Q. I have a good pair of binoculars, as does my wife, now we’re shopping for a scope that we plan to share. There are so many options and a wide range of prices. Do you have any advice?
A. I think sharing is a good idea, there’s really no need to carry two scopes. There are quite a few things to consider when choosing a spotting scope, price is usually the main factor. If you are using a scope for birding you can get by with a cheaper scope, but you are still looking at between $300 and $700. If you think you want to use the scope as a telephoto lens and want printable quality photos, it will be more like $2000 to $3000. For general birding I think most people would agree that it’s wise to have high quality binoculars and a reasonable scope, as people use binoculars much more than their scope.
Besides price the next feature you’ll want to think about is angled eye piece verses straight. If the people using the scope are all the same height, I would recommend a straight scope. You can stand straight so it’s easier on the neck and back. It’s also a lot easier to sight along the scope and find the subject. If you and your wife aren’t the same height, an angled eye piece is probably a better idea, once the scope is set on a bird, you both can look without lowering the tripod and having to relocate the bird. Since you can keep the scope lower, you can use a smaller, lighter and cheaper tripod. With a straight scope, especially if you are 6 feet plus, you will need a bigger tripod, you can’t just rely on the center column to get it up to eye level. The more you have to extend the center column the more the scope will shake, photographers often remove the center column altogether and mounts the camera directly on top of the legs to cut down on camera shake. Also, if you don’t have a wide stance on the legs the whole thing is likely to blow over at that height. I’ve seen $1500 dollar scopes perched on top of $75 dollar tripods, I’ve seen those same scopes in a box in several pieces when I send them out for expensive repairs.
For myself I would get a straight scope, but since I’m often with a group of people I have an angled, it took a while but I’m getting used to it. It’s very rewarding to share sightings with others and an angled scope makes it easy.
Size is the next thing to consider. Scopes are usually 60 mm to 80 mm, that is the objective lens, (the big one at the far end,) is 60-80 millimeters in diameter. If everything else stays constant, the bigger the scope the more expensive it is, but it’s not a huge price difference. The reason for getting a small scope is usually size and weight related. The bigger the object lens, the more light gets through, but a high end 60 mm is likely to be brighter than a low end 80 mm.
Magnification is the next thing to consider, although for most it’s the first thing,
many poor buying decisions are based entirely on power. The power of a scope is decided by the eye piece and is a number or range of numbers followed by an “X”. Typically you see 15-45x60 (you say, “15 to 45 by 60”, remember that, it makes you look smarter when talking to the sales person), the magnification zooms from 15 to 45 power and the objective lens is 60 millimeters. Most, if not all, scopes now come with zoom eye pieces, and the once common 15-45x has been replaced with a 20-60x, because people think they want more power. Unfortunately, it takes a pretty high end scope to have a clear image at 60x and they are standard equipment on low end scopes as well. The other down fall with the 20-60x is the decreased field of view at low power. When trying to locate a bird it’s best to start at lowest power so you have a wider field for spotting, then center the subject and zoom in; the 15 power gave a nice wide field. There are a few scopes that offer an optional fixed, wide angle eye piece, usually 22x WA or, my all time favourite, 30x WA. Unfortunately you usually have to buy these in addition to the zoom that comes standard. The 30x WA gives the same field of view at 30 power as the zoom does at 15 power and it’s brighter and sharper than the zoom at 30 x. It’s an option to think about down the road, after you absorb the cost of scope and tripod.
ED glass or not ED glass? Extra-low dispersion glass stops the light from refracting when it passes through the lens, it means you’ll get a brighter sharper image. The rule of thumb seems to be, if you want to take pictures with the scope it’s worth the extra expense, if you won’t be using your scope for photography it may not be justified. ED glass will usually increase quality by about 10% while adding about $500-$700 to the cost.
I haven’t done much digiscoping myself, but last week when I had the scope set up for the picture in the column, I held my digital camera up to the eyepiece and got a reasonable picture. Nothing I would print, but it absolutely is identifiable, and considering it’s only my second attempt, I did it in a rush and only used my fist to hold the camera to the scope, the results are quite promising. It’s easier with the specific tube and camera adaptor and you would get better pictures. I put a series of photos on our website, thebirdgarden.ca to show the various powers.
Other things to consider are: waterproofing, I think most are waterproof/fogproof now but double check. Compare warranties and read the fine print, I’m liking the “no fault’ warrantee with some companies, it’s a lot less stress and I don’t have to hover over customers as they try out the expensive models, (the warrantee covers shopkeepers as well).
Good luck shopping and if you find one scope that meets all your needs for not too much money please let me know. It’s tough to sort through all the models and options.
written by Dwayne Biggar at The Bird Garden
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