New 100 ED spotting scope (1 Viewer)

[DRodrigues]

When looking for some eps I noticed a new 100mm ED spotting scope made in China and sold within several brands being that there is one version with the wide-angled zoom similar to be APM SuperZoom (apparently based on the Meopta 2x zoom) eg 100 ED sptotting scope
Anyone tried this version? The zoom is good. The question is if the scope body has also good quality...
There is also a traditional 25-75x zoom and 85mm versions.
Within Europe probably APM will sell it but for now their site still only shows the 95mm previous version.

 

[henry link]

Hi David,

Like you, I've noticed these new 100mm Chinese scopes. This one appears to be the same scope (different eyepiece) as the SVbony 401, which sells for less than $800 in the US. Normally I would just ignore a seller's rosy claims for such a cheap 100mm scope, but some other similar inexpensive but smaller SVbony scopes have received high praise from some reviewers and purchasers here. So far what we are lacking is a thorough review with star-test photos of aberrations and resolution measurements, etc., not just positive personal impressions. I'm still waiting for a few of those before I'll be willing to plunk down $800, especially when an easy return may be iffy.

Henry

 

[has530]

I had the SVBONY SA405 (80mm) which seems to share some genes with this class of china scopes. My impression was not at all positive. The interchange 1.25” eyepiece was stuck out of the box and the molded armor wasn’t quite straight. Optics were also pretty poor, image barely held up to 40x. A star test showed lots of astigmatism on axis and undercorrected spherical aberration. It’s a bummer because the SVBONY Astro APO scopes are pretty good but the 3 spotters I have tried from them have all been subpar.

 

[nkbj]

Looks a lot like this one sold by DOF/Birdlife Denmark: DOF BirdLife Golden Eagle 35-70x100mm teleskop + DOF BirdLife K3323C stativsæt + DOF BL rensesæt.

I have had a look through it (just a few minutes). It was OK at 35x but I was not impressed at 70x. Even on a bright day the view appeared somewhat dark and grainy.

 

[DRodrigues]

Looks a lot like this one sold by DOF/Birdlife Denmark: DOF BirdLife Golden Eagle 35-70x100mm teleskop + DOF BirdLife K3323C stativsæt + DOF BL rensesæt.

I have had a look through it (just a few minutes). It was OK at 35x but I was not impressed at 70x. Even on a bright day the view appeared somewhat dark and grainy.

Thanks for the link (yes, it looks like it!) and your impressions.
Do you use the zoom on your ATS 65?
If so, my "hopes" were gone... I had 2 "hopes":

• this version seemed to me based in the Opticron ES100 and other Japanese produced versions, that are good...;
• APM sells older versions with Swaro zooms, so I was hoping that the week link was mainly the zoom ep, that would be solved by the new wide-AFOV zoom...

It's a shame because it can receive also 1.25" astro eps - there is an adapter for those from the producer but it seems to have T2 thread on the scopes that makes it even more easy...

 

[nkbj]

Thanks for the link (yes, it looks like it!) and your impressions.
Do you use the zoom on your ATS 65?
If so, my "hopes" were gone... I had 2 "hopes":

• this version seemed to me based in the Opticron ES100 and other Japanese produced versions, that are good...;
• APM sells older versions with Swaro zooms, so I was hoping that the week link was mainly the zoom ep, that would be solved by the new wide-AFOV zoom...

It's a shame because it can receive also 1.25" astro eps - there is an adapter for those from the producer but it seems to have T2 thread on the scopes that makes it even more easy...

I use a 25-50x on my ATS 65 (and sometimes a 30x). The DOF/Birdlife scope I looked through does not take Swarovski eyepieces. I don't know if the eyepiece can be removed and replaced.

 

[DRodrigues]

...I don't know if the eyepiece can be removed and replaced.

It does. The question remaining is if it retained the bayonet system compatible with Swaro eps or not... See APM scope + Swaro zoom

 

[nkbj]

It does. The question remaining is if it retained the bayonet system compatible with Swaro eps or not... See APM scope + Swaro zoom

I don't think it takes Swarovski eyepieces. I see no trace of an eyepiece release catch below the eyepiece socket in the images of the Sky Rover scope.