As I said in a previous post I sent back my Pentax 10mm for refund.
I still needed a high power ep so when my $300 refund was comfirmed for the Pentax I ordered the Orion Stratus 8mm. I figured what do I have to lose for $100 and Orion is very easy to deal with as far as returns are concerned?
Gave it a good work out the other day. Was observing 2 pairs of Peregrine Falcons apparently fighting it out for nesting territory on a river bluff about .5 miles away.
CONCLUSION: Easy view, good light (for 65x), excellent contrast, wide field, sharp and all this at 65x. I compared it directly to the XW zoom at 65x (8mm) and there simply was no comparision.
In fact, if memory serves, I think the Orion is superior to the Pentax in both light and contrast in spite of Orion being more powerful and having 8 elements compared to the Pentax's 7 not to mention it cost 3 times as much. I know this goes against the conventional wisdom but there you are. I can only tell you what my eyes tell me. Perhaps it's some peculiarity of my eyes but my wife made the same observation when she looked through it.
The Orion Stratus 8mm is a keeper.
Good Birding.
I still needed a high power ep so when my $300 refund was comfirmed for the Pentax I ordered the Orion Stratus 8mm. I figured what do I have to lose for $100 and Orion is very easy to deal with as far as returns are concerned?
Gave it a good work out the other day. Was observing 2 pairs of Peregrine Falcons apparently fighting it out for nesting territory on a river bluff about .5 miles away.
CONCLUSION: Easy view, good light (for 65x), excellent contrast, wide field, sharp and all this at 65x. I compared it directly to the XW zoom at 65x (8mm) and there simply was no comparision.
In fact, if memory serves, I think the Orion is superior to the Pentax in both light and contrast in spite of Orion being more powerful and having 8 elements compared to the Pentax's 7 not to mention it cost 3 times as much. I know this goes against the conventional wisdom but there you are. I can only tell you what my eyes tell me. Perhaps it's some peculiarity of my eyes but my wife made the same observation when she looked through it.
The Orion Stratus 8mm is a keeper.
Good Birding.