optricron piccolo or camlink 15-45x50 ? (1 Viewer)

I wondered if anyone had an opinion about these two scopes.

I have a tiny budget and need something small and light - i will be carrying the scope around as i don't drive.

I anticipate mostly using the scope for observing waders across the Var estuary

thanks
alison

i have the camlink and wouldnt recomend it for birding over any distance greater than 25/30m. The image is fuzzy at distance, and isnt very bright over 25X.

you may be better pickingup second hand "name brand" i assume you have less than 60 quid to spend?

if you get cheap scope make sure its bak4 prisms, if the seller doesnt know, dont buy it.

woodhornbirder said:

i have the camlink and wouldnt recomend it for birding over any distance greater than 25/30m. The image is fuzzy at distance, and isnt very bright over 25X.

you may be better pickingup second hand "name brand" i assume you have less than 60 quid to spend?

if you get cheap scope make sure its bak4 prisms, if the seller doesnt know, dont buy it.

Click to expand...

Yes, I've only got about 60 quid to spend - i got a refund of that amount and decided i should get something frivolous with it.

I can't really justify spending more as i'm not sure how much i will use it Part of me feels if i don't buy something now then i will just always do without.

I have been looking at second hand things but they are still on the pricey side

Quite a few folk seem to say the piccolo is pretty good for the money going by the archives here

alison

Had a look through the Opticron Piccolo in Jacobs priced £90 I was very surprised gave a clean and sharp image. Seen the same scope on ebay for £50+ Think I'd stick with the Opticron brand.

I have an Opticron Piccolo and it isn't that great-very 'plasticky', loads of grit on the prisms, and an image that rapidly declines over 15x. I would definitely try to get a second hand scope from one of the 'big companies' , e.g. Opticron (since I have heard that they don't actually make the Piccolo themselves).

Definitely try before you buy though.

ive had both these scopes out of the 2 the picollo wins i actually have a brand new cam link for sale at the minute that i bought to use in the garden

the picollo suited me fine and i found the eyepeice usuable upto 30x the only reason i didnt keep it was i wanted something super compact which the camlink is

id keep the camlink myself for the money its not to much of a wrench that it doesnt get used much only reason i decided to sell is im moving inot a small flat and have to shift some stuff

although it its right tht opticron doesnt make the picollo for the money you cant expect to much i found the eyepeice to get very dirty and one its been removed to be cleaned a few times it starts to twist and feels generally dodgy saying that i got a years birding out of it and it still worked fine just didnt feel as strong as new

for 60 quid though your not really spoilt for choice id try and get a 2nd hand hawke model or save a little more if you can justify it and get a lower spec kowa