Pentax PF-65ED II and Eagle Optics Raven (2 Viewers)

[Tero]

The Raven can still be bought for 200 dollars, a good price for a beginner scope. I may sell mine soon.

Had them both out today. My Pentax has a Vixen 8-24mm zoom eye piece. I may get a fixed Pentax one as well (any tips on digiscoping with it?camera? eye piece?)

I tested the old scope and the new one both at about 50x. Certainly you could ID birds with both. The Raven had a definite greenish yellow cast at 50x, though on a sunny day it is not noticeable.

I had some Goldeneyes and Hooded Mergansers out there, two or three birds on the scope at this distance. The Pentax was quite bright on this cloudy day. Certainly as bright as the 78mm Raven. Not sure if I get all the ED glass has to offer with the Vixen, but I have no complaints.

Size was a huge difference. I can carry the Pentax in a back pack. I tried it at 16x hand held over the roof of my car, and it was like a binocular to hold.

Field of view was very similar with these zoom lenses. I am OK with them, I find the bird and zoom in. I do not need a wider view at that point.

Focus was a little more work on the Pentax, you have to turn it less turns than the Raven.

So, will I find more birds with it? Maybe. Travel more with it? Definitely.

Digiscoping colors will be good, but need to research this part some more. I did take one hand held picture through it. It would make a decent photo if you cut 20% off around the edges.

 

[Tero]

While quite happy with the Pentax as a scope, I can see I am not quite set up to digiscope. I took some hand held shots through the scope at 16x. Not enough detail to see the birds. I blew up some parts, but my pictures are with a digital video camera. Not enough pixels. So need better camera and all that.

Here is a sparrow, a junco and a warning sign.

I had the Raven with the 20-60x zoom, and it does not work even this well, a tiny round area shows up in the camera.

 

[RAH]

Often you can zoom in with the camera to eliminate the vignetting in the scope view. Depends on the relative size of the scope eyepiece vs the camera's lens, the eye-relief of the eyepiece, etc. But you should try zooming in with the camera.

 

[Tero]

Well, you could only zoom a tiny bit hand held. I may get some sort of setup that holds any camera onto any scope
http://www.opticsplanet.net/alpen-spotting-scope-digital-camera-adapter-706.html