Can you identify this lens?

Local police are now using these tricky tactics to bust distracted drivers, via the use of a pretty unique camera combo. I've never seen a lens quite like this though. Are any of you able to identify what it is?! Just curious, as they claim to be able to take photos of drivers at the wheel more than 1KM away!

Some sort of spotting scope with a camera attachment. Maybe somebody knows the exact model/focal length..

Aressem wrote in post #18023634
Local police are now using these tricky tactics to bust distracted drivers, via the use of a pretty unique camera combo. I've never seen a lens quite like this though. Are any of you able to identify what it is?! Just curious, as they claim to be able to take photos of drivers at the wheel more than 1KM away!

Uh, maybe a Vortex. Possibly Diamondback, angled.

Larry Johnson wrote in post #18023677
Uh, maybe a Vortex. Possibly Diamondback, angled.

Yeah, Vortex spotting scope. Digiscoping has been around for quite a while now.

Beekeeper wrote in post #18023712
Yeah, Vortex spotting scope. Digiscoping has been around for quite a while now.

What are these lenses generally used for?

Aressem wrote in post #18023722
What are these lenses generally used for?

The're spotting scopes. Usually used for viewing wildlife at long distances, hunting, and long-range rifle competition.

Beekeeper wrote in post #18023725
The're spotting scopes. Usually used for viewing wildlife at long distances, hunting, and long-range rifle competition.

So normally just for spotting things, not actually taking photos (although it looks like they CAN be used for taking photos?)...?

One gentleman on Facebook does amazing work with a Kowa spotting
scope!!

Aressem wrote in post #18023728
So normally just for spotting things, not actually taking photos (although it looks like they CAN be used for taking photos?)...?

Yeah, not normally used for photography, but there are adapters to make it possible, and some people are rather good at digiscoping.

Aressem wrote in post #18023728
So normally just for spotting things, not actually taking photos (although it looks like they CAN be used for taking photos?)...?

There's even adapters that will allow iPhones and the like to be attached to the scope to take photos. IQ is decent from the photos that I've seen. But, I'm sure focus is a hard thing to achieve on anything but a stationary object.

I can't find the bird in this image, unless it's a joke using British slang. Flagged the thread for a mod to move.

hodad66 wrote in post #18023742
One gentleman on Facebook does amazing work with a Kowa spottig
scope!!

Would you mind sharing a link or info so that I can look him up?

OhLook wrote in post #18023811
I can't find the bird in this image, unless it's a joke using British slang. Flagged the thread for a mod to move.

My bad!

Aressem wrote in post #18023867
My bad!

No problem, it was natural to ask birders at about long lenses. And the fact is that back when "Digiscoping" was popular, about 90% of the application was used for birding

The drawbacks of not using a camera lens are multiple;

No auto focus is the most obvious.

No ability to change aperture, so all exposure changes must be done via shutter speed and ISO adjustment.

Image quality is usually very different from a dedicated lens. but of course the quality of the spotting cope/telescope will vary just as it does with camera lenses. That said, you can gt some pretty terrible image quality form spotting scopes. Hard to find a real camera lens at made at such focl lengths that will be as bad. But again, with a good spotting scope like Kowa, Pentax, or at the HIGH end like Swarovski, you can be in very good shape.

Of course the advantage to a spotting scope is cost. Starting at around $400.00 and going up to a few thousand, they are even at the high end a good deal cheaper than say, a Canon 500mm f/4

Aressem wrote in post #18023866
Would you mind sharing a link or info so that I can look him up?

sure...... https://www.facebook.c​om …d=1000052171282​96&fref=ts