Telescopes!!

[Dazmo]

I need help buying a Christmas Present for my dad.

Im after a good telescope or pair of bino's as my parents have just moved by the sea.

They live approx 600ft above sea level and approx 200metres from the coast with perfect sea views of the english channel.

I am after something which will give them good views of passing tankers, cargo ships, ferries etc but also be good for star gazing and moon observing etc.

Will be static and tripod based mainly. and will be based with these sorts of views.

Been looking at some of these but dont have a clue what is good and what is not!

http://www.barska.com/telescopes.html

 

[sidibear]

Barska make fantastic riflescopes, but they aint the cheapest. My Nikon titanium scopes were cheaper.

Have a look at Meade. Bresser are cheaper but owned by Meade and have the same optics
Try here.
http://www.scopesnskies.com/

Mine.
http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/spotting-scope/birding-scope/bresser/zoom/90-pro.html

Aldi and Lidl occasionaly sell off spotting scopes and binoculars at stupidly low prices.

 

[Dazmo]

Barska make fantastic riflescopes, but they aint the cheapest. My Nikon titanium scopes were cheaper.

Have a look at Meade. Bresser are cheaper but owned by Meade and have the same optics
Try here.
http://www.scopesnskies.com/

Mine.
http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/spotting-scope/birding-scope/bresser/zoom/90-pro.html

Aldi and Lidl occasionaly sell off spotting scopes and binoculars at stupidly low prices.

Thanks but the point im trying to make is i dont know what to look for?

Are those spotting scopes/telescopes from barska good enough for what i have mentioned or would they be too powerful or not powerful enough.

Ideally i would like to stick with barska as my missis gets over 40% off!

 

[Dazmo]

I think im best with a spotting scope.

What do you think of this one:-

http://www.shopbarska.com/Straight_Eyepiece-BARSKA_20_60x90_WP_GLADIATOR_SPOTTING_SCOPE.html

 

[sidibear]

With optics you can never have them too powerfull. Look for a decent size final lens 75 - 100mm is good. The bigger the lens, the more light it lets in.
For instance, using a 25 - 75 x 90 scope, standing at Plymouth, the Eddystone lighthouse is around 13 miles away, and is around 1/4" tall in the lens. If you use a 75mm lens you can see it but by using a 90mm lens its a lot clearer, the more light, the better you see it.
Now 25 - 75 is the bit you look though and ranges from 25mm to 75mm, this is the zoom bit. The zoom will concentrate the focal onto what you are viewing the "x 90" bit is the final lens of 90mm, and lets in a fair amount of light.
I use mine for lots of things from stargazing to shooting, one of the first things I pack when I go to the coast.

 

[Dazmo]

With optics you can never have them too powerfull. Look for a decent size final lens 75 - 100mm is good. The bigger the lens, the more light it lets in.
For instance, using a 25 - 75 x 90 scope, standing at Plymouth, the Eddystone lighthouse is around 13 miles away, and is around 1/4" tall in the lens. If you use a 75mm lens you can see it but by using a 90mm lens its a lot clearer, the more light, the better you see it.
Now 25 - 75 is the bit you look though and ranges from 25mm to 75mm, this is the zoom bit. The zoom will concentrate the focal onto what you are viewing the "x 90" bit is the final lens of 90mm, and lets in a fair amount of light.
I use mine for lots of things from stargazing to shooting, one of the first things I pack when I go to the coast.

Thnaks for that mate, i have found a few ranging from 60mm-90mm lenses.

And have read that the quality of glass makes a difference, so ive found one with ED glass or (extra-low dispersion) glass which is apparently better than normal glass.

So would either of these be good enough to let enough light in and give me enough zoom:-

http://www.shopbarska.com/Telescopes-BARSKA_MAGNUS_560x80ED_GLASS_SPOTTING_SCOPE.html


http://www.shopbarska.com/Hunting_Spotters-BARSKA_20_60x80_BLACKHAWK_SPOTTING_SCOPE.html

 

[sidibear]

My personal choice would be the 20 - 60 x 80 out of the two of them. With spotting scopes you are looking more direct without having to lean down to look though it and can get a camera attachment to put on the back :icon_thumright:

 

[Dazmo]

My personal choice would be the 20 - 60 x 80 out of the two of them. With spotting scopes you are looking more direct without having to lean down to look though it and can get a camera attachment to put on the back :icon_thumright:

So why would you go for that one mate?

 

[sidibear]

Because out of the two you linked to, thats the spotting scope

 

[Dazmo]

Because out of the two you linked to, thats the spotting scope

I have narrowed it down to 3 now which do you think i should go for.

The first is a 20-60x90 WP GLADIATOR SPOTTING SCOPE with a 90mm lens.

http://www.shopbarska.com/Spotting_Scopes-BARSKA_20_60x90_WP_GLADIATOR_SPOTTING_SCOPE.html

The second is a 25-75x100 Waterproof Barska Spotting Scope with a 100mm lens.

http://www.shopbarska.com/ad10610.html

And the third is Yukon 6-100x100 Angled Spotting Scope Kit with a 100mm zoom and 100mm lens but is more expensive.

http://www.telescopes.com/spotting-...opes/yukon6100x100angledeyepiecetripodkit.cfm

I think i am either going for the 2nd or 3rd as they both have a 100mm lens to allow a lot of light a high magnifications, the third has a 100m zoom where as the 2nd has a maximum 75x zoom but is much cheaper, any ideas?

 

[sidibear]

If it was me I would go for the 25-75 x 100.