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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jay Turberville" data-source="post: 199000" data-attributes="member: 2746">When you consider that Pentax eyepieces are highly prized as astro eyepieces, it should be little surprise that the best efforts from the best birding scope makers hold up very well.  I think Leica also has an excellent rep with the astro crowd.  One of the fundamental differences between a birding scope and an astro scope is that birding scopes assume the need for an upright and correctly oriented image.  This means the use of a prism and usually an integrated one due to another major requirement - waterproofing.I think any true crossover scope would require a waterproof system where finders and eyepieces could be changed while maintaining nitrogen filled environments for each.  Sounds difficult and heavy to me.Its a tough bill to fill.  The uses are different enough that the intstument is almost assured to fall clearly in one camp or the other.  At least until some very clever person comes up with a new solution.</blockquote>