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advice on used budget scope, size/weight /old, not an issue. (1 Viewer)

M

markallen5

Member
Hello from a newcomer to birding.
Hoping for some advice on getting a scope on a budget of up to £200.
I've looked at some of the threads that deal with this question, but... often things like portability and weight are main considerations, as well as usability and optics.
I am lucky enough to live at the edge of a large estuary, with views out to sea, and the scope will spend much of it's time on my landing windowsill, so portability is not such an issue. I've been looking on ebay, especially at older scopes, which I thought might have good optics but might be heavy, hoping to pick up a bargain, but I don't know anything about makes/models. There was a Vanguard scope on ebay this week, but I couldn't find the model to check it out and it seemed that vanguard scopes go from quite cheap to pretty expensive, so I had no idea what it was worth, it went for £43 or so. At the moment there is an Optolyth 30x75 scope on ebay, same thing, i've no idea what it's worth, but it looks fairly old . Even with much googling, it's often hard to find information on old scopes .
OR..would I be better off just looking at a modern scope and buying new.
Hope someone can help me choose.
Mark.
 
Forget the old Optolyth 30x75 scopes. They're just not worth it, I think. Also forget Vanguard and all the other unknown makers. There's so much junk about, especially on that well-known auction site, it's hard to believe.

There are a few older scopes with good optics, such das the Kowa TSN 3 and TSN 4 or the old Nikon Fieldscopes ED, and many with perfectly useable optics (like the Kowa TSN 1 und TSN 2). In fact, there are so many different types about that it's a bit difficult to recommend any particular model to you. There are also several decent budget scopes on the market you might want to look at before deciding what to buy.

I think you should visit one of the better shops in the UK and see what they've got. There's no substitute for actually *looking* through a few scopes to see what you like.

Hermann
 
Mark,

The scope that is often suggested when budget and optical performance are the two key issues is the Helios Fieldmaster 60 mm.

Here is a link to one online retailer in your country. I apologize as I have no familiarity with your location and specific retailers. Maybe one of your fellow countrymen can chime in on that issue.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/Helios/spotting-scope/dual-speed/fieldmasterED60DS.html

What I will say though is that I have owned the US version of this spotter and I currently feel it offers optical performance well above its price point. You won't find similar performance until you step up significantly in price.
 
Mark, you say "much of its time on my landing window sill" but that doesn't preclude some outdoor use and with that a requirement for a certain amount of portability or even waterproofing. Also I wonder about how much space is available for where it is intended to be mainly used; tripod use or perhaps on a bracket attached to window sill (which may limit length)? Another thought is whether most of your viewing will be downwards onto the estuary and sea which might sway your decision about whether to go with angled or straight scope. Of course viewing through a window could compromise the quality of view; worse, though, could be viewing through an open window where air of two very different temperatures may be mixing.
 
If its an old Optolyth 30x75 the close focussing may be very poor, I think the later one's were better. Check it out with the vendor if you can, also is there a leather case included?
Optically they were not bad but you may not like "draw tubes" but they will give the impression you've been birding a long time.
 
markallen5 said:
Hello from a newcomer to birding.
Hoping for some advice on getting a scope on a budget of up to £200.
I've looked at some of the threads that deal with this question, but... often things like portability and weight are main considerations, as well as usability and optics.
I am lucky enough to live at the edge of a large estuary, with views out to sea, and the scope will spend much of it's time on my landing windowsill, so portability is not such an issue. I've been looking on ebay, especially at older scopes, which I thought might have good optics but might be heavy, hoping to pick up a bargain, but I don't know anything about makes/models. There was a Vanguard scope on ebay this week, but I couldn't find the model to check it out and it seemed that vanguard scopes go from quite cheap to pretty expensive, so I had no idea what it was worth, it went for £43 or so. At the moment there is an Optolyth 30x75 scope on ebay, same thing, i've no idea what it's worth, but it looks fairly old . Even with much googling, it's often hard to find information on old scopes .
OR..would I be better off just looking at a modern scope and buying new.
Hope someone can help me choose.
Mark.
Click to expand...

Hi Mark. I've sent you aPM.

Cheers,

Howard
 
Thanks for all the info.

Thankyou to everyone who has taken the time to reply to my question. Lots to think about! More questions!
Why is it so bad to look out of a window where the air temperatures are so different?
Angled or straight through? I would be moving it around a bit as although my window at the rear looks across Carmarthen bay, the view from the front is over a small wooded hill with resident buzzards etc and I expect i'd take it on the estuary when I go for walks. Also it would be nice to be able to use it for astronomy, and taking photos. I think I should save more money!!
 
Hi Mark.

Yeah, in winter opening a window of a centrally heated house you'll be letting out warm humid air mixing with the cold outside. Different densities of air have different refractive indices like ice and water so the mixing can be visible. It's why cold still air works best particularly for viewing at high mags.

If you are overlooking woods a straight scope might be more intuitive to use. This could also work OK for casual views of objects in night sky not too far above horizon.

If you're thinking of using it for taking photos I'd suggest you'd want to research properly. You may even need to invest a bit more to increase the chances of decent photos resulting from the undoubted efforts involved.

That sounds like one excellent location you're living in for daytime terrestrial viewing |=)|
 
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