need help for the first scope... (1 Viewer)

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• Apr 10, 2017

• #21

I think not Lisa.
I have a similar blue one with another name.
This may have internal light scattering unless you painted it all black matt.
And the quality isn't so good.
They are cheap.

However, it does work and can give fair views.
Maybe £25 used.
And it may be local to you.

See Optical Vision Ltd.
Spotting scopes.
Skywatcher? 2060 RRP £54.99. Probably £45.

 

Last edited: Apr 10, 2017

The-Wanderer

Well-known member

• Apr 10, 2017

• #22

Solquest,

You might call Pete Gamby of Opticron: you never know, he may have an MM2 that he would sell to you.

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• Apr 10, 2017

• #23

Lisa,
If no MM2.

The Tasco may have a sticky zoom eyepiece. Maybe not. Also it may have internal reflections. Maybe not, or not well centred. But maybe O.K.

It is better than Galileo's telescopes.
It is also better than my first telescope, an 11x drawtube scope, 25mm approx. objective. But I was eleven and it meant everything to me.
It made far things close. Without walking.

 

S

solquest

Member

• Apr 10, 2017

• #24

Ok again.
Forget that Tasco -was kind of big anyway.
I've written to Pete Gamby, let's see what's happening.
And you know anything about a Praktica 15-45x60 (https://www.praktica.com/products/15-45x60mm-spotting-scope)? Seems as compact as MM2 but don't know if as good as.
Thanks

 

S

solquest

Member

• Jun 18, 2017

• #25

Hello.
Haven't found that Opticron yet, unfortunately, so do you know if the Praktica Delta 15-45x60 can be as god as?
Thanks as usual.

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• Jun 18, 2017

• #26

Hi Lisa.
I found two Practica scopes with these specs.
A short one and a long barrel one.
I presume that you mean the short compact one.
Practica used to sell cheap optics.
The short barrel one seems very short for a 60mm scope if it has a doublet objective. If 3 or 4 elements objective maybe O.K.
It may be stopped down internally to 50mm.

The short answer is to try it and see if you like it.

Incidentally, the Opticron discussed has at least two versions, original and V2. Just eyepiece connection and maybe coatings differ. Both O.K.

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• Jun 19, 2017

• #27

Hi,

it's hard to give good advice in a case like this where expected specs and budget are quite incompatible.

My best advice would be to spend the 100€ on a decent pair of bins if none are available - the Leupold Yosemite / Kowa YF / Opticron Savanah in 8x30 would be an a good choice new and almost in the budget.
Used depends on availability - I would look for sth in 8x30 too for travel - a good CZJ Deltrintem/Jenoptem 8x30, preferably multicoated would be nice and a good deal at around 100€.

If it really should be a spotting scope, the following looks good but it's far away in Berlin and while the URL says ebay, it's not really ebay but some classifieds site which was taken over by ebay... so no buyer proetction etc - I would only consider paypal business and pay the 3% extra, if at all...

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s...iv-ts-348-50mm-20x-mit-ovp/644082399-240-3521

Fits the size requirement and almost in budget - like new in box and since it's Kowa we can expect nice optics and solid mechanics. Obviously 20x magnification "only" but with a wide field of view and 50x or more is frankly unreasonable with a size requirement of 25cm which only fits a 50mm scope.

Joachim

 

E

etudiant

Registered User

Supporter

• Jun 19, 2017

• #28

jring said:

Hi,

it's hard to give good advice in a case like this where expected specs and budget are quite incompatible.



If it really should be a spotting scope, the following looks good but it's far away in Berlin and while the URL says ebay, it's not really ebay but some classifieds site which was taken over by ebay... so no buyer proetction etc - I would only consider paypal business and pay the 3% extra, if at all...

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s...iv-ts-348-50mm-20x-mit-ovp/644082399-240-3521


Joachim

Click to expand...

That actually is a very interesting scope, a collectors item even.
It may date back to the 1960s.

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• Jun 19, 2017

• #29

Hi,

interesting yes, 1960, no... It's a Kowa TS-9 introduced in 1984 - last model of the TS line before the arrival of the TSN-1/2... So coatings should be not too ancient...

http://www.kowa-prominar.com/concept/history.html

http://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/item_desc.php?item_id=4135

Joachim

 

E

etudiant

Registered User

Supporter

• Jun 19, 2017

• #30

jring said:

Hi,

interesting yes, 1960, no... It's a Kowa TS-9 introduced in 1984 - last model of the TS line before the arrival of the TSN-1/2... So coatings should be not too ancient...

http://www.kowa-prominar.com/concept/history.html

http://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/item_desc.php?item_id=4135

Joachim

Click to expand...

Thank you, Joachim. I'd missed that part about the TS-9 focuser.
Instead thought that the 438 meant it was perhaps some TS-4 variant.

Actually I should not be surprised. Optics nomenclature in general is a complete mess, lots of totally uninformative names applied randomly, leaving the buyer at the mercy of marketing bafflegab.

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• Jun 20, 2017

• #31

Hi,

I think the strange description of TS-348 is due to the seller not knowing better... and Kowa not really having any type printed on these old instruments...

Joachim