10X50 Binoculars photo adapter to iPhone 6 camera

thingiverse

I wanted to create an adapter for my iPhone 6 to take astronomy photos since I don't have a high-end camera and a long lens. I decided to repurpose my WWII Binoculars, specifically the 10x50 AusJena (Carl Zeiss), for the job. I found inspiration from Steve5092's design on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2009859 To modify his design, I made several changes: 1. The adapter was causing vignetting due to the camera lens being too far from the binocular lens' iris. I adjusted the focal distance and shortened the rings to bring the binocular closer. 2. I modified the cellphone holder to accommodate a screen cover thickness of my iPhone 6. The 0.5mm difference made it thicker than expected, but it now fits perfectly. 3. The camera was swiveling and not properly supported, so I added another ring to stabilize the adapter and prevent it from falling out. 4. I created a hole for the other binocular lens to use as a focus aid. This proved incredibly useful, especially when focusing on distant targets. 5. To further enhance stability, I attached a binocular stand and safety clip to attach the binoculars to a tripod. The original design was credited to Zalophus: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3294777 I included some quick snapshots demonstrating the magnification achieved with this adapter. For comparison, I also included normal iPhone photos without zoom. As an added bonus, I took a photo of the Pointers of the Southern Cross (black photo) for fun: https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7905/the-southern-cross-and-pointers I hope you enjoy it!