Pentax PF-80ED-A with DSLR (1 Viewer)

[Paul Corfield]

While on holiday last week I visited a friend who owns a Pentax PF-80ED angled spotting scope and hadn't had much luck in getting good photos with the Pentax XW-20 eyepiece and his Canon 350D with a Canon 28mm lens. The Pentax XW-20 is an expensive eyepiece that sells in the region of £200-£250 here in the UK. I wanted to try the scope with my Baader Hyperion eyepiece. These sell for £78 in the UK and having tried them side by side we agreed that the Baader Hyperion was the better choice.

We had the scope mounted on a Manfrotto fibreglass tripod with a ball head. The whole setup was very stable and a joy to use and even though I don't normally like angled scopes this setup felt quite natural, probably because looking through the cameras TTL viewfinder is easier than looking at a screen on a P+S.

Some examples of possible focal lengths with a Canon dslr and 28mm lens. Personally I prefer a 28mm lens over a 50mm lens due to the much faster shutter speeds and I prefer to use a low power lens through a high power eyepiece rather than the other way round.

With the Baader Hyperion 21mm you would get 25X magnification or 691mm or 1110mm after the 1.6X crop factor.

With the Baader Hyperion 17mm you would get 30X magnification or 853mm or 1371mm after the 1.6X crop factor.

With the Baader Hyperion 13mm you would get 40X magnification or 1116mm or 1793mm after the 1.6X crop factor.

With the Baader Hyperion 8mm you would get 65X magnification or 1813mm or 2914mm after the 1.6X crop factor.

Here's 3 photos all taken in the 80-100m range but having just looked on the close up satellite image on Google maps I measured it to around 82m. No birds around at the time of testing I'm afraid but all the static targets we tried worked well with the Baader eyepiece.

1st photo is with the Pentax XW-20 eyepiece.
2nd photo is with my Baader Hyperion eyepiece (forgive my overexposure on this one).
3rd photo is a comparison taken with my Skywatcher scope and Canon 450D

The Pentax scope performed pretty well I thought and because it takes standard 1.25" telescope eyepieces it's fairly inexpensive to find a set up that gives good results. Out of the two scope, his and mine, I think my astro scope came out on top in all aspects of image quality.

Paul.

 

[JGobeil]

Much better than what I can do with my PF-80ED straight. I must have a lemon !!! I have a Baader 20mm EP and I'll try it when I have a chance.

 

[Ultra Lite]

Much better than what I can do with my PF-80ED straight. I must have a lemon !!! I have a Baader 20mm EP and I'll try it when I have a chance.

Jules,
I have both the Pentax 80mm angle and the Pentax 100mm spotter with the Pentax CA-35 DSLR camera adaptor. Because I have the 100mm I hardly ever use the 80mm for photography but I did find a few.

Just thought I'd throw these in so you could see what your 80mm could do with a proper adapter.

 

[carsonbm]

I emailed Badder and ask them if there eye pieces would work properly with my MM Pentax scope and the said there eye pieces would not focus right with the Pentax.

 

[Paul Corfield]

I emailed Badder and ask them if there eye pieces would work properly with my MM Pentax scope and the said there eye pieces would not focus right with the Pentax.

What is an MM Pentax scope?

As far as I know the only Baader Hyperion eyepiece that wont work in the Pentax spotting scopes is the Baader 8-24mm zoom eyepiece.

The fixed size eyepieces are definitely fine in the PF-80ED and that is based on my own use of the scope and also reports from other people that use the Hyperion eyepieces with the PF-80ED. I was using my 17mm Baader Hyperion in the Pentax PF-80ED and it focused to infinity without any problems. I know this as I was photographing jets at 30,000 feet through the scope. Also visually I was looking at stuff that was many miles away. The guy that owns the Pentax scope I was using also has the Baader Hyperion 13mm eyepiece.

Paul.

 

[vkalia]

Ultralite - very nice photos. Are you doing prime focus shooting, or afocal coupling?

Could you share your experiences of the PF80 vs 100 in terms of image quality and ease-of-use?

Vandit

PS: Paul, Jules - my TV85 is finally ordered. All the adapters and extension rings are here as well. I am like a kid at Christmas, waiting to see what creative possibilities this super-high mag stuff opens up....

 

[Ultra Lite]

Ultralite - very nice photos. Are you doing prime focus shooting, or afocal coupling?

Could you share your experiences of the PF80 vs 100 in terms of image quality and ease-of-use?

Vandit

PS: Paul, Jules - my TV85 is finally ordered. All the adapters and extension rings are here as well. I am like a kid at Christmas, waiting to see what creative possibilities this super-high mag stuff opens up....

I only use the spotters with the DSLR adapter so I suppose you would call this an afocal coupling.

I hardly every use the 80mm for photography. They both are F/12 scopes with the adapter but the 100mm gives me 38x while the 80mm gives me 24x. Also the 100mm is straight while the 80mm is angled version and I much prefer a straight scope for use with a camera.

Size does not make all that much difference either because they both must be used with a tripod and once mounted both are an equal pain in the a** to lug around.

In my opinion the 100mm is slightly but noticeably superior optically to the 80mm whether used visually or photographically.

 

[vkalia]

Thanks for that info

Vandit

 

[RJM]

Beautiful shots Ultra Lite! Which camera did you use for them? Is it possible to use another brand of dSLR with the Pentax CA-35?

cheers,
Rick

 

[Paul Corfield]

Is it possible to use another brand of dSLR with the Pentax CA-35?

cheers,
Rick

I've seen something on the web for the Pentax scopes called a Pentax PF-CA35C which has the Canon EF mount and also a Pentax PF-CA35N with the Nikon mount.

Paul.

 

[RJM]

Yeah, I have seen those parts too on Amazon I think. But I have the Pentax Japan spotting scope catalogs for the last 5 years and there is no mention of them or of the CA35 being comptable with other dSLR brands.

I also have the PF80ED and PF65EDA too. If I want to use my Nikon dSLR now, I have to attach it to a 14mmXW eyepiece. It works pretty well, but I am always looking for new things to try.

cheers,
Rick

 

[Paul Corfield]

I wondered myself who was actually making those parts. I just found a little information here.

Paul.

 

[vkalia]

Can you get a Pentax to EOS adapter and use the CA35 with the Canon cameras in that way? I havent really kept up with the Pentax mount, but I thought the mount retains backward compatibility with K-mount lenses.

Vandit

 

[Paul Corfield]

Can you get a Pentax to EOS adapter and use the CA35 with the Canon cameras in that way? I havent really kept up with the Pentax mount, but I thought the mount retains backward compatibility with K-mount lenses.

Vandit

If you look at the link I posted just before your post you will see that Pentax now produce the CA35 in a Canon mount. No need to use a K-mount adapter.

Paul.

 

[RJM]

Thanks for the link Paul. Next time I get to the Pentax showroom I will show them the brochure from Pentax Germany and find out.

cheers,
Rick

 

[vkalia]

If you look at the link I posted just before your post you will see that Pentax now produce the CA35 in a Canon mount. No need to use a K-mount adapter.
Paul.

I see it now. Thanks for that link.

I wonder if this CA35, be it in Canon or Pentax mount, will also fit the focuser of a regular astro scope - after all, both have the standard 1.25" receptacle.

It might be a simpler "one stop" solution for people.

Vandit

 

[Paul Corfield]

I see it now. Thanks for that link.

I wonder if this CA35, be it in Canon or Pentax mount, will also fit the focuser of a regular astro scope - after all, both have the standard 1.25" receptacle.

It might be a simpler "one stop" solution for people.

Vandit

I can't be fully sure as I don't have the CA35 but I don't think it would have a use on an astro scope because these spotting scope adapters are designed to get around the problem of the prism in spotting scopes. If you put it on the back of an astro scope I'm not sure what way up the image would be orientated. I guess we need to find someone who has the CA35 and an astro scope.

Paul.

 

[Ultra Lite]

I guess we need to find someone who has the CA35 and an astro scope.

Paul.

Ok.
Here's a quick and dirty shot through the dining room window using the C35+560mm FL APO triplet. Full frame.

You do not get correct image in the viewfinder. I'd rather just use a 50 buck barlow myself. Why complicate it with more glass than you really need? And it's a lot smaller. The CA35 is optimized for use in Pentax spotters - leave it there.

 

[RJM]

I agree a telenegative solution like a barlow or Powermate is best with a telescope.

Ultra-lite, does it look like the Pentax mount on this CA35 can be switched out with a mount/t-ring for a Nikon or Canon?

thanks,
Rick

 

[vkalia]

Ah, of course... forgot about the prism. Yeah, it probably makes sense to just stick to the standard parts - a little more complicated for the beginner but ultimately, a lot more flexible.

Vandit