• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Celestron Regal 80mm F-ED Spotting Scope, any good (1 Viewer)

smoothhound2000

smoothhound2000

Active member
It's an enigma. A search will lead to 2 or 3 large threads on the model. Having used one, nice optics but heavy, which may or may not mean much but will have the effect of requiring a heavier tripod configuration as well. The focus is very stiff, though the fine focus is acceptable.
 
The weight is not a problem for me nor the size, its the focal ability and comparison to the more expensive scopes on the market thats interesting to know. I have not tried this scope out myself yet but hope to soon. It is also the F as in fluorite in the scope which is interesting me aswell.
 
Last edited:
Matt_RTH said:
It's an enigma. A search will lead to 2 or 3 large threads on the model. Having used one, nice optics but heavy, which may or may not mean much but will have the effect of requiring a heavier tripod configuration as well. The focus is very stiff, though the fine focus is acceptable.
Click to expand...

very stiff is a bit of an exaggeration I found when I first got mine the coarse focusing was a tad stiffer than on other scopes and unless I have gotten use to the stiffness I would say it loosens up the more you use it.

I would give my opinion on the scope but I have only used it for digiscoping but this maybe be useful to you CLICKY

Sherwoods do this scope cheaper just to let you know and with free P&P
 
smoothhound2000 said:
The weight is not a problem for me nor the size, its the focal ability and comparison to the more expensive scopes on the market thats interesting to know. I have not tried this scope out myself yet but hope to soon. It is also the F as in fluorite in the scope which is interesting me aswell.
Click to expand...

It was shown convincingly in this thread that there is no fluorite element in the scope, even if there is fluorite in the glass or coating to make the claim accurate. It's marketing. However, the color performance is more than acceptable.

Regarding stiffness, I've experienced 3 of them - the coarse focus required significant thumb pressure. Unacceptable to me and far worse than other models I've used. I think it's more than fair to mention for the buyer's consideration.
 
smoothhound2000 said:
It is also the F as in fluorite in the scope which is interesting me aswell.
Click to expand...

The F is marketing but not for (calcium) fluorite objective despite the claims.

This scope has a (Chinese?) fluorophosphate glass objective (i.e. "ED glass") not CA2F crystal. They make that glass by adding fluoride ions in the form of Calcium Fluorite to the crown glass mix which seems to let some marketers stretch reality and call it "fluorite".

Kowa has the only spotter scope with CA2F objective.

So it's a regular ED glass scope with good performance. That should be good enough for most people.
 
Last edited:
TheBirdGarden said:
very stiff is a bit of an exaggeration I found when I first got mine the coarse focusing was a tad stiffer than on other scopes and unless I have gotten use to the stiffness I would say it loosens up the more you use it.

I would give my opinion on the scope but I have only used it for digiscoping but this maybe be useful to you CLICKY

Sherwoods do this scope cheaper just to let you know and with free P&P
Click to expand...

Thanks guys for the advise, Apart from the stiff focus it seems like a good scope then, but i shall have to try it out myself to be sure. Bird garden, digiscoping is what i want to do aswell how do you find the quality of this scope for that. Oh and Sherwoods, thanks their pricing looks very good.
 
There's a Nikon 78mmED scope in the classifieds. This will be much better (assuming it's a good sample) than the Celestron.

You could make the seller an offer to more within your budget.

You'll always do better with a good used optic than you can buy new for the same money.
 
smoothhound2000 said:
Thanks guys for the advise, Apart from the stiff focus it seems like a good scope then, but i shall have to try it out myself to be sure. Bird garden, digiscoping is what i want to do aswell how do you find the quality of this scope for that. Oh and Sherwoods, thanks their pricing looks very good.
Click to expand...

The quality is pretty decent when you come down on how much the scope costs, you can't expect kowa quality but I don't think you can get as good quality than you could with this for £480. These two picture are probably the best two to show what it can do.

Picture 1
Picture 2

I am going to be getting a new eyepiece so that can 'boost' the images produced.....hopefully.

P.S.

I don't know how weak some of these people's finger muscles are but the coarse focus wheel just needs getting used to and not needing 'significant' finger pressure
 
Last edited:
Stiff focus may be due to sample variation--it's Chinese after all. Mine seems good enough. It's a slow focus, though, something like 8 turns from near to far. In the field that's not a big deal since things are mostly distant.

As for the view, you probably won't find anything better for the price. I wouldn't assume a used Nikon is better either. You'd have to put them side by side to know for sure.

The Celestron isn't alpha quality, and of course I'd rather have a Swaro or Kowa or whatever, but I am entirely satisfied with mine.
 
kristoffer said:
I doubt this but it is hard to compare.
Click to expand...

Kammerdiner said:
As for the view, you probably won't find anything better for the price. I wouldn't assume a used Nikon is better either. You'd have to put them side by side to know for sure.

The Celestron isn't alpha quality, and of course I'd rather have a Swaro or Kowa or whatever, but I am entirely satisfied with mine.
Click to expand...

Kristoffer the Celestron would have to be a fantastic scope to beat the Nikon!

Kammerdiner you seem to be implying the Nikon isn't alpha quality (it is), while admitting the Celestron isn't.
 
TheBirdGarden said:
The quality is pretty decent when you come down on how much the scope costs, you can't expect kowa quality but I don't think you can get as good quality than you could with this for £480. These two picture are probably the best two to show what it can do.

Picture 1
Picture 2

GardenBird, these are great pictures are they on standard 20x or zoomed. If they produce pictures like that Im sold.

I know everybody has their favorite scopes and there are die hard Name buyers out there and that Nikon are brilliant scopes but buying an older model, i just don't know. At the end of the day the price is always a factor in my mind. Its not that i can't really afford it, its I don't want to pay the bonkers price because it is German quality Made or Japan made , im just looking for similar quality for less the cost no mater who makes it, well there is a limt on some makers. The Glass of the celestron is supposed to be made in Japan and so is the glass of the Hawke Endurance scope. So does that not mean it should be of similar quality.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
smoothhound2000 said:
GardenBird, these are great pictures are they on standard 20x or zoomed. If they produce pictures like that Im sold.
Click to expand...

woops always forget to mention that. Yes they were taken with the supplied eyepiece at 20x I never use the zoom and I don't think people who have more expensive scopes use their zooms either well it is not preferred.

I would think hard on the scope....I don't want to be the main reason you getting it :-O but I find it fine.....it gets me the pictures I want
 
No don't worry this choice will be mine and i have to test one out first and compare it to some other scopes, but those pictures are very good, nice and crisp. Thanks for the info on the scope.:t:
 
dipped said:
Kristoffer the Celestron would have to be a fantastic scope to beat the Nikon!

Kammerdiner you seem to be implying the Nikon isn't alpha quality (it is), while admitting the Celestron isn't.
Click to expand...

Well I am not that sure, I have owned a Swaro ATS HD and a friend has the Kowa 883 and I find them about equally good. I have looked through that Nikon a few times and I don´t find it as good as the alphas. However the Celestron with included zoom really surprised me when it came to the image, one of the best I have tried, and for that price..
 
Well this isn't my opinion on the Nikon

"For a full-size scope, the ED 78 is not that heavy. Compared with 50-65mm scopes, it is heavier of course.

As for how good it is as a "starter scope," like with any other scope, it depends on the luck of the draw, or how good an individual unit you happen to get. But, the reason why I am writing this is that just last weekend I looked again through a friends' ED 78 A with a zoom. He's a lucky chap who several years ago chanced to buy one that just happens to be a nearly perfect specimen, and still today it puts to shame very nearly every top-end scope pitted against it. It is his starter scope, but it is also very likely the last scope he will ever buy.

But, looking for a second-hand scope (and new ones, too) check the view with the highest available magnification and see that you can get the image to "snap" to sharp focus easily and repeatably. If you can, it is a good scope.

Kimmo"
 
Well I have had the nikon ed82 and now have the celestron regal 100mm version
I would say the nikon was a touch sharper and about equal brightness.
the celestron has slightly better field of view and better eye relief so is better for digiscoping (the zoom that is)
also the celestron has more choice of quality cheaper eye pieces.
also you get a carry case but with the nikon you have to buy it as extra.

which ever scope you choose you wont be disapointed.

also in birdwatching magazine c2007 they rated the ed82 better than then zeiss and leica models at that time and equal to the swaro but not quite upto the kowa 88mm.

what the other alpha have over the nikon is a zoom eyepiece with wider field of view.

I know leica have released a new 82mm scope to replace the 77mm. Have looked through this scope and it that was clearly better than the nikon but with a price to match!
 
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

K
Nikon Monarch Fieldscope vs Celestron Regal M2 80ED vs Vortex Diamondback - tough choice
Replies
19
Views
1K
jring
J
H
Scope advice
Replies
7
Views
583
4John
4
L
Retired elementary teachers researching light weight spotting scope outfit
Replies
2
Views
975
CMB
C
R
Newbie
Replies
9
Views
579
Roy-the-boy
R
W
First scope advice wanted
Replies
15
Views
2K
Ratal
Ratal

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top