Scope advice (2 Viewers)

[Harpyeagle]

Hi, My name's Paul, I'm new to this forum.
I have a question regarding scopes. Looking for some advice really.
In my local camera shop, there's a Hawke Vantage 20-60x60. It's brand new and the cost is £190.
However, on ebay, someone is selling a used Hawke Endurance ED 20-6-x85, and that is twice the price.
If I don't plan to do much birding during dusk and dawn, then is the Vantage a reasonably good scope, as a first step ?

Is the 2nd-hand Endurance a good price? And if so, is the only difference the lens diameter?

Initially I was thinking I'd need to spend £500 - £600 to get a half decent scope, but maybe not?

I've been mad keen on birds ever since I met Tony Soper 40 years ago, at an RSPB event in Devon! But this is my first proper foray into getting some proper equipment..

Look forward to exploring the forum and meeting you all

 

[gr8fuldoug]

The most expensive thing is to buy and then sell to upgrade. The Endurance ED is a far superior scope to the Vantage

 

[Grando]

Welcome to the forum, Paul. I don't really have any experience of Hawke scopes, but I'm sure someone else who has will be along to answer. The other thing that a larger aperture scope tends to helps with is using it at the higher magnifications, too. But you're right that in decent lighting conditions you probably wouldn't notice too much difference between the two scopes, certainly if using them at the lower mags (which is where, I imagine, in a cheaper scope, the sweet spot will be).

Out of interest, WEX, who are a good online retailer (with an excellent returns policy) have the same scope on sale for £169, which might be worth a look.

I would say, though, that even though the term ED is a bit spurious, manufacturer's better quality glass does, as the previous poster state, tend to make a noticeable difference in view quality. And Hawke's higher-ranged Endurance line does retail new for around £700. Saying that, if you're looking at 2nd-hand then there's a whole world of excellent scopes available out there...

 

[4John]

Hi, My name's Paul, I'm new to this forum.
I have a question regarding scopes. Looking for some advice really.
In my local camera shop, there's a Hawke Vantage 20-60x60. It's brand new and the cost is £190.
However, on ebay, someone is selling a used Hawke Endurance ED 20-6-x85, and that is twice the price.
If I don't plan to do much birding during dusk and dawn, then is the Vantage a reasonably good scope, as a first step ?

Is the 2nd-hand Endurance a good price? And if so, is the only difference the lens diameter?

Initially I was thinking I'd need to spend £500 - £600 to get a half decent scope, but maybe not?

I've been mad keen on birds ever since I met Tony Soper 40 years ago, at an RSPB event in Devon! But this is my first proper foray into getting some proper equipment..

Look forward to exploring the forum and meeting you all

Everyone's price-performance ratio or "bang for your buck" is different so it's hard to say what's reasonable for you. Statements like "The Endurance ED is a far superior scope to the Vantage" need to be verified by you with your eyes and your budget.

I recommend that you go to a Field Day and have a look for yourself at the range of scopes available. In Focus do them all over the UK :

Field Sales Events Calendar | In Focus

You can then try out 60mm and 85mm objective lens scopes in your price range and decide for yourself what's "half decent".

 

[Harpyeagle]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your help.

 

[tenex]

Welcome to Birdforum! I agree with Doug that ultimately buying something that will satisfy you for a long time is best, although determining that is up to you, so try some scopes at a store/event as suggested above. A full-sized scope will do better at high magnification (long distance) as well as in low light, but the choice between 60-65 and 80-85mm is largely about how much you're willing to carry and how far.

 

[Harpyeagle]

Welcome to Birdforum! I agree with Doug that ultimately buying something that will satisfy you for a long time is best, although determining that is up to you, so try some scopes at a store/event as suggested above. A full-sized scope will do better at high magnification (long distance) as well as in low light, but the choice between 60-65 and 80-85mm is largely about how much you're willing to carry and how far.

Thanks @tenex

 

[4John]

Harpyeagle,

Some people are able to buy once, in which case I agree that buying something that will satisfy you in the long term is best. However, not everyone is like that. If you have never owned a scope before you may buy a scope you think will satisfy you in the long term only to find after a while there are things you don't like about it. Unfortunately you can only find out some of what you like and don't like about scopes by using one for a while. I started out with a Swarovski STS80 on the basis of buy once and buy the biggest and the best. After five years I realised it was too heavy and cumbersome for me and the sort of birding I liked and I bought a Nikon ED50, which has been my main scope now for over 10 years. This is why some people on this forum recommend buying a second hand scope as your first scope so you can find out what you like and don't like at a more affordable price. However, you may be able to quickly find out some things you like and don't like by playing around with them at a field day.