birding-aus

Spotting scopes

To: "'Dave Torr'" <>, "'Peter Shute'" <>
Subject: Spotting scopes
From: "Tony Russell" <>
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:19:29 +0930
It seems to me that someone somewhere has got awfully muddled up.
Surely an angled eyepiece is normally pointing up at 45degs from the
scope body and one looks down into it at an opposite but similar 45degs.
Most scopes have a mounting foot on the underside which attaches to the
tripod with a quick release mechanism.  Maybe there are some models
which also allow rotation through 90degs to allow viewing from the side
but I haven't seen one of these.   Dave Torr's description of having the
eyepiece pointing down would presumably involve lying on one's back ( or
similar) looking up into the eyepiece which might I suppose suit a
contortionist, but not your average birder.  Would this also involve
having the tripod legs pointing up into the air attached, presumably, to
sky hooks?  I think I'd prefer to watch the rugby.

Tony.

-----Original Message-----
From: 
 On Behalf Of Dave Torr
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:54 AM
To: Peter Shute
Cc: 
Subject: Spotting scopes


I can't speak for other makes but on my Kowa there is an adjustable ring
which allows you to rotate the scope body so the angled lens can point
in any direction. But I can't see this is of much use - normally the
angled lens points up and I bend over slightly to look down into it. If
I had it pointing down then I would have to crouch down below the scope
and look up - which seems very contorted. Or am I missing something?

On 26/09/2007, Peter Shute <> wrote:
> Not having used a scope before, I have a couple of questions about 
> this point about the line of sight.
> - Ben mentioned "swinging the eyepiece around".  I assume this means 
> that the eyepiece on some scopes can be swung from the up position to 
> the straight position.  If so, can it also be swung into a down 
> position?  If so, then that would surely be an advantage in the 
> situation Tom describes, as one could mount the scope 20cm above the 
> binocular line of sight.
> - Is it possible to mount a scope upside down? I.e. with the angled 
> eyepiece angled down.  If so, then that would have the same advantage 
> for fixed eyepieces.  If not, then why not aren't they designed like 
> that?
>
> Peter Shute
>
>  wrote on :
>
> > I generally agree with all the comments about angled scopes, but 
> > just remember that the line of sight is probably going to be about 
> > 20cm lower than your eyeline and the scope needs to be set up 
> > accordingly - it's not normally an issue, but I have looked out over

> > a shrub at waders on a muddy
> > shore, but the same birds were blocked as the scope gave me
> > an excellent
> > close up view of the leaves!
> > Cheers
> > Tom Wilson



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU