Searching for my first scope, will send karma points to those who helps. (1 Viewer)

[Gaumis]

Hello folks,
Here we go again

I am searching for my first new spotting scope under the budget of 500 pounds. As I keep looking and looking everything becames very unclear and complex, maybe it's because I am that person who always have doubts and cannot pick one... So please help me guys, I will appreciate your advices and recommendations.

After my research I came to the conclusion that I should pick one of these 3 suggestions. Which one of these you would pick in my situation? Maybe you would suggest something different?
1. Vortex Diamondback HD 20 60X85
2. Vanguard Endeavor HD 82A 20 60X82
3. Focus Viewmaster ED 20 60X80 WP (Specs are the same as SV406P 20 60X80 ED and I know that Svbony is much more cheaper that Focus, but after the customs taxes it will be pretty much the same).
I know that Vortex don't have an ED glass, but does this means that other two are more superior than Vortex?

Thanks in advance!

 

[delia todd]

Hi Gaumis and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Does your budget include the tripod? It might help the experts on here if they knew that, and also the type of birdwatching you are likely to need the telescoope for, i.e. local lakes, woods, agricultural land or sea watching etc. (Does this earn me a karma point?

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Will K]

I tried a Diamondback during my search for a new scope. If your budget is limited, it’s a pretty good choice. The major positive factor with Vortex is their unconditional lifetime warranty. It’s hard to beat.

Good luck choosing one!

 

[Richard D]

How far are you going to be carrying it? Have you budgeted for a tripod?

Would secondhand be an option?

 

[Gaumis]

Hi Gaumis and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Does your budget include the tripod? It might help the experts on here if they knew that, and also the type of birdwatching you are likely to need the telescoope for, i.e. local lakes, woods, agricultural land or sea watching etc. (Does this earn me a karma point?

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

Delia Tood, thank for the warm welcome ❤️, very glad to be finally here. Karma points just have been sent to you ✉️

Tripod does not include in my budget. I'm willing to use my telescope mostly for local lakes, argriculture land and sometimes woods.

 

[Gaumis]

How far are you going to be carrying it? Have you budgeted for a tripod?

Would secondhand be an option?

Hey Richard,

I think secondhand is not an option for me because I even don't know were to look at if I would like to inspect or test the scope, also there is not so many secondhand options available in my country. I don't walk a lot when I'm birding (with binoculars) so the weight would be not a problem for me I think

 

[Richard D]

Hey Richard,

I think secondhand is not an option for me because I even don't know were to look at if I would like to inspect or test the scope, also there is not so many secondhand options available in my country. I don't walk a lot when I'm birding (with binoculars) so the weight would be not a problem for me I think

You could get an excellent used Nikon ED111 for your budget from one of the Japanese sellers e.g. : [N MINT] Nikon Fieldscope Field Scope ED III Water Proof EyePiece 24x 30x JAPAN | eBay

 

[JakeM]

Hi. i have looked through friends Diamondbacks and was not particularly impressed. i also really dislike helical focusing. i have not looked through a Vanguard, but it doesn't appear to take standard 1.25 eyepieces, which may be important to you. i have the svbony 406p and enjoy it tremendously. no, it is not a kowa 883 which a number of my friends have, but it cost about one eighth the price, and i have no qualms lugging it around on my back through the bush ....from the specs, i am not sure that the focus viewmaster is exactly the same model as the 406p. it doesn't say if it takes 1.25 eyepieces.

 

[Will K]

i have looked through friends Diamondbacks and was not particularly impressed

Same here. Although it’s pretty good for the price. Diamondback binos are better, and also pretty cheap for the quality. In the end, I bought a second hand Razor Gen 2 for only a few hundred more than a new Diamondback. The Razor is much better.

 

[Gaumis]

You could get an excellent used Nikon ED111 for your budget from one of the Japanese sellers e.g. : [N MINT] Nikon Fieldscope Field Scope ED III Water Proof EyePiece 24x 30x JAPAN | eBay

Thank you Richard, but I'm thinking more about angled scope.

 

[Gaumis]

Hi. i have looked through friends Diamondbacks and was not particularly impressed. i also really dislike helical focusing. i have not looked through a Vanguard, but it doesn't appear to take standard 1.25 eyepieces, which may be important to you. i have the svbony 406p and enjoy it tremendously. no, it is not a kowa 883 which a number of my friends have, but it cost about one eighth the price, and i have no qualms lugging it around on my back through the bush ....from the specs, i am not sure that the focus viewmaster is exactly the same model as the 406p. it doesn't say if it takes 1.25 eyepieces.

Thank you for the reply James,
Tomorrow I will call to the shop and ask if Focus could manage the 1.25 eyepiece. Could you tell me why this exact eyepiece is great? (Like I said before I am noob regarding this topic )
I would buy Svbony 406P without any hesitation, but there is one downpoint with this option - customs will charge me by adding 25percent of the value of the scope, because Svbony sends it directly from China, if I am correct. Yes, I know that even if it would be overpriced it could be better than others, but knowing that you overpaid - not makes me happy.

 

[Richard D]

Thank you Richard, but I'm thinking more about angled scope.

The ED111=A should be available for a si,ilar price - that was just an example

 

[has530]

I have the orion grandview ED which I believe is the same as the SV406 ED and find it quite agreeable for the price (especially with a nice wide field astronomical eyepiece on it (attached you will find a photo of some blackbirds I snapped just holding my phone up to the eyepiece this weekend).

I have not tried the vortex but imagine it is optically worse (as tends to be the case with their products, honoring that warranty aint cheap so you pay for it up front) but maybe built a little better and with the nice vortex warrenty.

I recently actually bought a like new endeavor ed 82a for my father in law (for a  steep discount) and was not impressed at all. It seemed well built but the optics were subpar. I couldnt ever quite seem to get it in focus and the image was quite dull and dim over about 35x.

 

[nkbj]

3. Focus Viewmaster ED 20 60X80 WP (Specs are the same as SV406P 20 60X80 ED and I know that Svbony is much more cheaper that Focus, but after the customs taxes it will be pretty much the same).

You can get the Svbony SV406p from Amazon Germany. Since it will be sent from within the EU you avoid paying customs taxes: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Intercha...677557472&sprefix=svbony+sv406p,aps,82&sr=8-3

Regards
Niels Kristian

 

[Gaumis]

I have the orion grandview ED which I believe is the same as the SV406 ED and find it quite agreeable for the price (especially with a nice wide field astronomical eyepiece on it (attached you will find a photo of some blackbirds I snapped just holding my phone up to the eyepiece this weekend).

I have not tried the vortex but imagine it is optically worse (as tends to be the case with their products, honoring that warranty aint cheap so you pay for it up front) but maybe built a little better and with the nice vortex warrenty.

I recently actually bought a like new endeavor ed 82a for my father in law (for a  steep discount) and was not impressed at all. It seemed well built but the optics were subpar. I couldnt ever quite seem to get it in focus and the image was quite dull and dim over about 35x.

Thank you a lot has530, I think you made my mind

 

[Gaumis]

You can get the Svbony SV406p from Amazon Germany. Since it will be sent from within the EU you avoid paying customs taxes: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Interchangeable-Astronomy-Waterproof-Monocular-Telescope/dp/B08533P3W5/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1PWH0S6QDUBJ7&keywords=svbony+sv406p&qid=1677557472&sprefix=svbony+sv406p,aps,82&sr=8-3

Regards
Niels Kristian

Hey Niels, Svbody answered me that they have some kind of warehouse in EU, but probably they dont have this scope in there. If that will be confirmed I will buy it from Amazon. Thanks

 

[JakeM]

Thank you for the reply James,
Tomorrow I will call to the shop and ask if Focus could manage the 1.25 eyepiece. Could you tell me why this exact eyepiece is great? (Like I said before I am noob regarding this topic )
I would buy Svbony 406P without any hesitation, but there is one downpoint with this option - customs will charge me by adding 25percent of the value of the scope, because Svbony sends it directly from China, if I am correct. Yes, I know that even if it would be overpriced it could be better than others, but knowing that you overpaid - not makes me happy.

For me, it is important that a scope is able to use standard 1.25 ("astronomical") eyepieces. The svbony zoom eyepiece is very good, and it gets the most use. However, there are times when i also use a 10 mm or a 13mm Baader Hyperion eyepiece, to enjoy the extra wide field of view and increased eye relief. All this to say is that other eyepieces can make a large difference and it is important for me to have that option.

 

[SGBirder]

Skip the Vanguard. Had a 65mm scope and it was bad optically. The Svbony SV406P i have now is much better than the Vanguard was

 

[Trilogy82]

topic )
I would buy Svbony 406P without any hesitation, but there is one downpoint with this option - customs will charge me by adding 25percent of the value of the scope, because Svbony sends it directly from China, if I am correct.

I bought mine directly off the Svbony website.

Waaay cheaper than anywhere else online and you get the option to pay a combined customs clearance and shipping fee so you don't have to worry about any additional charges when it gets here. All in, I paid €314 Inc shipping, VAT, customs, which is a fantastic price for a lot of scope.

Looks like it was shipped from the Netherlands. I'm in Ireland so no additional charges within the EU but I guess they might have something similar for the UK.

 

[SGBirder]

While you're at it, consider adding the 18mm SV190 or the 23mm 62degree aspheric eyepiece. I use the 18mm more than the zoom eyepiece