first scope. (1 Viewer)

Hi most of my birding I am fine in using my bins but some places we visit it would be nice to have the option of a scope now. I have a very small budget and as we go out birding as a family with our young child we would need a scope idealy small enough to be stored in a back pack. I have listed a few below that I have seen available online and was wondering if anyone has any experience in using any of them. Or any opinions on the brands etc. any help would be great.

Barr and Stroud Sahara 15*45*60

Praktica Telesport 18*36*50

Praktica 20-60x77

Piccolo Compact 15*45*60

Luyi 25*115*80( although I have doubts it would have a decent image anywhere near full zoom)


thanks Mike.

Hi Mike.
My first scope was an Acuter,not very expensive and a pretty good 16-45 zoom lens. I found it a lot better than the Barr & Stroud, which had a very tunnel like view, and Acuter have additional fixed focal length eye pieces which are not expensive.
Here's a link to a good supplier and a good price.
http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/acuter_spottingscope/acuter_fs.html

Hope this helps.

Not sure about how tight your budget is, but for a cheap, small, tough scope this may be a good option to get started with. My first scope was the Practica Telesport, and whilst I remember it fondly it wasn't that great. Lots of colour distortion and very dull at 36x. The Barr & Stroud kit has had some positive feedback but I've not looked through one before. If it is of any interest I have a collapsible Bushnell Spacemaster with 2 eyepieces that I'm looking to get rid of?
It is also worth keeping an eye open for secondhand kit, for example London Camera Exchange has a couple of serviceable opticrons and a kowa for under £130.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for your inputs i will try find some reviews and pices on the accuter. And daniel I just typed in about the spacer and it brought me to the very good review you did and also the scope your selling Defo another option i hadnt considered.How did you get on with the scope on your trips?

I've sent you a PM Mike.

Hi Mike, I'll be following this thread carefully too, as I shall soon be upgrading my bushnell, and it can be a minefield as to what to buy. Luckily, I do have a local shop in Bury St Edmunds that specialise in scopes and bins, but hearing opinions is always interesting