Spotting scopes---Help!!---Update

[pauliev69]

Hello everyone, thanks for your replies and advice on my dilemma. I have done a fair bit of research and with your help I have seemed to narrow my fieldscope search down to the Opticron range and in particular the ES 80. What are your views on this offer from Warehouse express.com. ES 80 Angled c/w HDF25xWW or HDF32xWW orHR23-69 Stay on Case & Slik D3 PRICED AT £618. Still a bit confused by the eyepieces, what do you think is my best option considering this is for viewing and not photography. Just to sidetrack, I am an active buyer/seller on E-Bay the internet auction site and i have just purchased an Opticron Mighty Midget 25x60 fieldscope for £60, just to use as a carry around back-up scope, do you think this was good value for money? As always I await in annticipation for your valued comments

[alan_rymer]

Paul

I cannot comment about the MM25x60. Never looked through one!
You are going way over your initial £500 budget. I have to stress, try out the scopes that you are thinking of buying!. If you don't you will always be thinking "Was there something better for the money" or "Is this really what I wanted".
If you are confident that you will never want to stick a digital camera in the eyepiece to see what it comes out like, you may not need to go for a scope with HD/ED/ES/Fleurite glass, but just standard coated glass. That would be a cheaper option eg Opticron Imagic 80.
Regarding eyepieces. I got my ES80 with a 32x HDF and am happy with it. However, just to confuse matters I am looking to buy the HDF Zoom for viewing across gravel pits, or just getting closer to a bird to see details.
Again, try the eyepieces and scopes out. Plead to look through other birders scopes and ask thir opinions, particularly the birders with the scopes you are interested in.
I stress, as someone else has said. Do not look through a Swarovski/Leica scope, they cause many birders faces to change colour ( Green ).

That probably hasn't helped!.:news:

[IanF]

Hi Paul,

It's worth keeping an eye on ebay for scopes. That's where I got my Kowa 823 from and a three month old Nikon 4500, saving over £200 on each one.

I can't comment on the Opticron thoughas I haven't used it. I have the 32x eyepiece which seems to be excelent quality, though I wouldn't mind a 20-60 zoom for just viewing with the eye. I keep asking people I meet if they have that one with the Kowa, but haven't found one yet round here.

[Andy Bright]

I think Martin Jones is selling an ES80 (+ zoom e.p.) on this site. Check the 'for sale' thread.
Andy