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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Getting the blessing! (1 Viewer)

C

capercaillie

Active member
Went to the British Birdfair on Saturday, had a fine day meeting lots of old friends. Whilst there my partner and I popped into the optics marquees. Now I have an old ST 80 HD and I have been thinking of updating to the newer version and getting an angled rather than a straight through. So there we were looking through several scopes including the Swarovski ones. Partner turns to me and says she now sees why I would want the more expensive 'scope as it is so much clearer than the cheaper 'scopes. She also says that angled is easier to use than straight through. So if you were in the optics tent on Saturday and saw two people hugging then it would probably have been us! All I have to do now is get the money.
:t:
 
capercaillie said:
Went to the British Birdfair on Saturday, had a fine day meeting lots of old friends. Whilst there my partner and I popped into the optics marquees. Now I have an old ST 80 HD and I have been thinking of updating to the newer version and getting an angled rather than a straight through. So there we were looking through several scopes including the Swarovski ones. Partner turns to me and says she now sees why I would want the more expensive 'scope as it is so much clearer than the cheaper 'scopes. She also says that angled is easier to use than straight through. So if you were in the optics tent on Saturday and saw two people hugging then it would probably have been us! All I have to do now is get the money.
:t:
Click to expand...
Well done Capercaillie.

I was working on the Swarovski digiscoping stand in Marquee 4 demonstrating digiscoping and gave a series of lectures about digiscoping. Normally there is a difference in height in birding couples so one of the great advantages of using an angled scope for normal birding (especially when out with the wife) is that you dont have to constantly alter the height of the scope on tripod. I gave this advice several times on the stand.

You won't regret purchasing a new ATS 80/65 HD

Chris Galvin Photo
 
Yes Chris, but which one, the 80 or the 65? I suppose this must have been asked before in the forum so please forgive me for asking again. I have a Leica APO 77 that I use for digiscoping, but am finding that it gets too heavy on a long day out (I suffer from back problems). So the question I am really asking is, is the 65 up to digiscoping and what are the downsides when compared to the 80?

Thanks,

Robin
 
capercaillie said:
Went to the British Birdfair on Saturday, had a fine day meeting lots of old friends. Whilst there my partner and I popped into the optics marquees. Now I have an old ST 80 HD and I have been thinking of updating to the newer version and getting an angled rather than a straight through. So there we were looking through several scopes including the Swarovski ones. Partner turns to me and says she now sees why I would want the more expensive 'scope as it is so much clearer than the cheaper 'scopes. She also says that angled is easier to use than straight through. So if you were in the optics tent on Saturday and saw two people hugging then it would probably have been us! All I have to do now is get the money.
:t:
Click to expand...

Congratulations, Capercallie! I know the feeling. I had lust-monkeys for a new scope for over a year and a half. Then the wife gave me her blessing "as long as I made a business presentation that would make her laugh". Thirty Powerpoint slides later I had her rolling on the floor, and two days later I had my Zeiss 85mm Diascope!
 
Robin Turner said:
So the question I am really asking is, is the 65 up to digiscoping and what are the downsides when compared to the 80?
Click to expand...
The only optical difference is actually magnification. They are both just as bright and sharp, but the smaller scope simply has less power. So, if you need the "reach", go with the 77-85mm version - if you digiscope subjects at closer distances, the 65mm may be even better because it has a wider FOV.

I would take the 85 mm though, because the additional weight is IMO not that much compared to everything that you have to carry along anyway - and I like (need) the power. Or if I needed the ultimate light-weight, I would probably get the 50mm Nikon with a carbon tripod. Light-weight & digiscoping just don't mix very easily.

Best regards,

Ilkka
 
Chris Galvin said:
....Normally there is a difference in height in birding couples so one of the great advantages of using an angled scope for normal birding (especially when out with the wife) is that you dont have to constantly alter the height of the scope on tripod. I gave this advice several times on the stand.

Chris Galvin Photo
Click to expand...

I always wonder about this advice, as it does not work at all for me! When I'm out with my brother who is considerably taller than me, I can't really look through his (angled) scope (Swaro,the 80 version). The reason for this are my spectacles. When I look into his scope, I can do so by looking through the part of my spectacles than are corrected for close objects. Thus, the advice may be OK for younger people whose lens still accomodates well. But in my case it's of no use at all (I would have to refocus while being in a rather awkward position). In fact, it is much easier for me to stretch suffiently to look through a straight scope. On the angled model, I need to lean forward and that is hard to do while streching at the same time. Of course, it would work if my brother used his scope in a lower setting, but it is not comfortable to use it in a hunched position over a longer period.
 
Swissboy said:
Thus, the advice may be OK for younger people whose lens still accomodates well. But in my case it's of no use at all (I would have to refocus while being in a rather awkward position).
Click to expand...
But isn't refocusing what the focusing wheel is for. ;)

Of course, if you have an angled scope set too high, it may be even less comfortable for shorter viewers than a straight. But if there are two users, tall and short, I believe that you get less "total" discomfort by setting the angled scope low enough for the shorter user. There is IMO a larger range of acceptable heights (not necessary comfortable) with the angled scopes - especially downwards.

Ilkka
 
iporali said:
But isn't refocusing what the focusing wheel is for. ;)

Of course, if you have an angled scope set too high, it may be even less comfortable for shorter viewers than a straight. But if there are two users, tall and short, I believe that you get less "total" discomfort by setting the angled scope low enough for the shorter user. There is IMO a larger range of acceptable heights (not necessary comfortable) with the angled scopes - especially downwards.

Ilkka
Click to expand...

Exactly!
 
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