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

**Scope Question** (1 Viewer)

Chris D

Well-known member
Hi,
I've never owned a scope - but have looked through some nice ones. My wife and I have a friend, Untu Baware, who lives next to Tangkoko Park in Northern Sulawesi. He's a great local birding guide and part of the staff that caretakes the park. A friend of the late Kris Tindege, he has also been working as a birding guide in West Papua. We've gotten him decent binoculars and hiking shoes. We'd like to get him a scope. If anyone has any advice on a model or make - I'd love to hear. Also, if anyone knows anyone who is selling their old to upgrade to a new - I'd love to hear.

Untu has a little farm with a wife and kids. He guided us in Tangkoko a few years ago and now always spends time with us when we're in Northern Sulawesi visiting friends and Godchildren. Thanks, Chris
 
How much were you thinking of spending?

At www.cameralandny.com you can buy a Stokes Sandpiper 15-45x65 spotting scope for $200. This is a steal of a deal, especially consideriing that with it comes a free 8x40 Vortex Audubon binocular which would provide yeoman's service as a loaner binocular. You can also buy their Vortex "kit" which includes a Sandpiper spotting scope and a Vortex Vulture binocular in your choice of 8.5x50, 10x50, or 12x50, AND a Vortex Hurricane binocular in your choice of 8x28 or 10x28, all for $400. (I think they may also throw in the aforementioned 8x40 Audobon as well though, I'm not sure of that.)

Bushnell has their new Excursion FLP scope. The 15-45x60 version can be had at www.eagleoptics.com for $320. Eye relief in this scope is fantastic which could be very useful to any eyeglass-wearing client.

The Bushnell Elite 20-60x80 is a very good scope as well. Its ED glass element and 80mm objective lens both help to offer very satisfying views. It is also compatible with a DSLR. Eagle Optics has both straight and angled models for $654
 
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I would be VERY careful with a fishy looking website such as CameraLandny.

The Stokes Sandpiper is sold for $329 with almost all other reputable dealers, when something looks too good to be true it usually is.

You have to be SPECIALLY careful when they try to sell you "package" deals. I would only buy from this type of store if I was leaving the store with the actual product in my hands... And I would be paying cash!
 
CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Cameralandny is NOT Rated at resellerratings.com

Also, I found a misleading product advertised by them in Amazon Marketplace. They list a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens for $1,071. If you click on the link you are taken to the NON IS version of this lens... at least a $500 difference!

I would NEVER give any business to someone like Cameralandny!
 
Ignacio, You are getting all worked up for nothing, there are a lot of people that have bought off Cameraland with no problems, in fact they[Cameraland] post on here once in a while.I bought a camera off them no problem.
Regards,Steve
 
Ignacio, your are wise to be cautious with your choice of companies with which you do business. I commed you on that. However, in this case, your fears are completely unfounded.

I have had regular dealings with CameralandNY throughout the last 3 years. They have always been way more than just satisfactory. For example, although I am not an employee nor do I have any ownership stock in the company, they nevertheless have regularly sent me quite expensive products to examiine and post reviews about absolutely FREE. I don't even give them a credit card # as a protective measure. They simply trusted that I would return to them or pass along to the next reviewer the item when I was done.

My purchases with them have always gone without a hitch and I have never waited more than 3 days to have the item in my hands. This despite the fact that I live in Southwestern Wyoming, clear across the continent from their store. I know of no one who has dealt with them that has ever had anything negative to say about their experience.

CameralandNY is a great representative of an ever increasingly rare breed of good companies that not only provide great products, great prices, and great service but that also go out of their way to actually create lasting relationships with their customers.
 
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Ignacio: if you spend some time on the 24hourcampfire site sport optics forum you'll see cameralandny is above board. And in Manhattan (on Lexington Ave) not in the swamps of Brooklyn where one should run away vary quickly. ;)

And they are in resellerratings.com but have surprisingly few reviews (which is odd given the number of people who buy from them and how long they've been around ... the current owners are the founders two sons) i.e. 1 but it's 10/10. That can't help them.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Camera_Land_Camera_Land_NY

Note there are probably some other NYC stores you might be tempted to avoid but are above board. The main thing seems to be avoiding the Brooklyn stores and checking resellarratings. Or even asking here.

Oh and my $199 Sandpiper arrived yesterday from cameralandny ... doesn't look (or smell) fishy. Actually I'm impressed by the size of the ocular lens on it: bigger than I expected.
 
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All this smack about New York is making me want a nice slice of the local pizza. Big, floppy, crisp, thin, greazzzzy. And the smell of roasting chestnuts (at least they cooked them on the street when I was a kid).

The "sandpiper" looks pretty good for my friend. Any thoughts on how it will hold up in Equatorial humidity? He's been in West Papua much of late. Halmahera is also pretty humid too. Just curious..............thanks, chris
 
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