[gerbe]

Casting about for a digiscope setup, I ran across the Celestron Ultima 100ES, a 100 mm refractor spotting scope for a very decent price.

Thinking about hooking that up to my Sony F717 (which I dearly love) using a Scopetronix MaxView, since the Scopetronix site shows the Sony hooked up to several other spotting scopes.

Anybody have info to share on any aspect of this proposed setup?

Help deeply appreciated.

[yossi]

I don't know this scope (did you mean ED?), but I have the 90 Mak, and they've done a very nice job there, so I believe it should be a good scope.
I've tried the 717 on a variety of scopes, and with all eyepieces I have - and always got vignetting even at maximal zoom setting. I don't believe that the Celestron will be any different, unless it uses a 2" eyepiece and focuser. According to my experience, the only way to get around vignetting with the 717 is to go a bit into the digital zoom area. This however, degrades the quality of the picture to some extent and creates a huge magnification which is hardly controllable.

[gerbe]

The Celestron Ultima 100 ED is a new refractor spotting scope offered by Celestron. As is, 1.25" 22-66 zoom eyepiece, but I can't tell if it would accept a 2" eyepiece. I appreciate your feedback on the Sony F717, just building up hope based on the claims at the scopetronix website that they have an adapter which would have some workable range without vignetting. Guess I'll contact them directly.

The following stuff about the Celestron is taken from their web site:

"Celestron’s Ultima 100 ED spotting scope offers 50% brighter images than the 80mm, allowing for better performance in low light conditions. Like the Ultima 80ED, the 100mm version is a high performance model that features cutting edge optics with extra low dispersion glass (ED). ED glass provides excellent color correction and razor sharp images for serious nature and bird watchers. ED version models are also ideal for virtually eliminating chromatic aberration usually seen during planetary and lunar viewing. Day or night, this scope is optimized to provide the sharpest images available. Model also features charcoal color rubber textured paint for secure grip.

Specifications:

22-66 x 100mm Spotting Scope
Extra-Low Dispersion Glass - to Reduce Chromatic Aberration for Razor Sharp Images
Multi-Coated Optics
22-66x Zoom Eyepiece
Rubber Coated Texture for Comfortable Grip
Sight Tube for Quick Targeting
Soft Carrying Case
Limited Lifetime Warranty"

[IanF]

Hi Gerbe,

On behalf of Admin and the Moderators welcome to Bird Forum

[Leif]

Originally Posted by gerbe

Casting about for a digiscope setup, I ran across the Celestron Ultima 100ES, a 100 mm refractor spotting scope for a very decent price.

Thinking about hooking that up to my Sony F717 (which I dearly love) using a Scopetronix MaxView, since the Scopetronix site shows the Sony hooked up to several other spotting scopes.

Anybody have info to share on any aspect of this proposed setup?

Help deeply appreciated.

You might get some first hand experience from the Cloudy Nights forum. I suspect this scope is a Chinese one. Reviews I have seen of Chinese optics suggest that they punch above their price, but do not compete with the best.

[joee1949]

Originally Posted by gerbe

The Celestron Ultima 100 ED is a new refractor spotting scope offered by Celestron. As is, 1.25" 22-66 zoom eyepiece, but I can't tell if it would accept a 2" eyepiece.

The description doesn't state that you can actually exchange the eyepieces, otherwise you could buy an adapter from 1.25" to 2" and maybe overcome the vignetting problem stated before. Usually the manufacturers offer different eyepieces for their scopes unless changing eyepieces is not possible, which seems to be the case with this scope.

Astromart has a good forum to ask questions about telescopes, spotting scopes and accessories.

http://www.astromart.com/