Several people asked that I post the results of the responses to my question
about high-end scopes. I only got a few responses, with one person each
expressing contentedness or more with their respective Leica APO, Kowa 823, and
Pentax PF-80ED. I checked out the Better View Desired website, as well as
several other reviews available on the web (including two from Cornell Labs).
Here
are my impressions (all of which apply to "fancy" glass varieties (APO, HD,
ED)).
Among traditional scopes, the concensus is that the Leica 77, the new
Swarovski 80, and the new Zeiss 85 are the best. The Kowa is also well
received.
The Swarovski 65 got rave reviews, being almost as good as the 80, in a much
smaller and lighter package. Better View Desired thinks the Pentax (due to its
astronomical eyepieces) blows away all the others, but this seems to be a
unique view. I'd love to be able to check it out, though. I didn't pay that
much
attention to non-traditional scopes, due to fragility, etc., although the
Questar Birder has a cult following. But the big surprise was Cornell's rave
about the Televue 85.
When I bought the Leica, it was the only scope with a hard twist-out eyecup,
which I became addicted to on my Swarokski bins. I decided to get the
Swarovski 80 instead of a new Leica (which I was completely happy with) for a
couple
of reasons. First, the something new factor. Second, it is a bit smaller and
lighter. And third, it will match my bins (fashion is my life). If I
travelled more (not happening much with a six-year-old), I definitely would
have
gotten the 65. And if I had more money, I would have gotten the 65 and a
Televue
85, for local use in good weather.
See you in the field with my new scope (once it arrives from my friend Ken
Moore at the Wild Bird Center on Duke Street).
Useful links:
http://betterviewdesired.com/
http://birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/GearGuide/Scopes/ScopeRevi
ew2002.html
http://birds.cornell.edu/publications/livingbird/winter98/ScopesWI98.htm
http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/scopes2003.html
Ben Jesup
Alexandria
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