The W Files 4

In a previous post, I talked about a new lens that I tested during a hike with my tough Olympus camera (product page). On that hike, I also carried a monocular telescope to test its capabilities. This telescope, with a 12x55 magnification power, came with a phone attachment that I was eager to test. I was happy enough with my camera lens, but I was curious to see how well it worked.

In a few more steps...#nature #hiking pic.twitter.com/0UoSGfjQYw

— litguru (@litguru23) February 6, 2024

Getting up to the viewing point shown in the video took some doing because of the conditions on the trail-wet, snowy, slushy, and muddy. Parts of the trail were covered in snow but others were bare or flooded.

Not easy to maneuver with snowshoes. But wow, every step opened a realm of wonder. It gives me a sense of purpose and excitement in reaching my destination.

All over the side of the mountain, the world was melting, dripping wet with streams running down the slope, across the trail, and further down, perhaps all the way to the lake.

I removed my winter coat. Packed it tightly in my backpack, and I was sure glad I had brought the 32 lb bag and not the 20 L daypack I was planning initially. A few of the decisions I made prior to the trip were instrumental later on, and bringing a bigger backpack was one of them. As a matter of fact, I should’ve brought my true hiking backpack with all the bells and whistles, but I was being all city slicker this time around.

The views of the lake were simply spectacular from the edge of the mountain. I munched on some trail snacks and then got to work, quickly testing the camera lens and the telescope.

Spotting the lake and the surrounding valley through the monocular was breathtaking. There were a few houses in the middle of this wild forest, this frozen world so far removed from the madness of the city. The icy lake spread out like a grand white mantle. It must be so strange to live here all year round. Wow, what a life!

Attaching the phone to the telescope is done by means of a plastic grip that holds onto the phone, and which has an arm with a cup that clasps onto the monocular, allowing the camera to peer through a hole in the middle of the cup.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the effect is similar to attaching a teleconverter lens to a camera instead of a telephoto one. There is a pinhole effect that is dealt with by zooming into the scene. This means that the camera is now focused on a narrower viewing field, so besides less panoramic detail, there is also more jitter on the viewed image. Thus, to use the attachment, it is necessary to stabilize the whole Frankenstein contraption with a tripod (also provided). It is possible to grab the whole thing and record that way, but that is pushing your luck. The system works better stationary, propped on a surface or a proper tripod.

Without monocular, portrait mode

Close up of mountainside with phone attached to telescope

Photo of mountainside with phone attached to and zoomed into telescopic lens

I did not run this kit through the paces because I had just started the hike and knew there were many more miles ahead. The light wasn't the best that day either. But after taking a few snapshots, I was happy with the results. So I fiddled around for a bit, then I gathered my gear that was scattered on the snow, strapped on my backpack, grabbed my trekking poles, and headed back down the trail.

Explore the W files

1, 2, 3, 4