The best Telescope Photo Adapters: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

>T-adapter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01788LT3S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought this for my binoculars a month ago when I'm out wildlife watching. I can use it in the lab on a microscope, when I'm at work (circuit designer). And I can use it on a telescope for the purposes here as well.

3" Orion Spaceprobe with 25mm eye piece.

Phone mount on eye piece.

Google Pixel using Google's Night Sight mode. (I am amazed at how much detail this shooting mode brought out).

Minor touch ups in post processing with photo app. Boosted the colors slightly, brought down the highlights to reduce the shine of the moon, and boosted blacks to enhance the dark spots of the moon.

I'm really pleased with how this turned out. I wasn't even planning to shoot last night, but it turned out to be a really clear night. I could just stand the cold long enough to shoot the eclipse as it started.

Edit: Those of you asking if you can use this as your desktop or mobile wallpaper, feel free!

Edit 2: Here is a link to the phone mount I used. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01788LT3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bX0rCbS5051MS

You should get this adapter that lets you screw your mobile phone over your eyepiece of your telescope so you can take more stable pictures and videos: https://www.amazon.co.uk/LAKWAR-360%C2%B0Rotatable-Binoculars-Microscope-Astronomical/dp/B07GXHLSY1/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Mobile+phone+telescope+mount&qid=1605612937&sr=8-5

If you already have a DSLR, why don't you get an adapter for THAT??? For example, I have used this one which mounts directly to my camera body and fits into the standard 1.25" eyepiece mount on my telescope. I had to get the adapter with the longer body to move the mirror far enough away from the telescope's focal point, but it also comes in handy to be able to drop eyepieces directly into this to increase the magnification. Just make sure you get a metal adapter (there are some made of plastic) so it doesn't break if your camera isn't vertically over the telescope.

Limited-time deal: Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount - Compatible Binocular Monocular Spotting Scope Telescope Microscope-Fits almost all Smartphone on the Market -Record The Nature The World https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_WZTM718ENWYQH8P5GDPP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I use this cheap attachment from Amazon.

You could get the 6mm "gold-line" eyepiece from amazon, ebay, or aliexpress instead of the Expanse. The gold-lines are just a generic Expanse for half the price or less. I use the gold-lines in my 6" Skywatcher classic and they're well worth the money. I paid about $100 US for the 6mm, 9mm, 15mm, and 20mm together.

I have this for my spotting scope. Works well, once you get everything lined up.

Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount

Hey, I forgot to mention that you need a cellphone mount such as this one. I have exactly that one, and It works very well.

Just used my phone, gets hard after a while to hold it in the right place so I bought some cheap binocular mount for smartphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_A82aYr58aStmv

As for the slow mo, it is just a feature on the phone

For planets another eyepiece is almost required.

Depending on your budget, a 6mm 66° "gold-line" or red-line will do. There are better ones of course, but these are great budget eyepieces to get your toes wet. Even if you ever decide to spend $200 or $300 on high-end eyepieces, these will remain good "visitor's eyepieces" :-)

(Random link, a bit cheaper on Aliexpress or eBay sometimes. You'll find them under various names).

The AD8's 30mm overview eyepiece, the 9-10mm kit eyepiece, and the 6mm will give you the basics to get started. Of course it would be nice to replace/add a few more. But IMHO get used to those. Get a good guide (e.g. "Turn left at Orion", adjustable chair, dimable red light, warm socks ;-)

You can spend a lot of money on accessories, but a lot of sets are rubbish (avoid almost all eyepiece sets even if they have good reviews. Overpriced, redundant, mediocre. You don't need a dozen magnifications.)

Filters can help, but don't do miracles (color filters for planetary detail, subtle, and you don't require a dozen different ones. Light pollution filters are limited, a tank of gas to a dark site is the best investment. Nebula filters can be great, but the best way to observe DSO still is a dark sky ;-) ).

 

~6mm, ~10mm, ~15mm and ~30mm will cover almost anything.

http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png

More than 200x can work, but atmospheric seeing conditions often limit what's possible anyway. Even if you'd like to use more. A 4mm 58° type (HR Planetary clone) costs $30-$35 (a bit less on Aliexpress sometimes) and is a nice addition to have without breaking the bank. At the high magnification the planets will typically remain significantly less than a minute in the field of view. Not ideal, but still tolerable.

 

I purchased this one on amazon. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B013D2ULO6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Super budget friendly. Takes a couple seconds to properly get everything lined up but works perfectly once it’s all set and gets the job done.

Ok, I actually own a GoSky smartphone adapter and I really don't like it. I think you may get better results if the hole in the adapter was bigger. In fact, if you look closely at the adapter hole, it may look like it has some room to be milled out at the factory, but they never did. I haven't tried doing it yet myself.

I own another adapter and it works much better, but the viewing hole is bigger, and it's a friction fit, as opposed to the rotolock-style on the GoSky adapter. That adapter came with my Vivreal monocular, but you look like you need a better universal adapter. I haven't used one of these, but this looks better: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JW9KHZ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_P3SbGbA9MQFBS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Also, try zooming in on your phone to get rid of the vignette, which is the circle you see around the image. You may need to use a 3rd party app, such as PhoneSkope, if the iPhone gives you zooming problems, but that is moreso for the iPhones with multiple cameras. Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/LAKWAR-Universal-Phone-Adapter-Mount/dp/B07GXHLSY1/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=cell+phone+telescope+adapter&qid=1603848443&sr=8-11

A holder like this should do the trick.
Amazon | Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount – Compatible with Binocular, Monocular, Spotting Scope, Telescope and Microscope

My adaptor has ‘Felidio’ written on it and looks like this one on amazon.

It takes patience to set up and use, but can deliver great results (given the scope and my limited skill).

Hi :-) You can get hem for $39 at Amazon. That one is more expensive than the Orion Expanse brand-name one.

For around $20 you can get the gold-line from Aliexpress that will ship internationally.

As you already have a barlow, just use that for the time being?

Clear skies!

There are a lot of different phone mounts but I use a Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B013D2ULO6

It may not be what you need so do some research before you buy any mounts as this one can be quite hard to orient in dark conditions.

Yep, I use the Gosky mount.

Put the mount on the eyepiece and get it all setup indoors, then you just need to put it on the telescope. Use NightCap to set focus to infinity and control your exposure and ISO so that the planets show detail in your photos/videos.

It was one like this - I don't have the exact link anymore but plenty that are exactly like it

I have an adapter that I got on Amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_6eahEbHE2VGHJ)

It's still really hard to line everything up but the mount is fairly adjustable to maneuver the phone around until I get something usable and luckily with the quad camera setup on the note10+ I can "cheat" a bit by using the Tele (zoomed) camera sensor which its focal length allows me to natively "crop into" the eye piece and focus on the object a lot easier.

I’ve had a similar experience with cover slips but it hasn’t seemed to mess with anything. I use my phone up to the eyepiece for video with this type of adapter (can’t vouch for this exact one but mine is similar): https://www.amazon.com/Gosky-Universal-Phone-Adapter-Mount/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=2KU8I82TGYS76&keywords=phone+microscope+attachment&qid=1671492909&sprefix=phone+microscope%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-9

Here’s a sample of video I’ve taken using iPhone XS zoomed in to fill the frame. I did edit the video to increase contrast so this is not straight out of phone but you get the idea: https://youtu.be/G4E08qnAfX4

This is what I use to hold my phone steady to my NODs. It allows me to adjust the diopter and focus lens to my phone camera rather than my eyes.

Ah... I misunderstood. You're taking them directly with your cellphone and not through a telescope. That might have something to do with it. You can a smartphone adapter for your telescope for fairly cheap on Amazon btw: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-81035-Smartphone-Adapter-Discoveries/dp/B07J2GGFQB

There are kits that will help you line up a iphone or something, but if your telescope has either a 1.25" or 2.5" eyepiece holder, then all you need is a T-Ring (here's one for Nikon and even comes with the 1/25" https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Compatible-Standard-Telescope-Microscope/dp/B00W123RBE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2C0FVG3B8FH4B&keywords=t-ring+nikon&qid=1670539974&sprefix=t-ring%2Caps%2C581&sr=8-3)

Many Celestron telescopes you just need the T-Ring and it'll screw straight onto the eyepiece.

This is what I use to hold my phone steady to the NVG. It allows me to adjust the diopter and focus lens to my phone camera rather than my eyes.

We've tested a bunch of phone/camera adapters for NVGs and this is the cheapest but best option we've found thus far:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01788LT3S?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

We have a PVS-14 unit that's pretty much dedicated to film and photos now and we just keep this adapter on there.

As u/ApolloGearCo stated, with modern cameras/phones with multiple lenses it can be tricky to get everything working properly.

With iPhones you have to make sure the lens that's currently being used is what's actually in front of the NVG optic. This will change depending zoom level and if you're doing video or photo. So don't be surprised if after changing a setting everything's blacked out, just means you have to readjust the position of the NVG in relation to the phone.

I’m about to order this you might want to look into it it’s very cheap https://www.amazon.com/Vankey-Cellphone-Telescope-Binocular-Microscope/dp/B01788LT3S/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=microscope+phone+adapter&qid=1668223695&sr=8-13

For just $20 dollars this could be yours.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01788LT3S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I’ve used this and it works rather well. Takes a little bit to get it dialed in just right, but once you have it set up it’s good to go