I'm considering one of these to aid my wildlife photography once in a while but not necessarily for digiscoping----mainly just for viewing---

My three choices so far are:

the Pentax PF-80ED-A w/20x60 Zoom Eyepiece
http://www.optics4birding.com/pf80eda-20to60x-spottingscopezoom-1283.html

and the Vortex Skyline 20-60x80ED
http://www.optics4birding.com/vortex-skyline-20-60x80-ed-spotting-scope-angled.html

or possibly the Vortex Razor 85mm HD with a similar zoom
http://www.optics4birding.com/item.aspx?cid=20599

(I'm considering the Vortex as I already have their Viper binoculars and they are stellar as well as very reasonably priced in comparison to most others of similar quality)

These scopes have 80mm objective lenses (the Razor has an 85mm), they're also angled and can be tripod/car window mounted.

Anyone have experience with these or other scopes??

Thanks!

Jim, I don't know much about spotting scopes. But I talk with the real serieous birders when I'm out and shooting birds. Nearly all of them prefer and recommend Swarovski

Hi Jim,

I can give an enthusiastic +1 for the Pentax you mentioned. I picked this scope up for my gal, Jennifer, last year with the zoom lens, and both a 10mm and 20mm matching eyepiece. I think you'll like using the zoom when you're starting out (very good performance at the wide end) and it does help out, sometimes, with acquisition of difficult targets, but the "primes" are just super sweet and we really don't use the zoom much any more!

The scope is solid, focus is smooth, and we like that the scope and eyepieces are JIS-6 class waterproof, so there are no worries with fog, dew or ocean spray! The field-of-view is bright and flat with very good contrast, and chromatism (sorry, old-school here!) is negligible. The 20mm eye-relief with all of the matching eyepieces was a big selling point for us, as Jenn (and the public) wears glasses. We've had the chance to compare the view through this scope with scopes costing upwards of thrice the price at public viewing events, and were surprised to see that the Pentax actually had a flatter FOV than some of the other more expensive scopes! (Hint: If the image bows-out when panning you've got field curvature.) As an added bonus, the supplied fitted-bag can be left on during use...great for "hunting" Bald Eagles when it's snowing along the Hudson River...just brush it off, zip it up and off you go!

For the price, Pentax really delivered the goods with this one, both optically and construction-wise...we're two very happy campers, here! Hope this helps...let us know what you decide.

Peace,
Jimmy G

If you don't plan on going (walking) far with the spotting scope or weight/size is not a problem, go with the 85mm glass. I have never heard of Vortex...looking at their price for that scope, it is about $200-$600 too high. Personally, I would get the Zeiss 85mm scope with the 15-45x eyepiece...

You should also look at used stuff - much cheaper. Either binoculars/scopes work or don't - pretty easy to determine right away. As the previous person mentioned, the Swarovski is what all the "high-end" birders use if they have the money. (I have the old HD 80mm angled scope.) It is very good - but in my conversations with Swarovski, apparently you don't need the HD glass to do digiscoping (or 35mm photography) with the scope as the lens. I have known lots of digiscopers through the years - takes a special sort to do it well...If it was up to me, I'd skip the Swarovski - they are way overpriced these days (and Zeiss scope is better).

Overall that Pentax at a reasonable price is your best value...You could also look at the Kowa 82mm scope. Anyway, for best scope = Zeiss; for best value and a very fine scope = Pentax you list above.

Just my dos pessos - I work in bird migration for a living - so have a little expertise there - with optics.

Regards from NYC,

Robert DeCandido PhD

Jim -

The place to ask this question is here: http://www.birdforum.net/ Lots of very knowledgeable people there although "rdcny" hits the nail on the head regarding Swarovski... and Zeiss. Something to consider when buying a scope: buy it from people who make and use their own optical glass. They do all their own QC, and are usually very, very picky about what gets through their production lines. I know Swarovski, Zeiss, Pentax, Kowa and Nikon do.

Chris

I very much appreciate all the helpful advice!!

I did peruse the birdforum and several other optical forums and got great advice.

I found a used but not abused Swarovski 65mm angled HD scope for much less than a new one, so I'm hoping it will meet my needs-----

Sounds like you got a great deal! Good luck with it! But you're stuck now.... once you've had the best, there's no going back when you want to upgrade

Chris B. wrote:
Sounds like you got a great deal! Good luck with it! But you're stuck now.... once you've had the best, there's no going back when you want to upgrade


I hate it when that happens

birders who measure their equipment find that Pentax scopes are better that just about all others. you can't use the zoom ocular although it is a an exceptionally good one. you need one of the mid focal length fixed focal length astronomical wide angle ones. with that combination, the Zeiss and Swarovski are not better. if there is any weakness in Pentax scopes it is in their CA in high contrast conditions.

Herb...

Zeiss

Pentax all the way. I was able to compare Zeiss and Pentax side by side in Yellowstone. Image quality was equal IMHO. Great scope and I would buy it again.

Swarovski all the way Zeiss for second place

Chris B. wrote:
Jim -

The place to ask this question is here: http://www.birdforum.net/ Lots of very knowledgeable people there although "rdcny" hits the nail on the head regarding Swarovski... and Zeiss. Something to consider when buying a scope: buy it from people who make and use their own optical glass. They do all their own QC, and are usually very, very picky about what gets through their production lines. I know Swarovski, Zeiss, Pentax, Kowa and Nikon do.

Chris
___________-

I second Chris' recommendation to check out Birdforum.net. You have a very informative section on scopes and digiscoping. Although I digiscope a little (but mostly photograph birds with my Canon DSLR and long lens) I can categorically state that a good scope (Swaro 80HD, Zeiss Diascope 85mm, Kowa Proximar 88, Nikon Fieldscope and Pentsax 80ED) coupled with a good P&S camera with no more than 4x zoom and good LCD is the way to go with digiscoping.

On the other hand, these scopes, especially the first three mentioned cost at least $2000 (a little less for the Zeiss). If you want a mid-range and mid-price scope for wildlife viewing, there are many other worthy examples.

For people who like to brag, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology tested several scopes and came to the conclusion that Kowa's 88mm (fluorite glass) "Blew away" the competition.

I thought I'd further add that there are some fabulously sharp digiscoped photos that can be viewed at www.flickr.com (go to Digiscoping Group within flickr). In general, the best digiscoped photos were taken with top spotting scopes with large objective lenses (80mm or more). One advantage of digiscoping is the very long telephoto range it gives you, 3000-4000mm focal length. But digiscoping also has its disadvantages: it is not well suited to capturing moving objects, and is best for objects (birds) within 50 ft +/- distance.

What about the bottom line, the cost? A Canon 500mm/f4L IS lens costs $5800. A Kowa 88 or Swaro 80HD costs between $2100 - $2500 which, coupled to a $300 P&S camera can give you 3000-4000mm focal length. And you can use the spotting scope to view your grizzly bear one mile away on that distant ridge.

I bought the Zeiss 85mm with the zoom eyepiece instead of the Swaro because it was (then) considerably cheaper, had a 5mm bigger objective and, @ 60x, a better field of view. All the better scopes have flourite elements (some have much cheaper non flourite models too). Flourite makes the difference.

If you can use a straight rather than angled eyepiece mount you can save some money (and theoretically get a bit more IQ due to 1 less prisim). But the angled model is really handy. The viewing experience through a top scope is better than looking thru a mirror into my canon great whites.