A huge tahnks to all the forum memers who have helped me. (1 Viewer)

A huge thanks to all the forum memers who have helped me.

Well. I finally got some decent weather to check my Optolyth Baader conversion. The weather wasn't brilliant, it was overcast, with showers, the sun even came out for a brief spell though.
So was it worth it? you bet.
The first thing I noticed when I fitted the Baader was the size of the view, you feel you can walk right into it, and you don't have to keep looking for the best spot. You just put your eye to the huge rubber eyecup and it's there. a bright pin sharp image from edge to edge. Unbelievable improvement. The colours are true to life without any CA. The water droplets on the birds were crystal clear and I'm zooming in on birds 100 yards away or more. I feel I could reach out and touch them. The whites are white and the black are black. When the sun came out and I was at max magnification, I forgot where I was at and kept wanting to zoom in even more, the image was so bright.
Next stop is to compare it to the Swarovski I looked at a couple of weeks ago.

To be honest, I'm struggling to see how a scope could be any better, the only improvement would be to make the scope brighter in low light and perhaps a wider field of view.

However, despite my delight with the conversion, I'm not exactly over the moon about having a Chinese eyepiece hanging on the end of the scope.
That's why I've been asking about other eyepiece's, I might change it for a Japanese one if I can find one that would fit.

One other thing, remember I'm comparing the Baader to 20 year old plus Optolyths. I expect the latest would Optolyths to be excellent, I don't know.

Thanks again, happy birding.

Pleased your baader conversion worked out well Ron, it sounds good and I was thinking of getting one myself, I also looked at the new 20x60 Optolyth zoom EP, but i'm not sure if it will fit my old TBS 80 scope?

Bencw said:

Pleased your baader conversion worked out well Ron, it sounds good and I was thinking of getting one myself, I also looked at the new 20x60 Optolyth zoom EP, but i'm not sure if it will fit my old TBS 80 scope?

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I'd be careful with the Optolyth eyepieces. I feel it's been the eyepieces that let Optolyth down over the years, not the scopes. The old fluorite scopes in particular were pretty good, even by today's standards. The eyepieces really weren't so good, especially the zoom eyepieces were always somewhat crappy.

The Baader is a well-proven, excellent eyepiece. If it works I'd stick to it.

Hermann

Hi Bencw, the problem with Optolyth is that it's not available in the uk any more, which is shame.
If you go back to the 80's and mid 90's. Optoltyh were the top dogs. So it's not that easy to buy it on-line and return it if your not happy.
I don't know what the current Optolyth EPs are like, I expect they are better than my 20 year old ones.
Having said that, the fixed eyepieces were pretty good even then. A few weeks ago I did a comparison with an Opticron and Swarovski and the fixed EPs were very good, but I was comparing then to a modern zoom. The 22x60 zoom I had was poor, it was like looking down a straw. At £190 I thought I would have a punt on the Baader and it's paid off. The problem is, it's made in China, I'm not happy about that, nevertheless, it's excellent.
I've just ordered a 30x Optolyth wide angle, the latest model and I'm going to compare with the Baader.
If it's better I'll keep it, mainly because a 30x is about right for my local nature reserve.
The Baader in the Optolyth is impressive, I'm tempted to a buy a top quality Japanese zoom because I don't normally go down the cheaper end of the market. Maybe I'm a snob, I don't know.
I can say this though, the Baader has transformed my scope, Chinese or not, it is excellent.
One thing is certain, the Optolyth scope is superb when you have a top quality EP fitted.
When I get the Optolyth 30x EP, I'll let you know how it is. In theory it should be better than the Baader, we'll see.

Oh! and by the way, I checked, the latest Optoyth EPS will fit your scope, at least they should, they fit mine circa 1992/95?

Ron

Thanks Ron, good to know the new Optolyth EP will fit my scope. Need to think now, I am happy with my 30xww EP and Hermann has made me think twice on the Optolyth zoom, but there is the chance the new Optolyth may be better or go with a Baader. Out of interest, do you know if a good Japanese made Zoom EP will fit your Optolyth?

Ben

Ben, the old fixed Optolyth's give a pretty good account of themselves against even the best modern zooms.
You need have no worries on that score, like I said I've done a direct comparison with the Swarovski and I didn't walk away feeling I was was missing out on anything, apart from the zoom. What I wanted was a scope with a top quality zoom and to get this I would have had to shell out around £2000, or have a play around with Opto, which was worth about £200 with the three lenses. When I get the 30x, if it's any better than the zoom at 30x, I'll keep it.
I wish I hadn't sold my eyepieces, I should have kept the 30x to compare it the Baader.

Are there any Japanese zooms that will fit the Optolyth? Yes, all the 1.25in will fit, though some are easier to fit than others. On the Opto, you have the threaded part and then it narrows down to the smooth part which is 31mm wide. All the EPs with the astro fitting, ie, push in, are 31.7. So to make these fit, you need to shave 0.7mm of the EP. It would then be a perfect fit in the Opto.
However, it you take a close look at say, the Pentax EPs, you notice will most of them are 31.7 and the end and then they narrow in the middle. The narrow part is a perfect fit in he Opto, so to fit these you would need to sand down the EP at the end.
The Baader zoom is different though, the 31.7 barrel is removable, take a look at some pics of it, you'll see what I mean. If you cut the end off tube, you can the screw it back on to the zoom and the zoom is now a perfect push fit, an O ring at the top secures the zoom in place. Baader is the only zoom I've seen with a removable 1.25in barrel though. With the Pentax and others you would have to sand it down in place until fitted.

Some of these zoom are 1.25in all the way and they could be made to fit, but it would be harder.
I chose the Baader because of recommendations and because if it didn't work out it wouldn't be a big loss.
Fortunately it works a treat. I think sooner or later I will put a top quality Japanese zoom on. Not because it will be any better (it might be) but because it's not made in China.

Ben, I'm not sure if all the TBS 80 are the same size at the lower part (smooth bit) just measure yours and see.
It might even be wide enough for the zoom to fall straight in?

Ron

Ron, many thanks for such a great explanation, that has really helped me as I have not had much experience with scopes, i'm very grateful and swaying toward the baader, it sounds decent and as you say not a great deal to lose, but I will measure my scope first.

Ben