A slightly different perspective: I have two spotting scopes, one straight and one angled… on two tripods, one sturdy and tall and one shorter but very light-weight and easy to carry. I use both scopes and both tripods regularly.
* Which is better definitely depends on your personal needs and how you prefer to use it! If I’m birding by myself and not walking far, on a super windy day, I’ll use the straight scope on the tall sturdy tripod. If I’m sharing with others who are not my height, then I use the angled scope. If I’m walking far, I use my very light-weight tripod so I can carry it easily, plus the angled scope because it’s easier to use with a shorter tripod. I’ve added a shoulder strap to my light-weight tripod and enjoy carrying it and my angled scope on multiple-mile hikes. * I don’t have a lot of money to spend. Yet I’ve bought 2 scopes and 2 tripods within a couple years, and plan to buy more soon just to have extras to teach with. How? I bought inexpensive models, $60-$75 per scope and $50-$100 per tripod. Are they as good as the $1,000+ scopes that I know some of you own? No. Do they work well enough for me successfully ID and enjoy watching birds that are way too distant for my binoculars? Yes, absolutely! And, when I started with a straight and then decided I wanted an angled, I didn’t feel stuck with my first purchase forever. Before moving to NY, I used to teach astronomy. When asked about choosing an astronomical telescope, the advice that I and fellow astronomers always gave was this: * Start by looking through a variety of other people’s scopes, and borrow a couple “loaners” to learn what you like before you buy. (Most astro clubs have loaner scopes – why don’t bird clubs???) * Your first purchase should be usable quality but not outrageously expensive, so you’re not stuck with it if you decide it’s not the right scope for you. Upgrade when you’re ready. (With astro telescopes, there *IS* such a thing as too cheap to be “usable quality,” and we had to give guidance on that. With birding optics, I’ve intentionally looked for this lower limit, and have *NOT* found it yet!) * The “right scope for you” is the one you’ll want to use most often. If it has incredible power and quality but you rarely touch it because it’s too heavy, too difficult to use, or otherwise doesn’t meet your personal needs and interests, then it’s the wrong scope for you no matter how “good” it is! Cheers, Leo From: bounce-124588382-83239...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-124588382-83239...@list.cornell.edu> On Behalf Of Jody Enck Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 2:07 PM To: Kevin J. McGowan <k...@cornell.edu> Cc: Lynn Bergmeyer <lynnbergme...@gmail.com>; Peter Saracino <petersarac...@gmail.com>; CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Spotting scope question Great advice from everyone! I can't emphasize enough to practice, practice, practice with your scope. Your enjoyment level will go up by leaps and bounds. It's a bit like buying a musical instrument. I've seen people by expensive instruments, but they don't know how to use them effectively. I'll second what Kevin said about turning the angled scope on it's side. I don't have one, so I can't do that. But, I have seen plenty of folks use it that way for various reasons (not just to make it easier for a shorter-than-you person to see through your scope). Because I don't have an angled scope, I don't know how folks with one have suffered. But I can tell you as a 10+ year owner of a straight scope that I have suffered mightily from that configuration, and would trade it away in a heartbeat. I suppose they have their purpose, but not for the kind of birding I like to do. Have fun! Jody W. Enck, PhD Conservation Social Scientist, and Founder of the Sister Bird Club Network 607-379-5940 On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 1:55 PM Kevin J. McGowan <k...@cornell.edu<mailto:k...@cornell.edu>> wrote: I use an angled scope from my car all the time. You just have to rotate the barrel so the eyepiece is pointing to the side. When scanning, you’re going to have to rotate it to the opposite side at one point, and you might also have to move the mount to another part of the window. You can even cover a much greater horizon than with a straight scope. You just have to get used to it. Kevin McGowan From: bounce-124588328-3493...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-124588328-3493...@list.cornell.edu> <bounce-124588328-3493...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-124588328-3493...@list.cornell.edu>> On Behalf Of Lynn Bergmeyer Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 1:45 PM To: Peter Saracino <petersarac...@gmail.com<mailto:petersarac...@gmail.com>> Cc: CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Spotting scope question This is probably a ridiculous question but does anyone have an idea of anything out there for using angled scope within a vehicle? Its not impossible from an engineering perspective but don't think any company has pursued for obvious reasons On Mon, Apr 27, 2020, 8:45 PM Peter Saracino <petersarac...@gmail.com<mailto:petersarac...@gmail.com>> wrote: Hi folks. I'm in the market for a relatively inexpensive (but halfway decent)spotting scope (straight barrel), and am wondering if anyone out there can recommend one. Thank you. Pete Sar -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
