mooreorless
Well-known member
Theron Saker 15-45x60mm ED spotter compared to the Nikon > 20-45x60mm Non ED Fieldsco
I was following the Theron Zen Ray and Kowa Spotters thread
on Birdforum.http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=189659 I was
kind of bummed out that no one had tried out the Theron 15-45x60mm ED
spotter sold by PredatorOptics.com With a price of only $229 U.S right
now, this scope seems like it is more in the price range of a lot of
people. I posted on that thread that I would like to compare the 60mm
ED Saker to my Nikon 20-45x60mm Non ED Fieldscope. I was contacted by
Pat of Predator Optics and he said he would send me one of the
straight Saker 60ED spotters, my Fieldscope is straight so that is what
I wanted to compare. I guess I should watch what I ask online.
Some of the reasons I wanted to check out this Theron scope
was price, weight, CA control and included cover and of course how sharp
it is. Celestron has the Regal 16-48x65mm F-ED that has had some good
reviews and it weighs about 61 oz. with a price tag of about $400. I
weighed both the Nikon 60mm Fieldscope and 60mm Saker and they both
weighed 46 oz. with their covers on, not sure how much without, 38oz.
maybe. I kind of wish I had the Celestron Regal 65ED scope as well to
compare it.
I did receive the straight Saker scope and it was double
boxed etc. I set up the Saker spotter on my heavy Bogen tripod and 501
head, set up the Nikon on another tripod, not nearly as heavy but works
ok. There was lots of snow in Central Pa. and good for checking on CA.
There is a tree 125 yds. away in my field and I looked at the base of
this tree with snow around. I didn't notice any CA in the Saker scope
and the Nikon showed the familiar green and purple colors on the edge of
the tree trunk. The view in the Nikon was very nice except for this.
These are IMO extreme conditions for this and most of the time I don't
notice this in the Nikon scope. I wanted to do resolution comparisons of
these two scopes. I have to do these outside and it was very cold,
sometimes 2°F, not as much fun doing this stuff in the winter. I don't
get home from work until about 3 pm so the light levels are getting
lower in early Feb. I ended up doing this on the weekends. On the
coldest day the zoom on the Saker was harder to turn and it didn't seem
to affect the Nikon zoom as much. The two speed focuser on the Saker
60ED never changed, it was very easy to turn, the Nikon focuser was ok
as well. I set up my U.S.A.F 1951 resolution target at 200 ft. measured
with a 100ft. tape, Google Earth and a Leica Rangefinder I borrowed from
my BIL. I tested these scopes three different times using this target
and sometimes using a aux light to help when it was cloudy.
The Nikon tested 2.1" and suspect 1.9" the Saker tested
2.3" suspect 2.1" I did star tests using a pretty big ball bearing
and both showed nice circular patterns with some overcorrection, it was
very cold outside doing this and I had to leave the scopes outside for
quite some time. They didn't have perfect star patterns, but it didn't
look like there were any major problems. I did have a chance to check
out Jupiter low in the South West sky and the Saker showed some hint of
bands on the planet and of course the moons. You could tell it was
Jupiter. I didn't set up the Nikon for this, it was another cold night
and straight scope are not the best for the night sky. I am spoiled by
my Orion 100ED.
I know there are some target shooters on BF, so I set out a
box to 100 yds. I had shot some .223 and BBs into. The most of the 22
shots were in the black circle I made and the Red Ryder BB gun I never
did hit the black. I could see why you could shoot out your eye using
it. I could see all these hits including the into the black with both
scopes. I set out this same target the next day at 245 yds. and it was a
very dark a gloomy day. I was still able to see all the hits with both
scope. The Nikon showed CA of course, this box was in the snow, the
Saker showed no color [CA]that I could see. I tried again another day
and it was sunny when I started setting up, but of course the sun went
behind clouds but all and all a brighter day, easier to see the holes.
If I had one of those Shoot N-C targets it would make a difference.
I went up to my brother's place so he could look through
both scopes. We were using them to look at the small mountain I can see
from my place and up at his place. My brother noticed that the view
through the Saker scope was a little better looking against the rocks
and snow about 3 1/2 miles away on the mountain. I think the Saker even
if not quite matching the Nikon scope for resolution has a little better
contrast. I think it has a "cleaner" image than the Nikon. After
looking through this 60mm ED scope I kind of wish I had saved for the
Nikon 60mmED scope. That is ok, I am still thinking of getting a Nikon
50ED scope at some time.
Some of the things I like about the 60mm ED Saker is lack of
CA, comes with a stay on cover that has a strap you could sling the
scope over your shoulder, wider view than the Nikon. The cover is not as
nice as the Nikon's cover, but it works good. The Nikon cover has rings
for a strap. I like the focuser in the Saker, I had to get used to it
compared to the Nikon. The eyecups on the Saker turn to go in. I don't
wear glasses when using optics, but did try my glasses with both of
these and the ER gets tight at the highest settings.
I was following the Theron Zen Ray and Kowa Spotters thread
on Birdforum.http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=189659 I was
kind of bummed out that no one had tried out the Theron 15-45x60mm ED
spotter sold by PredatorOptics.com With a price of only $229 U.S right
now, this scope seems like it is more in the price range of a lot of
people. I posted on that thread that I would like to compare the 60mm
ED Saker to my Nikon 20-45x60mm Non ED Fieldscope. I was contacted by
Pat of Predator Optics and he said he would send me one of the
straight Saker 60ED spotters, my Fieldscope is straight so that is what
I wanted to compare. I guess I should watch what I ask online.
Some of the reasons I wanted to check out this Theron scope
was price, weight, CA control and included cover and of course how sharp
it is. Celestron has the Regal 16-48x65mm F-ED that has had some good
reviews and it weighs about 61 oz. with a price tag of about $400. I
weighed both the Nikon 60mm Fieldscope and 60mm Saker and they both
weighed 46 oz. with their covers on, not sure how much without, 38oz.
maybe. I kind of wish I had the Celestron Regal 65ED scope as well to
compare it.
I did receive the straight Saker scope and it was double
boxed etc. I set up the Saker spotter on my heavy Bogen tripod and 501
head, set up the Nikon on another tripod, not nearly as heavy but works
ok. There was lots of snow in Central Pa. and good for checking on CA.
There is a tree 125 yds. away in my field and I looked at the base of
this tree with snow around. I didn't notice any CA in the Saker scope
and the Nikon showed the familiar green and purple colors on the edge of
the tree trunk. The view in the Nikon was very nice except for this.
These are IMO extreme conditions for this and most of the time I don't
notice this in the Nikon scope. I wanted to do resolution comparisons of
these two scopes. I have to do these outside and it was very cold,
sometimes 2°F, not as much fun doing this stuff in the winter. I don't
get home from work until about 3 pm so the light levels are getting
lower in early Feb. I ended up doing this on the weekends. On the
coldest day the zoom on the Saker was harder to turn and it didn't seem
to affect the Nikon zoom as much. The two speed focuser on the Saker
60ED never changed, it was very easy to turn, the Nikon focuser was ok
as well. I set up my U.S.A.F 1951 resolution target at 200 ft. measured
with a 100ft. tape, Google Earth and a Leica Rangefinder I borrowed from
my BIL. I tested these scopes three different times using this target
and sometimes using a aux light to help when it was cloudy.
The Nikon tested 2.1" and suspect 1.9" the Saker tested
2.3" suspect 2.1" I did star tests using a pretty big ball bearing
and both showed nice circular patterns with some overcorrection, it was
very cold outside doing this and I had to leave the scopes outside for
quite some time. They didn't have perfect star patterns, but it didn't
look like there were any major problems. I did have a chance to check
out Jupiter low in the South West sky and the Saker showed some hint of
bands on the planet and of course the moons. You could tell it was
Jupiter. I didn't set up the Nikon for this, it was another cold night
and straight scope are not the best for the night sky. I am spoiled by
my Orion 100ED.
I know there are some target shooters on BF, so I set out a
box to 100 yds. I had shot some .223 and BBs into. The most of the 22
shots were in the black circle I made and the Red Ryder BB gun I never
did hit the black. I could see why you could shoot out your eye using
it. I could see all these hits including the into the black with both
scopes. I set out this same target the next day at 245 yds. and it was a
very dark a gloomy day. I was still able to see all the hits with both
scope. The Nikon showed CA of course, this box was in the snow, the
Saker showed no color [CA]that I could see. I tried again another day
and it was sunny when I started setting up, but of course the sun went
behind clouds but all and all a brighter day, easier to see the holes.
If I had one of those Shoot N-C targets it would make a difference.
I went up to my brother's place so he could look through
both scopes. We were using them to look at the small mountain I can see
from my place and up at his place. My brother noticed that the view
through the Saker scope was a little better looking against the rocks
and snow about 3 1/2 miles away on the mountain. I think the Saker even
if not quite matching the Nikon scope for resolution has a little better
contrast. I think it has a "cleaner" image than the Nikon. After
looking through this 60mm ED scope I kind of wish I had saved for the
Nikon 60mmED scope. That is ok, I am still thinking of getting a Nikon
50ED scope at some time.
Some of the things I like about the 60mm ED Saker is lack of
CA, comes with a stay on cover that has a strap you could sling the
scope over your shoulder, wider view than the Nikon. The cover is not as
nice as the Nikon's cover, but it works good. The Nikon cover has rings
for a strap. I like the focuser in the Saker, I had to get used to it
compared to the Nikon. The eyecups on the Saker turn to go in. I don't
wear glasses when using optics, but did try my glasses with both of
these and the ER gets tight at the highest settings.