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HR or HDF (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jeff
- Start date
T0ny
Okillre Member
Which scope do you have, Jeff ? I've not used a zoom eyepiece on a scope for over ten years, mainly because I wear glasses and couldn't get my eye close enough to see the complete field of view. On my current scope (Leica) I have 20x & 32x WA, and they seem to serve me well enough - I'm never convinced that the optical quality of a zoom can match fixed focal length anyway. Their light gathering seems poorer, so they need good light to work well, and they magnify heat haze alarmingly.
HTH
Tony
HTH
Tony
jeff
Well-known member
T0ny,
Thanx for the advice, I have an opticron HR 66 telescope with a 28xWW eyepiece, I have only really been birding for 6 months or so now, but someone somewhere mentioned about getting a zoom eyepiece. I must admit I dont really have any problems with its current setup, so if you dont think it'll give me any benefits, i dont think I'll bother, well thats saved me £150
:t:
Thanx for the advice, I have an opticron HR 66 telescope with a 28xWW eyepiece, I have only really been birding for 6 months or so now, but someone somewhere mentioned about getting a zoom eyepiece. I must admit I dont really have any problems with its current setup, so if you dont think it'll give me any benefits, i dont think I'll bother, well thats saved me £150
:t:
Funky
Well-known member
The HDF (or 'Higher Deutshmark Factor') eyepiece will give better contrast, less colour fringing, better light transmission and usually better eye-relief but at a high price. If you are happy with your existing lens then I'd save your cash.
As for zooms, my own opinion is they are for lazy people who can't be bothered changing separate eyepieces which can be time consuming and fiddly.
I personally hate them especially the way the low mag end of the zoom restricts the apparent field of view. Its like tunnel vision!
As for zooms, my own opinion is they are for lazy people who can't be bothered changing separate eyepieces which can be time consuming and fiddly.
I personally hate them especially the way the low mag end of the zoom restricts the apparent field of view. Its like tunnel vision!
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
I suspect that you will be better off, especially financially, as you are. Having said that, I use a zoom eyepiece and a 32x wide angle. The zoom is mainly used in the winter for a specialized purpose, that of ring reading...plastic rings on geese and swans and occasionally ducks but also on metal rings on gulls. Unless you want to do things like that you are probably better off with a fixed mag piece. I use my 32x mainly in the summer when the winter geese and swans are not around.
Colin
Colin
Funky
Well-known member
Tongue firmly planted in left cheek please Colin!
Wouldn't you be better off with a single high power 50 or 60x for ring reading Colin? I was just thinking of you keeping as much resolving power as possible which the multitude of lenses in a zoom would certainly compromise. Which in dull winter conditions is so important. Just a thought! :t:
Wouldn't you be better off with a single high power 50 or 60x for ring reading Colin? I was just thinking of you keeping as much resolving power as possible which the multitude of lenses in a zoom would certainly compromise.
Which in dull winter conditions is so important. Just a thought! :t:
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
Hey Funky and Erp, missed you around.
I use a 20-60x zoom. I scan the flocks of whatever species on 20x and then zoom as necessary to read the ring. And when I'm not ring reading I ususally just scan on 20x. If I were to use a fixed 60x, it would be a devil of a job finding the one bird in a tightly knit gull flock with the ring having noted the bird with binnies to start.
Colin
I use a 20-60x zoom. I scan the flocks of whatever species on 20x and then zoom as necessary to read the ring. And when I'm not ring reading I ususally just scan on 20x. If I were to use a fixed 60x, it would be a devil of a job finding the one bird in a tightly knit gull flock with the ring having noted the bird with binnies to start.
Colin
