Review: Novagrade Ranger App (and giveaway), by Les Welch

SLDMTN

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
1,383
Location
Palmer, AK
On our way to go shooting last night, we stopped by the post office just in case something showed up. Sure enough, Novagrade delivered :cool:

First impressions:
- easy to set
- works like a champ even with my Lifeproof case on
- it really does work the same with ANY phone you might have
- a little heavier than I was expecting but it is well made and should last forever

Short video banging steel to get the .270 dialed in at 200.

[video=youtube_share;ticnlKAmL6Q]https://youtu.be/ticnlKAmL6Q[/video]

After we got back home, there were a couple visitors in the backyard...

8ZFaQh4.jpg
 
Last edited:

robby denning

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
14,994
Location
SE Idaho
Hey, no vignette ring! What optic? That moose is super clear


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SLDMTN

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
1,383
Location
Palmer, AK
Hey, no vignette ring! What optic? That moose is super clear


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

iPhone 7 in a Lifeproof case hooked up to my Swarovski ATS 65

It would likely be more clear if I didn't zoom with the phone to eliminate the vignetting. If I leave it with vignetting and crop the photo, it typically results in a sharper image.
 
OP
Justin Crossley

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,268
Location
Buckley, WA
Good stuff SLDMTN. Keep them coming!

I just lent my Novagrade phone adapter to Brock last weekend when he was in Idaho helping a buddy scout for his upcoming mule deer hunt. Brock's report was positive as expected and I think he ordered one up. This is one of the photos he got.

0576e319281ffbc274789f06aff0098f.jpg
 

robby denning

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
14,994
Location
SE Idaho
OK, time for our August Winner

elkeaterco

Hope you got that new Kowa on the way! post on here and email me at [email protected].

Still one more to giveaway, so get your entries in on this thread. I'll draw on or about 9/15. Anyone already entered (who hasn't won) is eligible too.
 

oldgrowth

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
286
Location
california
I'd use it on my 10x42 vipers assuming it will work. If not then on a cheap spotter I got as a gift. I don't know if that qualifies, but it's all I got.:)
 
Joined
May 22, 2013
Messages
681
Location
Western CO
Got it tonight. Crazy clean glass and super light. More testing to follow.
58e7614875f1b734a7311952604e0fee.jpg
87628e4e203271bbdf814057e1e2e7dd.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 

MIKEYB

WKR
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
312
Can you mount a dslr on this bad boy or strictly phone? I would run this on my vortex Kaibab 15's, cabelas euro 10's and I have access to vortex 85 spotter new gen and Swarovski 12's EL. I have NM fall bear, Wyoming whitetail and wife's NM elk cow tag. Although on sept 15 I will be elk hunting wilderness till the 24th.
 
OP
Justin Crossley

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,268
Location
Buckley, WA
Can you mount a dslr on this bad boy or strictly phone? I would run this on my vortex Kaibab 15's, cabelas euro 10's and I have access to vortex 85 spotter new gen and Swarovski 12's EL. I have NM fall bear, Wyoming whitetail and wife's NM elk cow tag. Although on sept 15 I will be elk hunting wilderness till the 24th.

The phone adapter is just for phones.

They do also make a DSLR adapter though. I have one and it works great. Camera Adapter - Novagrade Digiscoping Adapters
 

SLDMTN

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
1,383
Location
Palmer, AK
For comparison, here is my ghettodapter and RX100 MIII with the same black bear.

dcwpBz2.jpg


laMyZVu.jpg


Heat waves made this one blurry. Golden eagles are murderous to dall sheep lambs.
M1h9pnK.jpg
 

SLDMTN

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
1,383
Location
Palmer, AK
Here are my initial impressions:

The adapter works great, especially for a universal piece. From my experience "universal" normally means it can do them all but none of them well, which is not the case here.

It does not appear to be quite as fast as say a Phoneskope for out of the pack fast setup but I can still have it out of my pocket and hooked onto the spotter in 30 seconds easily. It's as fast or faster than getting my ghettodapter and RX100 setup and running.

The only negative that I have, is not the fault of Novagrade or their app, it is with iPhone battery life. I was planning on being out in the field for 8-9 days which even in airplane mode seems to kill my phone when temps drop low. iPhones take awhile to power up from being off, which takes too long to capture that perfect angle sometimes. When the app is searching for gps to tag photos, it crushes my battery. To combat it, I would simply just have to bring a Dark Energy or similar power source (don't own one though).

One other thing to note, when I was filming directly into the sun, you could see the camera of my phone reflecting on the spotter glass. The result makes for a funky watermark effect in the pics and footage. I believe that was more of a rushed setup issue on my part.

Bottom line if you're digiscoping with a cell phone, personally I would buy this adapter knowing that my phones and possibly my optics will change over the years.
 
OP
Justin Crossley

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,268
Location
Buckley, WA
Justin, any experience with the direct adapter? I wonder if there is any advantages in having a lens in-between your optic or not. Can't say I have any experimental with digiscoping.

Interesting none the less.


Canon Direct-Projection Adapter - Novagrade Digiscoping Adapters

How to Setup Your novagrade Camera Adapter. - YouTube
I haven't used it but they told me the quality is better using a lens in between. I really haven't had the time to use mine very much. I need to though since I spent quite a bit of money on a nice 50 prime just for this use.
 
Top