Advice on mid-size scopes? (1 Viewer)

Sancho said:

Thanks John and RB!!! All points taken on board. I use a CF tripod alhough with a heavy MF128RC head. I just found online a UK store called Uttings that has new mid-size scopes at very good prices. But everything has to wait...a Stone Curlew has turned up at a site 12km from my home, on the Wicklow Coast, so the 'big' Meopta has some work to do tomorrow morning!!!

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I ditched my Manfrotto 128 head for a 700RC2 - more than enough for the APO62 and much lighter than the 128 which is vastly overrated IMHO.

RB

Ian and Dogbreath...re. how I carry the scope: usually over my shoulder. Today to go see the Stone Curlew, I carried the (folded) tripod in one hand, and the scope separately in the other. And I wore a lower back support. And now for the silly confession: I have a Cleyspy backpack scope carrier that I bought off HE2 on BF years ago...I rarely use it. I live in fear of the scope falling off the tripod when I'm walking (which I know is silly). You're right, I need to re-think matters and use that carrier.
Meanwhile in one of those curious twists, while I was driving to twitch the Stone Curlew (Ireland's 29th), a guy was being interviewed on the radio. 24 years old, 6'3" , former rugby player and security guard. Involved in car crash last year, snapped spine plus other injuries, will never walk again but now has a kind of mobility device operated with hand-pedals. And yet...incredibly positive and accepting of his lot. Effusive in thanking all the medical staff, carers and family who have been looking after him. Was sent for counselling but the psychiatrist said he didn't need it, he had it all worked out for himself. Before he can move back into his ageing parents' house (from the care centre he's in) 82k (euro) of renovations are needed. He did a fundraiser on his pedal machine, raised 1.2k...and donated it to the hospital, not to his own GoFundMe page. An incredibly wise, cheerful and chatty guy.
So my scope 'issues' are frankly embarrassing, but I'm glad I asked for advice here because the solution lies in the Cleyspybbackpack. When I retire in two years I can rethink it. Thank you all!
Hey, Stone Curlew...what a strange and beautiful bird. Like somebody crossed a chicken with a nightjar and gave it a falcon's eyes.

Tringa45 said:

Without disputing sample variation, I think the point is rather overstated. Of course, anyone paying €3000 for a scope has a right to expect it to perform well at 60x or 70x magnification.
However, there are mechanical and optical qualities of importance which are little affected by sample variation such as weight, handling, FOV, eye relief, CA or edge sharpness, to name just a few.
I think most would prefer a BMW, which failed to meet its specifications, to a cherry Dacia .

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Hi John,

I agree with you that the buyer of an alpha scope has the right to demand and receive optics which perform well at the upper end of the zoom range (and ideally so with an extender too, if one is offered) - provided seeing conditions allow for this.

Unfortunately that is not the case in reality - lemons do happen with all brands and unfortunately it seems to be harder to get a 3000€ alpha scope exchanged or fixed due to bad optics than a 300€ chinese made astro scope...

But if the owner does not see that sth is amiss with his scope due to lack of experience or comparison, a supplier with lax QA wins...

I also agree that some properties are not affected by sample variation, although I would not mention CA, edge sharpness and handling among them. CA and edge sharpness can be affected by badly ground or not properly mounted lenses and a not so great focus drive will certainly affect the handling.

If I have the choice between a broken Bimmer and a running Dacia, I much prefer the Dacia. Luckily my Saab so far has not failed me and still allows to travel in style...

Joachim

Sancho said:

IAnd now for the silly confession: I have a Cleyspy backpack scope carrier that I bought off HE2 on BF years ago...I rarely use it. I live in fear of the scope falling off the tripod when I'm walking (which I know is silly). You're right, I need to re-think matters and use that carrier.

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Hi,

since it is confession time - I had a close call once shortly after I started using the mulepack - right after getting the whole setup out of the trunk and donning the mulepack, I felt sth wobbly back there and very carefully took off the whole thing and saw that the QR plate had almost become unscrewed - and my scope would have been screwed...

I got some reversible Loctite for the QR plate screw and check if the plate is still sitting tight after taking it out of the trunk (I think the vibrations when driving helped it to get loose).

Joachim

Eanna....how do you pronounce your name...but it is ironic that it means 'birdlike' ?

I had the same fear about it twisting off so to stabilise the scope on my qr plate I did originally put another screw in to it but now have changed the fluid head cradle to take a longer plate with an anti swivel pop up peg which stops it from moving and stops the scope from tilting.

The Scopac, Cleyspy backpacks etc do the job and take away the weight factor and you can still use your binos while it's on your back. Useless for storing much though and a bit weak at the stitching.

I had a look at the Stone Curlew...what a corker. Great eye detail.

Hi Ian, thanks for the advice. Well done, my real name really does mean bird-like! From a ninth century Northern Irish warrior-turned monk, some crazy legend about falling for the beauty of a dead girl and exchanging arms for asceticism. (And we think the internet is full of mad stuff...like, I'm all for swords-into-ploughshares, but falling in love with dead girls is definitely illegal). ). Pronunciation is difficult...kind of 'Ei-uh-na', heavy stress on first syllable, practically none on second. So most people just say 'Ey-na', which sounds even more girly. 'Sancho' is so much easier:-O.

I will revive that Cley Spy bag...I'd forgotten it was called 'Mulepack'!

I have a safety device on my mule pack - a piece of chord tied securely around the head of the tripod, a loop on the other end that I kind of larks head over itself, and that slipknot goes over my telecope’s foot. Never had an incident, although peace of mind knowing the scope will at least not reach the ground should it work loose.

Re the Mulepack - as we are confessing. I pass the strap of the stay-on-case through the Mulepack carry handle so that if the scope does become free of the tripod it won't fall to the ground. It might take a chunk out of my leg but that will repair cheaper than the scope.

Essex Tern said:

I have a safety device on my mule pack - a piece of chord tied securely around the head of the tripod, a loop on the other end that I kind of larks head over itself, and that slipknot goes over my telecope’s foot. Never had an incident, although peace of mind knowing the scope will at least not reach the ground should it work loose.

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Thanks Essex Tern, I'll try that. Dogsbreath's is an equally elegant solution, but I sold my SOC.