New user ~USD $800 digiscope budget (1 Viewer)

I am brand new to spotting scopes and am in shopping mode. Any suggestions on gear? Right now I'm thinking to fill the cart with:

USD ~$460 Pentax PF-65EDA II (with bundled Pentax fluid head tripod)
USD ~$140 Pentax SMC XF 8.5mm Eyepiece

Are these a good choice for someone who wants a lot of zoom?

camera
I am currently using a Panasonic Micro Four Thirds camera (DMC-G2) but I have been told (via a YouTube video) that a smaller compact with small lens might be more suitable. Any pointers on the camera you are using (and the scope mount for it) would be good too.

Basically, I'm new to this and not sure if I am buying the right stuff. All suggestions appreciated.

Hi Freezer, Welcome to BF. You might be better off posting this on the other forum and or just reading some on it.

http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=243

Freezer,

With regard to the spotting scope eyepiece combination, though I really like that scope and often recommend it for 60 mm class scopes in that price range, it has often been commented on that it starts to lose image quality around 40x. I forget the focal length of the Pentax 65 but am guessing around 360 mm. That would give you around 42x with your choice of eyepiece.

If magnifications above 40x are what you are after then you may be better suited with a larger objective diameter scope. Also keep in mind that most digiscoped photos are taken at lower magnifications. 30x is usually the upper end of that range.....at least from personal experience and from what I have seen and read within the optics forums. It isn't that you can't take pics at higher magnifications but rather that the image quality isn't quite as good. Just my opinion though. Hope this helps some.

I currently use my IPhone for all my digiscoping efforts and rotate between a 50 mm and an 82 mm spotter depending on the circumstances. I will link to my flickr page to show some comparison pics of the image quality between the two under identical circumstances. Pics were taken between 18 and 21x but then cropped later.

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/73029961@N07/14835180002/

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/73029961@N07/14649004067/

I like much better the celestron regal 65 than the pentax 65 ...my experience with the regal was a real cherry out of one ,and my experience with the pentax model is having owned two ,(tested three¡)and all of them averaged mediocre...ok to 30x ,but soft past that point....its a nice scope ,light and compact and feels quality,but not very well corrected ,at least in the early period of production..pentax has since changed ownership and perhaps quality control has taken other standards since..donno...
Again and again

mooreorless
thanks, I just noticed that forum after I posted here. Will read up some more before disturbing the natives there.

FrankD,
I am reconsidering that eyepiece and even the model though I read that 1.25 inch eyepieces are the thing to go for, so I decided on the Pentax over the Nikon, which I hear have non-standard (?) eyepieces. I was initially keen on getting the Nikon Prostaff 5 20-60x82 Spotting Scope (Angled Viewing) since it has the eyepiece included and it's zoom. But then I was put off by issues of softness at its maximums too. It seems to be good value though since the eyepiece is included. Thanks for the comparison pics; one is definitely brighter than the other.

mayoayo
I'm looking at the Celestron now. I'm not sure what to think of the brand since I have no experience with their goods but they seem to be big in telescopes and microscopes. Will investigate further, thank you.

A decision..finally.

I have decided to stick to my initial choices (Pentax) since I think I will never decide otherwise. I think I need to learn about what I want and need by actually using the stuff. The more I go back-and-forth between models, the more conflicting info I get and the more my head hurts. I may just need to spend a few weeks using the scope and seeing what I encounter.

As a new user trying to soak up info, I have spent too much time looking at Nikon and Pentax models (mostly because they are known brands to me) and I decided to just stick to the Pentax for now. Telescopes might be a thing I get into later and people have mentioned the eyepiece I am buying is good for their telescopes too.

I am just relieved I have bought something now. I was getting impatient to have something delivered A few days wait until I get my new toys...