Opticron IMagic80 (1 Viewer)

MarkS

Member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #1

Hi, Does anyone have any opinions on the IMagic80 with the 20-60 HDF zoom? I am thinking of buying one for a mixed combination of birding, digiscoping and target spotting, and a although I don't expect the worlds best optics for the price I don't want to spend £400 for a scope that I will be disappointed with when for a bit more I could get a scope that will be a much better.
Any thoughts will be most appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Aitch

Proact UK

• Jun 17, 2003

• #2

Can't comment on the scope but my wife got the 8x32 imagic bins and is very pleased with them.
H

 

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Leif

Well-known member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #3

You'll find a link to a survey in this thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5841

Take it with a pinch of salt as I know at least one binocular review is complete nonsense.

 

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normjackson

Well-known member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #4

C'mon Leif, don't tease. Which is the binocular review you know to be nonsense? I'm interested, and if it's OK with you, man, I promise I won't disagree with anything you say :hippy:

Did you follow that thread in the "Equipment Talk" forum at astromart.com where the guys were disagreeing with each other on, well I don't know what is was in the end? It got so heated I had to start reading the posts from behind the sofa. In the end I just stopped reading and haven't been back.

On the basis of our exchanges, I'm sure you're right, Leif, that Kevin would be only too happy to share the benefits of his experiences with the Opticron Imagic 80 scope (possibly a slightly earlier model?) and his insights into the gains in going to the more expensive Swarovski scope. Only concern is I'm not sure if he is a moderator for this forum and hence might miss this.

I see there's a thread immediately below this one where the advice is against using the 20-60HDF zoom eyepiece for digiscoping and going for a 12.5x dedicated eyepiece. So it looks as though this is a viable scope for all the uses MarkS has in mind.

Norm

 

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Leif

Well-known member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #5

Yo Norm. Or whatever young people say these days.

Generally the ratings seem to be what I would expect - based on the few products I have used. I was surprised at how they rated the Zeiss 8x30 BGAT though. They reckon the optics are poor and markedly worse than the Zeiss 8x30 Diafun. I know this to be complete nonsense. I wish I could read Norwegian though.

No I didn't follow the Equipment Talk thread. A bit too hard core for me.

Leif.

 

MarkS

Member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #6

Thanks all for your comments.

My plan is to use the scope with the 20-60 HDF zoom for spotting and birding and then use the Opticron 40215 adapter and the matching T mount to attach a Nikon D100 to use it as a basic super telephoto for digiscoping. I don't expect the results to be as good a paying £2000+ for a 1000mm focal length lenses to fit the camera, but I am interested in knowing if the results would be reasonably good. However my main concern is more to do with how good the optics are for more normal use as in birding and target spotting. My current scope (a Bushnell 60mm Spacemaster with a 15-45 zoom) does a reasonable job but lets me down in the rain and in poor light conditions. I am looking to get a big improvement in performance and if this is not going to be the case then it may be worth me considering better models. I primarily use my scope for archery and spotting arrows approximately 5-10mm in diameter in targets up to 90meters away, but I am really looking for a good all rounder that won’t cost me a fortune and give me respectable results.

 

Johnny1

Well-known member

• Jun 17, 2003

• #7

I bought an Opticron Im80 scope with HDF zoom in December to replace my spacemaster & 15 -45 zoom, the scope is in my opinion is good value for money, it easily out performs the spacemaster giving a much brighter image through the large eyepiece and a sharper image at the higher magnifications.
The downside was the 20-60 zoom was useless for digiscopin, instead I had to use the 15-45 zoom off the spacemaster. I intend to purchase the 12:5 Opticron eyepiece which is specially made for digiscopin.

 

MarkS

Member

• Jun 18, 2003

• #8

Thanks everyone for your comments, they have been most useful.

If I decide to go for the IMagic80 I will let you know how I get on.

Mark

 

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normjackson

Well-known member

• Jun 18, 2003

• #9

Was at local nature reserve at weekend (Abberton Reservoir) and a lot of the Opticron range were on display. Guess you'll be on the look out for a similar opportunity near you soon for a chance to compare. The Imagic, ES80 and HR80GA each seem to be tantalisingly sized steps apart in price. Clever marketing, I guess

I suspect that only with the photography are you risking disappointment with these scopes (unless perhaps you've sneaked a view through the Swarovski), and taking this role seriously is the one that might persuade you to climb the price ladder.

If you're interested in a super telephoto lens and can forgo some robustness and waterproofing, perhaps you'd consider a reasonably priced cat lens like the Russian made 1000mm macro Rubinar? With your SLR's small CCD this would translate into an effective 1500mm or nearly 30x telephoto?

Hope you get satisfaction whichever way you go.

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2003

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normjackson

Well-known member

• Jun 18, 2003

• #10

In case you're interested MarkS, here are some links to what your camera is capable of connected to a big 127mm Celestron C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain spotting scope :

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=83764&page=

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=82738&page=

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=81853&page=2

www.astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=81122&page=3

And you can see the beast in the Spotters/Binos section at :

www.dhinds.co.uk/frames.html

The Rubinar I mentioned is only a 105mm hence a lot more compact.

Now if it wasn't for all that pesky English rain...

 

MarkS

Member

• Jun 18, 2003

• #11

Hi,

The reason I went mad on buying a D100 was not only for my interest in photography but because it was ideal for connecting to my Meade LX90 (astronomy being another expensive :-( hobby of mine).

Unfortunately its a little heavy for carting around all the time (and I suspect that I would get a few funny looks turning up at my local RSPB bird reserve with something like that) hence wanting a reasonable spotting scope that would let me have a bit of a play with digiscoping.

I have just ordered the part to connect the camera to my LX90 so I will have to try it out and see what results I get.

Many thanks for the extra info, I has given me some new inspiration. Unfortunately all I need to do now is win the lottery!

 

N

normjackson

Well-known member

• Jun 18, 2003

• #12

Gee Mark, there was I calling 5" a beast and you sitting on 8" all the time :-O

You probably wouldn't want to risk carting a telescope as nice as that to a nature reserve; I wonder if it would raise an eyebrow. I always thought it was normal behaviour that psyched out birders...

Hope you do post some results from your LX90 setup here on Bird Forum and give us all a chance to learn from your decision on the scope front.

And good luck with those six numbers. I know, I really must leave you alone now to ponder :brains:

 

MarkS

Member

• Jun 19, 2003

• #13

Well I have decided to take the plunge and go for the IMagic80
I feel confident that it will do the job for me and although my first choice would have been a Swaro ATS80HD in the intrests of keeping my marrage I had to rule that one out pretty quickly :-C

When I receive it I will let you know how well I think it worked out. I have a tornament this Saturday and we are off birding on Sunday so I will get to try it out in every situation that I need.

I will also try out my LX90 and post some piccies from both systems so you can see the results.

 

paulsnokia

Photographer

• Jun 19, 2003

• #14

Have a look at the ES80

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Jun 19, 2003

• #15

I agree.
Have a look at the ES80, I bought one last Christmas and have not regretted it.
Digi-birder has one, take a look at her digiscope piccies