iPhone "Spotting scope"

Zeddsded · Post by **Zeddsded** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:11 am

I have a 6m practice range at home and had been considering getting a spotting scope so I could check out individual shots without having to walk into the dining room.

But being a technophile I was sure that there must be a more high tech solution that met my needs. My 'lightbulb' moment came this morning when I remembered that I could AirPlay Mirror the contents of my iPhone's screen to my Apple TV box that sits in the living room.

Mounting the phone onto a Gorilla-pod tripod below my target holder and setting the phone to 'video' mode I can now transmit the target image to the 55" TV and view each individual shot without moving from my shooting position.

N.B. my explanation for my crappy shooting at 6m is that my Walther LP400 is back at the gunsmith's for another failing seal, so I shot these with my Weihrauch HW75...

DLS · Post by **DLS** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:31 pm

I do a similar thing on my home 6m range since my spotting scopes will not focus that close.

I set my handheld video camera on the table right next to my pellet tin, place it on standby and zoom in on the bull. I use the cameras viewing screen to see my shots.

Works well and lets me use what I already have.

Zeddsded · Post by **Zeddsded** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 4:33 am

Same here; my house is already Apple-equipped, so there was no additional outlay.

I had been considering buying a standalone WiFi connected security cam of some description (and then viewing it from my iPad), but suspected that they may have had a wide field of view (for spotting burglars) and poor resolution when it came to focussing on a pistol target.

I'm looking forward to using my techie scope for real once I get the Walther back.

DLS · Post by **DLS** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 11:20 am

I believe you are correct with security cameras, you would not be happy with the FOV and resolution.

Even with my camcorder, I need to activate the digital zoom feature to get tight enough to score my shots from afar. It's a bit of a pain to move the camera from bull to bull when zoomed in that tightly, but I've gotten the feel for it and it only adds a short bit of time between shots.

I also like not having to lean over to look through a scopes eyepiece. I must be getting old and lazy!

Zeddsded · Post by **Zeddsded** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:23 pm

DLS wrote:It's a bit of a pain to move the camera from bull to bull when zoomed in that tightly

Ahh, now that's the beauty of Pistol... there's only one Bull and it's a lot bigger! ;)

DLS · Post by **DLS** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:16 pm

Yes but ...

Since I'm cheap I still have to move the camera, even with pistol! I print up a 6m pistol target that squeezes 5 bulls on a letter size piece of paper for use in my letter sized, home-cobbled together silent bullet trap.

But you are correct, moving over the rifle multi-bull target really takes a deft touch!

Muffo · Post by **Muffo** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:21 am

now figure out a way to make it go 1000m. pretty please

Zeddsded · Post by **Zeddsded** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 6:43 am

Muffo wrote:now figure out a way to make it go 1000m. pretty please

Lol! Nope, you got me there :)

In reality it was fine as a novelty exercise, but after 30 or so shots the phone is red hot! - and it drains the battery very quickly unless you've got it plugged in to the mains.

I used it yesterday for sighting in my new Steyr LP10E.

DLS · Post by **DLS** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 11:54 am

That makes sense since the iPhone is a battery hog in the first place!

My camcorder with its 6 year old battery will give me a many hours use in standby mode and never heats up ... so that's an advantage. I would have to use a cord to pipe the image to a TV or other viewing device however.