Tips and tricks: an adaptor for straight scopes
by John Judge, Ken Bowles and Stéphane Moniotte
Here is a bracket for those people with straight scopes, like the Leica ApoTelevid (see pic below) It is made from the bracket off a Manfrotto "magic arm" part no 143 BKT an "L" bracket and a piece of steel tubing bent to the same angle as the original manfrotto arm and then another bend to bring it back to parallel.The "magic arm" bracket can move in height and also can be swivelled. The only problem is the diameter of the tube on the "magic arm" bracket needs to be a larger diameter than where it goes into the manfrotto head (I have got another sleeve welded onto this end).
I have then put a 28mm-37mm step-up ring to the lens and then the lens cap that fits this I have cut a hole out of the centre and then it fits snugly inside the scope eyepiece with the plastic cap protecting the scope lens. I have also tried this set up on an angled scope and with a few minor adjustments (a steeper bend on each end) it would also work. I hope this might be of use to any other birders with straight scopes.

Another informative page has been written by Ken Bowles, on his page dedicated to Scope and Camera Arrangement. Ken describes his platform for mounting both camera and scope (Leica APO Televid 77 scope in the straight-through configuration) together with a very effective viewfinder.

A view of Ken's platform supporting the scope, camera and Coolpix 990 with a viewfinder.

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