Gman
WKR
One of the things I always have with me in the backcountry is my iPhone. And now with the increase of live hunts and posting from the field I wanted to create my own digiscope mount for my Swaro ATM 65 20x60 spotter.
I had previously purchased a Tines up adapter for my 3/4 DSLR Sony camera -- which will still work and takes good pics through the scope. So using that adapter as the starting point I ordered a cheap iPhone 5 case off of eBay ($5 shipped). I have a 5 on order but tested this with a 4S - and if you have a 4S I'd stil get the 5 case. The phones are exactly the same width and the 5 is just a littler longer. The gap in the case didn't seem to affect performance with the 4S and it makes it easier to pry the phone out when done.
I also purchased a step up ring to match my Tines up adapter. In this case I needed a stet-up to a 49mm. I didn't care what I was stepping from as I actually used a grinder to take off those male threads and make the ring flush for easy attachment to te case.
Step up was $3.33 shipped (eBay or Amazon, it all gets cloudy). So for a total of $8.33 (not including the $70 Tines up adapter!) I had all my materials. I've already begun thinking of how to replace the tines up adapter (if you don't already have one and want to save $70) and I think you could do it easily with a camera sun shade (those little plastic shades for lenses that come with cameras) or even a plastic cup and some electrical tape.
I started by grinding down the step up ring and then taping it all together to do a test to see if this would even work. Tests were successful so I went to assembly stage:
The proto-type all held together with duct tape:
The finished product. I used epoxy to adhere the stepup ring to the case. The Tines adapter screws on and off easily. I also has some gaps or holes from the step up ring (visible in the prototype pics) and where there was no case. I took black electical tape and covered any areas where light could get in and cause problems. Then I epoxied over that to create a plastic like covering and add durability. I also slathered epoxy all around the step up ring and case contact points for extra durability.
Here's an unedited test photo at 60x. This house is about 1000yrds away on a grey and dreary and rainy day -- I think this just may work.
I have a Pronghorn hunt late next week and then a CO Mtn Goat hunt the week after that. Hoping to show plenty of real animal examples then!
I had previously purchased a Tines up adapter for my 3/4 DSLR Sony camera -- which will still work and takes good pics through the scope. So using that adapter as the starting point I ordered a cheap iPhone 5 case off of eBay ($5 shipped). I have a 5 on order but tested this with a 4S - and if you have a 4S I'd stil get the 5 case. The phones are exactly the same width and the 5 is just a littler longer. The gap in the case didn't seem to affect performance with the 4S and it makes it easier to pry the phone out when done.
I also purchased a step up ring to match my Tines up adapter. In this case I needed a stet-up to a 49mm. I didn't care what I was stepping from as I actually used a grinder to take off those male threads and make the ring flush for easy attachment to te case.
Step up was $3.33 shipped (eBay or Amazon, it all gets cloudy). So for a total of $8.33 (not including the $70 Tines up adapter!) I had all my materials. I've already begun thinking of how to replace the tines up adapter (if you don't already have one and want to save $70) and I think you could do it easily with a camera sun shade (those little plastic shades for lenses that come with cameras) or even a plastic cup and some electrical tape.
I started by grinding down the step up ring and then taping it all together to do a test to see if this would even work. Tests were successful so I went to assembly stage:
The proto-type all held together with duct tape:
The finished product. I used epoxy to adhere the stepup ring to the case. The Tines adapter screws on and off easily. I also has some gaps or holes from the step up ring (visible in the prototype pics) and where there was no case. I took black electical tape and covered any areas where light could get in and cause problems. Then I epoxied over that to create a plastic like covering and add durability. I also slathered epoxy all around the step up ring and case contact points for extra durability.
Here's an unedited test photo at 60x. This house is about 1000yrds away on a grey and dreary and rainy day -- I think this just may work.
I have a Pronghorn hunt late next week and then a CO Mtn Goat hunt the week after that. Hoping to show plenty of real animal examples then!
