Rokslide/Phone Skope User testing for iPhone 7 Plus

Tsnider

WKR
Joined
Sep 8, 2016
Messages
487
Location
Carbondale, CO
The reason for curiosity about the iPhone 7 Plus uses with optics is because this new phone features 2 rear facing camera lenses. One lens is not magnified while the other has 2x magnification. Apple did this to achieve clearer magnified photos as well as different effects to mimic high end cameras.


I have been messing around with the PhoneSkope ever since it showed up in the mail a few weeks ago. I spot deer at work on a regular basis and have been trying to get the hang of using the system. I am new to spotting scopes and new to PhoneSkopes. Of course there isn't much to it, but on the first couple of uses I found myself missing shot opportunities of some bucks on the hillside. Perhaps its because I didn't read the directions (as nearly every other male on this planet) but I couldn't get the iPhone 7 plus 2x lens to take any decent photos. Ill get to that in a minute.


The PhoneSkope for the iPhone 7 Plus appears to be basically the same system as any other PhoneSkope, based off photos I have seen of the hardware. It has 2 separate slots so the user can adjust the phone accordingly. On first use of the PhoneSkope I tried using the 2x magnification on my phone and all I saw was a black screen. So from that point on (literally for weeks now) I thought I needed to slide the phone out of one set of slots, and into the other to align the 2x lens. This is off of total assumption and I got it locked into my head. I was disappointed that it was a hassle, and rarely was able to use 2x magnification at all.

Well, I'm a dumb ass. Today I went to look for the sheep I've been searching for the last few weeks and finally found them. I spent a good hour and a half using he PhoneSkope on my 2nd generation Vortex Razor 65. I got some really good photos using the phones 1x magnification and couldn't seem to get any at 2x. Along the way I figured out I don't need to switch the alignment of the iPhone up. These “slots” must be intended for the Vortex 85 mm. I still did find that using the 2x magnification takes a few seconds to show up for some reason, which is what threw me off originally. This is at the fault of the phone of course, as it seems to need time to show the magnified image. While using 2x magnification the image gets much brighter, and I found it necessary to limit the amount of light being taken in by the 2x lens on a bright day like today.

I didn't have the spotting scope zoom exactly the same on these shots, but the larger magnification shows how clear the 2x image shows up. Pretty cool!




Now that I finally figured out what I was doing wrong, I quickly found how useful the 2x lens could be. There is no quality loss using the 2x. Doubling your image size can really provide some advantages as you might image. This is certainly an attractive feature I will really appreciate in the near future when I'm spotting more critters. I do think if you're using an older iPhone and considering upgrading, then 7 Plus might be worth your attention. The phone features better battery life, a bigger screen, the best camera in the iPhone lineup. I know some are set back by the size and weight of the device, but you also gain a bigger screen for GPS use, and stereo sound that can supply sufficient sound for the tent if you want it.



As I said, I have no prior experience with PhoneSkope hardware but I am glad I have the extra feature of magnification with this setup. As most are aware, the more magnification the more you notice the slightest of movements. The kit I received came with the PhoneSkope Bluetooth shutter button and it would be quite difficult to take full magnification photos without it, so go ahead and add it to the cart.

I will be doing follow up posts in the coming months of different photos and footage I capture. I may even do a video soon going back over some of this same information, so those interested can see what switching between 1x and 2x looks like and how it can be quirky at times. Either way I'm happy with it, definitely one of the cooler pieces of gear I have acquired recently.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

 
OP
robby denning

robby denning

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
14,990
Location
SE Idaho
Good feedback and nice clarity in the 2x for sure. Are you not able to get rid of the black edges?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dotman

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
8,201
The reason for curiosity about the iPhone 7 Plus uses with optics is because this new phone features 2 rear facing camera lenses. One lens is not magnified while the other has 2x magnification. Apple did this to achieve clearer magnified photos as well as different effects to mimic high end cameras.


I have been messing around with the PhoneSkope ever since it showed up in the mail a few weeks ago. I spot deer at work on a regular basis and have been trying to get the hang of using the system. I am new to spotting scopes and new to PhoneSkopes. Of course there isn't much to it, but on the first couple of uses I found myself missing shot opportunities of some bucks on the hillside. Perhaps its because I didn't read the directions (as nearly every other male on this planet) but I couldn't get the iPhone 7 plus 2x lens to take any decent photos. Ill get to that in a minute.


The PhoneSkope for the iPhone 7 Plus appears to be basically the same system as any other PhoneSkope, based off photos I have seen of the hardware. It has 2 separate slots so the user can adjust the phone accordingly. On first use of the PhoneSkope I tried using the 2x magnification on my phone and all I saw was a black screen. So from that point on (literally for weeks now) I thought I needed to slide the phone out of one set of slots, and into the other to align the 2x lens. This is off of total assumption and I got it locked into my head. I was disappointed that it was a hassle, and rarely was able to use 2x magnification at all.

Well, I'm a dumb ass. Today I went to look for the sheep I've been searching for the last few weeks and finally found them. I spent a good hour and a half using he PhoneSkope on my 2nd generation Vortex Razor 65. I got some really good photos using the phones 1x magnification and couldn't seem to get any at 2x. Along the way I figured out I don't need to switch the alignment of the iPhone up. These “slots” must be intended for the Vortex 85 mm. I still did find that using the 2x magnification takes a few seconds to show up for some reason, which is what threw me off originally. This is at the fault of the phone of course, as it seems to need time to show the magnified image. While using 2x magnification the image gets much brighter, and I found it necessary to limit the amount of light being taken in by the 2x lens on a bright day like today.

I didn't have the spotting scope zoom exactly the same on these shots, but the larger magnification shows how clear the 2x image shows up. Pretty cool!




Now that I finally figured out what I was doing wrong, I quickly found how useful the 2x lens could be. There is no quality loss using the 2x. Doubling your image size can really provide some advantages as you might image. This is certainly an attractive feature I will really appreciate in the near future when I'm spotting more critters. I do think if you're using an older iPhone and considering upgrading, then 7 Plus might be worth your attention. The phone features better battery life, a bigger screen, the best camera in the iPhone lineup. I know some are set back by the size and weight of the device, but you also gain a bigger screen for GPS use, and stereo sound that can supply sufficient sound for the tent if you want it.



As I said, I have no prior experience with PhoneSkope hardware but I am glad I have the extra feature of magnification with this setup. As most are aware, the more magnification the more you notice the slightest of movements. The kit I received came with the PhoneSkope Bluetooth shutter button and it would be quite difficult to take full magnification photos without it, so go ahead and add it to the cart.

I will be doing follow up posts in the coming months of different photos and footage I capture. I may even do a video soon going back over some of this same information, so those interested can see what switching between 1x and 2x looks like and how it can be quirky at times. Either way I'm happy with it, definitely one of the cooler pieces of gear I have acquired recently.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have.


Nice write-up, if you zoom your phone a little you'll get rid of the black circle or vinitte or however it's spelled. I zoom my camera or phone out enough to get rid of it and then use the spotting scope mag and focus, it's a little game as you increase the mag on the scope you will have to zoom a hair more on the camera.
 

Tsnider

WKR
Joined
Sep 8, 2016
Messages
487
Location
Carbondale, CO
Good feedback and nice clarity in the 2x for sure. Are you not able to get rid of the black edges?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yeah just zooming the screen would handle that, or editing afterwards of course. i thought the way i uploaded these images they would show up bigger so you could see more detail.
 
Top