Spotting scope from camera lens

[Dick Dastardly]

In my former life I was a professional photographer for over 40 years. I hung on to some of my camera equipment that I wanted for my retirement. A screw mount Pentax SLR with a complete set of prime lenses is one of them. In that bag there is a fine Pentax Takumar 300mm f4 screw mount lens. It's SHARP.

I just bought an eye piece from B&H photo that they call a GP PENTAX UNIV LENS TO TELESCOPE ADAPTER. The SKU# is "GBPULTA". It cost me $39.95 plus $4.95 S&H.

I put the lens on my Slick tripod and screwed the tele adapter on and WOW! Right side up correct image with 30X magnification. The lens focuses from 18' to infinity and is sharp across the entire distance. The field of view is huge for a 30mm magnification telescope.

I'll be using this rig for BPCR long range spotting this season.

How's that for recycling?

DD-DLoS

[BerdanIII]

Heckuva idea! I think I've still got an old off-brand 300mm myself that wasn't too bad. I'm going to look into this. Thanks, Mr. Dastardly. (Is the accent on the first or second syllable?) Does diddling with the aperature get you anything besides eyestrain?

[cumminsnut76]

Sounds like a great idea!

[Dick Dastardly]

For a spotting scope, use the lens at maximum aperture. For more depth of field, stop it down a little, but expect a dimmer image. FWIW, in some conditions a polarizer may be beneficial.

DD-DLoS

[45-70bpcr]

Hey do you have any modern digital photography equipment that you could use to show us a picture of your new scope ? :-) It sounds nice.

[BerdanIII]

Thanks DD. I still have the lens, but the bugger is threaded 44mm and I can't seem to find a thread converter or step-down ring to go from 44mm to 42mm. That's what happens with 35-year-old equipment; they quit making the bits and pieces.

[Dick Dastardly]

Here are a couple of photos of the spotting scope rig.

DD-DLoS

[andremajic]

You can also get a $3.00 Canon EOS lens adapter for using all of your pentax lenses with a newer digital slr. I have given all of my m42 lenses a second life with a digital camera.

The best thing is you can find these lenses for cheap if you troll pawn shops and thrift stores.

I got a used canon EOS 10d from ebay a couple years ago, and it sports all of my pentax lenses. Very nice combo.

I'll try your spotting scope too, that's what I call multipurpose!

[Three44s]

This is very good news ....... being able to recycle this type of equipment!


These days, good news is in short supply.


Three 44s

[wv109323]

Can you do the same with the Nikon Ai / AiS mount with the right adaptor?

[looseprojectile]

I let a Canon 400 mm lens get away that I could see red headed ants crawling around on a stump at a hundred yards. I will be looking in the pawn shops.
Thanks for the heads up.

Life is good

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Bub,

I suspect any good telephoto camera lens would work. The trick is, getting an eyepiece adapter. Give B&H a call and put up with the phone tree. They can give you the advice you seek.

DD-DLoS

[scrapcan]

DD,

Is the tripod mount par tof the converter or is that part of the original lense? I too have a few Canon lenses and would liek to see if I can do this.