If you have an off brand or old optic that we do not support, follow this guide here

I have an optic that isn’t listed on the website. Can you support it?

Possibly — but we’ll need a little more information first.

1. Check the eyepiece shape: Your rubber eyepiece should be straight and non-tapered. If both sides are parallel, there’s a better chance we may have something that works. Please reference the images below for examples of a straight vs. tapered eyepiece.
   
2. Measure the diameter: Using digital calipers, measure the outside diameter of the rubber eyepiece as shown in the image below. Then send us:
   • the measurement in millimeters
   • the brand and model of your optic

Once we have that, we can search our parts catalog and see if we may have a compatible option. We’re happy to check, but we can’t guarantee compatibility for optics that aren’t currently listed on our site.

My phone isn’t listed on the website. Can it still be supported?

Possibly, in many cases, yes.

If we don’t currently make a phone-specific adapter for your device, the best option is usually to choose an adapter for a phone with similar dimensions and camera placement.

For example, the Samsung S22 Ultra is very similar to the Samsung S23 Ultra, so in some cases, the S23 Ultra adapter may be a good option.

In many cases, we also recommend using an adapter with just one lens opening — such as an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus adapter — and aligning it with the 1X camera on your unsupported phone.

This is often the simplest and most reliable option. Rather than trying to make a larger multi-lens adapter line up with both the 1X and telephoto cameras, it’s usually better to focus on getting the 1X camera lined up properly first.

From there, you can use one of our MagSafe adhesive rings to fine-tune the positioning on the back of your phone or case. This can often make unsupported phones usable with the Mountain Mag system.

Please keep in mind that compatibility can vary depending on your phone’s size, camera layout, and case setup, so we unfortunately can’t make any guarantees.

If you’d like us to help you find the closest option, please send us:

• your phone brand and model
• a photo of the back of your phone or case
• your phone’s overall dimensions (if available)

Once we have that information, we can recommend the closest adapter option and let you know if an adhesive MagSafe setup may be a good fit.

Watch a quick video on how the adhesive setup works

In many cases, that is completely normal.

Some phones do not have a dedicated telephoto lens. Instead, they may only have a regular 1X camera and an ultra-wide camera.

The ultra-wide lens is not useful for digiscoping because it pulls the image farther out instead of closer in, which makes it counterproductive for this application.

Because of that, your adapter may be designed to line up with just the regular 1X camera for the best result.

For example, on iPhones, the Pro and Pro Max models include a telephoto lens, while the regular versions do not. That means the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 adapters, for example, will only have one camera opening rather than two.

Our pivoting technology is only useful on phones that have a dedicated telephoto lens. On phones without a telephoto lens, a single-lens adapter is often the best and simplest setup.

If your camera is not centering correctly or you are getting a half moon/halo effect in your image, here are the first things to check:

1. Confirm the adapter model: Check the small engraving on the back of the adapter and make sure it matches your exact iPhone model.
   
2. Remove your case or accessories: If the adapter is correct, remove any phone case or accessory and attach the adapter directly to the back of your iPhone.
   
3. If it lines up without the case, the adapter is correct: In that case, the issue is almost always the phone case. Some cheaper case manufacturers can be a little lackadaisical with their MagSafe magnet placement, which can throw the alignment off just enough to cause issues.
   
4. Use a properly spec’d MagSafe case: Your case needs to follow Apple’s MagSafe specifications closely. In our experience, high-quality cases from brands like UAG, Mous, dbrand, Pitaka, Rokform, etc tend to work best. If you’re looking for a more affordable Amazon option that is still built to proper standards, we recommend trying a Spigen case.
   

If the image is still not crisp and clear, try adjusting the zoom range and the eye relief:

1. Adjust the zoom range (for spotting scopes): Try zooming your spotting scope in and out to see if the image becomes clearer.
   
2. Adjust the eye relief: Try twisting or adjusting the eyepiece on your spotting scope or binocular to slightly change the distance between the phone camera and the optic. Small changes here can make a big difference.
   

In most cases, the issue is caused by the case or by the optic needing a small adjustment.

If your camera is not lining up correctly on your Samsung phone, here are the first things to check:

1. Confirm the adapter model: Check the small engraving on the back of the adapter and make sure it matches your exact Samsung model.

2. Samsung alignment issues almost always come down to MagSafe placement in the case: The MagSafe standard requires the magnet ring to be centered very precisely on the back of the phone. If it is even slightly off, the adapter can sit just far enough out of alignment to affect the image. Some lower-cost or off-brand cases can be less precise with magnet placement, which is why this is one of the most common causes of alignment issues on Samsung phones. If you’d rather use a case with a built-in magnet, we’ve found that UAG and Rokform are two of the best MagSafe cases on the market for Samsung phones. We’ve also had good results with dbrand and Spigen (just make sure they have alignment magnets embedded in the case).

3. Use a MagSafe adhesive ring: One of the best ways to get perfect alignment is to use one of our MagSafe adhesive rings and place it in the correct position on the back of your phone or case. This is often the most precise solution when your case’s built-in magnet placement is off.

If you’d like a visual walkthrough, this short video breaks it down:

Watch the Samsung setup and troubleshooting video

If your phone feels like it has a weak connection between the adapter and the eyepiece, the most common cause is that the two parts are not fully seated together yet.

The connection between the adapter and eyepiece is both magnetic and mechanical. As you rotate the adapter around the eyepiece, the adapter magnets should drop into the dimples on the eyepiece. When that happens, the two parts lock together with both a strong magnetic hold and a physical connection.

Once the adapter is fully seated in those dimples, the system should feel rock-solid.

If it feels loose or weak, try this:

1. Remove the adapter and reattach it: Start fresh and make sure the adapter is aligned properly on the eyepiece.

2. Rotate the adapter fully around the eyepiece: As you rotate it, you should feel the magnets pull into place and the adapter settle into the dimples.

3. Make sure it is fully seated: The adapter should not feel like it is sitting on top loosely. It should feel locked in both magnetically and physically.

Once connected properly, the system should provide a very secure connection between the eyepiece and adapter.

If you want to watch this in action, check out our setup video here:

Watch the Mountain Mag setup vide

Using the telephoto or zoom lens can be a little tricky depending on your phone and camera app.

On iPhones, Apple’s default camera app does not always make it easy to manually control which lens is being used. In some situations, it may automatically switch lenses depending on lighting, focus distance, or how the phone is interpreting the scene.

The easiest solution for iPhone users is to use the Mountain Mag Camera App. We built our own camera app from the ground up specifically to improve the digiscoping experience and give you more control over which lens your phone is using.

With the Mountain Mag Camera App, you can more easily select and control the correct lens for your setup, which makes telephoto digiscoping much more reliable.

On Samsung and Android phones, you may need to go into your camera settings and enable Pro mode, Pro camera mode, or any setting that allows manual lens selection. This gives you the ability to choose between your 1X camera and your telephoto lens instead of letting the phone automatically decide for you.

You can download the Mountain Mag Camera App here:

Download the Mountain Mag Camera App

If you’re still having trouble after that, feel free to reach out and we’ll be happy to help.

Unfortunately, our system is not compatible with riflescopes.

Riflescopes are unique because they are designed with a much larger eye relief, which allows your eye to sit several inches behind the scope.

For digiscoping to work, the phone camera would need to sit in that same position. Because of that, our system is not able to properly align or function with riflescopes.

At this time, the Mountain Mag system is designed for optics like binoculars and spotting scopes, not riflescopes.

We currently do not have an app for Android. On Samsungs, you can go to More and then choose Pro Camera mode. On Pixels, you can go to Settings and choose Manual Lens Selection. Both of those will give you manual control over what lens you are using, which is perfect for digiscoping.