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APM APO 95mm Spotting Scope (1 Viewer)

I don't have any personal experience with this scope, but it looks to me like a generic mid priced Chinese spotter.

Unlike APM's astronomical refractors there's no mention of the ED glass type, which probably means it's nothing worth bragging about, maybe Chinese FK61. The prism focusing system is the type used in inexpensive scopes. The eyepiece specs suggest it's probably a copy of the Swarovski 20-60 zoom, which has turned up on a few Chinese scopes. The four element objective could be the same one used on the old Zen-Ray 82ED and the original Vortex Razor, although a four element objective made of all singlets seems odd.
 
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henry link said:
I don't have any personal experience with this scope, but it looks to me like a generic mid priced Chinese spotter.

Unlike APM's astronomical refractors there's no mention of the ED glass type, which probably means it's nothing worth bragging about, maybe Chinese FK61. The prism focusing system is the type used in inexpensive scopes. The eyepiece specs suggest it's probably a copy of the Swarovski 20-60 zoom, which has turned up on a few Chinese scopes. The four element objective could be the same one used on the old Zen-Ray 82ED and the original Vortex Razor, although a four element objective made of all singlets seems odd.
Click to expand...
Thank you Henry, I found some scopes that looks like they have the same form factor, so you are probably right.
 
henry link said:
I don't have any personal experience with this scope, but it looks to me like a generic mid priced Chinese spotter.

Unlike APM's astronomical refractors there's no mention of the ED glass type, which probably means it's nothing worth bragging about, maybe Chinese FK61. The prism focusing system is the type used in inexpensive scopes. The eyepiece specs suggest it's probably a copy of the Swarovski 20-60 zoom, which has turned up on a few Chinese scopes. The four element objective could be the same one used on the old Zen-Ray 82ED and the original Vortex Razor, although a four element objective made of all singlets seems odd.
Click to expand...


Hi,

the scope probably comes from the same factory as the chinese made binos sold by APM. If it reaches the quality of those, it should be good.

The fact that the glass is not mentioned, means probably that it's not the fashionable FPL-53 or FCD 100 but some other ED glass - FK61 by CDGM is quite possible. In a doublet design, this might be not so great, but a quadruplet objective should be fine with any ED glass if the design is good.

Regarding the objective design given as 4 elements in 4 groups - in my opinion this just means the objective is air-spaced and not oiled or cemented (which probably wouldn't work too well given the aperture).

Funny enough they mention a roof roof prism in one of the two pdf flyers, everywhere else it's porro... whatever this might mean.

Joachim
 
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Thank you for you input Joachim. For reference the 85 mm closely resembles the Helios Fieldmaster ED 20-60X85 both in design and specifications.
 
Hi Pete,

thanks for the links... the one to dhgate contains a lot of info including a drawing (triplet objective with two ED elements and a field flattener and porro prisms) and a close up shot of the EP and bayonet - as Henry guessed, a Swaro clone - which means in case of a not so great stock EP one could probably put in a Nagler or two with the astro adapter...

Joachim
 
APM takes generic binos but they take the body, the glass may be improved. They made a very good 25x100 apo binos among others for only 1000$

I’m pretty sure if some respected member contact Markus Ludes in cloudy nights, who is the boss of APM, asking a unit for testing he’s gonna accept and maybe if he see interest in a new good quality spotting scope at a great price like all the APM Astro stuff probably will consider it
 
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