Best Scope <$1000?? (1 Viewer)

I'm sure this question has been posed many times before, but this forum is huge, so...

in readers' opinions, what's the best birding scope for less than $1000?

Optical qualities are my first priority.

Thanks.

WGPu said:

...what's the best birding scope for less than $1000?...

Click to expand...

Depends on who you are and your use.

If it is your first scope and you know you are committed to birding and especially if you expect to be spending more on equipment in the future (often the case for young but committed birders), I think you should get a top-end travel scope, like a Nikon 50ED Fieldscope with 27x MC eyepiece, or an Opticron 50 MM3 with 24x eyepiece. You'll have enough money left over to get a good Manfrotto or similar carbon fiber tripod and fluid panning head. In the future, no matter what ~85 mm super scope you buy to go with it, you'll still have use for your travel scope, and the tripod (depending on how robust a model you choose) might work for it too.

If you are not sure on your commitment to birding, or you know you aren't going to spend much in the future and you just need a scope for general purpose birding, I'd find a used Bushnell 60 mm Spacemaster or B&L or similar, or even better, a used Nikon 60 ED Fieldscope II or III, with a 24x or 30x eyepiece. You might find something really good for under $300.

If you are going to be doing a lot of high power scoping (routinely over 30x), you'll need an ~85 mm scope. My hope would be to find something like a used Nikon 78 or 82 ED Fieldscope, or one of the Pentax scopes. Personally, I wouldn't go for anything, new or old, that didn't have the option of a wide-field eyepiece. I haven't looked for deals lately, but there might still be some out there with respect to demo or new-in-box old stock. A couple years ago, when the Nikon Fieldscopes were being phased out, the 82ED was selling for under $1000 complete with 25-75x eyepiece at the big optics sellers like B&H Photo. I expect there are still some out there in smaller shops, or maybe in places like the Cabela's bargain caves.

--AP

Best Scope <$1000??>

The little Nikon 50mm is a great small scope, spend the money you saved on the best tripod and head you can afford.
A great tripod maximizes your view and if you finally decide you need a bigger scope then you will have a top quality tripod to put it on.
After using the Nikon for a while you may discover you don't need a larger scope, if you do then you can go for a top quality 80+ mm scope.
Experience and use should dictate the size, when you have more experience and have use the small scope for a while then you will have better defined your use.
I have a Kowa 663 with zoom that I just got from Eagle Optics that is a great little scope (not the newer fluorite model).
The problem is you won't have money left for a tripod.
Try the Nikon, great views and just so handy you can easily cart it around in a backpack.
Best of luck.
Art

I tend to agree with Alexis's comments overall.

In addition if ultimate image quality is your goal then I would suggest considering this deal from CLNY....

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics2/zenray.pl?page=zenray-zened2_20-60x82

You really aren't going to find better optical quality from an 82 mm scope below $1000. This model won "Best New Scope" from one of the major outdoor publications the year it debuted. I had the chance to review as well and thought it was a very good scope for the price....assuming as you would with any scope...that you get a good specimen.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=204083&highlight=Theron

I agree wit Alexis powell..The Nikon lineage has been always consistent in quality no matter how many units I have tested.And You can get them new in your budget,and used well below.I would not buy a brand new,expensive chinese scope,unless i can test it and make sure the unit is good..It doesnt matter how well endorsed It is...specially because for one grand you can buy a used top of the line,if not last model,scope,and those models,in my experience are more consistently well corrected,due to better quality control..Swarovski ATS 65HD can be found for a grand ,used,also the old AT80HD,but you have to look around ..Kowa 823/4 can be found also in that price..Leica APO 65..etc...
The ED50 and small top scopes like the MM3,are very nice,and for walking around and finding birds are the best(..i do prefer them with a low power ,bright eyepiece,but thats me..).They can offer a beautiful view, as sharp ,bright and full of contrast as any scope,and even be used for photo or video..but if you need real detail in the mid - long distance ,you should try to buy a large scope.I own a cheap pair of binos,bought new, an ED50 /astronomy eyepiece also bought new and an old beaten KOWA 823 ,bought used..PROBABLY paid under 1000 $ for all...(got lucky with the Kowa)