How to Digiscope and Record Using a Mobile Phone

Instructions on How to Digiscope

There is a step-by-step process you have to follow if you want to get digiscoping right.

• Step 1: Coupling the Equipment

The first thing you would want to do is identify which equipment you would like to use when you are going to digiscope. In this case, one of them would be your cell phone, and the other one would be the lens or the digiscope.

And the lens can, at times, be very expensive, and the whole idea behind digiscoping with a smartphone as opposed to a digital camera is to cut down costs.

• Step 2: Get a Tripod and Remote Shutter Release

When it comes to this style of photography with a spotting scope, you will need a tripod. This is a piece of additional equipment you need along with the smartphone and digiscope. There are many tripods available in the market you can purchase.

If you don’t want to buy one, then you could always learn how to make one at home by yourself. There are many videos that will help you in your quest, so you really don’t have anything to worry about.

Now, this is not a must, but you would much rather have a remote shutter release. This will enable you to have greater control, and it will be easier for you to operate the whole thing. And for this, you can use your earphones. The volume button will get the job done for you.

• Step 3: Make the Setting

While working on a project, it is very important to set everything in the right place, which is especially true in this case. You would want to set up the objects you want to photograph before you like up the equipment.

• Step 4: Buy or Make a Bracket

For this to be done properly, you need a bracket that is going to hold your phone attached to the digiscope. If you want to make it, then you would opt for using metal or wood. Either would do just good. The bracket has to be L shaped so that they align properly.

Try to measure everything out so that there is no wastage. If the digiscope and camera of the phone are not in the right position, then you will have to go through the process all over again. So, try to measure to the T, and avoid any mishaps like that.

• Step 5: Take the Pictures

Now that you have everything in order, you should be ready to start taking pictures of the objects you want to. This is the most fun part of the whole process, and once you actively get involved in taking pictures, you will not want to stop. But you still have to work out the right light and the angles.

You will be able to see the stark difference between the pictures you have taken with just your phone and ones with the digiscope. Many objects would require a lot of zooming to see properly, but the digiscope does that part for you.

• Step 6: Get Rid of the Vignetting

This is something you might choose to do if the vignetting of the images due to the digiscope is an issue. Otherwise, you do not have to change anything. And what you need to do in order for it to work is zooming in or cropping the darker edges out.

The only problem of doing this is that the quality of the image will not be the same as it was before. Otherwise, everything else will pretty much be the same.

Complex Methods

The method of digiscoping with cellphone I explained is the easiest and basic way around, there are many different ways you can do this as well. You might get even better results if you intend to follow those instead of the one explained above.

And you could opt for using monocular, a bookend, some clips and bolts, and bulldog clamps. They will not make for a very strong or powerful digiscope, but you will be able to move this around easily.

Conclusion

If you are just starting out with digiscope, then the process provided should be most useful to you. It will be much easier for you to navigate.

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