Eagle Optics entry levele scopes (1 Viewer)

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Nikon_Boy

Well-known member

• Feb 22, 2003

• #1

How acceptable are the images of these two scopes when used for Digiscoping?

Eagle Optics Denali 60mm
Eagle Optics Raven 80mm

Does the quality of the Raven really justify the doubleing of price over the Denali?

This would be my first scope and I am on a budget.

Thanks

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Feb 22, 2003

• #2

The Raven is my first scope so I cannot discuss comparisons with you but I do know that from other scopes I have looked thru on bird outings it compared favorably to some of the high end scopes I looked through and got good comments from others.

 

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Nikon_Boy

Well-known member

• Feb 22, 2003

• #3

The Raven is now even cheaper with a $100 mail in rebate!!!

VERY very TEMPTING!!!!

Btw KC, How have you liked you new scope.

Also, what adapter are you using to attach it to a digicam is you dont mind me asking.

Thank you

 

Last edited: Feb 22, 2003

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Feb 22, 2003

• #4

Figures!!! I like the scope immensely nikon_boy. (I feel so weird calling you that). As I am just starting to get into all the marsh and larger waterbirds it has been wonderful for bringing in the shyer birds, the ones that won't come close to the shore. A little disappointing when I go back to the camera though.
I haven't even started digiscoping yet. Nikon 990 has been paid for, now I am just waiting for it to be delivered. I saw where eagle optics has an adapter for the Raven for hooking up your camera to it and I have written our member Mike to see how this will work with the 990. Don't have an answer back yet. Will let you know soon as I do though.

 

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Mike McDowell

Well-known member

• Mar 18, 2003

• #5

K C,

Do you mean me, by any chance? I think I may have missed your question. Would you mind re-sending it?

Thanks,
Mike McDowell

http://www.mailbag.com/users/maverick/

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Mar 18, 2003

• #6

I finally wound up emailing you Mike and you graciously replied. Hopefully my adapter will arrive this week. Can't wait.

 

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Mike McDowell

Well-known member

• Mar 18, 2003

• #7

K C,

Hehe. They say the mind goes first!

Mike

 

etow

Well-known member

• Mar 22, 2003

• #8

Raven adapter

Mike; I recently purchased an EO Raven and after looking at their webpage assumed the adapter offered there was for 35mm cameras. It looked too long for digiscoping. I ended up making my own but I'm still interested in an adapter that would thread onto the threads at the base of the eyepiece, as this would center the adapter and eliminate the hassle of adjusting the alignment of my adapter everytime I take it on and off. Am I confused about the usability of the EO adapter or do they make a different one for digiscoping that's not on their webpage yet? Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this matter.

 

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Mike McDowell

Well-known member

• Mar 22, 2003

• #9

Eagle Optics doesn't make a digiscoping adapter for the Raven 78, however the Lens Plus 28mm LE 2Plus adapter will work with it (carried by EO).

The photo adapter is for SLR's.

Mike McDowell

 

etow

Well-known member

• Mar 23, 2003

• #10

EO adapter

Mike
thanks for the quick response and for setting me straight.

 

Joe A.

Well-known member

• Jun 11, 2003

• #11

What about the quality of digital images taken thru an EO scope like the Raven? A member who uses a lower-end Nikon scope said his photos need a lot of work in Photoshop to filter out the magenta he gets on all his digital images. After hearing this I discarded the thought of buying one of the less expensive Nikons.

Just curious if anyone can comment on the quality of digital images take via a EO scope.

Joe

 

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normjackson

Well-known member

• Jun 11, 2003

• #12

Try a peep at :

http://community.webshots.com/album/49979615rOrxyx


:t:

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Jun 11, 2003

• #13

And you can check a photograph I took thru the Raven using the nikon 990 at:

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5971&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

heronlvr

Well-known member

• Jun 12, 2003

• #14

Nikon-Boy
I bought the Raven and have thoroughly enjoyed using it for birding and digiscoping. I can't say I have any adapter though, I just hand hold my camera and get some pretty decent pictures. One day I'll get a camera and set up though, and can't wait for that.
I have used several scopes, and people who had scopes used mine and I always heard good things from them about the quality of the scope.
For the money, it's a wonderful scope, and I wish I had bought it sooner..Isn't that the way.

Lea

 

etow

Well-known member

• Jun 12, 2003

• #15

Joe A: All the shots in my gallery here on birdforum were taken with the Raven (except the sawhet owl). Here's the link:

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?ppuser=1149

All the shots were edited to some extent with Photoshop Elements. The Raven does exibit some CA and color fringeing
depending on the lighting angle you're shooting at. I personally
don't find it that much of a hassle to do the editing. Over all, I'm very pleased with the Raven considering the price ( I got the rebate). The budget's been pretty tight this last year (daughter in college) and I'm happy to just be able to do some digiscoping. Sometime in the future I might move up to a higher quality scope, but for now the Raven suits my needs just fine.

 

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croakie

New member

• Jan 26, 2004

• #16

Thank you all for giving opinions on the EO Raven 78mm scope. I've been looking on the net to find out what I could about different scopes and just found out that EO scopes are sold locally (just about the only ones) and that the 78 is available within the budget I have. I hadn't really seen any reviews of it and wondered if it was a good scope. I do most of my birding in swamps/marshes/ponds and wasn't sure if it would work well. I've looked at the pictures and they are very nice (I don't do a lot of digiscoping and when I do I just hold the camera up to the eye piece). I'm glad to hear that you are happy with your scope, and I'm very interested in getting a 'big' scope for a price that I normally would be paying for a 60mm. I'm going to go check them out in a couple of weeks on site and see if it's what I'm looking for, but it's still nice to have other's opinions.

By the way, if it's still available, where can I find this mail-in coupon?

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Jan 26, 2004

• #17

Hi Croakie. I don't believe the rebate is still on but you can certainly call EO and ask if they will be offering one soon. They are a nice bunch of people there. Up until about 2 weeks ago, most of the pics in my gallery were digiscoped using the EO Raven. I don't know whether you are looking for a scope for digiscoping or just birding. Either one will suit you just fine. You will get some purple fringing through the scope in certain lighting conditions but it is a neat scope for the money, even w/o the rebate and it served me well.

 

etow

Well-known member

• Jan 27, 2004

• #18

Croakie; I have to agree with KC's comments, it's a great scope for the money and has served me well also.

 

Steve Gross

Well-known member

• Jan 27, 2004

• #19

I'm not a digi-scoper, but I do own the Raven scope. It's served me well, and it's pretty sharp at the low end of its magnification (the scope only comes with a 20-60x eyepiece).

I have definitely looked through superior scopes (at significantly superior $ amounts, of course).

I'm pretty sure that the objective lens and interior optics are above-average quality, but I have two areas of dissatisfaction with the eyepiece:

1. The quality of image at high magnification (40-60x) is poor. I believe that the scope would be best served by a fixed 30 to 35x wide angle eyepiece. I have notified Eagle Optics of my preference, but get the idea that they're not going to offer other eyepieces for this model.

2. The exit pupil is very small at high magnification. This, along with the optical quality, makes for unsatisfactory viewing when zoomed in.

In defense of the scope, however, I will say that these gripes are indicative of compromises EO has had to make in order to sell the scope at the current price (I was not able to take advantage of the rebate, as it was not issued until after I'd purchased the scope - my fault for believing in the product upon its release into the market).

This is the trade-off: an economical scope will have flaws. I chose to purchase this scope because it was a marked improvement over the Bushnell Spacemaster II I had been using.

If I am ever in a position to purchase a Swarovski, Leica, or Zeiss scope, I will, but until then the EO fills a real need. Its quality is perfectly fine for much of my use, and I have money left in my wallet for travel.

Steve in Houston

 

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croakie

New member

• Jan 28, 2004

• #20

Thank you so much for your comments. I'm going to take a very good look at it when I go to the store. I've actually not paid that much attention to how much birding I do at what magnification (and truly don't really know at what distance magnification would change) but I think it's probably going to be just fine for most of what I'll use it for, and the price is right.