Televue Pronto as Spotting Scope
By Ross - usenet poster
I have been interested in astronomy since I was a child. I own a nice pair
of binoculars which I originally purchased to look at stars. I also own a
70mm Televue Pronto which I also use for astronomy. Has anyone tried this
scope as a spotting scope for birds. What power eyepiece is advisable? My
right angle prism is upside down and inverted-any ideas where to get a
erecting prism? Ideas on a lightweight tripod?
of binoculars which I originally purchased to look at stars. I also own a
70mm Televue Pronto which I also use for astronomy. Has anyone tried this
scope as a spotting scope for birds. What power eyepiece is advisable? My
right angle prism is upside down and inverted-any ideas where to get a
erecting prism? Ideas on a lightweight tripod?
Best Solution
posted on Aug 09, 2005
Kim1 - usenet poster
Rank:
Apprentice
Rating: 0%, 0 votes
ApprenticeRating: 0%, 0 votes
Hi Mike,
I use a TV Ranger for birding. It's a little lighter than the Pronto but
they're both great birding scopes.
I have the TV 90* mirror star, the erect-image 45* star and the straight thru
porro. The 90* mirror star gives the best view, but it's erect and mirror
image. If you can get used to that and bending over the scope, it's the best
way to go.
The porro is almost as sharp as the 90*, and works well from a car window. The
45* (i think it's a schmitt prism) is the most comfortable, but the image
quality is a poor third (but still as good as the better spotting scopes!)
I have the Celestron Vixen LV zoom (it's identical to the TV zoom). It is
very sharp and well corrected, but it's heavy and the field of view is narrow
at low powers where you would want it wide.
So far, I have found the TV 20mm Plossl (24x), an old Koenig 16.4mm (30x) and
a cheap Rini 33mm wide angle plossl (15x) to be the e.p.s I use the most. I
often use a 20mm Celestron Plossl that is nearly as good as the TV, has
better eye relief and wouldn't drive me to suicide if I dropped in a salt
marsh. (Yes, it has happened to me.)
I also carry a Meade "shorty" barlow with me to double any of the powers those
e.p.s give--takes the Koenig up to a very sharp 60x.
The views of birds are absolutely breathtaking. And I found that I can make
I.D.s on gulls, etc. at about twice the distance--depending on air
conditions. When I do a rigorous bird survey that requires wading through
Great Salt Lake marshes, I usually tape the 20mm Celestron in so I can sling
it over my shoulder worry free. The barlow and Koenig are in water proof
containers in my vest, just in case.
I use a bogen tripod and head.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
I use a TV Ranger for birding. It's a little lighter than the Pronto but
they're both great birding scopes.
I have the TV 90* mirror star, the erect-image 45* star and the straight thru
porro. The 90* mirror star gives the best view, but it's erect and mirror
image. If you can get used to that and bending over the scope, it's the best
way to go.
The porro is almost as sharp as the 90*, and works well from a car window. The
45* (i think it's a schmitt prism) is the most comfortable, but the image
quality is a poor third (but still as good as the better spotting scopes!)
I have the Celestron Vixen LV zoom (it's identical to the TV zoom). It is
very sharp and well corrected, but it's heavy and the field of view is narrow
at low powers where you would want it wide.
So far, I have found the TV 20mm Plossl (24x), an old Koenig 16.4mm (30x) and
a cheap Rini 33mm wide angle plossl (15x) to be the e.p.s I use the most. I
often use a 20mm Celestron Plossl that is nearly as good as the TV, has
better eye relief and wouldn't drive me to suicide if I dropped in a salt
marsh. (Yes, it has happened to me.)
I also carry a Meade "shorty" barlow with me to double any of the powers those
e.p.s give--takes the Koenig up to a very sharp 60x.
The views of birds are absolutely breathtaking. And I found that I can make
I.D.s on gulls, etc. at about twice the distance--depending on air
conditions. When I do a rigorous bird survey that requires wading through
Great Salt Lake marshes, I usually tape the 20mm Celestron in so I can sling
it over my shoulder worry free. The barlow and Koenig are in water proof
containers in my vest, just in case.
I use a bogen tripod and head.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Solution #2
posted on Aug 09, 2005
Jimmy NY - usenet poster
Rank: Apprentice
Rating: 0%, 0 votes
ApprenticeRating: 0%, 0 votes
Hi Michael,
The mirror star diagonal (2" Tele Vue) is very well made and
you may find you prefer using it for birding once you get used
the reversed left/right view.
Tele Vue may sell correct image diagonals (prisms). You can call their
service department (phone number listed in their ads).
I don't know if any correct image diagonals are made for 2"
eyepieces. Most are made for 0.965" and 1 1/4" eyepieces.
*Some* correct image 45 deg diagonals are not well made and
when looking at a bright objects against a dark background will
show a bright vertical line across the field. However, some
of this type of diagonal are made well and don't have this problem.
It looks like many of the correct image 45 deg diagonals have
a restricted aperture and may cut off part the field if used with
a low power (wide true field) eyepiece like the 32 mm Tele Vue plossl.
You can also get a "straight throught" porro Prism that will give
you a correct image. I haven't tried one of the new ones but
the old ones worked very well.
Orion (Telescope and Binocular Center) sells both 45 deg and
"straight through" correct image prisms.
University Optics sells a 90 deg correct image diagonal (prism).
I haven' tried one of these.
Prontos have sharp optics but in very bright light you may notice
a little loss of contrast when using more than 40x. This is true for
most achromatic telescopes. The Pronto and Ranger work
very well for birding.
Vixen and Tele Vue have variable power eyepieces that I've
heard are quite well made.
If you want wide field eyepieces the Tele Vue Panoptics, Naglers
and their new Radians are all very good. However, some may be
short in eye relief if you need to wear glasses when viewing through
the Pronto. The Pentax SMC-XL series eyepieces are very nice.
For "normal" field eyepieces the TV plossls are good and the
Takahashi LE series are very good.
You might want to get the Tele Vue TelePod. It would work well
for both briding and amateur astronomy. The telescope never is
out of balance even if you aim it up at a high angle. You can get
just the TelePod head and use it on a photo tripod. The TelePod head has
both Alt and Az bearings so you don't need to use a photo tripod's head for
Az movement (as with the TV UpSwing head).
Bogen has a number of very good tripods.
Hope this helps,
Rich
The mirror star diagonal (2" Tele Vue) is very well made and
you may find you prefer using it for birding once you get used
the reversed left/right view.
Tele Vue may sell correct image diagonals (prisms). You can call their
service department (phone number listed in their ads).
I don't know if any correct image diagonals are made for 2"
eyepieces. Most are made for 0.965" and 1 1/4" eyepieces.
*Some* correct image 45 deg diagonals are not well made and
when looking at a bright objects against a dark background will
show a bright vertical line across the field. However, some
of this type of diagonal are made well and don't have this problem.
It looks like many of the correct image 45 deg diagonals have
a restricted aperture and may cut off part the field if used with
a low power (wide true field) eyepiece like the 32 mm Tele Vue plossl.
You can also get a "straight throught" porro Prism that will give
you a correct image. I haven't tried one of the new ones but
the old ones worked very well.
Orion (Telescope and Binocular Center) sells both 45 deg and
"straight through" correct image prisms.
University Optics sells a 90 deg correct image diagonal (prism).
I haven' tried one of these.
Prontos have sharp optics but in very bright light you may notice
a little loss of contrast when using more than 40x. This is true for
most achromatic telescopes. The Pronto and Ranger work
very well for birding.
Vixen and Tele Vue have variable power eyepieces that I've
heard are quite well made.
If you want wide field eyepieces the Tele Vue Panoptics, Naglers
and their new Radians are all very good. However, some may be
short in eye relief if you need to wear glasses when viewing through
the Pronto. The Pentax SMC-XL series eyepieces are very nice.
For "normal" field eyepieces the TV plossls are good and the
Takahashi LE series are very good.
You might want to get the Tele Vue TelePod. It would work well
for both briding and amateur astronomy. The telescope never is
out of balance even if you aim it up at a high angle. You can get
just the TelePod head and use it on a photo tripod. The TelePod head has
both Alt and Az bearings so you don't need to use a photo tripod's head for
Az movement (as with the TV UpSwing head).
Bogen has a number of very good tripods.
Hope this helps,
Rich
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