|
Michael
and Diane Porter and a team of Iowa birders tested 24 spotting scopes
for a review in the March, 2003, issue
of Bird Watcher's Digest. This account is part of that review.
 Here's
another fine scope that produces a bright, clear, image, with excellent
resolution.
One attraction is the generous selection of famed Pentax eyepieces
that fit the scope,developed over many years for use with amateur
astronomical telescopes.
At
16 inches the PF-80ED-A is longer and a few ounces heavier than
the other top-endbirding scopes we tested.
However,
the price is smaller. Note that the Pentax zoom 20-60x eyepiece
is usually included in the price of the scope, whereas for most
other top scopes one must buy the eyepiece separately.
The
20-60x zoom we tested is easy to use and has a wide field of view.
It's completely waterproof, even when not attached to the body of
the scope. Of course, the scope itself is also completely waterproof.
The
Pentax has protective rubber armoring and an extensible lens hood.
A raised line on the body serves as a sighting device. The scope
comes in a straight model as well as the angled one we tested.
You
can also get an accessory camera adapter to use this scope with
a Pentax K-mount SLR camera.
--
Michael and Diane Porter
|
Pentax
Spotting Scope