscoping included Alain Fossé (credited for coining the neologism 'digiscoping'), Yves Leduc, Danny Porter, Kevin Bolton, Steve Blain, Andy Holt, Steve Berliner, and many others. Early on it seemed like European birders held the edge, but many North American digiscopers eventually came online offering up stellar results. Kevin Bolton from New Jersey is one of the best digiscopers that ever existed, but I don't think he does much photography these days. Tara Tanaka of Florida won Swarovski's Digiscoper of the Year contest a couple of times. I've placed in it, but never took top prize.
Employed by Vortex/Eagle Optics since 2000, I've had enormous opportunities to influence and provide digiscoping advice for countless individuals. I routinely posted gear recommendations on this blog in the early years of digiscoping, but it's been awhile since I've written anything about it. There's so much more I could write about with respect to the history of digiscoping, but perhaps another time. So, without further delay, let's go over a couple of current adapters I use, like, and can recommend.
1. Magview:
New to me is this utterly brilliant smart phone adapter developed by Magview. I just got this one a few weeks ago. You can see it installed with my Samsung phone at the very top of this post. The adapter consists of an attachable magnetized flippable eyepiece cover, some collet rings for proper fit, and a thin metal plate that sticks to your phone or case. You flip open the cap, and magnetically snap your phone right to it. It's so mindbogglingly cool I feel stupid for not having thought of it.
Smart phone digiscoping has pretty much become the most convenient way people use their spotting scope in order to capture wildlife images, birder and hunter alike. I should note that I also recommend and like PhoneSkope's smart phone adapters and have one for my Vortex Razor, but the Magview adapter will likely replace it.
Rating: A+
2. DigiDapter:
Here are two adapters made by Paul Sayegh of DigiDapter ― arguably some of the finest digiscoping adapters on the market today. I have two: one for my Vortex Razor and my Swarovski, but each is a little different. I'm pretty sure Paul has adapters for nearly all Vortex spotting scopes, and indeed for many other popular Sport Optics brands as well.
Here's how it works for my Razor:
There's a sleeve (above) that goes over the eyepiece (the rubber eyecup needs to be removed), and the other half of the adapter slips over the sleeve like so:
The platform has a 1/4"x20mm thread and two "memory" positioning screws so you can easily install your digital camera into the same spot like this:
Here's the complete setup ready to use in the field:
The adapter for my Swarovski spotting scope has a slightly different configuration ― it uses Swarovski's digital camera adapter sleeve shown installed:
This version of the DigiDapter has removable filter thread rings for various camera lenses, and then the two parts attach to the spotting scope eyepiece:
Rating: A+
I still have my Swarovski TLS-APO 30mm and DCB adapters, but I seldom use them these days. Paul's adapters are elegant, durable, easy to setup, and fit in my camera gear bag/backpack much better than other adapters I own. Don't get me wrong, the TLS-APO is slick, but it's another piece of glass that light has to transmit through. And yes ― that's still my antiquated 2012 Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless, so call me Old Skool. It still does everything I need for digiscoping, macro, astro, and landscape photography. Plus, why buy a new digital camera when there's probably a new guitar I've got an eye on?
All images © 2022 Mike McDowell