Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

DIY camera spotting scope attachment.

Sytes

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
12,864
Location
Montana
hey guys for those who like to take photographs via your phone and spotting scope I built a simple item to resolve the typical issues that come with this attempt.

in my case, I have a Leupold Ventana and the size I needed for the eyepiece was the number 5 scope lens cover for the standard rifle scope.

I then found a dirt cheap cell phone case fitting my specific phone, the Samsung Galaxy 4, gorilla glue and glued the scope cover to the phone case where the center opening for the camera was lined with the center of the scope cover. I cut out the portion matching the camera and glued the two together.

Now all I need to do when I want to take photos through my spotting scope is attached my phone to the cover and slide the new lens cover that's attached to the phone case onto the eyepiece of the spotting scope and presto! A nice fit unit ready to take photos.

I looked for one of these units and was in shock when I saw the price of $80 for a stinking piece of plastic to make the same piece.

Cell phone case was $7.99 the scope cover piece size 5 was on sale for $2.50 surprisingly though even at its normal $6.99 it was still a great price so for me a total around $10 was worth the project.

Anyhow for those that may be interested... a simple tweak to make your own camera for your spotting scope. When you go to the store have them pull your spotting scope and try the rifle scope covers for the right size that fits your eye piece and you're off.
 
Thats a good idea, I will be trying this tomorrow. I bought one of the plastic adapters for somewhere around $50, it only fit an iPhone 4. A couple months later and a broken cell phone and now have an iPhone 5 that doesn't fit it...
 
I did pretty much the same thing except bought a filter adapter that I glued onto the scope cover piece. Then I screw my camera right onto the filter adapter.

If you had a point and shoot camera that didn't have a screw type filter setup you could glue another filter adapter right to the camera. Or you could interchange it all by gluing a filter adapter to an iPhone case.

The filter adapters can be bought for $5 or so for most sizes.
 
Sytes/Npaden -

Could you guys throw up some pics? I just made the investment on my first spotter, and have been thinking about rigging up something like this.. thanks
 
Sorry guys, this thread became blurred with the many and I missed following up with a few pics. Hope these pics help explain the process. I placed too much Gorilla super glue and almost had to chop a finger off in the process... haha! Of course I read the directions for the glue after the fact and was amazed to find a product state, "apply in small amount..." Bet their investors are happy with that set of directions... :D

Anyhow, hope these pics help.

Total $10.49
Cheap case - $7.99
Size 5 Rifle Scope flip cover - $2.50 (Sale from $6.99)

picture.php


picture.php


picture.php


picture.php
 
Last edited:
That turned out pretty cool. Definitely beats paying whatever they're asking for them.

It'll be interesting to see if that hinge will hold up with the weight of the phone on it.
 
That turned out pretty cool. Definitely beats paying whatever they're asking for them.

It'll be interesting to see if that hinge will hold up with the weight of the phone on it.

Initially considered that concern and maybe over time it may take a downward spiral though the spring does not really hold any weight aside from the camera flipped over the top. Once the camera is in place to take photos or video, the scope cover snaps within the other portion of the cover.

As with anything, time will tell...
 
Way to go - thanks for the pictures so that I can see what you were talking about.

I'm going to give this a shot and try to make a scope cover that can velcro on the case since I think I'll need 3 different scope covers for the spotting scope, big binoculars, and "small" 10x42s I have. They all have differed eyepiece outer diameters and I'd prefer only one camera case.
 
Good stuff!!!
I had just been looking at Didgiscoping stuff. Didn't even know it had a name,taking cell pics w/scopes/binos.
Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Nice aspect - the manual scope adjustment is no longer necessary. The camera does the focusing automatically.
Also the flip cover allows one to use the camera to move the scope around - and the camera screen becomes your view or flip it up (if phone power is necessary to conserve) and use as initially intended with your eye. Once the spot is found to take pictures or video, close the cover lid and good to go.

It has worked better than I anticipated. And this one was a pretty rough build though clean hole placement for camera and position with the center of the lens.

For the Samsung Galaxy S4, I used a 5/8" wood drill bit. Worked perfect for the plastic. and the bit has a nice point to be specific for the center.

Not a carpenter so here is a pic of the type of bit I used.

841040-wood-boring-spade-bit.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nice aspect - the manual scope adjustment is no longer necessary. The camera does the focusing automatically.
Also the flip cover allows one to use the camera to move the scope around - and the camera screen becomes your view or flip it up (if phone power is necessary to conserve) and use as initially intended with your eye. Once the spot is found to take pictures or video, close the cover lid and good to go.

It has worked better than I anticipated. And this one was a pretty rough build though clean hole placement for camera and position with the center of the lens.

For the Samsung Galaxy S4, I used a 5/8" wood drill bit. Worked perfect for the plastic. and the bit has a nice point to be specific for the center.

Not a carpenter so here is a pic of the type of bit I used.

841040-wood-boring-spade-bit.jpg

Thats a spade bit for future reference.

Thanks for sharing, I'll be building one myself!
 
Thanks for the post.I'll be making one as well now.I was shocked at the price they wanted for a store bought
 
While working on my archery, I observed this one meandering up on the hill above... Figured this would be a decent opportunity to present examples of the camera attachment use with the Leupold Ventana spotting scope.

This one is using the camera in a vertical position:

picture.php


This is in the horizontal position and a bit zoomed in:

picture.php


Anyhow thought a few examples may help see the results of a simple set of plastics glued together vs some outragous price for the same... And again, my build is a pretty rough design... I did not place much emphasis into the project other than the hole placement.
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
110,805
Messages
1,935,092
Members
34,883
Latest member
clamwc
Back
Top