Compact 50-65mm obj. lens spotting scope ideas ?

[downrange914]

Hi All - was wondering if I could get your suggestions please on any compact and light 50-65mm objective lens size spotting scopes please ?

This objective lens size of spotting scope should get me into the 60x power range which would be sufficient for my needs .. Need something that would be small and light enough to put into a backpack and carry round without ending up walking lopsided at the end of the day once I've factored all the other stuff I carry around with me

Thanks in advance for any suggestions !

 

[Black Majik]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Only one that really comes to mind is March?

 

[downrange914]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Hi Black Majik - many thanks for your suggestion - my bad .. I didn't specify I was actually referring to spotting scopes ... I've modified the subject of my post ....

Apologies !

 

[Black Majik]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Oops my apologies. There are many good compact 20-60x spotting scopes, although the smaller 50mm objectives may be a bit difficult to use. I remember Nikon used to make a really small 50mm scope, I think it was called the ED50? It was really popular amongst birders but it suffered from short eye relief. Don't remember exactly the magnification range however.

If you're willing to go up to a 65mm, you can look at Pentax. They accept 1.25" eyepieces so you're not limited to just pentax eyepieces, you can use telescope eye pieces as well to attain the magnification you want.

 

[downrange914]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

No problem - my fault for not being clear !

Yep - I've checked out the ED50, however that will only go up to 40x - so I guess a further refinement of my requirement list is that objective lens size needs to be in the 60-65mm region .. which means bigger scope and more weight ... ahhhh !!!

Will check out the Pentax range - many thanks !

 

[DT1]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Leica makes a Televid model with a 65mm objective lens. I have one and love it. Crystal clear (as you'd expect with Leica) and quite light. It would be no problem to carry it around in a backpack.

Not sure if it is compact enough for you? Also not sure of your price range. Leicas are very pricey but worth it IMO.

 

[ahboykin]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Dear DR914,

Please note that when you shop for spotting scopes, you'll need to check the power of your eyepiece(if removable) on your body. Many eyepieces are made to work on 2 or more bodies from the same manufacturer. When this happens, the power of the eyepiece is normally valid FOR THE LARGEST OBJ LENS ONLY. For example a 20-60x eyepiece will be 20x-60x on a company's 80mm body but MIGHT only be 16x-48x on their 65mm body. This is because the smaller body is often (not always) much shorter than the larger one. So, the effective focal length of the optical system is shorter. This reduces the magnification of the eyepiece. Our older 62 and 77mm Televids exhibited this phenomenon, but our current 65 and 82mm Televids do not because the bodies are so close to each other in length. If the eyepiece is integral to the unit you purchase, this should not be an issue.

Best,

AHB

 

[downrange914]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Hi AHB - Many thanks for the heads up - very much appreciated !

 

[ahboykin]

Re: Compact 50-65mm obj. lens scope suggestions pls ?

Certainly!