Ever since I had my first spotting scope (a very compact and entry level Celestron) I started trying this technique and have perfected a handheld way to do so, with remarkably good results, especially as I improved the quality of my spotting scopes. The advantage of not using an adapter is that I can do digiscoping without having to modify the scope settings while I'm guiding, and that I can just use any cellphone, hence having the possibility of doing it with my clients phones if they wish so (most of the times they do, and they get a more than decent souvenier of their sightings).
I currently own spotting scopes from Leica (an old but still great Televid 77), Vortex (Razor 65 and 85) and Swarovski (ATS 65 HD), being this last one the one I currently use the most during my guiding tours, and most videos in this entry were made with it.
I prefer recording videos rather than taking photographs because I normally get better quality results.
Here are some of my favourite ones (please note that the quality of the videos very much depends on the cellphone used, plus the quality of the internet that you are using while watching them):
Harpy Eagle in NW Argentina, with a Huawei Mate 10 phone
Long-tailed Potoo in Misiones province, with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Rufous-capped Motmot in Misiones province, with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Torrent Ducks in NW Argentina, with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Magellanic Penguins in south Patagonia (Argentina), with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Gentoo Penguins in south Patagonia (Argentina), with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Puma in south Patagonia (Chile), with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Puma in south Patagonia (Chile), with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe
Puma in south Patagonia (Chile), with a Samsung Galaxy s21 fe