[Chris Oates]

Just got one with an SDL 20-60 zoom, in good light at close range my Mighty Midget II + HDF 12-36 zoom is just as good and much more usefull as it weighs about the same as my bins and is tiny therefore goes everywhere and can be used hand-held.
At long range or in bad light the ES 80 is much better but does mean a tripod and some thought as to which camera etc I take with me.
This is the first angled scope I've used and I'm a convert - I suffered with neck pain last winter from using a straight scope for long periods - looking at the moon is now possible without kneeling on the floor - the anticipated problem of looking down or over hedges really haven't materialised, either there is no problem or you can swivel the scope sideways to lower the eyepiece.
Aiming an angled scope isn't so easy but you get used to it, you can put markers on the case, rubber band an elevation guide to act like WWII gun sight.
It balances perfectly on a Manfrotto 701RC2 head and and mates with the anti-twist peg.
The SDL eyepiece is different to the HDF, the zoom ring is in a different place, it's shorter, it's a millimetre larger in diameter, the twist-up eye cup moves twice as far and is wobbly at max extension but I like it as the FOV is greater at max zoom, it's supposed to be more user friendly not requiring eyecup adjustment when zooming.
It hasn't got coarse/fine focus which I wouldn't know if is a good or bad thing.
The Opticron stay on case seems to do what a case should do and is pretty user friendly except for the lens/eyepiece cover stowage poppers - they are either in the wrong place or fiddly - velcro (as used for the flaps) would have done.
I could have bought pretty much any scope but got this one as I've not heard anything bad, I've got another Opticron, weight & size were as far as I wanted to go - so far I'm very pleased and have got what I wanted...bad light long distance performance.

[Henry B]

Enjoy your new scope Chris,I,ve had great use from mine. [old model].

[alan_rymer]

Originally Posted by Henry B

Enjoy your new scope Chris,I,ve had great use from mine. [old model].

Ditto

I found the velcro flap where you access the focus wheel too noisy!. I bought some stitch on velco and stuck it to the case velco. It doesn't stick together now, so no noise.
The screw on objective lens cover on my old ES80 is a pain. so I bought an 82mm clip-on cover from 7day shop. Works a treat!. 79P. I bought other things so the postage was not excessive.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/prod...ucts_id=100801

[wolfbirder]

That advice is excellent - I too find the screw lens cover on th eobjective lens a real pain, so I have ordered a few 82mm covers . Cheers for the advice.

[Red Loral]

Hi Chris,
I read with interest your experiences with Opticron Scopes. The wife and I have just started birding we have a large pair of binos (20x80) and tripod, they are heavy and not very easy to use. We have a pair of 7x36 roof prism binos, which the wife likes. I have an old pair of 8x40 porro binos.

To be honest I would like a scope, so last weekend we were able to check out a Swarovski AST 80 (previous model) against the Opticron ES80 GAED - I was not convinced that the difference in performance justified the price difference. I intend to digiscope in future.

Questions -

Did you evaluate the Swarovski at the same time you purchased the Opticron?
If so what made you decide on the Opticron?
Have you done any digiscoping with the Opticron?

I'm also interested in your experiences with the Mighty Midget, do you think it is worth purchasing one in place of a second pair binos we are considering?

Sorry to be long winded, but it would be good to appreciate your experiences and thoughts.

Regards
Red Loral

[alan_rymer]

Originally Posted by Red Loral

Hi Chris,
I read with interest your experiences with Opticron Scopes. The wife and I have just started birding we have a large pair of binos (20x80) and tripod, they are heavy and not very easy to use. We have a pair of 7x36 roof prism binos, which the wife likes. I have an old pair of 8x40 porro binos.

To be honest I would like a scope, so last weekend we were able to check out a Swarovski AST 80 (previous model) against the Opticron ES80 GAED - I was not convinced that the difference in performance justified the price difference. I intend to digiscope in future.

Questions -

Did you evaluate the Swarovski at the same time you purchased the Opticron?
If so what made you decide on the Opticron?
Have you done any digiscoping with the Opticron?

I'm also interested in your experiences with the Mighty Midget, do you think it is worth purchasing one in place of a second pair binos we are considering?

Sorry to be long winded, but it would be good to appreciate your experiences and thoughts.

Regards
Red Loral

I digiscope with my ES80GA ED. It works well. I usually hadndhold the camera but I do have an LCE digiscoping adaptor. I use the HDF zoom with the scope.
I also have the MM2, I have also digiscoped through this in good light.
As to a new purchse.
Get the ES80GA ED and a pair of bins. Share the scope, not the bins!.

[postcardcv]

Originally Posted by Red Loral

Questions -

Did you evaluate the Swarovski at the same time you purchased the Opticron?
If so what made you decide on the Opticron?
Have you done any digiscoping with the Opticron?

I'm also interested in your experiences with the Mighty Midget, do you think it is worth purchasing one in place of a second pair binos we are considering?

Hi Red

thought I'd add my opinion to your questions...

Firstly the mighty midget is an excellent bit of kit, but it really is no replacement for a decent pair of bins... good bins are the best bit of birding kit you can have.

The ES80ED is a superb scope, I doubt that there's many (if any) that offer better value for money. But it is not quite of the standard of the top scopes (like the Swaro), whether the increased quality is worth the extra money only you can decide. Make sure you test scope in poor condtitions as this is when the quality will show.

[pduxon]

I'll echo the above. Bins are the top priority NEVER share bins.

[Red Loral]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the info, I'm not looking to share the binos with the wife as I have an old pair of porro 10X40. I had decided to purchase a new pair of binos in place of the old ones. Then reading what Chris said about the MM2, I wondered if it was better to purchase the MM2 and carry on using my old binos. I would finish up with the ES80ED, MM2, 7 x 36 binos and an old 10 x 40 binos. Seems like a nice flexible tool kit. Your knowledge is much greater than mine, I do value your thoughts.

Regards

Red Loral.

[Red Loral]

Originally Posted by Red Loral

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the info, I'm not looking to share the binos with the wife as I have an old pair of porro 10X40. I had decided to purchase a new pair of binos in place of the old ones. Then reading what Chris said about the MM2, I wondered if it was better to purchase the MM2 and carry on using my old binos. I would finish up with the ES80ED, MM2, 7 x 36 binos and an old 10 x 40 binos. Seems like a nice flexible tool kit. Your knowledge is much greater than mine, I do value your thoughts.

Regards

Red Loral.

Hi Guys,
Many thanks for the advice. I bought ES80ED and MM2- ED scopes with digi kit. I also purchased Delta Binos 10x42 to compliment the wife's 7x36 Binos. We got a free tripod "Velbon" which is not very rigid but if you get it free don't knock it.

We have a great tool kit, which is nicely stored in a cheap travel case handles an wheels (24.99) from Downtown, Grantham, with cheap foam packing for protection from Dunelm, Lincoln. Saves paying for expensive Aluminium Cases.

Retiring in April and looking forward to sorting out the complicated identification of gulls.

Many thanks to Opticron - Mike at Rutland and Johnny Mc during his visit to Washington WWT.

Thanks again guys.

Red Loral

[pduxon]

Originally Posted by Red Loral

Hi Guys,
Many thanks for the advice. I bought ES80ED and MM2- ED scopes with digi kit. I also purchased Delta Binos 10x42 to compliment the wife's 7x36 Binos. We got a free tripod "Velbon" which is not very rigid but if you get it free don't knock it.

We have a great tool kit, which is nicely stored in a cheap travel case handles an wheels (24.99) from Downtown, Grantham, with cheap foam packing for protection from Dunelm, Lincoln. Saves paying for expensive Aluminium Cases.

Retiring in April and looking forward to sorting out the complicated identification of gulls.

Many thanks to Opticron - Mike at Rutland and Johnny Mc during his visit to Washington WWT.

Thanks again guys.

Red Loral

which velbon?

i really like delta bins

[Red Loral]

Originally Posted by pduxon

which velbon?

i really like delta bins

Hi Peter,

The tripod was a velbon delta - The Hide clamp is a great attachment.

The two pair of Delta bins are both excellent.

Red Loral