New PF-80ED-A !!! (1 Viewer)

spimly · Jan 13, 2011

Well after a lot of soul searching and asking questions here, I finally purchased a Pentax PF-80ED-A with the 20-60x ep from Adorama which is running a special for $950. This is the best deal I could find for the angled version and I think it is a fair price.

So I will have a very good scope but not one suited for long hikes! That's ok though because it will spend most of its time on the deck. Now I have to decide whether to get a fixed ep, probably the 14mm. I'll wait to see how I like the FOV on the zoom first though. I really wanted to get a Nikon 82ED but the eye relief was mentioned over and over in the threads and I wear glasses.

Kevin Purcell · Jan 13, 2011

Glad you made a choice.

I think for deck or "close to the car" viewing I think you'll be very happy with it.

There is an XW14 in the For Sale section.

Martin Fagg · Jan 13, 2011

Kevin Purcell said:
I think for deck or "close to the car" viewing I think you'll be very happy with it.

If you want to go lighter weight, you can get the PF-65 ED and use the same lovely Pentax e/ps.

bearclawthedonut · Jan 13, 2011

spimly:

Congradulations! The PF-80 is an excellent scope and your price is very good with the big Pentax SMC Zoom. One of the very nice things about Pentax scopes is that they accept standard telescopic 1.25" eyepieces (EPs). This gives you a wide choice of EPs with 20 mm of eye relief (ER), which makes for comfortable viewing for most eyeglass wearer's. Now you get to learn all about EP's. You can not go too far wrong by using Pentax XW EPs, just have to open your wallet - wide. There are other alternatives with optics almost as good at all price levels.

If you do not already have one, get the best tripod/head that you can afford. A great spotting scope with a great EP is useless without a stabil tripod/head.

Good luck and good birding!

bearclawthedonut

spimly · Jan 13, 2011

bearclawthedonut said:
spimly:
If you do not already have one, get the best tripod/head that you can afford. A great spotting scope with a great EP is useless without a stabil tripod/head.

Yes, I actually got the tripod and head on eBay earlier. I think I paid $80 for a Manfrotto 3011 and a 3126 head. The finish was not great but functionally it was 100%. I thought that was a good deal and nearly perfect for my needs.

spimly · Jan 13, 2011

Kevin Purcell said:
Glad you made a choice.

I think for deck or "close to the car" viewing I think you'll be very happy with it.

There is an XW14 in the For Sale section.

Thanks Kevin, you were very helpful and patient in answering my questions in other threads. And there were many who provided details to get me to this point so I hope someday I can do the same.

mooreorless · Jan 13, 2011

Hi Barry, I am glad you decided on the Pentax scope. These are hard decisions to make sometimes, keep going back and forth. I know I would. I never noticed the angled Pentax 80ED is heavier than the straight.

Kevin Purcell · Jan 13, 2011

spimly said:
Yes, I actually got the tripod and head on eBay earlier. I think I paid $80 for a Manfrotto 3011 and a 3126 head. The finish was not great but functionally it was 100%. I thought that was a good deal and nearly perfect for my needs.

The earlier version of the 055 and the 128LP. Not a bad price for a decent tripod and head. They should work well with this scope.

Suited to being setup and left in place (as it doesn't have a quick release).

bearclawthedonut · Jan 14, 2011

spimly:

Ah the QR plate. For many years I lived life without any QR plates and I was happy or so I thought. Then one eventful day I purchased an inexpensive small tripod for my Burris 20x50 spotting scope. It came with a QR plate. I was infected.

Where ever I went, whatever I did - I had to have a QR plate. My next tripod came with the purchase of a Bushnell scope. It was a good tripod (much better then the scope), pretty in it's own way, thoughtfull, kind, generous - but no QR plate. I was in agony.

So, I bought a Manfrotto QR plate converter for $30 from eagleoptics or opticsplanet and I was at peace again. Since then all my tripods have come with QR plates and I'm happy and contented again or so I think ....

The Manfrotto QR converter comes with one QR plate. It works well, but it does add one more layer of connections. Be carefull of infections ....

bearclawthedonut

spimly · Jan 14, 2011

bearclawthedonut said:
spimly:

Ah the QR plate. For many years I lived life without any QR plates and I was happy or so I thought. Then one eventful day I purchased an inexpensive small tripod for my Burris 20x50 spotting scope. It came with a QR plate. I was infected.

Where ever I went, whatever I did - I had to have a QR plate. My next tripod came with the purchase of a Bushnell scope. It was a good tripod (much better then the scope), pretty in it's own way, thoughtfull, kind, generous - but no QR plate. I was in agony.

So, I bought a Manfrotto QR plate converter for $30 from eagleoptics or opticsplanet and I was at peace again. Since then all my tripods have come with QR plates and I'm happy and contented again or so I think ....

The Manfrotto QR converter comes with one QR plate. It works well, but it does add one more layer of connections. Be carefull of infections ....

bearclawthedonut

I was looking for a QR head but couldn't pass up the deal on the BuyItNow eBay combination as everything else I was seeing was going for $120+. I hadn't considered that someone would make a QR adapter! Thanks for the heads-up on this.

spimly · Jan 14, 2011

Ok, I been to the Manfrotto site looking at the QR adapters but am confused as to which is appropriate. They have a Quick Change 323, QR 577, QR 394 and a Rapid Release 357. The QR 394 looks interesting as it includes the spirit levels which my 'pod does not have but I can't see the mechanism for locking it in place. Any suggestions????

Kevin Purcell · Jan 14, 2011

bearclawthedonut said:
Where ever I went, whatever I did - I had to have a QR plate. My next tripod came with the purchase of a Bushnell scope. It was a good tripod (much better then the scope), pretty in it's own way, thoughtfull, kind, generous - but no QR plate. I was in agony.

So, I bought a Manfrotto QR plate converter for $30 from eagleoptics or opticsplanet and I was at peace again. Since then all my tripods have come with QR plates and I'm happy and contented again or so I think ....

The problem is the Manfrotto 323 Mounting Plate QR Adapter doesn't fit perfectly on a 128LP head. It does fit but it puts the adapter at the front or the back of the head's plate because the locking mechanisms extends below the base of the adapter and the 128LP has "stuff" to the left and right of the plate.

My test 055 and 128LP + 323 is set up this way. I think the 323 is setup "backwards" compared to the standard use of the QR plate. Not an issue if you only have one head. And it puts the scope at one end of the plate which helps the balance.

The twvw.nl found the 128LP to be the best damped manfrotto head (the cork helps) so for a fixed scope it's excellent. But I wonder about wear on the scope mounting thread hole screwing and unscrewing the scope.

The Manfrotto 357 might be more flexible (but I haven't tried it). It's the same plate type as the HDV701/501.

http://www.manfrotto.com/product/0/357/_/Rapid_Connect_Adapter_With_Sliding_Mounting_Plate_357Pl

If you aren't committed to Manfrotto plates then it might be worthwhile considering an Arca adapter or some other "flatter" adapter.

On the other hand I think I still have a unused (in the packaging) 323 that I'm not using. If you're interested?

Chhayanat · Jan 15, 2011

Which Pentax scopes are angled? Which Pentax scopes have adapters for for Pentax K-mount digital SLRS? I don't want to use a compact camera with such a scope.

Kevin Purcell · Jan 16, 2011

Any scope with A in the name is angled e.g. PF65A

There is a Pentax camera adapter (for about $400 or $500) which matches to a K-mount.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/pentax-pf-ca35-kmount-slr-camera-adapter-70510.html

forent · Feb 3, 2011

spimly said:
Ok, I been to the Manfrotto site looking at the QR adapters but am confused as to which is appropriate. They have a Quick Change 323, QR 577, QR 394 and a Rapid Release 357. The QR 394 looks interesting as it includes the spirit levels which my 'pod does not have but I can't see the mechanism for locking it in place. Any suggestions????

Avoid Manfrotto QR solutions, there are much better ones outside: Arca-Swiss compatible dovetail systems. The vast majority of professionals and serious amateurs uses Arca-style QR plates for good reasons. Once very expensive, they have moderate prices today due to Chinese competition. Just look for the products of Benro, Induro, Triopo, Sunwayfoto, Fotopro and so on at eBay. (Of course there are American suppliers also, e.g. Kirk and Really Right Stuff.)

mayoayo · Feb 10, 2011

Chhayanat said:
Which Pentax scopes are angled? Which Pentax scopes have adapters for for Pentax K-mount digital SLRS? I don't want to use a compact camera with such a scope.

For a Pentax DSLR I would buy a 50mm 1.7 ,either manual (40$) or AF(75$)and go digiscoping route..SHARP little lens ,plenty aperture ,small...

jogiba · Mar 31, 2011

Chhayanat said:
Which Pentax scopes are angled? Which Pentax scopes have adapters for for Pentax K-mount digital SLRS? I don't want to use a compact camera with such a scope.

The Pentax 80mm and 65mm have angled versions but not the 100mm so I purchased the Celestron Regal 100 F-ED and use the Pentax DSLR adapter from my Pentax PF-80ED scope.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/jogiba/astro/IMGP2741-1.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/jogiba/astro/IMGP2752-1.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/jogiba/astro/IMGP2768-1.jpg

gcole · Apr 1, 2011

jogiba .... I noticed on the third picture the eyepiece on the Celestron Regal 100 looks like a pentax XW eyepiece ? If so what power & does it focus correctly ? ..thanks gwen

Alfonso · Apr 14, 2011

A slight aside, but interested in comments from those that have used either the 65 or 80 ED for targeting at the range. I've viewed through an 80 mm Elite . . . good scope and worked for my purposes on a good day to 300 m. For comparison, all I've done is use my Stellarvue 80 with a variety of EP's to give me approximate equivalent zoom range. Again, good. But I've never viewed through any Pentax equipment, and from where I live it's lay out the cash and find out . . . I'm suspecting at least on par with the Elite?

thanks

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