Using Binos for Recon Photos

When your task is to go out and recon an area or a particular target, the best information you can bring back is in the form of pictures or video, so naturally you would bring a capable camera. What if you stumble upon intelligence all of a sudden and you don't have a camera and the the distance is too far for you phone to take a picture? If you have a phone and a set of binoculars, you are in luck! Here is a technique that will blow your mind and will enable you to gather intelligence like never before.

All you have to do to get a picture from a great distance with you phone is to hold your camera lens up to you binoculars. This will enable you to take a picture at distance without having to carry another bulky piece of equipment like an actual camera. If you are an iPhone user like me, you know that its camera takes pretty good pictures, and speaking from experience, it works incredibly well for this technique. Here is an example, I took this picture of a suspicious character from about 300 yards away...

As you can see, the clarity is pretty good, but you still have to deal with the black outline. Not a big deal, but the other great benefit of this is that you can magnify the picture on you iPhone and you will have this instead...

Not bad for being approximately 300 yards away! You can further improve this technique by using a spotting scope instead of binos. Along with pictures, you this method also works equally as well for video.

I've researched this technique a little on the internet and I came across a piece of equipment that will make this easier. Meopta MeoPix iScoping Adapter for the iPhone 4 and 4S allows you to connect your iPhone to binos or a spotting scope. This way you do not have to manage two elements at once. I have not been able to try this device yet, but I am hoping to soon so that I gave give it a thorough field test.

This is an example of how innovation can allow you to be more proficient at preforming recon. Intel can present itself at anytime and you may not always be prepared for it. If you did not bring a camera with you, this is a great method that doles not require any more equipment than what you would usually carry. Give it a try and see what you think.

Mounting the GoPro HD Hero2 on Your Rifle

I recently purchased the GoPro HD Hero 2 and my first thought was “How can I mount this on my rifle?” This was one of those wazoo ideas that popped into my head and I became dedicated to the idea. After doing a little research, I found a set up that would allow me to bring this idea to fruitation. Keep in mind that this set up is based on how I personally have my weapon set up.

For those who are not familiar with the GoPro Hero cameras, they are durable water proof cameras that can be mounted to almost anything you can imagine. They feature a wide angle lens that allows you to capture everything about your experience. If you choose to buy the HD Hero, you are limited to HD in a narrow angle and standard definition in wide angle, but if you get the HD Hero 2 you can capture both in HD.You can find numerous videos on YouTube of how people have used them to capture their extreme stunts. So how would one mount it to a rifle?

First and foremost I needed to find a mount. The first few searches I did only resulted in mounts for .22 rifles and they certainly would not hold up to the recoil of a higher caliber weapon. Then I came across StrikeMark, and found that they offer multiple forms of rails for the GoPro, even a pistol mount! I thought about it for a while before purchasing their standard picatinny mount. It was only $30, but I wanted to be sure that it would compliment the configuration I was imagining.

Next, I purchased an angled rail to offset the camera a little more. This way the camera wouldn't be in the way of transition drills and I would be able to capture more of the rifle. This is not a common part to come by and often it has to be found online. Just for kicks, I went to my local tac store to see if they had any, and to my surprise they did!

I went home, quickly mounted the camera to my AR and it gave a whole new look and feel to my rifle that was perfect for the CDI factor. Here is what it looked like...

The next day we hit the range and I was able to put it to the test. It worked EXCELLENTLY! I did notice that while the extra weight was only a little, it was still enough to cause me some adjustment. No biggie, because I intended this project to be for TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY! This was especially true because should you have to switch sides to shoot, the camera would be in the way of your vision if you keep both eyes open.

 

I definitely would not carry this set up into the field because it would be in the way more than anything. I would much rather have the NVG mount for the GoPro which attaches to most helmet shrouds (stay tuned for that post.) Also, and this is a personal opinion, if I get into a shootout I don't want it to be on video. For training purposes, however, it can serve a purpose to see where your barrel is pointing at which would be great for CQC training. If you are interested in a similar set up and have any questions, feel free to ask.