Using Bins with Eyepiece Doubler as a temporary spotter?

[Kevin Purcell]

I'm curious if anyone has used an Eyepiece "Doubler" (or Booster as some are x2.5) with a bin as as a temporary spotter?

For example, the Bushnell Elite Binoculars 2.5x Eyepiece Doubler

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=4485

How is the AFOV?

The view (not great I suspect or am I too pessemistic)?

The shake?

The usability?

The trade off of weight against ease of use?

Any input welcome!

[Tero]

With tripod, at 20x?

[OwenM]

I've used the Vortex doubler on a 8x42 Razor. It was fine, IMO. The eyecup is adjustable, so eye relief and focus were easy to attain and comfortable in use. Naturally the FOV and AFOV was lower, and it was dimmer, but those things tend to happen when you double the magnification, plus when you're just popping the doubler on for a closer look at something in particular, you really don't notice. I don't recall thinking that it reduced the quality of the view at all, either. Only used it with the binoculars mounted on a monopod.
Sent it back when I returned my Razors, but kind of wish I'd kept it.

I wonder how it would work on a scope with a fixed EP? If it fits...

[mooreorless]

Hi Kevin I have the Eagle Optics 2 1/2 doubler and used it with my Nikon 10x42 SE and while it won't replace a good spotter I could see a much smaller element on my resolution chart and read signs further with smaller print . Not a wide view of course. I also watched some crows and I could pick out better detail. This was all in good light.
Regards,Steve

[Kevin Purcell]

Many thanks for those two replies.

I noticed on another site that lucznik has comments about a Pentax PF63 where he uses a Bushnell Elite 10x43 and a x2.5 doubler as the reference. The latter combo wins on quite a few levels ;)

http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6830&PN=1

And here too lucznik says:

http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12805&KW=doubler&PID=131680

have one and think that it is a pretty great little tool. The spotting scope it created with my 10x43 Elite was extremely useful, fully comparable to many other budget-class spotting scopes in the ~$350 range and it weighs only 4.5 ounces and is super small. Attached to the 10x50 it would be even better.

I can't use my doubler anymore because I "upgraded" my binocular to a Leupold Golden Ring only to find out that the binocular's eyepieces are too wide for the doubler to fit over. Had I known that to begin with, I wouldn't have sold my Elite binocular.

[Alexis Powell]

I use the Swarovski doubler occasionally w/8.5x42 EL or Leica 8x42 Ultravid. Its utility is limited, but, for example, it gives me just enough magnification to make IDs of the most distant ducks etc that I encounter on certain of my walks easier/possible. I'm glad it only cost me $100 back when I bought it (when the EL was first available).

--AP

[lucznik]

I'm curious if anyone has used an Eyepiece "Doubler" (or Booster as some are x2.5) with a bin as as a temporary spotter?

You already discovered my posts about the doubler I owned and my displeasure at discovering that my Leupold Golden Ring would not allow for its use so; you have probably guessed my answers to your questions but, just in case...

How is the AFOV? There are not published measuerments for this or any other critical specs (actual FoV, eye relief, etc.) as I'm sure the figures will change depending on the make and model of binocular that is used but, I found it surprisingly good. Very wide, very comfortable. This was with a 10x43 Bushnell Elite binocular giving me a small 25x43 spotter and it was definitely better than that of the Pentax PF-63against which I made a direct comparison. In fact, if I were to find myself in a position of neediing to choose between a Pentax PF-63 and an Elite Doubler as my ONLY spotting scope (assuming I had a binocular that would accept the doubler), I would without question choose the doubler.


The view (not great I suspect or am I too pessemistic)? You might just be surprised. Colors were indeed a bit muted but, it had a nice, wide sweet spot that was at least as sharp (often sharper) than just about any other sub-$350 spotting scope I have ever handled.

The Vortex Sandpiper, which can be currently had for under $200 is better. However to be fair, original retail for the Sandpiper was more than $350. It just happens to be discontinued and selling for blow-out prices. Bushnell's new 15-45x60 Excursion FLP spotter is, I think, also better and it retails for just $320. However, the trade of for either of these scopes is much greater bulk and weight. They would be fine scopes to have in conjunction with the doubler but, would not really replace it for its primary benefit/purpose.


The shake? I used a Vortex tripod adapter to mount the binocular and doubler to a small tripod so; shake was never a problem.


The usability? Its best use is for backpacking and/or travelling where bulk and weight have to be kept to an absolute minimum. It is truly tiny (as compared to even the mini 50mm class spotters) and weighs only 4.5 ounces. The above mentioned tripod adapter weighs something like 2 ounces and is equally tiny. So, for ~6.5 ounces and almost no pack space, you get a fully functional mini spotting scope.

You know already that, after discovering I couldn't use my doubler with my GR binocular, I sold the doubler. With hindsight I now think I made a mistake (which is not a surprise as I tend to make more than my share of those). What I should have probably done was keep the doubler and sold/traded my GR to get another binocular that would accept the doubler. In fact, I still may do this and just buy another doubler.


The trade off of weight against ease of use? It slipped onto the eyepiece of the binocular with no trouble at all.
Once mounted to the binocular it remained securely fastened until I chose to remove it. Off of a small tripod it worked exactly the same as any other small, fixed magnification spotter.


The doubler will not (and was never intended to) replace a high-quality, full-size spotting scope. It has definite limitations. It is however, a truly useful optic capable of far more than it gets credit. It is (IMO) as good or better than most sub-$350 spotting scopes.

[Kevin Purcell]

Excellent write up, lucznik.

In fact the doubler for would be in "competition" with a Sandpiper at the "top" end and a very lightweight (and cheap/inexpensive!) Burris 20x50 compact scope and a Barska Compact 20-40x50 Mak (i.e. Celestron C50 with different eyepiece ... both ODMed by Bosma) for backpacking use. Perhaps more the latter two than the former. The Sandpiper and Burris are on order so more when they appear.

It looks like the doubler might be a useful addition.

Many thanks!

PS

The specs on Eagle Optics site does give the ER: just on the edge for me an my glasses (though for a spotter this is less of an issue as I use my less astigmatic dominant eye!).

Eye Relief 14.5mm
Weight 4.5 ounces
Dimensions (HxW) 2.8 x 1.8 inches