UKH

Hello bird botherers am going through the bewilderment that you may well be familiar with. Trying to chose a mid range scope to go with a good pair of 10 x 50 binos.

Looking for the extra distance for wildfowl mostly and as I live in Scotland often will be under low light.

Budget is 1000 for scope and tripod, currently unable to tell why the Viking ed pro 80 is 400 more than the viking Swallow ed 80. Any help greatly appreciated or ill be here forever! Thanks!

I bought an sv bony scope, which is kinda like a copy of similar spec brands but half the price. It’s not so great when I zoom in (but only expensive scopes are good when you zoom in).  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Svbony-Spotting-20-60X80mm-Astronomy-Photography/d...
 

ETA: it’s excellent in low light levels. 

I think the only way to buy a scope(and binoculars) is to try some. A more expensive one will give you a better view than a very cheap one, but how much better, is how it appears to you.

If you have any binocular and scope specialists near you I'd try there or bird reserves with shops where you can try some options.

Dave

Thanks both 

Can’t help on choice as I’m still undecided on scopes; I would benefit from one though!

Came across this guide last year which may be of some help - https://cdnc.heyzine.com/flip-book/pdf/ee0307cfc5c334792ebd8c4a391f3a72a39c... .

Re Viking question, the difference is that the pro version has better quality optics and optic coatings. You would need to try them both to see if the difference is worth paying for in your opinion. Same with all binoculars and scopes - you really need to try them out to see if the difference are worth the costs.

Remember, don’t discount 2nd hand if you want a better quality model, but your budget doesn’t match.

I have tried out some scopes at a reserve and there are noticeable differences between brands and models. Even down to the handling and whether the adjustments suit you could make a difference as, for example, one I tried was fiddly to adjust as the it was not, to me, very well positioned.

A further thought, depending on your fitness and how far you intend to carry, you might want to consider in your budget a scope/tripod carrier. The number of birders I’ve seen struggling to carry their scopes over considerable distances makes me think I would buy a back carrier for one when I eventually get a scope and tripod.

Not sure if they do scopes (mine is Option) but recently bought some Vortex binoculars are really impressed with them and their lifetime warranty (had a loose eye cup screw).

I suggest you look at https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/ which does review some telescopes as well, but perhaps more importantly it (in the reviews and various standalone "articles") explains a lot of the different factors that make the difference between ok, good & stunning optical instruments. This can of course get a bit geeky but at least you'll get a better idea of why scope A costs more than scope B.

Generally, spending more money does one or both of the following:

1. Improves the quality (sharpness, brightness, colour fidelity, lack of distortion, etc) of the image
2. Gets a bigger scope - and bigger here means a larger objective lens (the one at the opposite end to the eyepiece - not being patronising just don't know your level of knowledge). Bigger objective lens - more glass means more £ - means there's more light coming through so it generally allows higher magnification for the same image quality.

Everybody who's suggested you need to try stuff out before buying are correct, especially if you're forking out £1k (unless you're wealthy enough to not notice £1k in which case why only £1k).

Next thing you need to do is have a good idea of what you want the scope for and how you're likely to use it. It sounds like you've at least partly worked this out - I'm assuming terrestrial spotting scope rather than astronomical, but how portable does it need to be? Another factor to consider with wildlife is field of view - much easier to "acquire" something if you're not looking down a narrow tunnel.

If your budget's £1k and you're looking for a "full size" scope (objective lens 65mm+) I would expect about £100-200 of that to be on a decent tripod, and a good tripod isn't wasted on a "compact" scope although if you want low weight and portability a travel tripod might be more appropriate.

I have a "compact" 60mm scope and travel tripod (one of my criterion was to fit in a small rucksack - 20L) but this shorter "folded up" length means the tripod legs are in 5 sections rather than 4 or 3 and that means thinner sections and less stability - it sucks if it's windy but it's definitely lighter.

Think that's all for now.

Seconded re: tripod. Hefty keeps things stable but that equals carrying a lump. 

The only thing I'd add that often gets forgotten, or lumped in with tripod, is a decent head. I settled on a Manfrotto fluid video head. Fantastic for panning or roving viewing. 

Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80, Manfrotto three section tripod, and the head, all second hand set me back £600.

If you have the cash then light, stable and a thing of beauty - https://uk.peakdesign.com/pages/travel-tripod

I'll second Climbin Pieman's comment about going to an RSPB reserve and trying one out.  You'll find the assistants are all birders and the scopes etc., will be for birding (and NOT astronomy).  You'll also be able to see what kind of tripod keeps the scope steady in use.

Equally don't discount 2nd hand from a shop that specialises in cameras & binoculars etc.,   

Starting to see through the fog! Thanks all

I heard some birders saying that Swarovski have developed a scope that sees through heat haze, but they’ve not addressed the fog problem yet.

I should be in Fife over Easter - you could try mine if you want. 

It does also tend to mean more weight.  Whether that might be a decision criterion for the OP I wouldn't know, but I wouldn't disregard it.

Climbing Pieman's suggestion of a scope+tripod carrier may have some merit in that regard.  I got one (this Viking one https://www.vikingopticalcentres.co.uk/product/viking-tripod-sport/) free as part of the scope+tripod bundle I bought.  I've used it once.  I found it quite top-heavy, with the tripod head and the scope being behind my head (as shown in the picture, in fact), and it was not as easy to deploy the scope compared to just carrying it on my shoulder in a similar way to carrying a pair of skis.  It also means that you can't take a rucksack; it does have a few pockets for bits and bobs but I found it wasn't really enough additional carrying capacity for even just a 0.3l thermos of tea and sarnies.  If your plans include heading out into remote upland country there's definitely no room for additional clothing, waterproofs and other 'proper' outdoor kit.  For that kind of use I'd agree with Michael that being able to carry your spotting gear it in or on a proper rucksack is probably a better solution.  My scope fits easily in my 30l rucksack, with the pod strapped on the side of the pack.

RSPB Loch Leven (Vane Farm as was) carries the range of scopes listed on the RSPB web site, but IMO it's a bit limited compared to specialist retailers such The Birder's Store (unfortunately places like that seem to be surprisingly thin on the ground in Scotland for some reason).  I've not been to the cafe on the first floor in the RSPB Loch Leven visitor centre recently but they certainly used to have scopes set up at the windows overlooking the reserve, which might give some idea of the capabilities of different models.

Scopes in cafe never got replaced after lockdowns ended following their removal during pandemic.

They have a covered outside decked area now accessed from the ground floor within the shop where they set up scopes for testing on request/on one of their advertised open days. Seems though to have, or did last year, a very limited range for testing when I had a look (only two makes and 2/3 models within each back then).

Not sure if limited scopes is or was in anyway connected to the £30k theft of binoculars and scopes that happened, but it also involved stock held. Last year, you could buy bins and scopes, but couldn’t, for some models, just walk out with them. It was a case of get delivered to home or pick up at a later date from the shop.

RSPB holding optics days:

https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/63745

Though this one is in Newport, Wales, so not very convenient for you...

Thanks again all, yes sadly Wales is a little far