Archive-name: birds-faq/optics Last-modified: 18 November 1993 Posting-frequency: monthly This is the monthly posting of frequently asked questions about optics for birding. Send any comments, suggestions, or additions to Ed Matthews (edm@verdix.com). Summary of Changes Since Last Publication ========================================= Sorry kids; none. Christmas break for me. Table of Contents ================= 1. General Advice 2. Common Questions About Optics 2.1 What does 7x35 mean? 2.2 How do I chose a magnification level? 2.3 What about field-of-view? 2.4 What about rubber armoring? 2.5 What about eyeglasses? 2.6 What are the pros and cons of fixed versus zoom eyepieces for scopes? 2.7 What about 45 degree eyepieces? 2.8 How about taking pictures through a scope? 2.9 How close should I be able to focus? 2.10 Which inexpensive binoculars would you recommend to a beginner? 2.11 What does the endorsement of the National Audubon Society mean? 3. Supports 3.1 Tripods 3.2 Monopods 3.3 Finn Sticks 3.4 Shoulder Stocks 3.5 Window Mounts 4. Ratings 4.1 Better View Desired (Scopes and Binoculars -- August 1993) 4.2 Living Bird (Binoculars -- Autumn 1992) 4.3 British Birds (Owner Survey, Binoculars and Scopes, July 1991) 4.4 Living Bird Quarterly (Scopes -- Autumn 1990) 5. Sources for Optical Equipment 6. Useful Reference Material 7. Contributors 1. General Advice ================= Don't buy any optical equipment without first field testing it, especially if you wear glasses. Go to a popular birding spot and ask to try various scopes and tripods. This is the only way to determine individual preferences such as weight, balance, and desirable magnification level. Owners of most tripod brands report loose parts and some report rust. Tripods, like any other equipment with moving parts, require periodic tightening and cleaning. A good strap on a scope or binoculars increases comfort dramatically. The new breed of neoprene straps from OP/TECH come highly recommended. They are available from most optics merchants and camera shops. 2. Common Questions About Optics ================================ 2.1 What does 7x35 mean? The first number is the magnification. The second is the size in millimeters of the objective lens. The objective lens is the large lens through which the light first enters the binocular or scope. Objective lens size is a key factor in how much light enters the instrument. To determine the relative brightness of an instrument, divide the objective lens size by the magnification (e.g., 35mm/7 = 5mm). Optical instruments cease to be brighter when this measure, called the exit pupil, exceeds the size of your pupil. Apparently, as you age, your pupil does not dilate as much as when you are younger. By age 40, your pupil dilates to a maximum of about 5mm. Buying binoculars with a larger exit pupil is a waste of money. If exit pupil were the only factor in brightness, your choice would be easy. However, the quality of the glass and its coatings play a large part in determining brightness. You will find that good 10x40 (4mm exit pupil) binoculars are generally brighter than cheap 7x35 (5mm exit pupil) binoculars. Birders who try to see pelagic birds on an active ocean find their binoculars move around a lot with respect to their eyes, especially if they wear eyeglasses. An over large exit pupil helps keep a bird in view as they bounce around on the tossing deck, with the binoculars in one hand and the other hand holding onto the boat itself. 2.2 How do I chose a magnification level? The lower the magnification, the shorter the effective range of the instrument. As a payoff, you get a brighter image and a wider field- of-view. The higher the magnification, the harder the instrument is to hold steady, the less bright the image, and the narrower the field-of-view. For binoculars, common magnification levels are 7, 8, and 10. Good quality optics are generally more important than magnification level. For scopes, the most popular range is between 20x and 40x. Distortion from heat shimmer becomes a big factor over 40x. Lower than 20x limits the useful range of the scope. 2.3 What about field-of-view? Binoculars typically have a label that expresses field-of-view (FOV) in degrees and/or width at a given distance. Expressed in degrees, FOV means that portion of a circle (360 degrees) visible at a certain distance. In the US, we calculate FOV at a distance of 1000 yards. Typical FOV at 1000 yards ranges between 5 and 8.5 degrees, which corresponds to a FOV 263 feet to 446 feet wide. The wider the FOV, the better the instrument for picking up motion in the distance. Other things being equal, wider FOV is generally better than narrower FOV. Of course, other things seldom are equal, and you generally must pay for wide FOV some other way: lower resolution, lower magnification, less eye relief, greater weight, or higher cost. In many cases, the actual FOV may be markedly different than what the manufacturer indicates it is. The easiest way to compare the FOV of binoculars having different magnification is to look at the "apparent FOV". This is the actual FOV times the magnification. Typical values range from 45 to 75 degrees with most being between 50 and 65. 2.4 What about rubber armoring? Binoculars and scopes are sometimes clad in rubber -- this is known as rubber armoring. Rubber armoring provides protection against corrosion and dirt, helps cushion blows to the instrument, and gives a less slippery surface to grip. Armoring adds a little weight and may require maintenance with a rubber preservative. Many feel rubber preservatives leave a greasy feeling. 2.5 What about eyeglasses? People who wear eyeglasses often have trouble with scopes and binoculars. DO NOT BUY BINOCULARS OR SCOPES WITHOUT TESTING THEM WITH YOUR GLASSES. Try several models with your glasses. The Bausch & Lomb Elite scopes with fixed lenses are excellent for birders with glasses. Several scopes have optional long-relief eye pieces, which you will need if you wear glasses. Look for eye relief of at least 15mm. 2.6 What are the pros and cons of fixed versus zoom eyepieces for scopes? Fixed magnification eyepieces tend to give a crisper and brighter image. Zooms can be useful, but unless you spend a lot of money, can be of lesser quality than fixed lenses. Some birders prefer interchangeable fixed lenses (e.g., a 25x lens and a 40x lens) to a zoom. Zooms on the expensive scopes (e.g., Kowa) are excellent. 2.7 What about 45 degree eyepieces? They are not hard to use when you get used to them and are preferable for watching flying birds, especially those migrating raptors. If you're tall, you can use a slightly smaller tripod. If you're short, the lower scope gives more opportunity for something to get in your way. A drawback is that the eyepiece is angled up into the rain and blowing dust. 2.8 How about taking pictures through a scope? General consensus is that if you want to take professional pictures, don't use your scope. It requires a really steady (heavy) tripod and the combo of scope and camera is heavy and awkward. Focusing is difficult, and close focusing and aperture adjustment are not generally possible. The following is paraphrased from the Canon EOS FAQ on rec.photo by Bob Atkins (thanks, Bob!): In general, scopes are too slow and their focal lengths are too long. The longer the focal length, the steadier you must hold the lens and the more atmospheric effects will degrade the image. The only scopes capable of yielding high quality images are the fast, short focal length, apochromatic refractors. For example, TeleVue makes a 500mm f5 apochromatic telescope using Fluorite lens elements. It makes a very good lens (manual focus, fixed aperture), but costs $1700, weighs 10lbs+ and is about 36" long. While not easy, you can use it in the field with a heavy tripod. Its performance as a lens is similar to the best telephoto lenses; however, it has several drawbacks. It has no AF; you cannot stop it down; and it is big, heavy, and awkward. 2.9 How close should I be able to focus? [From _The Complete Birder_, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1988, by Jack Connor] "Binoculars that focus near at hand are essential for successful woodland birding. In fact, a number of problematic pairs of small birds can be visually separated only at close range: Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees; Sedge and Marsh Wrens; Mourning and Connecticut Warblers; Le Conte's and Sharp-tailed Sparrows; Cassin's and Botterei's Sparrows; and many others. Fortunately, close focus is one binocular feature that can be tested in a store. Find the closest line or spot on the floor you can see sharply through the binoculars, then count your paces as you walk to it. For an accurate test, first adjust the dioptric-compensation ring for the difference in strenghts of your two eyes. How far you need to turn that ring and how much play remains in the center-focusing mechanism will determine how closely you can focus. A close-focus range of 15 to 18 feet is the least you should accept. If you can't look at birds closer than that, you'll find yourself stepping backward into cat briars and poison ivy to try maintain distance. If you are a particularly dedicated sparrow and warbler chaser, you're likely to be happier with a minimum range of about 10 feet. Depending on your eye strength, binoculars can be found with close-focus ranges down to 6 feet...." 2.10 Which inexpensive binoculars would you recommend to a beginner? Many people consider the Bushnell Birder 7x35 a great buy at $75 or under. 2.11 What does the endorsement of the National Audubon Society mean? The NAS has licensed their logo to at least one manufacturer and the logo appears on certain optical products. The appearance of the logo does not constitute any endorsement by NAS. The logo presumably indicates that the product is targetted at birders; however, it does not mean that it is any better than competing products from other manufacturers. 3. Supports =========== Supports for birding with binoculars and scopes come in several forms: tripods, monopods, Finn sticks, shoulder stocks, and window mounts. 3.1 Tripods =========== Owners of most tripod brands report loose parts and some report rust. Tripods are like any other equipment: they do require some preventative maintenance. The large majority of readers use one of two tripods, the Bogen 3021 or the Davis & Sandford RTS. Gitzo also makes fine tripods which are popular in among professional photographers. Here's a tip for all you tripod thunkers. To minimize the thunk of the tripod when you open it, hold it horizontally, then pull out and lock the legs. The birds and your fellow birders will appreciate it. Bogen (Manfrotto outside the United States) [Editor's note: it is not clear whether Bogen model numbers correspond to Manfrotto model numbers.] Model 3021 is most popular with birders; lesser models are not sturdy enough; larger models are overkill. With the micro-fluid head, it weighs about eight pounds without scope, so it requires a strap. However, the weight makes for a steady scope in the wind. The quick release plate for the micro-fluid head is nice, especially for switching between scope and camera. The quick-release leg levers are handy, but take some strength to operate and have a reputation for coming loose. A few birders report tripod collapse as a result. The levers are good at catching twigs, hair, and binocular straps. Legs can open noisily if not careful. Good height for tall birders. Replacement parts are readily available. With proper maintenance, owners are generally happy with this tripod. Davis & Sanford (Tiffen) Model RTS is no frills, solid, lightweight (4.75 lbs), and fast to open because of its twist-to-unlock legs. Is not as tall as Bogen 3021. [Editor's note: I'm 6'3" and the Bogen is a better fit.] Owners find this tripod plenty sturdy even with heavy scopes. The pan-head is very simple -- twist the pan-arm to loosen and twist back to tighten in place. The quick change screw for quick release mounting is nice. Owners seem to be universally happy with this tripod. Gitzo While primarily aimed at professional photographers who need stability for monster lenses (400mm+), Gitzo tripods have found some favor among birders. Model 341 (the Inter Pro Studex Rapid) is solid (at 7 lbs.), good for tall birders, and well built. The Bogen fluid head fits this tripod. Drawbacks are that it is expensive (around $300) and long (29") when collapsed. 3.2 Monopods A monopod is not a replacement for a tripod. However, a monopod is an option when weight and bulk are factors. When I travel by air, I pack a monopod, scope, and binos into my briefcase along with the appropriate field guides, leaving my hands free for luggage and portable computer. Monopods lack stablity (especially in the wind) and have only limited height (I perch mine on a rock where possible). 3.3 Finn Sticks [TBD] 3.4 Shoulder Stocks A shoulder stock is device similar to the stock of a gun, on which you mount a scope or camera. Some people prefer a shoulder stock for its mobility and portability. They are excellent for following the path of a moving bird; however, the scope is only as steady as your arm and your arm will get tired quickly. 3.5 Window Mounts Several manufacturers make scope mounts that slide over and fasten to a car window. These are useful for birding impoundments and fields accessible by car. Although very handy, they transfer all vibrations from the car to the scope, so you have to turn off the car and they also can take infuriatingly long to attach to the window. An alternative solution is a small (usually homemade) bean bag that rests on top of the window (or car roof, boulder, limb). See the Dec 1992 _Birding_ for more details. 4. Ratings 4.1 Better View Desired (Scopes and Binoculars -- August 1993) ============================================================== The following selections come from the August 1993 issue of _Better View Desired_, Stephen Ingraham's newsletter devoted to evaluating birding optics. These selections are in two categories: Reference Standard, products that set the performance standard for their class; and, Best Buy, products with outstanding performance at an affordable price. Reference Standard: Mid-sized Binoculars : Optolyth Alpin 8x30 Full-sized 7x & 8x Binoculars : Zeiss 7x42 High-power Binoculars : Celestron 9.5x44ED 50-60 mm Spotting Scopes : Nikon Fieldscope ED 70-80 mm Spotting Scopes : Tel Vue Pronto Best Buy: Mid-sized Binoculars : Celestron Ultima 8x30 Full-sized 7x & 8x Binoculars : Swift Ultralite 8x42 High-power Binoculars : Swift Ultralite 10x42 50-60 mm Spotting Scopes : none 70-80 mm Spotting Scopes : Celestron S80+ Product of Special Merit : Swift Audubon 8.5x44 4.2 Living Bird (Binoculars -- Autumn 1992) =========================================== [Thanks to Sid Johnson for providing the softcopy of this report that appeared in "Binocular Quest", _Living Bird_, Autumn 1992, authors T. Culver and H. Gerhart.] Suggested List Prism Model Price Type Armor? Warranty Over $800: * Bausch & Lomb Elite 10x42 $1,956 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime * Bausch & Lomb Elite 8x42 $1,900 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime * Bausch & Lomb Elite 7x36 $1,704 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime * Leica Ultra 10x42 BA $1,590 Roof Yes Lifetime * Leica Ultra 8x42 BA $1,590 Roof Yes Lifetime Nikon Classic Eagle 8x40 DFC $1,232 Roof No 25-year Limited * Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B/GAT $1,250 Roof Yes Lifetime * Zeiss Dialyt 7x42 B/GAT $1,215 Roof Yes Lifetime $500-$800: aus Jena Luxus 10x40 $775 Roof No Limited Lifetime Bausch 7 Lomb Custom 10x40 $528 Porro Yes Limited Lifetime Nikon Execulite 9x30 $567 Roof No 25-year Limited * Nikon E CF HP 8x30 $512 Porro No 25-year Limited * Optolyth Touring 10x40 $608 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime Swift Audubon 7x35 $600 Roof Yes Lifetime $200-$500: Celestron Ultima 10x42 $350 Porro No Limited Lifetime Celestron Ultima 8x32 $350 Porro No Limited Lifetime Minolta Weathermatic 7x42 $406 Roof Yes 25-year Limited Optolyth Alpin 10x40 $360 Porro Yes Limited Lifetime Optolyth Alpin 7x42 $360 Porro Yes Limited Lifetime Optolyth Alpin 8x30 $298 Porro No Limited Lifetime Pentax DCF 8x42 $375 Roof No Original Owner Pentax PCF 7x50 $220 Porro No Original Owner Pentax PCF 7x35 $200 Porro No Original Owner Redfield WP 10x50 $407 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime Redfield WP 7x35 $361 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime Swift Audubon 8.5x44 $399 Porro No Lifetime * Swift Ultra Lite 8x42 ZWCF $345 Porro Yes Lifetime Swift Egret 10x42 HCF $288 Roof Yes Lifetime Under $200: * Bushnell Birder 7x35 $75 Porro No Limited Lifetime Minolta Standard 7x35 $141 Porro Yes 25-year Limited Compacts: * Bausch & Lomb Custom Compact 7x26 $457 Rev. Porro No Limited Lifetime Leica 10x25 BCA $645 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime Leica 8x20 BCA $615 Roof Yes Limited Lifetime Minolta Pocket 7x21 $137 Rev. Porro No 25-year Limited Minolta Compact 8x23 $132 Rev. Porro No 25-year Limited Nikon Travelite III 9x25 $156 Rev. Porro No 25-year Limited Pentax UCF 8x24 $160 Rev. Porro No Limited Lifetime Redfield 8x24 $210 Roof No Limited Lifetime Swift Micron 8x25 CF $120 Rev. Porro No Limited Lifetime Zeiss Design Selection 8x20 BT $530 Roof No 25-year * Top rated Play of Interpupil Good for Weight Focus Model Distance Eyeglasses? (ounces) (degrees) Over $800: * Bausch & Lomb Elite 10x42 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 2 28.1 400 * Bausch & Lomb Elite 8x42 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 1 29.1 400 * Bausch & Lomb Elite 7x36 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 1 25.4 400 * Leica Ultra 10x42 BA 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 2 32.0 330 * Leica Ultra 8x42 BA 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 2 32.0 330 Nikon Classic Eagle 8x40 2-1/8" - 2-13/16" 2 28.2 190 * Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B/GAT 2-3/16" - 3" 2 26.4 330 * Zeiss Dialyt 7x42 B/GAT 2-1/4" - 2-15/16" 1 28.2 450 $500-$800: aus Jena Luxus 10x40 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 3 24.6 270 Bausch 7 Lomb Custom 10x40 2-1/4" - 2-13/16" 2 30.9 460 Nikon Execulite 9x30 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 4 16.7 630 * Nikon E CF HP 8x30 1-7/8" - 2-7/8" 2 20.0 330 * Optolyth Touring 10x40 2-1/8" - 3" 2 24.0 410 Swift Audubon 7x35 2-1/4" - 3-1/16" 2 21.0 460 $200-$500: Celestron Ultima 10x42 2" - 2-7/8" 2 19.7 360 Celestron Ultima 8x32 2" - 3" 2 17.4 370 Minolta Weathermatic 7x42 2-1/4" - 2-7/8" 1 29.1 270 Optolyth Alpin 10x40 2" - 2-3/4" 4 18.2 690 Optolyth Alpin 7x42 2" - 2-3/4" 2 18.1 690 Optolyth Alpin 8x30 2" - 2-3/4" 4 14.9 690 Pentax DCF 8x42 2-1/4" - 2-7/8" 2 31.0 360 Pentax PCF 7x50 2-3/16" - 2-3/4" 2 31.8 590 Pentax PCF 7x35 2-3/16" - 2-3/4" 3 24.3 560 Redfield WP 10x50 2-3/8" - 3-1/16" 3 28.6 170 Redfield WP 7x35 2-5/16" - 3-1/16" 2 20.5 170 Swift Audubon 8.5x44 2-1/8" - 3-1/4" 2 28.9 460 * Swift Ultra Lite 8x42 ZWCF 2" - 2-15/16" 2 21.0 370 Swift Egret 10x42 HCF 2-1/4" - 2-13/16" 4 18.3 320 Under $200: * Bushnell Birder 7x35 2-3/16" - 2-7/8" 3 18.8 460 Minolta Standard 7x35 2-3/16" - 2-13/16" 3 26.8 270 Compacts: * B&L Custom Compact 7x26 2-1/4" - 3-1/8" 2 11.5 370 Leica 10x25 BCA 1-1/4" - 3-1/4" 4 8.8 740 Leica 8x20 BCA 1-1/4" - 3-1/4" 4 8.1 740 Minolta Pocket 7x21 1-3/8" - 2-3/4" 4 9.7 350 Minolta Compact 8x23 2-1/4" - 2-7/8" 4 8.8 340 Nikon Travelite III 9x25 2-1/8" - 2-7/8" 4 9.4 350 Pentax UCF 8x24 2-3/16" - 2-15/16" 4 9.9 590 Redfield 8x24 1-3/8" - 3-1/16" 4 9.6 270 Swift Micron 8x25 CF 2-1/4" - 2-13/16" 4 10.1 740 Zeiss Design Selection 8x20 1-1/4" - 2-7/8" 4 6.4 350 * Top rated Numeric Ratings: 1 to 5, 1 is best Optical Min. Field of Focus Bright- Perfor- Focus View at Model Feel ness mance Dist. 230' Fog Over $800: * Bausch & Lomb Elite 10x42 1 2 1 11' 23.8' N * Bausch & Lomb Elite 8x42 1 1 1 10.5' 27.5' N * Bausch & Lomb Elite 7x36 1 1 1 5' 30' N * Leica Ultra 10x42 BA 1 2 1 14' 20' N * Leica Ultra 8x42 BA 1 1 1 12' 20' N Nikon Classic Eagle 8x40 DFC 1 3 2 14.5' 27.5' N * Zeiss Dialyt 10x40 B/GAT 2 3 1 15' 20' N * Zeiss Dialyt 7x42 B/GAT 1 1 1 9.5' 30' N $500-$800: aus Jena Luxus 10x40 1 3 2 18' 20' N Bausch 7 Lomb Custom 10x40 1 3 2 12' 20' Y Nikon Execulite 9x30 1 5 2 11' 22.5' Y * Nikon E CF HP 8x30 1 2 1 11' 32.5' Y * Optolyth Touring 10x40 2 3 1 16' 27.5' Y Swift Audubon 7x35 2 2 2 10' 20' N $200-$500: Celestron Ultima 10x42 1 2 2 15' 23.8' Y Celestron Ultima 8x32 2 4 3 12' 30' Y Minolta Weathermatic 7x42 1 3 3 12' 25' N Optolyth Alpin 10x40 1 3 3 14' 25' Y Optolyth Alpin 7x42 1 5 3 27' 25' N Optolyth Alpin 8x30 1 5 3 13' 32.5' Y Pentax DCF 8x42 1 5 3 24' 27.5' N Pentax PCF 7x50 2 1 3 15' 22.5' Y Pentax PCF 7x35 2 3 4 7' 25' Y Redfield WP 10x50 2 4 3 24.5' 22.5' N Redfield WP 7x35 2 4 3 10.5' 25' N Swift Audubon 8.5x44 1 3 2 10.5' 31.25' Y * Swift Ultra Lite 8x42 ZWCF 1 2 2 16' 20' N Swift Egret 10x42 HCF 1 5 3 14' 25' N Under $200: * Bushnell Birder 7x35 2 2 3 13' 22.5' Y Minolta Standard 7x35 2 3 3 12.5' 32' Y Compacts: * Bausch & Lomb Custom Comp. 7x26 1 1 2 6' 27.5' Y Leica 10x25 BCA 3 4 3 16' 20' N Leica 8x20 BCA 3 4 4 8' 26.3' N Minolta Pocket 7x21 2 4 5 6' 26.3' N Minolta Compact 8x23 2 3 5 21' 25' Y Nikon Travelite III 9x25 2 2 3 12' 20' Y Pentax UCF 8x24 3 2 5 8.5' 25' N Redfield 8x24 2 4 5 14.5' 28.5' N Swift Micron 8x25 CF 2 3 4 6' 20' Y Zeiss Design Selection 8x20 BT 2 3 4 8' 25' Y * Top rated Numeric Ratings: 1 to 5, 1 is best 4.3. British Birds (Owner Survey, Binoculars and Scopes, July 1991) ================================================================== From _British Birds_, 84:7, July 1991, pp. 267-282 comes this reader survey. Many thanks to Adrian Wander for typing this in. Most Popular Binoculars ----------------------- 1 Zeiss West Dialyt 10*40 28.4% 2 Zeiss West 7*42 8.8% 3 Leitz Trinovid 10*40 6.0% Other well known makes placed: 4 Swift Audubon 8.5*44 5.5% 5 Optolyth Alpin 10*40 4.9% 11 Bausch and Lomb Elites 10*42 1.7% 6 Optolyth Alpin 10*50 4.2% 12 Bausch and Lomb Elites 8*42 1.4% 7 Zeiss Jena Jenoptem 10*50 3.7% 13 Leica 10*42 1.3% 8 Leitz Trinovid 8*40 2.8% 16 Leitz Trinovid 7*42 1.2% 9 Swarovski/Habicht Diana 10*40 2.4% 17 Zeiss West Dialyt 8*30 1.1% 10 Zeiss Jena Notarem 10*40 1.9% Most Highly Rated Binoculars ---------------------------- (6=excellent 5=very good 4=good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor) Make No Owners Average Rating 1 Bausch and Lomb Elite 8*42 12 6.00 2 Leica 10*42 11 6.00 3 Optolyth 9*63 5 6.00 4 Zeiss West 7*42 72 5.94 5 Leitz Trinovid 8*40 23 5.87 6 Bausch and Lomb Elite 10*42 14 5.86 7 Leitz Trinovid 7*42 10 5.80 8 Leitz Trinovid 10*40 50 5.78 9 Zeiss West Dialyt 10*40 241 5.76 10 Leica 8*42 4 5.75 (13 Zeiss West Dialyt 8*30 9 5.56 14 Swarovski/Habicht Diana 10*40 20 5.50 20 Zeiss West 10*50 4 5.25 21 Swift Audubon 8.5*44 46 5.20 23 Optolyth Alpin 8*40 11 5.09) Most Satisfactory Binoculars (number of owners who would buy the same again) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Leica 8*42 4/4 100.0% 2 Bausch and Lomb Elite 8*42 11/12 91.7 3 Zeiss West 7*42 61/73 83.6 4 Leica 10*42 9/11 81.8 5 Bausch and Lomb Elite 10*42 11/14 78.6 6 Optolyth Alpin 8*30 2/3 66.7 7 Zeiss West Dialyt 10*40 154/236 65.3 8 Nikon 8*30 4/7 57.1 9= Swarovoski/Habicht Diana 10*40 10/20 50.0 9= Opticron Classic 10*42 3/6 50.0 (14 Swift Audubon 8.5*44 15/46 32.6 15 Optolyth Alpin 10*40 13/41 31.7 16 Leitz Trinovid 7*42 3/10 30.0 20 Optolyth Alpin 10*50 9/35 25.7 21 Leitz Trinovid 10*40 12/50 24.0 22 Leitz Trinovid 8*40 5/23 21.7 24 Optolyth Alpin 8*40 2/11 18.2 26 Zeiss West Dialyt 8*30 1/9 11.1) Top Binoculars for the Future (intended future purchases) --------------------------------------------------------- 1 Zeiss West Dialyt 10*40 28.5% 2 Zeiss West 7*42 13.8% 3 Leica 10*42 8.8% Other well known makes placed: 4 Leica 8*42 4.2% 5= Leitz Trinovid 10*40 2.8% 11 Optolyth Alpin 10*50 1.8% 5= Swift Audubon 8.5*44 2.8% 14 Leitz Trinovid 8*40 0.8% 7= Bausch and Lomb Elites 10*42 2.6% 16 Swift Audubon 7*35 0.7% 7= Bausch and Lomb Elites 8*42 2.6% 18 Zeiss West Dialyt 8*30 0.5% 9 Optolyth Alpin 10*40 2.3% 10 Swarovski/Habicht Diana 10*40 1.9% Most Popular Scopes ------------------- 1 Kowa TSN1/2 *77 16.2% 2 Bushnell Spacemaster *60 12.2% 3 Kowa TSN3/4 *77 7.7% 4 Optolyth TBS/G80 7.5% 5 Optolyth 30*75 6.9% 6 Nikon Fieldscope EDII *60 5.8% 7 Kowa TS1/2 *60 4.7% 8 Nikon Fieldscope ED *60 4.5% 9 Opticron High Resolution *60 3.6% 10 Bushnell/Bausch and Lomb Discoverer 15-60*60 3.2% (11 Optolyth 30*80 2.1% 12= Questar Mirrorlens 1.9%) Most Highly Rated Scopes ------------------------ (6=excellent 5=very good 4=good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor) Make No Owners Average Rating 1 Questar Mirrorlens 15 6.00 2 Kowa TSN3/4 *77 59 5.93 3 Nikon Fieldscope EDII 40 5.90 4 Nikon Fieldscope EDI 36 5.89 5 Nikon Fieldscope I and II 7 5.71 6 Optolyth TBS/G80 62 5.56 7 Kowa TSN1/2 *77 125 5.46 8 Optolyth 30*80 16 5.38 9 Alderscope 25*80 3 5.33 9= Swarovski/Habicht 30*75 3 5.33 (11 Optolyth 30*75 52 5.17 13=Kowa TSN1/2 36 5.00 15 Bushnell Spacemaster *60 94 4.86 18 Bushnell/Bausch and Lomb Discoverer 15-60*60 25 4.52) Most Satisfactory Scopes (number of owners who would buy the same again) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Kowa TSN3/4 *77 47/59 79.7% 2 Nikon Fieldscope EDI and II 58/76 76.3% 3 Questar Mirrorlens 11/15 73.3% 4 Optolyth TBS/G80 31/62 50.0% 5 Nikon Fieldscope I and II *60 3/7 42.9% 6 Optolyth 30*80 6/16 37.5% 7 Adlerscope 25*80 1/3 33.3% 8 Kowa TSN1/2 *77 37/125 29.6% 9 Optolyth 30*75 13/53 24.5% 10 Bushnell Spacemaster *60 19/94 20.2% (14 Kowa TSN1/2 *60 4/36 11.1% 16 Bushnell/Bausch and Lomb % Discoverer 15-60*60 1/25 4.0%) Top Telescopes for the Future (intended future purchases) --------------------------------------------------------- 1 Kowa TSN3/4 *77 20.5% 2 Nikon Fieldscope EDI and II 19.3% 3 Optolyth TBS/G80 9.2% 4 Kowa TSN1/2 *77 8.8% 5 Questar Mirrorlens 3.5% 6 Bushnell Spacemaster *60 3.2% 7 Kowa TS601/602 *60 2.7% 8 Optolyth 30*75 2.3% 9 Optolyth 30*80 1.6% 10 Nikon Fieldscope I and II 0.9% 4.4 Living Bird Quarterly (Scopes -- Autumn 1990) ================================================= The following is a summary of the excellent article "Scanning for Optics II" from _The Living Bird Quarterly_, Autumn 1990, pp 12-15. Authors are Bonney and Forbes-Robertson. Highest rating is 1, lowest is 5. 1. Kowa TSN-4 and TSN-2: winners; zoom clear; if you have the money, buy the 4. 1. Nikon ED II Fieldscope: excellent; smaller, lighter than Kowas; zoom clear; focus ring awkward; depth of field shallow. 2. Optolyth TBG80: very good; image not sharp at high power; smaller field- of-view than Kowa; shallower depth of field. 2. Mirador SSD: can't match TSN-2; good clarity, but dark. 2. Bausch & Lomb Elite 22x: not as clear as some; outstanding for eyeglasses. 3. Questar Field Model: phenomenal image; 6x, 50x, and 80x impractical for most birding; heavy. 3. Celestron C-90: heavy; bright, clear image; small field-of-view; 33x only; focus awkward. [additional owner comments: also comes with 25mm orthoscopic eyepiece that yields closer to 40x; slow motion head available; Barlow lens accessory doubles power while retaining eye relief for glasses wearers; comes in stout camera case.] 3. Zeiss 30x60 B/GA: image bright, but mediocre; not up to Zeiss reputation. 3. Bausch & Lomb Elite 15-45x: only good, unlike 22x; image worse as zoom increases. 3. Bushnell Spacemaster: best inexpensive scope; use 22x, zoom not good. 4. Optolyth 22-60x 70mm: image excellent; field-of-view tiny; shakes in wind. 4. Swarovski 25-40x 75 NZ and 30-75x 75 NZ: didn't care for either. 4. Celestron C-60: disappointment; dark and moderately clear. 5. Meade Pathfinder II and Swift Searcher: bad image. 5. Sources for Optical Equipment ================================ If you belong to a buying service, try that first. One example: B & L Elite 22 x 60 scope, list: $750, best mailorder: $400, buying service: $200. Several credit cards offer buying services. Another buying service that is somewhat widespread throughout the US is United Consumers Club. Also, check the New York City mail order sources that advertise in the back of Popular/Modern Photography. Be aware, however, that these places often carry what are known as foreign market or grey market goods. These are products produced for sale in countries other than the US. Sometimes these products are manufactured to different specifications; sometimes they are identical. In any case, you will not have any US warranty on the goods and may not get any frills either (carrying case, strap, etc.). The prices are appealing, but caveat emptor. Before buying any mail order optics, you should read the Mail Order Survey that Douglas Blondin (blondin@blanca.att.com) maintains. He posts this survey, listing experience with most of national photographic and optics stores, about once a month on rec.photo and rec.video. The sci.astro newsgroup is a good place to ask about optics suppliers. ABA Sales (Colorado Springs, CO) 800-634-7736, 719-578-0607 -- This is the sales organization of the American Birding Association. They do a great job of stocking items for birders. Their optics selection is good and their prices are becoming more competitive. You cannot ask for better service. ABA members get discounts. The catalog has a lot of useful comparisons of optical equipment. Birding (Amsterdam, NY) 518-842-0863 -- APPARENTLY OUT OF BUSINESS B & H (New York, NY) 800-221-5662, 212-807-7474 -- "I have bought tons from B&H...highly approved of by the pros who haunt rec.photo.... They're honest, don't bait and switch, add garbage pieces, tell you how much everything including shipping will cost, when you'll get it, etc.... Their prices run slightly higher than some other NY mail-order houses but honesty and fairness make it worthwhile." Christopher's Ltd (Norman OK) 800-356-6603 -- "primarily an astronomy-oriented optical dealer, but good selection, decent prices, and top-notch advice on many spotting scope options." Eagle 608-271-4751 -- "really helpful" Executive Photo, (New York, NY) 800-223-7323, 212-947-5290 -- avoid, based on many negative comments National Camera (MN) 800-624-8107, 612-546-6831 Orion (Santa Cruz, CA) 800-447-1001 -- large selection of equipment of interest to birders. Yoder 216-893-2464 6. Useful Reference Material ============================ _Better View Desired_, Whole Life Systems, P.O. Box 162, Rehoboth, NM 87322. Subscriptions are $15 per year (4 issues). All back issues are available for $4 per issue: August 1992, Mid-sized Binoculars; November 1992, High-powered Binoculars; February 1993, Refractor Spotting Scopes; April 1993, Budget Binoculars; August 1993, Full-Sized Birding Binoculars. Culver and Gerhart, "Binocular Quest", _Living Bird_, Autumn 1992. "Binocular and Scope User Survey", _British Birds_, 84:7, July 1991, pp. 267-282. Bonney and Forbes-Robertson, "Scanning for Optics II", _The Living Bird Quarterly_, Autumn 1990, pp 12-15. _Birding_ (photo issue), February, 1989. See also the "Tools of the Trade" column in most issues. 7. Contributors =============== Thanks to the following individuals who have helped with this FAQ: Bob Atkins Richard Ditch Frank Kolwicz Kevin McGowan Brian Townes Don Baccus Dave Eshbaugh Tony Lang Peter Nurkse Tim Walker Mike Burger L Gorbet Laurie Larson David Rintoul Adrian Wander Byron Butler David Graham Tom Lathrop Daan Sandee Steve Willner Dalcio Dacol Sid Johnson Harry Lehto Rocky Rothrock -- Ed Matthews Internet: edm@verdix.com Manager of CASE Development Voice: (703) 318-5832 Verdix Corporation Headquarters Fax: (703) 318-9304 Herndon, Virginia USA -- Ed Matthews Internet: edm@verdix.com Manager of CASE Development Voice: (703) 318-5832 Verdix Corporation Headquarters Fax: (703) 318-9304 Herndon, Virginia USA