How to Set Up the Mountain Mag Digiscope System

Today I want to walk through you how to digiscope with your new Mountain Mag Digiscoping System. All you need is an optic, a binocular or a spotting scope, the phone you want to digiscope with, and the Mountain Mag digiscoping system we developed here at Epoch Outdoors. It is incredibly user friendly and simple to use, and in this guide I want to walk you through exactly how to set it up.

If you have any questions along the way, hit us up at support@epochoutdoors.com. We would be delighted to answer any and all of them. You can watch the whole thing in the video above, but I will also walk you through every step right here. Let's dive in.

Step 1

Set up your binocular

First, let's set up your binoculars.

The first thing, specifically for binoculars, is to adjust the barrel length for your eyes. Hold them up to your eyes and get them the proper distance apart for you.

The second thing, and this goes for all optics, is to make sure your eyepieces are scrolled all the way in. 95% of the time, that is how you want them for digiscoping.

Next, grab the Mountain Mag eyepiece for your optic and pull it out of the bag. You will see eight steel plates embedded into the plastic. Set it on top of the eyepiece of your optic and orient it so one of those steel plates is at 12 o'clock, pointing directly up. Then press it onto your optic until it is firm and flush. It is not going to come off until you pop it off. It is very, very secure.

And it fits the binocular perfectly. It is almost like that eyepiece was made for this binocular, and that is because it absolutely was. Every single eyepiece we sell matches the taper, the shape, and the function of your eyepiece, so it does not compromise your regular glass or your experience of the optic itself. We want you to use these like normal out in the field, but set up your digiscope in an instant.

Step 2

Set up your phone

Now that we have the binocular set up, let's go to the adapter. This is the MagSafe digiscoping adapter. If your phone is natively MagSafe compatible, it pops directly onto the back of your phone.

Here is a quick rundown on what phones are MagSafe compatible.

The adapter snaps right on

• All iPhone 12s and newer, except the iPhone 16e
• The Google Pixel 10 series. They have Qi2 Pixelsnap magnetic charging that works the same way

Not natively MagSafe (use a case or our adhesive magnet)

• Any iPhone before the iPhone 12
• The iPhone 16e
• Samsung phones
• Google Pixel 9 and older

If your phone is not natively MagSafe, no problem. You can absolutely use a MagSafe case, or a MagSafe adhesive magnet if you do not have a MagSafe case or a MagSafe phone.

Here is the big one: it is much better if your MagSafe case has an alignment magnet. That alignment magnet snaps the adapter into position directly above the camera on your phone, every time. We definitely recommend cases from reputable companies like UAG, Pitaka, Mous, OtterBox, Supcase, and Nomad. The list of great case companies goes on and on. And if you are looking for a cheaper MagSafe case, we definitely recommend Spigen.

I made an entire video on how to install the MagSafe adhesive magnet, so if you are going that route, give it a watch:

Watch the MagSafe install tutorial

Step 3

Bring them together

Now that we have the eyepiece on the optic and the adapter on the phone, the digiscope is all set up, and this is where things get incredibly fun. Bring the two pieces together and you will hear a small lock or snap. That means the mechanism is engaged, and your phone is now magnetically and physically connected to your optic.

Go ahead and shake it. It is a very strong physical connection, and the only way you are getting it off is by pulling it directly off. Once you hear that snap, you have a lightning fast, rock solid digiscoping setup. You can film vertically or horizontally, and both lock perfectly into position, as long as you installed that eyepiece with one of those steel plates at 12 o'clock.

Step 4

Pick your camera app

You can absolutely use your default camera app, but we recommend our Mountain Mag Camera app. It is built from the ground up for digiscoping, and one of the biggest things it does is lens locking. It is not trying to switch lenses on you or figure out which lens is best for your shot. It just uses the lens you told it to use. So you do not get any black screens or any funny business when you are trying to digiscope.

Download Mountain Mag Cam

If you are on Android, you can get the same effect through your camera settings:

• On a Samsung, go into your settings and select Pro camera mode.
• On a Google Pixel, go into your settings and select manual lens control mode.

Step 5

The telephoto hack

If your phone has a telephoto lens, your adapter is going to have two holes in it: one for your regular lens, and one for your telephoto lens. If your phone does not have a telephoto lens, your adapter only has one hole.

To switch back and forth, you just rotate the adapter over and it snaps into place over the telephoto, or over your 1x lens. To use your telephoto, snap it over, select that lens in your camera app, then lock it back into place and start digiscoping. You will be incredibly zoomed in.

The telephoto lens is a huge hack. That zoom lens is meant for exactly this, zooming in on things, and when you combine the power of your telephoto with the optic you already have, you get some insanely cinematic and epic results.

Step 6

Set up your spotting scope

The setup for a spotting scope is even easier. Grab the eyepiece made for your spotting scope, make sure it is scrolled in, and make sure one of those steel plates is at 12 o'clock. Push it on and it perfectly matches the shape and contour of that optic. Lock your phone in, hear the clip, and start digiscoping.

Step 7

Add an eyepiece cover

For the spotting scope specifically, we do recommend an eyepiece cover. It is not necessary for the system, but it adds extra protection for the lens of your optic. It goes around the neck of your spotting scope, and you send it down and tighten it up. Then the cover plugs the eyepiece and protects it. One eyepiece cover fits every single eyepiece we sell, from all of our spotting scopes to even our binoculars, and it connects with the same magnetic and physical lock.

Step 8

Be ready in the field

The last piece of advice I will leave you with is to practice. You never know when that moment is going to happen and you need to capture it.

I like to wear a binocular harness right on my chest so I can instantly grab my binoculars. And I keep my adapter in my back pocket. When I see something I want to record, I pull out my binoculars, pull out my adapter, and start digiscoping instantly. It lets you capture the unexpected things you run into as you are walking down the trail.

Being quick with your digiscope is often the difference between getting the shot and completely missing it. So just make sure you are ready.