Quote:
Originally Posted by Riverwild
Well color me freakin' green! What a good idea!
I've got three or four pairs of different strength binoculars and there's times when I drag them out one after another, trying to get a look at something, and usually having it move or disappear entirely before I can get a close up view of it, because I can't find the ones I am needing at that second.
I never thought of using a scope. Now you have me searching the net! Got any pointers as to what I should look for?  |
LOL, let's hijack this thread once and for all!
As I was telling a couple others via PM, I really love this little close-focus scope, it is fantastic for hummy viewing:
http://www.opticsplanet.net/brunton-...cope-7x40.html
You can get a great, crisp image at only a little over a foot away for window feeders, etc. It's also great to have along at museums, zoos, or arena shows/sports. It's a 40mm objective lens, so it pulls in a lot of light and works pretty darn well even in twilight. It's also small enough to stuff in a pocket but steadies pretty well for using handheld. I also like it because it has a mount plate, can rotate for left or right-hand focus, and is super easy to use in a hurry.
As far as serious scopes, nothing comes close to a Swarovski Optik, but those suckers require a 30-year mortgage for most of us. I studied long and hard, tested many including Zeiss, Steiner, Simmons, Nikon, Burris, Bushnell and all the usual suspects. Ultimately, when it came down to it, I wanted bang for buck and decided on Leupold Golden Ring for its size, weight, ease of use, waterproof, and above all, fantastic clarity. It's really a joy to use and it comes with a lifetime warranty; it's also made right in Oregon.
If I wanted to go with something on the slightly lower end , I think I would have settled on the Nikon Prostaff or the Burris Landmark. The big drawback on the Landmark is that it's like hauling the Hubble telescope around!
Stick with fully-multicoated lenses, long eye-relief, BAK-4 glass, you won't go wrong. It's really about comfort for your own use and be sure to take a test drive on anything that feels expensive to you!
Brain, I use my camcorder that way too, but, it's not waterproof and it requires charging. The image is good but the optics offer enormously better images.