Which Scope? (1 Viewer)

[Tockman]

Hi,
I'm a new member who's keen to start Digiscoping,
I have a Pentax Optio 3.2 megapixels Camera,(No filter threads) and would like some advise on which scope to buy.
1. Which Make.
2. How much would I have to spend for a scope with good optics,I believe the cheaper ones are only good for Looking Through! (not for taking Pics)
3. I intend to use it in the garden area,do they focus down to 20' or less?

Any help would be much appreciated, Thankyou.
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Alan.

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi Alan,
I'd try out your cameras on someones scope first (dealer or whatever), just to see if it can produce a reasonably vignette free image.

Some great images can be taken with cheaper scopes (by cheaper I mean under £500) but you may have to do a bit work in-computer to get the photos up to their best.
Paying over £500 will help, paying over £1000 will help more. Don't forget secondhand, scopes are reliable items.

Ideally, with no real budget you should be looking at Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, Kowa (823/824) or Nikon (82ED). There are others but these are the main ones.

Most scopes can focus down to 5m or 6m.
Regards,
Andy

 

[Quark5]

I use a Leica APO77. It would set you back about £850 but the non APO is also very good. Other scopes I tried were all stunning at the higher price range.
The Leica 32x eye piece is handy in that it will take 1.5" dia push fit waste pipe as a snug fit inside the eye cup. A number of cameras will align neatly onto this pipe dia as does my coolpix 2100 (just bevel the inside edge slightly with a sharp knife). This makes for extreamly quick photos.
The 1.5" dia pipe will also fit ovet the outsid diameter of the old Swarovski 20x eye piece very snug to.

You must use push fit pipe not 1.5" solvent weld pipe. Picture shows adapter fitted and recent picy. Resolution does not do justice.

 

[RichUK]

Apart from the excellent advice so far - don't get too greedy with the eyepiece. If you intend to use it in the garden go for an eyepiece in the range of 10-20x (ish). Anything much higher and you'll have problems in the garden. You'll be able to get yourself a more poweful eyepiece in the future if needs be. I ended up with a few different eyepieces and change them depending on what I want to do with the scope.

I'd go for the Nikon ED82 - but that's just me. Plenty of decent scopes a little cheaper.

Rich.

 

[Tockman]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the replies.
Some useful info there,looks like a trip to the dealers is called for!
Liked your idea of a simple pipe fitting Quark,OK if diameters are right, will check it out. Thanks again, Alan.

 

[bill lord]

Hi,
I'm a new member who's keen to start Digiscoping,
I have a Pentax Optio 3.2 megapixels Camera,(No filter threads) and would like some advise on which scope to buy.
1. Which Make.
2. How much would I have to spend for a scope with good optics,I believe the cheaper ones are only good for Looking Through! (not for taking Pics)
3. I intend to use it in the garden area,do they focus down to 20' or less?

Any help would be much appreciated, Thankyou.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Alan.

Have a look at the Nikon ED 78 that is still on sale at Warehouse Express. For £549 you get a scope with stunning optics that is as good as anything else on the market at whatever price. Sadly this is the only place to get one from so if you need to see one beforehand you would need to look through the Nikon ED82 which is virtually identical optically. Altrenatively the In Focus branch at Denby Dale have an ED 78 complete with a 30X eyepiece for £499.

 

[Tockman]

Have a look at the Nikon ED 78 that is still on sale at Warehouse Express. For £549 you get a scope with stunning optics that is as good as anything else on the market at whatever price. Sadly this is the only place to get one from so if you need to see one beforehand you would need to look through the Nikon ED82 which is virtually identical optically. Altrenatively the In Focus branch at Denby Dale have an ED 78 complete with a 30X eyepiece for £499.

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Hi Bill,
Thanks for info.
The Nikon ED78 sounds perfect at £499, with eyepiece!
Will check it out.

Alan. (Sorry,no cash enclosed, wouldn't want to break your vow!)

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hi Alan

brilliant scope
you can pay at least double for a difference i can't see in the more expensive scopes. Don't be fooled by price - these were over 1,000 in mid-90s..... and when the HG bins were launched they too were over 1,000.

 

[bill lord]

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Hi Bill,
Thanks for info.
The Nikon ED78 sounds perfect at £499, with eyepiece!
Will check it out.

Alan. (Sorry,no cash enclosed, wouldn't want to break your vow!)

If there is an In Focus branch closer to you they will transfer their secondhand items to the nearer branch for you to have a look at. If you ever choose to have a Stay On case for it the Opticron Imagic 80 case is a perfect fit. The Warehouse Express offer also includes a 38X eyepiece if for any reason the scope at Denby dale has been sold.