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

Spotting Scope (1 Viewer)

Hi Pirots,
Telescope adapters for lenses are useful, but almost no camera lens is as good as a good telescope. Even a 600mm f/4 is not as good as a 6 inch astro scope.
A 600mm f/4 Canon, Sony, Nikon or Leica lens probably costs £10k new.
A £1,500 astro refractor will beat it.
The normal telescope adapters are 10mm or 12.5mm focal length giving say 60x on a 600mm lens.
One needs a 2x or 3x Barlow or teleconverter, which then gives 120x and 180x.
They also are not usually phase corrected, but I don't find this to be a problem.
There was a Tamron 18mm right angle converter, which worked well with teleconverters.
The back end of the Pentax 500mm mirror scope also fits T2 lenses and will take 0.965 inch eyepieces.
But astro scopes are better.

The Meopta might do better if you can get a 100x to 150x eyepiece but you might need a custom adapter.
And 80mm aperture is too small really at 1.5 miles.

For looking at seals at 1.5 miles you need a good quality astro scope, say a Skywatcher ED 120mm minimum or 150mmm ED. And a good example.
A cheaper option is a 150mm or 180mm Maksutov, but they have temperature problems.

The main problem is choosing Seeing conditions good enough to see detail at 1.5 miles in daylight.
Just randomly picking the time will be a disappointment. One has to become a good weather watcher. Even then only about a quarter of times will be good at 1.5 miles in daylight terrestrially.
It can be done, but needs care, attention and patience.

I think that you would sell the Meopta fairly easily at a fair price if in good condition.

Regards,
B.
 
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I think that you would sell the Meopta fairly easily at a fair price if in good condition.

Regards,
B.[/QUOTE]

It's only been used twice for a few hours, so it's still as new.
 
The initial brief was for viewing at 1 mile. 1.5 miles is possible, but needs a larger scope for detail, say watching seals.
The main factor is always the atmosphere. Seeing and transparency.
I have viewed fine detail at 5 miles in daylight, but in exceptionally good conditions and location.
1.5 miles frequently.

Possible scopes are.
Skywatcher 120ED or 150ED refractors. Simplest and least problems. Fairly long tubes.
Skywatcher 150mm or 180mm Maksutovs. Temperature sensitive, but take high magnification well. Long focal length. Not good for low powers. Fairly compact.
Celestron C8 or C9.25 SCT. Fairly compact.Tring Astro maybe.
8 inch Dall Kirkham. Expensive usually new.

Magnifications. 100x and 150x fixed eyepieces or zoom. simple eyepieces O.K. but small fields.
Also 80x and 180x.
The Hyperion zoom Mk IV may be O.K. With a Barlow for short focus scopes.

All these scopes need a heavy mount, say an altazimuth from Optical Vision Ltd.

With the reflectors the scopes need to be at ambient temperature for one to two hours.

Regards,
B.
 
I agree, one of my scope purchases was from Germany. The zoom was bad, did not send back . It was easier less of a hassle just to dispose of it here, than ship and deal with customs.
 
Hi,

currently there is no taxes or duties for sales from Germany to the UK (or vice versa). This might change in the near future depending on who does what in London...

Joachim
 
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