Recently I got an Iphone after having used a Itouch for a year and I immediately started enjoying using the camera and video camera on it. Wheels began to turn. I almost always have my phone with me and it is usually powered up sufficiently when I leave the house. It can slip into my pocket to carry. Surely there must be a way to use it in conjunction with a scope like you do with a digital camera for digiscoping.
I did some searching on the web and the could only find one blog by Rich Hoyer that shows how to do a handheld digiscope with the Iphone: http://birdingblogs.com/2011/richhoyer/digiscoping-with-an-iphone-%E2%80%93-northern-pygmy-owl-and-greater-white-fronted-goose
But try as I may I was never able to get a very good shot with the hand held method. It was extremely difficult to keep the camera centered on the exit pupil. None of my images came out recognizable.
In trying to come up with a way to attach the iPhone to the scope I stumbled upon the Joby Gorillapod Flex Tripod for the iPhone 4. It has a case that encloses the phone so it can be attached to the flexible tripod.
Joby Gorillapod, snap on case w/iPhone |
Joby Gorillapod with iPhone |
I wrap two of the flexible arms of the gorillapod over the handle on the fluid head in opposite directions. with the third arm pushed against the top of the scope for additional stability. Not all fluid heads come with the adjustable handle, mine adjusts with a simple turn of a wingnut. (Manfrotto 3130) I carry the flexipod wrapped around the handle just in case I need it for phonescoping.
Here is what it looks like:
Left side |
Right side |
One small problem is that the case that goes on the iPhone slides onto the wrong side of the iPhone for using the camera so you will need to snap it on and off. To get it off you will need to snap apart the case and slide the attachment off that way.
I tried it out the the other day down at the Pajaro River under extremely foggy conditions. I'm sure the photos could have been done better under more favorable conditions. Obviously it is no magazine cover but it is sufficient for photo documentation and I did edit the sharpness a little:
The video I shot was even better and next time I should be able to eliminate the vignetting by zooming in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6dYZ17yhzA
I'm looking forward to working out some of the kinks and hopefully I will find some rare shorebird to try it out on!
If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear from you.
tt
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