[Gramayr]

Well, I was looking for an Opticron maybe a GS665 or a HR66GA.
Warehouse Express was doing the HR kit with a 30x lens and a stayon case for £300, they also had a repaired GS665 for £170.
I sent them several emails asking them about the GS, their phone lines close at 5, I don't get in till after 5 so phoneing is no good - they also aren't open on a Sat, which is also no good to me. I asked them to supply info on the scopes so I could get my other half to ring them and order everything if they gave me the info I requested. Well, received nothing - nice way to conduct bussiness so I went elsewhere...*

Bass & Bligh in Harrogate were very accomodating, they offered a GS665 with 30x HR WA for £300 (cheaper than WE, they also pricematch and looked up the WE website while I was there to check their prices).

Anyway I opted for a Minox MD 62 W with 30xWW lens and stay on case for a special price of £270 (ex-demo) added to that an Opticron hide clamp (the big one) for £30 reduced from £55 as they have overstocked.

On first inspection it seems a very nicely put together scope, compact and light (but not as light as the Opticron GS which I didn't actually like when I held it - didn't seem substantial enough if you know what I mean. The HR66GA is heavy apparently). Another thing that swung it for the Minox was the lens, it had a twist up/down eyecup which is a must for me as I wear specs and my partner doesn't. I haven't used it in the field yet but in the shop on a miserable rainy day looking out of the door it appeared nice and bright and had smooth focussing. The only gripe I have, if any is the case. It fits nice but it doesnt have a flap for the eyepiece like on most. i alos customised the clamp by taking the centre column off my tripod (which is a lot shorter) and fitting it instead of the Opticrons column. I put the head back on and it is a much more manageable length plus I can slide it back into the tripod column hole and have an instant tripod with out having to remove the clamp coller (best of both worlds).

Will fill in more details when I've tested it further, and maybe add some pics if I remember to take/charge my digi compact.

*All views expressed above regarding W.Express are mine and mine alone, I had a lousy experience with them - you may not.

[Mark43]

Look forward to hearing your views once you have "field tested " it so to speak.

I must admit to not having heard of this scope........heard of Minox obviously.......but thought they only did bins.

[robsonc]

Rhys

How did you get on with your Minox. I went to an optics day last week to look at an Opticron ED 80 and there was a Minox MD62 with a 30xx set up next to it. I was very impressed and I'm now thinking of buying the ED version with the 30xx so your comments would be appreciated.

[postcardcv]

I tried a Minox 62ED recently and was personally disapointed by it. Although it was an ED scope it was not very bright or sharp. Two of the biggest problems I had with this scope were:
1. the low gearing on the focus - I had to turn the focus wheel so many times to get from distant to close viewing.
2. the close focus - in testing I seemed to close focus down to about 10m, this is shockingly poor given that many current scopes will close focus to under 4m.

I also tried digiscoping with the scope, but couldn't get decent results, amazingly my wife's Might Midget 2 produced better images in side by side testing.

I'd say that it's not a bad scope, but it just doesn't really perform as well as I'd hoped/expected, given that it's an ED scope. As a general scope it's not bad, but be warned about the close focus and low gearing and make sure you try one before you buy one.

[robsonc]

Postcardcv
Thanks for the comments. I certainly will try before I buy.

[DavidP]

Originally Posted by robsonc

Postcardcv
Thanks for the comments. I certainly will try before I buy.

You might want to check this thread as well
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=53523

I have the non ED version and find it very light and compact and good to use. Of course its not the same as the top of the line ones but its very reasonably priced and the warranty service is excellent at least in my experience in the US.

[Gramayr]

The gearing is a bit naff, as is the close focus - it is a quite compact scope though. Just wish you could get a better case for it. Pitty the place I got it from didn't have the HR66GA I might have got that instead, though the twist up eyepiece is better than the rubber one you get with the opticron.

[postcardcv]

Originally Posted by Gramayr

The gearing is a bit naff, as is the close focus - it is a quite compact scope though. Just wish you could get a better case for it. Pitty the place I got it from didn't have the HR66GA I might have got that instead, though the twist up eyepiece is better than the rubber one you get with the opticron.

Although the older Opticron eyepeices had rubber eyecups, the newer ones do have twist up ones...