Retired elementary teachers researching light weight spotting scope outfit (1 Viewer)

[larryburt]

We already have several pairs of binoculars: Leupold Katmai 6x32, Opticron traveller 6x32, Vortex Viper 6x32 (pre-HD).
Cameras: Panasonic Lumix ZS80 and FZ300.

Now adding a small spotting scope for viewing and digiscoping photography.
Portable, compact, quality feel to mechanicals

Just got a Celestron NexGoDX phone adapter with bluetooth

I have scopes narrowed down to 2, one "budget" the other mid-range.
Hawke Sport Optics Endurance 60 angled, chinese, $500
Opticron MM4 60 angled with SDL V2 eyepiece, japanese, $1000 with eyepiece
I'm sure the Opticron is superior but is also much more expensive.
Does the Hawke have push-pull or folding eyecups?
Any thoughts on these?

Also investing in a decent pan/fluid head tripod, still pretty compact and small.
Maybe this?
Sirui 4 section carbon with VA-5 head, $280

What do you think?

 

[delia todd]

Hi Larry and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. I've moved your post to the Telescopes forum as you're more likely to get the information you need there.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[CMB]

We already have several pairs of binoculars: Leupold Katmai 6x32, Opticron traveller 6x32, Vortex Viper 6x32 (pre-HD).
Cameras: Panasonic Lumix ZS80 and FZ300.

Now adding a small spotting scope for viewing and digiscoping photography.
Portable, compact, quality feel to mechanicals

Just got a Celestron NexGoDX phone adapter with bluetooth

I have scopes narrowed down to 2, one "budget" the other mid-range.
Hawke Sport Optics Endurance 60 angled, chinese, $500
Opticron MM4 60 angled with SDL V2 eyepiece, japanese, $1000 with eyepiece
I'm sure the Opticron is superior but is also much more expensive.
Does the Hawke have push-pull or folding eyecups?
Any thoughts on these?

Also investing in a decent pan/fluid head tripod, still pretty compact and small.
Maybe this?
Sirui 4 section carbon with VA-5 head, $280

What do you think?

The VA-5 fluid head works very well for 60-65mm scopes.

I can’t speak about the Hawke scope, but we do own an Opticron MM4 60 with the SDL V3 eyepiece.

If you can swing the price of the Opticron, I think you would be pleased. It is a scope that will work well for a long time.

For the price the optics are good: clear, crisp, bright, and control color fringing very well. The scope is well made. The dual focus on the MM4 60 works very well and the fine focus makes it easy to get a crisp image. We use it at 45x quite a bit, and the image quality holds up well at that magnification. Yes the image darkens a little at 45x but it is still plenty bright to be fully useable.

The eye relief of the SDL V3 zoom is very good. My spouse needs oculars with long eye relief and most spotting scope zoom eyepieces don’t have enough for her. That is one reason we own the Kowa TSN-883 and TE-11WZ zoom. The Opticron SDL V3 works for her through the whole zoom range. It is on the edge of being useable at certain magnifications, but it is enough.

We purchased the Opticron MM4 60 because we wanted a small, light, weather tight scope with zoom, with good optical quality and long eye relief, at a reasonable price. It ticks all those boxes.