PF80ED

Judging from the lack of recent posts, there hasn\'t been a lot of interest in this big Pentax scope in recent years. I confess I am the only person I know who owns one. A few days after I got it, I took it to Argentina with me. To save weight I foolishly decided to take a monopod instead of my Manfrotto tripod. I wound up buying a Velbon tripod in Buenos Aires, because the monopod was useless given the length and weight of the scope. Even the cheap-o Velbon with plastic head was pretty much over-matched. This is a serious scope and you need a serious tripod under it! The size and weight are genuine considerations. It\'s a bit harder to pack, a bit harder to steady, and a bit harder to lug around than its lighter, smaller confreres. HOWEVER, what you see through this thing is quite astounding. The eyepiece is the size of a tomato paste can, and even when cranked up to full 60X power it is bright and sharp. I would recommend this scope with a couple of reservations - seriously consider the dimensions, and make sure you are willing to use a very sturdy tripod!