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Stabilised telescope (1 Viewer)

KorHaan

Well-known member
Hi all,

Since there are stabilised binoculars from different manufacturers on the market, and I see telescopes still being used with cumbersome but indispensible tripods, I wondered if it would be possible to build in Image Stabilisation ( IS ) in telescopes.

The telescope I have in mind has a completely different appearance; I have made a sketch which shows how it looks, and how it would work:

SEE ATTACHED THUMBNAIL
 

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My thoughts, Ronald, are that you should find someone technical, make a prototype, patent it, and make a fortune. I´d buy one! (And get those pictures off the forum before someone else copies them!;))
 
My thoughts, Ronald, are that you should find someone technical, make a prototype, patent it, and make a fortune. I´d buy one! (And get those pictures off the forum before someone else copies them!;))

Hi Sancho,

Thanks, but it's not my idea, maybe I should have mentioned that in my post.

It's not a whole new design as such, I remember back in the late 1970's ( I believe 1979 ) I came across an article in a British birdwatching magazine where this bazooka-type scope was introduced. I was curious enough to order a brochure, a very nice piece of work with colour photographs of a birder sitting on a stool, scope on shoulder; obviously a prototype had been made, I based my drawings on this one from memory. The brochure has gone, unfortunately, I searched for it everywhere but couldn't find it, otherwise I could have used it here and give credits to the inventor of this scope.
Anyway, I was going to buy one but the price of 8,000 Dutch guilders ( 3,500 US $ ) was just too high for the poor student I was back then.

The idea came back to me when reading Canon IS stuff, and I realised this kind of scope would be ideally fitted with IS, to allow for bigger magnifications up to 50x and aperture of 150 or 200 mm.

So, my main concern would be if Image Stabilisation would be possible in this type of scope.

Greetings, Ronald
 
Ronald,

Checkout this 1993 Better View Desired review of something called the Zuka Scope. It was a shoulder mounted Newtonian very similar to your illustration, but without IS.

http://www.betterviewdesired.com/The-Zuka-Scope.php

Henry

Hi Henry,

Thank you very much! Like I told Sancho the scope already existed, I just made a drawing from memory of a photograph. I'm not sure if the Zuka is the same I remember from the brochure, as far as I can recall the one I based my drawing on, was bigger in aperture.
Though I'm a complete layman in terms of technical issues, I understood that the scope would have to have mirrors instead of prisms, in order for the offset eyepiece to operate properly.
The one thing I find interesting is whether it would be technically possible to COMBINE a Zuka scope with an IS system like in Canon IS binoculars, so a bigger magnification would be useable, or a 20x-25x in a big aperture would provide a rock steady very bright image; since the IS is used in prism binoculars exclusively I'm not sure it would work in mirror scopes.

My sketches may be naïve, and the placing of the focus wheel may be next to impossible, technically spoken, but I wanted to draw a scope that one can use singlehanded. A focus mechanism on the eyepiece like in the Zuka will do very well, though, and it allows for using the scope from the left or the right shoulder, simply by turning the scope upside down to get the eyepiece before your left or right eye, respectively.

Attachment points for a strap would also be nice. Waterproofing for all weather use, too.

Greetings, Ronald
 
Well...

Something completely different but based on the Zuka scope came to my mind.

I'll have to make another sketch, but imagine this: two Zuka scopes welded together, leaving enough space in between them to put them over your head and rest the scope barrels on both shoulders, each fitted with an eyepiece to give binocular vision.
Electric focus wheels left and/or right.
No IS needed; 15-16x mag, 100mm aperture. That would be something on a seawatch, all you need further is a comfy chair, lots of coffee, and...

I'm beginning to sound silly. I'm turning in for ( what's left of ) the night.

Bye, Ronald
 
In this market niche, there's a choice whithout batteries. The stabilized zeiss 20X60 monocular. Really is a half of the binocular with the same specifications. I haven't see any yet in the field.
 
Leaving aside the technical details of the Zuka scope, I am also surprised that stabilised scopes aren't on offer. Stabilisation technology is very common with cameras these days so its hardly untested technology! Unlike other posters I think the big advantage would not just be being able to hand hold a high power instrument. Anyone who's done a seawatch in a gale (the only time to do it!) will know that, no matter how good the tripod, the image is never rock solid. Being able to click on a "supersteady state" function and/or use an ultra lightweight tripod would be the real bonus,
John
 
but imagine this: two Zuka scopes welded together, leaving enough space in between them to put them over your head and rest the scope barrels on both shoulders, each fitted with an eyepiece to give binocular vision.
Ronald

I get the picture. Please let me know when someone picks up this idea and makes the first prototype. I would be glad to take a picture of you using it. hahahaha What a great idea.

Cheers Peter
 
Ronald

I get the picture. Please let me know when someone picks up this idea and makes the first prototype. I would be glad to take a picture of you using it. hahahaha What a great idea.

Cheers Peter

Hey Peter,

I COULD make some sketches, just for fun.
And for a good laugh.

Ronald
 
If you do get one, don't bring it on a birding trip to Israel. :-O

Twite.


:t:

Sound advice!

I'm not even certain I'd want to be seen with these in my own country! Before you know it the anti-terrorist squad is all over you! :eek!:

Greetings, Ronald
 
Here´s another Career Option, Ronald...if you can´t patent the scope, I think you should be working as an illustrator or cartoonist (if you´re not doing so already!). I´ve seen your line-drawings on a number of threads, and I particulary like the guy holding the scope above....does he have a name? Why doesn´t he have a mouth? Does he represent the Voiceless Masses in an Uncaring and Exploitative world? Or were you just not bothered drawing mouths that day?;)
 
Here´s another Career Option, Ronald...if you can´t patent the scope, I think you should be working as an illustrator or cartoonist (if you´re not doing so already!). I´ve seen your line-drawings on a number of threads, and I particulary like the guy holding the scope above....does he have a name? Why doesn´t he have a mouth? Does he represent the Voiceless Masses in an Uncaring and Exploitative world? Or were you just not bothered drawing mouths that day?;)

Hi Sancho,

I'm working as a cartoonist since 1990, when I began to draw comic strips.
I'm currently working for WWF Netherlands and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals.
If you would like to see some of my work, check my homepage via my Public Profile. Most of the comics are in Dutch, but there are English versions as well. ( And 1 in Swedish; how's that?! )

The guy holding the scope is Lucky ( who wouldn't be ? ). I gave him no mouth or other human features, because it would only distract from the main subject, which is the scope. That's the only reason.

In the near future I'll be making English versions of the comic strip "Kor Haan", to be published on my homepage. The main character will be Grouse Black, the English alter ego of Kor Haan. The bazooka scope will certainly feature in one of Mr. Black's adventures as a birder. Probably the Zuka Super Bino I described above too. :-O

Cheers, Ronald
 
Brilliant, Ronald, at least I had you pegged for the right career option! I'll check out your homepage, Lucky is cool, looks Laconic with no mouth....a Do-er, not a Talker....;)
 
Only one problem with your model: I am left eyed. So it has to have an eye piece that can rotate around. Good luck.
 
Only one problem with your model: I am left eyed. So it has to have an eye piece that can rotate around. Good luck.

Why not just two models; a left-eyed and a right-eyed, so one can choose?

I can draw whatever I like, but for a properly working rotating eyepiece I need backup from someone with knowledge of Newtonian scopes.
I still don't know if it is possible to build in an IS system in a Newtonian scope.

Cheers, Ronald
 
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