PF80 fixed or PF100 zoom? (1 Viewer)

Birders,

I can't choose between this telescopes:

Pentax PF80-ED with XW20 and XW14 eyepiece

Or

Pentax PF100-ED with the standard zoom eyepiece

I would like to use it for spotting in first place. (waders etc) Maybe in the near future buy a canon a95 en take some photo's? I think then de fixed eyepieces would be a good choice. But do i miss something with the PF80 (only 36 times magnification with XW14). And is the PF100 a better choice for digiscoping because of the bigger lense? The extra weight is not a problem. Are there any birders who know the difference between those scopes, i mean is the ED100 that much brighter?

I have a PF100 and like it very much. When buying, I compared it with an 80mm alternative (Swaro). It was a dull dark winter's day and when viewing alternately through one then the other, there was little or no difference in apparent brightness at x20 and x30, and only a little difference at x45, when the extra aperture of the 100mm was noted. However at x60 it was night and day, the 100mm aperture produced bright, almost summer views while the 80mm was decidedly dark and gloomy.

Guess the brain/eye combo provides very effective automatic gain up to a point, thereafter the extra aperture wins.

For digiscoping the extra aperture will always be useful. For the same optical quality, the more aperture the more photons, and that just reduces exposure times. Also the bigger aperture means higher resolution and higher potential maximum magnification.

The big downside is the weight, and so I bought the 65mm Pentax for carrying around.

Both scopes are excellent for digiscoping, the huge eyepieces are magnificent optical quality.

I do not have a zoom eyepiece so can't help there.

possum

Thanks for the reply. Can you use 2" eyepieces with the pf100
? There are some beautifull eyepieces from pentax and televue on the market. The bigger eye relief is very usefull for digiscoping they told me. Or are the televue scopes the only one who can handle the big eyepieces?

You can use any standard 1.25 inch eyepieces. 2 inch eyepieces will not fit, they seem only to be used on various astronomical scopes.

Eye relief on standard XL Pentax eyepieces is about 20 mm.

Eyepieces are retained by a smooth collet grip, actuated by a large knurled ring. The collet only accepts inch and a quarter barrels.

Possum

Televue makes an adapter that allows the 2 inch eyepieces to be used on a scope that accepts 1.25 inch eyepieces. I'm not sure if these will fit the Pentax but it's worth looking into. They only cost about 40-50 US dollars.

Carl

Carl said:

Televue makes an adapter that allows the 2 inch eyepieces to be used on a scope that accepts 1.25 inch eyepieces. I'm not sure if these will fit the Pentax but it's worth looking into. They only cost about 40-50 US dollars.

Carl

Click to expand...

That's nice and the price is ok. I think i go for the PF100 and some fixed eyepieces. I also looked at the televue scopes, TV-85 and the NP101. They look very nice to me. I hope that they will make a nitrogen filled and waterproof edition. If you can carry it, it would be THE birding scope, also suitable for digiscoping i guess?

Opinion

Hi

I have the Pentax PF80ED-A and use it for both digiscoping and birdwath. I use the zoom only for birdwath and have the XW20 for digiscoping. I think this zoom isn't a good choice for digiscoping.

I think one great issue about this 2 scopes is the weight. The PF80 is heavier than other scopes i tried. The PF100 must be even more.

Regards

jei said:

Hi

I have the Pentax PF80ED-A and use it for both digiscoping and birdwath. I use the zoom only for birdwath and have the XW20 for digiscoping. I think this zoom isn't a good choice for digiscoping.

I think one great issue about this 2 scopes is the weight. The PF80 is heavier than other scopes i tried. The PF100 must be even more.

Regards

Click to expand...

Hi, i can stay several hours at one observation point. The weight isn't a big issue for me. But indeed, if you do a lot of walking with it... buy another scope. Although, the price is very atractive. Buying a 80-ED with a fixed eyepiece will be cheaper than the famous swaro/leica/zeiss. The interchangeable eyepieces are a big advantage above the "three big ones" You can get a 1,25" converter by zeiss and swarovski by the way. It will allow using 1,25" eyepieces on them. But, it will cost you extra ofcourse.
And, if televue comes with a 85 or 100mm nitrogen filled waterproof edition, you can use the same eyepieces. (and if you have the money for it )The pentax eyepieces seemed to be fitted with screw thread. Attaching a camera to it would be easy.

Pardon my English, im Dutch.

Pentax scopes

I had a Pentax 80mm with the zoom.
I would buy the fixed eyepieces rather than the zoom.
The 100mm advantage would be for the higher power brightness, the disadvantage would be the much shorter depth of field at those powers. Great scopes & prices, can't carry the big ones around. Steve Monrad

Henky said:

Hi, i can stay several hours at one observation point. The weight isn't a big issue for me. But indeed, if you do a lot of walking with it... buy another scope. Although, the price is very atractive. Buying a 80-ED with a fixed eyepiece will be cheaper than the famous swaro/leica/zeiss. The interchangeable eyepieces are a big advantage above the "three big ones" You can get a 1,25" converter by zeiss and swarovski by the way. It will allow using 1,25" eyepieces on them. But, it will cost you extra ofcourse.
And, if televue comes with a 85 or 100mm nitrogen filled waterproof edition, you can use the same eyepieces. (and if you have the money for it )The pentax eyepieces seemed to be fitted with screw thread. Attaching a camera to it would be easy.

Pardon my English, im Dutch.

Click to expand...