Re: ELR Digiscoping setups
<span style="font-weight: bold">Vision Pro Shop's MINITS iWitness -- Tactical Digiscoping </span>
iPhone 4s Spotting scope adaptor
A lot of questions come up regarding digiscope with our spotters and I want to discuss one of the better solutions I have tried. The
iWitness Adapter from VIsion Pro Shops This is a great options for guys looking to increase the capability of their current spotting scope set up.
I really think the cameras in the Iphones are of high enough quality to get very good stills and video from. Conditions will dictate the quality at really long distance, but I have pushed this unit and the Iphone to "miles" and the results are outstanding. When I first got the unit I walked out my door with my Zeiss 65mm and using my 30X eye piece with mil reticle I was able to capture this image of the Sheraton Hotel which line of sight via Google was 7 miles away.
This was just my initial introduction to the unit. I really wanted to see how it would perform in the field at distance on target we routinely use. So the next step was to take this to Gunsite for the XLR class I was attending. I knew we'd have targets beyond 1000 meters and the conditions in Arizona would be perfect to test out the quality of the unit out in the field.
Connected to the Spotter 60
What is great about the iPhone is how well it does both video and stills, so I was able to capture a example of each using the iWitness.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Video At 600 meters </span>
This video shows the trace and impact of a shot on steel at 600 meters. Go full screen on these videos, the quality is awesome.
<object width="545" height="327" id="viddlerOuter-655e45bd" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="//www.viddler.com/simple/655e45bd/"> <param name="movie" value="//www.viddler.com/simple/655e45bd/"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="flashVars" value="f=1&openURL=104915925&autoplay=f&loop=0&nologo=0&hd=0"><object id="viddlerInner-655e45bd"> <video id="viddlerVideo-655e45bd" src="//www.viddler.com/file/655e45bd/html5mobile?openURL=104915925" type="video/mp4" width="545" height="307" poster="//www.viddler.com/thumbnail/655e45bd/" controls="controls" x-webkit-airplay="allow"></video> </object></object>
1000 meter Paper Target
Here you can see the conditions, the wind and mirage through the iWitness.
<object width="545" height="327" id="viddlerOuter-a4a3cb6b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="//www.viddler.com/simple/a4a3cb6b/"> <param name="movie" value="//www.viddler.com/simple/a4a3cb6b/"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="flashVars" value="f=1&openURL=91854799&autoplay=f&loop=0&nologo=0&hd=0"><object id="viddlerInner-a4a3cb6b"> <video id="viddlerVideo-a4a3cb6b" src="//www.viddler.com/file/a4a3cb6b/html5mobile?openURL=91854799" type="video/mp4" width="545" height="307" poster="//www.viddler.com/thumbnail/a4a3cb6b/" controls="controls" x-webkit-airplay="allow"></video> </object></object>
The nice part about the video is, you can set it up and walk about, you dont have to be there to click off the image. Still the clarity in the video is pretty darn good, and the iWitness centers the iPhone for you really well.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Still at 2987 meters</span>
This next image is a still taken of a garage at 2987 meters from our shooting position. Mirage was a bit of a issue, but still you can pick out some great detail in the image. This is really pushing the usable distance, but for long range surveillance, this would give you a great overview of what you are looking at without having to be right on top of it. I should note the telephone pole and train tracks was just behind where we shot at targets that were 2000m away, so the tracks are close to 2400m away. Great clarity there.
It's long and flat, under better conditions this can easily be improved on.
These kits start at just over $200 and for what you get, and what it can do, I think it is not too expensive. I have tried several others that are priced a bit cheaper, and they are honestly not in the same league as the Vision Pro Shop iWitness.
Link to Leupold Kit
By using other bushings which are available you should be able to mount it to just about any spotter out there. There are also rifle & NV Kits available. The PVS14 mount can be seen in the top image.
Spotter 60 Bushing is on the eye piece of the spotter.
if you want a way to record your hits, both still and video, I highly recommend this kit over it;s competitors. I have tried it against the others and this is the best of the bunch. It's universally more adaptable, it's solid, but you will need an iPhone.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Paper Targets at 500 meters with 12" Squares. </span>
The white boards and steel in the back against the tree line is 1500m. When the conditions are right you can really pull some nice clarity out of this system. Will you see bullet holes on paper, probably not, but you can see your impacts on steel without an issue and it does demonstrate exactly what you are out doing. For the long range shooter this is the tactical digiscoping kit you want to spend your money on.
The locking collar does rotate so you can change the aspect of the iPhone, you are held to only shooting vertical, you can shoot horizontally too. However you want to use it.
Feel free to ask me any questions, I am happy to fill in any blanks.
