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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Fieldscope Quandry (1 Viewer)

Well, the quandary has been quickly resolved. I sent the FS II back. The seller seemed very good about it and asked for info about it so it can be accurately re-listed.

I went ahead and pulled the proverbial trigger on the all but brand new 7555 FS III ED 82 angled with a 25-75 MC eyepiece and covers. Picked them up for $850. How do you all think I fared? I feel very good about the whole deal. The seller was very good about the sale. Now just need to get it and see how "new" it really is. The pics look great.

Next quandary. Does anyone have suggestions for a sturdy, light and effective compact tripod that would be good for hunting/hiking? Does not absolutely need to extend to full standing position. It would be very handy if the quick release plate would also work on a window mount.

Thanks to all for the assistance!


I compared my 82ED with my neighbor's Zeiss 85 T FL, and it compared very favorably with the view being every bit as crisp, bright, and clear as the Zeiss. I liked the Zeiss zoom eypiece slightly better, but I've been extremely pleased with the Nikon. It is very usable at 75x under the right conditions.
 
I am glad you like the Nikon 82 Fieldscope. I remember you posting about doing a star test and I what I read sounded very good esp. with the scope taking 75x.:t: This will be a nice scope to use in Texas.;)

Regards,Steve
 
I compared my 82ED with my neighbor's Zeiss 85 T FL, and it compared very favorably with the view being every bit as crisp, bright, and clear as the Zeiss. I liked the Zeiss zoom eypiece slightly better, but I've been extremely pleased with the Nikon. It is very usable at 75x under the right conditions.

Thanks for the info. I finally got my tripod so I am looking forward to getting the scope out and trying it out. It sure is a dandy looking piece of equipment. The tripod is a carbon fiber setup that looks decent but I think i will be looking for another head. Has anyone had much luck with the trigger style heads or are they inappropriate for a spotting scope?

I really can't justify another $250 for a good head so what do you all think of the Manfrotto 390RC2?

Thanks!
 
Hi Tatasta, I have been using the Manfrotto 390RC head on my carbonfibre tripod with my scope for a couple of years now and I am perfectly satisfied with it. I tried the 'grip' or 'trigger' type and did not like it nearly as well.
Hope this helps.
John
 
Hi Tatasta, I have been using the Manfrotto 390RC head on my carbonfibre tripod with my scope for a couple of years now and I am perfectly satisfied with it. I tried the 'grip' or 'trigger' type and did not like it nearly as well.
Hope this helps.
John

Hello John,

Thank you for the reply. Yes, that does help. It pretty much confirms what I was thinking. The trigger head with a spotting scope sounded like a great idea but I was afraid that it would lack the ability of very fine movement/adjustment.

Thanks again!
 
I've found that Manfrotto 128 & 700 are some of the most commonly used heads with spottingscopes. I've got the 128rc, like many others, and like it very much.

For a big scope like the Fieldscope 82, the 128 will perhaps work better than the 700. That's about as much as I know about tripod heads.

Good luck! :)
 
I've found that Manfrotto 128 & 700 are some of the most commonly used heads with spottingscopes. I've got the 128rc, like many others, and like it very much.

For a big scope like the Fieldscope 82, the 128 will perhaps work better than the 700. That's about as much as I know about tripod heads.

I've used both of these heads for many years. The 128 is an awesomely functional head and is super rugged and has adjustable "fluid" tension. I like it a lot, but it is a bit heavy on a ~3-4 lb tripod--makes the rig a bit top-heavy.

The 700RC2 and certainly the 390RC are not quite as nice to use as the 128, but if you get a good one (I've found a bit of unit to unit variation in the smooth/stiffness of their movement) they are still very good. I end up using the 700RC2 a lot because of the weight distribution issue on my CF tripod and because of the perfect interchangeability with the quick release system on my window mount (something that tatasta expressed interest in being able to do). The quick release on the 390RC is not compatible with the window mount setup that I described in my first post in this thread.

--AP
 
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