Spotting Scopes - Advice Please

Hi-

what tripod are you using?

A bad tripod will wreck the view down any scope

S

I see the C/TSeeker 80mm gets 3.5 out of 10 from Birdwatching magazine: Celestron aren't a bad make :)

If you give us a budget I can recommend some options-

There are previous posts on here on Scope buying- I personally recommend buying a top end used model over a new mid-range model: Reputable suppliers include InFocus and Cley Spy:

Scopes- I use Kowa exclusively-  my wife prefers Swaro: ( she likes Zeiss Bins- I use Swaro- it depends on your individual physiognomy / eye relief / glasses etc.)

Tripods- I only use Mannfrotto: They can be re-built as they are modular and you can get them used on ebay :)

S

- as usual these are just personal opinions based on nearly 50yrs of birding

Hi

re: jizz-

there are a few books about on jizz ( Dominic Couzens has done a couple) Time in the field preferably with more experienced birders is the quickest way to learn however:

Hi S,

Thanks for all the advice.

My tripod is a Manfrotto 290 Light.

As to budget, I don't mind spending the money if I'm getting value for it and would go up to say £2k. My ideal scope would actually have the Swarovski BTX eyepiece as I find I get loads of eyestrain when looking through just one eye but that alone is £2.5k so a bit too frivolous.

I bought some bins from InFocus years ago when it was at Martin Mere but, unfortunately, I now live in the south west corner of Scotland and there are no scope shops at all here, and definitely nowhere you can actually use them in the shop to look out across water bodies like you could at InFocus. That would be ideal - I suppose I could always wait until I'm heading 'down south' and go to InFocus at Brockholes but I'm impatient ha ha.

It's a shame there aren't more companies that do the loan thing which Zeiss do. The scope arrived yesterday and they're picking it back up on Monday and it's costing me nothing, just a refundable deposit.

Where you say it depends on your individual physiognomy that's why I'm a bit loathe to just buy a scope that I haven't tried out first.

One question - when you say you'd rather buy a top end used model to a new mid range, what would you class as mid range?

Thanks again,

TM

HI

Most manufacturers ( Swaro excluded) have high middle and low end scopes as they do Binoculars:

Mid range might be smaller objective lens-wise and built to a lower spec - ie not ED glass :

MOST GOOD Optics shops have a returns policy

Cley Spy have a 14 days returns policy IF the product is bought THROUGH the website

:)

S

FYI-

I use a KOWA 883 ( had one since 2010- upgraded to new model a year ago-)with zoom lens :
It suits me weight wise and the eyepieces work well with my glasses:

I have a 60mm objective ED Kowa with 30mm wide angle lens
I bought it used about 7 years ago as a travel scope- it replaced an even older 60mm Non ED Non waterproof Kowa
with 20 WA lens I'd had for about 5 years-

S

Hi TM,
I'm afraid your query poises more questions than answers. It is such a personal purchase. How frequently will you use it? Will you need to carry it distances? Will you be using a tripod or a hide mount? How much have you got to spend. I hate to tell you but £1400 is still fairly modest. Do you wear glasses when you view? then a wide field of view is even more important. What are you paying for? the Lens quality or the lightness of the casing or both?
My dilemma, (keen birder that I am) was the infrequency that I used my telescope, that I couldn't justify the big bucks.
I set out to buy an Opticron scope and ended up with a second hand Kowa scope for a fraction of the cost.
The right equipment is a source of immense pleasure so try to get to an RSPB fair where you can try out your scope.
You'll then know where the cost/quality tipping point is for you and you can get great advice from professionals