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Opticron Scope Upgrade (1 Viewer)

P

Perry Grin

Well-known member
Hi,

I currently use an IS60 with HDF zoom and want to upgrade to a scope that will give me a decent image above 30x magnification. I'm not interested in digiscoping. I've been looking at the GS range and like the idea of the 665 for cost, weight and dimensions. However....... would the 815 be significantly better, or would the ED version be a better buy even if it is not to be used for digiscoping? Or are there any others I should consider?

Thanks in advance...
 
Perry Grin said:
Hi,

I currently use an IS60 with HDF zoom and want to upgrade to a scope that will give me a decent image above 30x magnification. I'm not interested in digiscoping. I've been looking at the GS range and like the idea of the 665 for cost, weight and dimensions. However....... would the 815 be significantly better, or would the ED version be a better buy even if it is not to be used for digiscoping? Or are there any others I should consider?

Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...

there isn't an ED version of the 815 is there?

I'd look at the ES80 ED MKII the MKI was superb. The HR66 ED is a VERY fine scope
 
Perry,

I got the GS665 on cost, weight and dimensions but I'm not convinced I did right. Once you factor in the tripod there is not a whole lot of difference to the 815 on size and weight and I'm not sure the saving is worth it. Many is now the time I have wished I had wider FOV or better light gathering in the evenings. ED helps with only the light and not the FOV and of course by the time you get to 815ED you've upped the cost an awful lot.

If I had the chance again I would not compromise. I could not stretch the budget for an 815ED, but I would try and pick up a second hand ES80 ED as mentioned by Pete. I have heard several people swear by theirs and, of course, 2nd hand is the environmentally sound way to go (my GS665 was only ex-demo)

I'd also then save for a Mighty Midget for when I was covering more ground - my back does suffer sometimes even with my Scopac.

Graham
 
uh is there an ED version of the 815? I thought it was only the 665. its not on the website I just checked. it would be just like opticron....

anyway the ED80 MKII is £421 the GS815 is £321 according to w/express
 
pduxon said:
uh is there an ED version of the 815? I thought it was only the 665. its not on the website I just checked. it would be just like opticron....

anyway the ED80 MKII is £421 the GS815 is £321 according to w/express
Click to expand...

No ED version of the GS815 as far as I'm aware. Will ED glass make a significant difference if I'm not going to do any digiscoping?
 
Perry Grin said:
No ED version of the GS815 as far as I'm aware. Will ED glass make a significant difference if I'm not going to do any digiscoping?
Click to expand...

I assumed there would be an 80mm ED in the GS range but since it would have been way out of my price bracket I didn't check.

I have been impressed by the clarity and resolution of, for example, distant perched raptors in the more expensive c. 60mm scopes of fellow birders. I assumed at least some of this was down to ED, but I am no expert. I have not compared Opticron's ED and non-ED side by side under field conditions - wish I had.

Graham
 
If you think you may struggle with a heavier and bulkier scope a better ED glass 60mm scope would certainly be an upgrade. Thought I'd mention that if you can find one, a secondhand Kowa TS-613/614 would accept your eyepiece :
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=64030
and only weighs about 150g more than the IS 60.
The superior optics should generally help contrast and definition and the more so at higher magnifications. However you may find yourself still not happy with the brightness of the image from even the best 60mm scope at 50x or so on a dull day.
Maybe at a Kay Optical or In-Focus field day you could determine for yourself what the bigger scopes have to offer. If you intend keeping the IS 60 certainly a bigger scope might complement it better.
Kay Optical :
http://www.kayoptical.co.uk/products/Opticron.shtml
(Field Days page needs update) .
In-Focus :
http://www.at-infocus.co.uk/south_east.html
Happy hunting.
 
Perry Grin said:
No ED version of the GS815 as far as I'm aware. Will ED glass make a significant difference if I'm not going to do any digiscoping?
Click to expand...

not compared the two scopes side by side so couldn't say.
 
As an imagic 65 owner, I upgraded to a HDF 20WW lens with great success, I am reading your thread with interest. I just had a quick look at the opticron web site and the weights of the better opticron scopes certainly seem a lot heavier (1100g + for the HR66 and 665) than my 795g imagic. Shoulders ache just thinking about it!
 
Thanks for comments - food for thought indeed..............

I'm still leaning towards the smaller objective for size and weight. I'll only keep the one scope so don't want anything I'm liable to leave at home due to weight etc.... Not botherd about FOV, just light and resolution so may be a HR66 or GS665 with ED glass is the way to go.

Still, I will 'try before I buy' so hopefully I'll get a chance to see if 80mm will give me anything extra - conditions permitting.
 
Perry Grin said:
Still, I will 'try before I buy' so hopefully I'll get a chance to see if 80mm will give me anything extra - conditions permitting.
Click to expand...

I would be interested to hear how you get on and what you decide. Good Luck!
 
Perry Grin said:
Thanks for comments - food for thought indeed..............

I'm still leaning towards the smaller objective for size and weight. I'll only keep the one scope so don't want anything I'm liable to leave at home due to weight etc.... Not botherd about FOV, just light and resolution so may be a HR66 or GS665 with ED glass is the way to go.

Still, I will 'try before I buy' so hopefully I'll get a chance to see if 80mm will give me anything extra - conditions permitting.
Click to expand...

I had a similar quandry...
I had a Mighty Midget II with the HDF zoom and wanted better low light performance at long range - I bought the ES80 ED Mk II - much better and the weight is not really a problem when slung over your back - it's a bit big though.
In good light to a couple of hundred metres the Midget is just as good as long as you don't try max zoom - I often still take the Midget with me if I've got my DSLR to carry as well - I don't think I'll sell it as it's just too usefull.
The ES80 is really good at long range on dull days - I was following Leach's Petrels across the bay recently at 3 miles range, despite murky weather I could easily ID them. Conversely when one came within 20 metres I couldn't get the scope on it - size + weight + speed defeated me, If I'd had the Midget I would have followed it by hand easily.
I tend to use a scope only in Winter and would always go for bigger objective lens size purely for light gathering rather than any 'higher resolution' - if I were a summer birder I'd probably stick with the Mighty Midget unless I digiscoped and would then get smallest/lightest 60-66mm ED scope.
 
Chris Oates said:
I had a similar quandry...
I had a Mighty Midget II with the HDF zoom and wanted better low light performance at long range - I bought the ES80 ED Mk II - much better and the weight is not really a problem when slung over your back - it's a bit big though.
In good light to a couple of hundred metres the Midget is just as good as long as you don't try max zoom - I often still take the Midget with me if I've got my DSLR to carry as well - I don't think I'll sell it as it's just too usefull.
The ES80 is really good at long range on dull days - I was following Leach's Petrels across the bay recently at 3 miles range, despite murky weather I could easily ID them. Conversely when one came within 20 metres I couldn't get the scope on it - size + weight + speed defeated me, If I'd had the Midget I would have followed it by hand easily.
I tend to use a scope only in Winter and would always go for bigger objective lens size purely for light gathering rather than any 'higher resolution' - if I were a summer birder I'd probably stick with the Mighty Midget unless I digiscoped and would then get smallest/lightest 60-66mm ED scope.
Click to expand...

Thans for sharing your experience - the ES80 does seem pretty powerful, but I'm still put off by it's bulkiness.

The main reason for considering an upgrade was due to some recent problems I was having in low light conditions identifying some perched buzzards at 0.5 - 1 mile range. Though bins these looked like two small buzzard shapes, with the scope they looked like slightly larger buzzard shapes! I wanted to see coulour and features etc. Had similar problems looking at some snipe against dying reeds in poor light.

Am I expecting too much from a scope? I'll definately need to do some side by side comparisons and actually hold the scopes - maybe they're not as big as I think they'll be.
 
A quick bit of research reveals that ED glass causes a correction in the wavelength of the light entering the scope reducing colour fringing which is why ED scopes are recommended for digiscoping as they produce a clearer image.

Although the adition of ED glass would improve veiwing along with sharpness, it does not give a brighter image. If viewing in low light conditions often, then an 80mm scope would produce a brighter image.

For the record, I have the GS 815, and its a really lightwaight scope, it's my tripod that takes up most of the waight.
 
Ant said:
A quick bit of research reveals that ED glass causes a correction in the wavelength of the light entering the scope reducing colour fringing which is why ED scopes are recommended for digiscoping as they produce a clearer image.

Although the adition of ED glass would improve veiwing along with sharpness, it does not give a brighter image. If viewing in low light conditions often, then an 80mm scope would produce a brighter image.

For the record, I have the GS 815, and its a really lightwaight scope, it's my tripod that takes up most of the waight.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I see the gs815 is a light scope for its size. A useful line of inquiry.
 
James Day said:
Interesting. I see the gs815 is a light scope for its size. A useful line of inquiry.
Click to expand...

It is in fact the lightest of all opticron 80mm scopes weighing in at 1280g
 
Ant said:
It is in fact the lightest of all opticron 80mm scopes weighing in at 1280g
Click to expand...

Note that this is only 304g more than then 665 and only 229g more than the 665ED. This is less than the can of pop I carry in the handy purpose-made pocket in my mule backpack. My tripod weighs over 2kg, which is a much bigger consideration. This is why I wish I had gone with an 80mm scope in the first instance - I really don't think the size and weight saving are significant, and I would rather have been lugging the bigger scope than have the compromised views I have had viewing in low light.

Graham
 
I was at In Focus yesterday and had a chat about this. The manager was of the strong opinion that the 815 is not as good a scope as the 665. Although they share a model range name, the smaller scope is simply better quality. He pointed to the HR80 MKII as my trade-up, but I'll need to find a 2nd hand one, probably a MKI, to have a hope of affording it.

Graham
 
bitterntwisted said:
I was at In Focus yesterday and had a chat about this. The manager was of the strong opinion that the 815 is not as good a scope as the 665. Although they share a model range name, the smaller scope is simply better quality. He pointed to the HR80 MKII as my trade-up, but I'll need to find a 2nd hand one, probably a MKI, to have a hope of affording it.

Graham
Click to expand...

Did you compare the 2 models side by side? The GS 665 ED would indeed be a better scope as the glass used is better quality. but the larger objective, of the 815 would/should be an improvement over the standard 665.
 
bitterntwisted said:
I was at In Focus yesterday and had a chat about this. The manager was of the strong opinion that the 815 is not as good a scope as the 665. Although they share a model range name, the smaller scope is simply better quality. He pointed to the HR80 MKII as my trade-up, but I'll need to find a 2nd hand one, probably a MKI, to have a hope of affording it.

Graham
Click to expand...

you sure he meant HR80? ES80 i'd have thought. body price £420 ish £570 with zoom
 
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