I want to put together a KOWA TSN 821 with a 45 degree eyepiece with a 20x60 variable to use with a camera smart phone and the best mount. So....
1 What is the best phone for this use?
2 What is the best mount system to use?
3 Want a Kowa because I'm impressed by them.
Recommendations? MB

Second you on the Kowa.

Just reviewed a TSN 554.

Wow!

Interested in the responses to this thread.

My iPhone X and the phone scope is very good.

Thanks Rick, The possibilities of using both are enormous, really hope for some great feedback on this.gr8fuldoug where are you? Fred if you could elaborate on your setup, I'd sure appreciate it. MB

As a generic unit we have the Carson Hookupz which has been very well received and is easy to use.

I tried the phone scope when I got my new Kowa spotter but the phone scope seemed to fit poorly and did an poor job. I sent it back and got a Kowa adapter like I used on my previous spotter, the Kowa spotter is best!

Recently back from two weeks in the Andes with high hopes of taking decent pics through the spotting scope. The Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount was recommended and research online seemed good. I can tell you it is a total POS and not worth the money or time. Unusable. Holding the phone in your hand to the spotter yielded the best results. We took two scopes and two of these POS's and luckily the cameras and drones we had with us got the pictures we wanted.

I am very interested in this post. Alternatively, is there a DSLR universal mount for a spotting scope?

Calling HuntSonora !!!

I’ve seen some pretty dang good giant mule deer footage he’s made before doing that

The phonescope has worked well for me...

Me too.

Yes....

This Celestron universal mount works surprisingly well...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...81035_basic_smartphone_adapter_1_25.html

What spotter are you using?

Im using a galaxy s10e with the phone scope through 15 power swaros and getting great pics to about a half mile and video for that matter. A stable tripod means the most to me a light weight tripod just shakes to much. If I can i set it down low as i can sit with legs spread real wide gets me the best stability.

I was visiting the KOWA site yesterday and noted they have smart phone adapters made specifically for some I Phone models and the Samsung Galaxy S4 & S5 models. Anyone with experience with the KOWA smart phone adapters? AZelkhunter what adapter for that s10e model? I guess it's kind of a specific question but does one smart phone brand and model stand head and shoulders above the rest? I want to buy the right stuff on the first go around. MB

The case is phone specific and the adapter is optic specific. You buy one case that fits your phone and then different adapters for whatever optic you attach it to. My old s7 does not take as good of pics as my new phone especially when zooming.

yes. This is the way to go. It weighs a little more but is so much easier setting up and getting to focus.

No problem with my phoneskope and IPhone XS Max.

As to the dlsr option, I’ve been with Frediii when he had taken some great pictures via his spotter. I believe he has the Canon adapter that attaches to the camera body in place of the lens

Phoneskope, great customer service.

I'd look at the tines up universal adapter. Well built and of course universal. Fits my bino's, spotter, btx, rifle scope. ..

The Novagrade is the best I’ve used. I’m done with Phone Skope.

I use this one.

https://novagrade.com/shop/phone-adapter-double-gripper/

Buy once, cry once. No need to start all over again every time you upgrade your phone. The quality is outstanding.

Kingston, this is what I have been looking for. I see they also make adapters for the DSLR Cameras. Excellent one stop shopping here.

It’s the bees knees!

Thanks for the heads up.

Tried the Carson. Sucked.

Phoneskope was ok until I got a different case for my phone.

Set it up, don’t gorilla tighten anything down—just snug. I ran into this product at SHOT 2019. I was adamant about them letting me set it up with my iPhone 10s. Tired of endless internet promises and smoke and mirrors, I wanted to do it from start to finish. I spent a bunch of time with them. I’ve got pictures showing the spotting scope with tripod attached being picked up by the NovaGrade mount. I should have taken video. I’ll do a write up at some point.

Yup, which is why I went to the Celestron.

Nova Grade

Great people, family owned company. Made in USA!

So sell me on the Celestron.

The price is great, but set up looks like it'd take three days to get things perfect.

Maybe I'm wrong?

IME it only takes a few seconds to set up, and is a pretty sturdy unit compared to others I’ve used. Initial setup takes a few extra seconds, but not bad at all.

So, once set up, it's easy on and off?

Yup.

The NovaGrade is likely better (I haven’t tried it), but more $.

Kingston, thank this is exactly what I need to know I don't want to buy more than once and the Nova looks likely to work with most any phone one gets. MB

Jordan,

Great recommendation on a well built yet inexpensive piece of gear. Got mine from B&H photo and it’s simple and easy to set up. Very repeatable as well.

Thumbs way up.

Higgins

Glad you're happy with it

I've really enjoyed the Nova Grade! Works great!

Look through a Zeiss Harpia??

I am still leaning to the KOWA scope with a 45 deg eyepiece of either 20 to 60 zoom or a straight 27 x fixed power, the NOVA grade mount. Probably an Android phone, recommendations? MB