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1st scope choice (1 Viewer)

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bsu642

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Yet another 1st scope thread...please help
I am interested in spending £250-350 on my first scope. So far i have trawled a number of web sites and forums to help me come to a choice. What i'm weighing up is the fact that i will be carrying around a Panasonic FZ20, binoculars + scope sometimes in a rucksac all together, as i commute via a motorcycle or bicycle. This makes me think i should choose a small field scope but which one?
The most frequent of bird watching i do is looking at seabirds and waders, but i'm not sure how these small field scopes manage.
Please help me choose.
Thanks,
Steve
 
Hi Steve I see this is your first post, so may I welcome you on behalf of the Staff and Moderators at Bird Forum

I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice and help in your search for the right 'scope for you

D
 
If weight and size are all within that budget, then I suspect it has to be the Opticron Mighty Midget II with the 12-36x HDF zoom to meet your budget. It has a good reputation with the HDF eyepieces and is very compact.

At a higher budget (there's always a reason to spend more! (-; ) of £450-00, you would enjoy owning the Nikon ED50 with 16-40x zoom. This is a newly designed, fully waterproof scope with "ED" optics that produce a brighter, clearer image well suited to digiscoping.
 
Last edited:
scampo said:
I suspect it has to be the Opticron Mighty Midget II with the 12-36x HDF zoom to meet your budget. It has a good reputation with the HDF eyepieces and is very compact.

At a higher budget (there's always a reason to spend more! (-; ) of £450-00, you would enjoy owning the Nikon ED50 with 16-40x zoom. This is a newly designed, fully waterproof scope with "ED" optics that produce a brighter, clearer image well suited to digiscoping.
Click to expand...
I'd suggest the Opticron IF-70 + HDF zoom from Sherwords at £150 each=£300.
OK. Its nearly twice the weight of the MM2, but its going to me better for seabirds and waders! http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/opticron_scope/opticron_scope_index_fs.htm
 
I'd agree that the Opticron scopes are well worth a look, personally with that budget I'd go for an IS60 with the HDF zoom. The IS series comes in three sizes (50, 60 and 70mm objectives) all of these have an optical edge over the mighty midget. Of the three in side by side tests I found the IS60 to deliver the best image, best thing to do is try them for yourself.

Also consider secondhand scopes, for your budget you should be able to pick up a used Kowa or Opticon that might give you more for your money...
 
postcardcv said:
I'd agree that the Opticron scopes are well worth a look, personally with that budget I'd go for an IS60 with the HDF zoom. The IS series comes in three sizes (50, 60 and 70mm objectives) all of these have an optical edge over the mighty midget. Of the three in side by side tests I found the IS60 to deliver the best image, best thing to do is try them for yourself.

Also consider secondhand scopes, for your budget you should be able to pick up a used Kowa or Opticon that might give you more for your money...
Click to expand...

hi posty

interestingly you're the first person to say the 50 is better than the midget. Given you've probably been able to test them more than most you are probably right. I am intrigued why you see lots of MM2's and virtually no IS50s.....

If it was me i'd go for the IS50 with HDF zoom (not sure how the IS Pro compares) or the MM2 with HDF zoom.

If you are carrying bins and an FZ20 then you'll want a light scope. you can stick in a ruck sack. which is what I did today.
 
pduxon said:
hi posty

interestingly you're the first person to say the 50 is better than the midget. Given you've probably been able to test them more than most you are probably right. I am intrigued why you see lots of MM2's and virtually no IS50s.....

If it was me i'd go for the IS50 with HDF zoom (not sure how the IS Pro compares) or the MM2 with HDF zoom.
Click to expand...

It's just my opinion... I think the MM2 has the advantage in weight and ease of using handheld, but to my eyey the IS50 just has the edge optically. I think the length of time the MM2 has been around has accounted for the sheer number that you see out in the field (easpcially as it's a deal more expensive than an IS50).

I think that a lot of people who consider the IS50 will then compare it to the IS60. The IS60 performs better in low light, resloves detail a bit better and offer slightly higher magnification. The IS60 is not much larger or heavier than the IS50, and is IMO a better buy.

The IS pro zoom is much better than the original IS zoom, it offers a noticeably improve FOV and the twist up eyecup is handy for many. That said the IS pro is still not as good as the HDF zoom (I think it's the best eyepiece that Opticron make).
 
postcardcv said:
It's just my opinion... I think the MM2 has the advantage in weight and ease of using handheld, but to my eyey the IS50 just has the edge optically. I think the length of time the MM2 has been around has accounted for the sheer number that you see out in the field (easpcially as it's a deal more expensive than an IS50).

I think that a lot of people who consider the IS50 will then compare it to the IS60. The IS60 performs better in low light, resloves detail a bit better and offer slightly higher magnification. The IS60 is not much larger or heavier than the IS50, and is IMO a better buy.

The IS pro zoom is much better than the original IS zoom, it offers a noticeably improve FOV and the twist up eyecup is handy for many. That said the IS pro is still not as good as the HDF zoom (I think it's the best eyepiece that Opticron make).
Click to expand...

ta for that. I'd expect the HDF to be better. You can pick up an IS50/Pro for £169 whereas the best I've seen an HDF zoom is £150.

for steve's benefit I'd reject the MM2 zoom!

probably best to go somewhere and compare and to hold them
 
Big thanks for the feedback everyone! Still this scope selection seems like a real minefield!
After reading much about the Nikon ED 50 (although £450) i am beginning to really consider this as my first choice. I now live in the West of Ireland and am unable to try these different scopes before i buy. Taking onboard the feedback, it seems to be between the Nikon and Opticron for best budget fieldscopes. Am i correct?
Is it likely the more expensive Nikon would be my best option for size convenience and optical performance?. Or would the cheaper opticron IS range hold up just as well. Not sure what i would be getting or loosing between the two.
 
They'll both do the job, for sure. The point about the Nikon ED50 is that it is unusually small and light yet manages to seemingly do the impossible - it gives an image that seems in every way to match larger scopes. Of course, in all conditions, that cannot be and, as dusk approaches, the ED50 will lose brightness before the larger scope gives up. It really must depend what kind of a birder you are, I suppose. For sea watching, the larger scope will outperform the smaller scope in some conditions; for watching a gull roost as dusk approaches, again, a larger scope will eventually outperform the smaller scope. But for most birding in most conditions, I'd guess the Nikon will do a great job.
 
eye pieces for pentax pf 65ed

I wonder can anyone share some thoughts on my choices for a first scope?
I am looking for a relatively small scope suitable for outings with on my bike or on foot. Thus weight is important! Cost between £4-500.
I have narrowed my selection to 2 scopes:
Nikon ed 50
Pentax pf 65ed
I am drawn to the Pentax by the reviews and the fact of its versatility for eye pieces. Does anyone know of a good zoom eye for ~£100-150?
I heard Astronomy eye pieces work well?
Thanks in advance,
Steve.
 
would it work with an opticron hdf lens?

the pentax is not light its a fairly standard weight for a 60mm scope 1100g. The Kowa 603 is light for a 60mm about 750g but of course pricier.

If weight is important and your budget immoveable i'd go for the nikon
 
postcardcv said:
I'd agree that the Opticron scopes are well worth a look, personally with that budget I'd go for an IS60 with the HDF zoom. The IS series comes in three sizes (50, 60 and 70mm objectives) all of these have an optical edge over the mighty midget. Of the three in side by side tests I found the IS60 to deliver the best image, best thing to do is try them for yourself.

Also consider secondhand scopes, for your budget you should be able to pick up a used Kowa or Opticon that might give you more for your money...
Click to expand...

I'll second the IS60 and HDF zoom. I've has this set up (with a Slik video sprint 'pod) for a while now. Overall this set up is very lightweight, the scope is tiny, and up to 30X zoom gives a great image (so does 45X in very good light) but suffers fading light. It is also good with the dedicated 25X lens (very cheap but has rubber fold down eye cups).

I got a 'bee in my bonnet' recently and have just bought an ES80ED. In the process of deciding I compared my IS60 to a range of other scopes and it compared well to the GS665 and even the GS665ED (though the ED was noticeable better). So much so that I decided to keep it with the 25X lens and the pod as a spare/travel scope.

Don't buy without trying, but give the IS60 a look, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
Hi, I have just made the investment in the set up described by one of the earlier posts, a nikon ED50 and 15 - 40X zoom. It is very, very good and friends who have used other scopes are impressed with the performance especially mid way through the zoom range. My thought process was go for ED if i could afford it and then have the potential for a second scope with half of the purchase price being transferable. So an ED82 is a potential upgrade (2nd scope) with the eye pieces being transferable.
I bought my wife a Nikon camera (S series) which can be fitted with the appropriate bracket to start digiscoping and so you could have a scope and camera that fit in a pocket.
The pictures of the ED50 dont convey just how small the scope is and how light at under 16ozs.
Regards Pat
 
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