New spotting scope on the market...

Sparks

A while ago we were talking about using astronomical telescopes for spotting scopes. Seems someone was listening...
From the archery forum (thanks to renegade_archer for the spot!):
http://www.lasc.us/RangingShotWeaver90ETX.htm

Weaver's 90mm Green Giant
by Todd Spotti

was blown away at last year’s Shot Show when I saw a prototype of a new 90mm spotting scope from Weaver - the ETX. It looked identical to Meade’s 90mm astronomical telescope, but at the same time it some how looked different. (As you know, Meade, the largest manufacturer of amateur astronomical telescopes in the world, bought Weaver, Simmons, and Redfield in 2003.) As I looked the ETX over, it suddenly hit me. The scope wasn’t attached to the usual motorized fork mount that tracks the movement of the stars as they move across the night sky. It was simply screwed on to the top of a sturdy tripod just like a regular spotting scope.
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However, the biggest surprise of all came when the Meade marketing rep told me that the scope would sell for around $300 - far, far less than what the astronomical version costs.
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it was no surprise to see that the Weaver 90 ETX has a focal length of 1250mm’s (48.75 inches) while the overall length of the tube is only 11 inches.
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Let me say up front that this type of spotting scope is very different than the normal spotter that we’re accustomed to working with. First of all, this isn’t a sealed, nitrogen filled, shock proof, water proofed, rubber armored product. As such, and because of it’s size, it’s not really suitable for being taken into the field on a hunt. However, the lack of those characteristics doesn’t prevent it from doing a clearly superior job in the more benign environment found at a shooting range.
Another characteristic of this particular type of scope is that magnification is controlled by switching out removable, drop in eyepieces. To change magnification, all one has to do is back off a set screw with a little knob on the end, pull the lens out, and insert another lens from a large selection available from Meade or any number of other suppliers. Tighten up the set screw and you’re ready to go. The ETX 90 comes standard with a 26 mm eyepiece which provides 48X in magnification.
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When I made my next trip to the range, I included a Meade 40mm eyepiece in my Uncle Mike’s range bag. This lens produces around 30X of magnification versus the 26mm’s 48X and the field of view is much wider. When coupled with the ETX, the 40mm lens produced an even more brilliant image, a very nice field of view, and 30mm’s of eye relief. (On some other spotting scopes, you’ll get only somewhere between 7 and 12 mm’s of eye relief.) The 40mm lens made all the difference in the world in the scope’s performance.
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When Meade/Weaver says that you can read license plates a half mile away with the ETX, I believe them. The resolution or clarity/crispness of the image with the 40mm Meade lens is the best I’ve ever seen in any spotting scope - no matter what the cost, and I don’t say this lightly. As you know, I’ve reported on a lot of spotting scopes over the years that produce excellent images, however I can definitely say that the image in this scope is the very best I’ve ever seen by a substantial margin.
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As it turned out, at the very top of one of the more distant foothills, perhaps a mile away, is a lone yucca plant - a type of succulent/cactus. In the center of the plant is a stalk about 3’ high with a flower at the top. That stalk is perhaps an inch and a half wide, and yet the Weaver was able to resolve it with no problem. In fact, the Weaver was also able to resolve individual blades of grass around the yucca plant and even a weed called fox tail which is very common in the West and which resembles wheat. People were amazed as fox tail stalks are only around an eighth to a quarter inch in diameter! Just think of it. A quarter inch resolution at one mile. I’ve never seen spotting scope performance like this - ever.
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One last technical point - the scope will actually focus down to 12 feet. Amazing!
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The price of the ETX 90 has evidently risen about 10% over the last couple of months. I see it’s commonly selling from the catalog retailers in the $325 - $330 range, which is still a tremendous bargain. A good quality 40mm eyepiece (very highly recommended) can be picked up at any of several places catering to amateur astronomy buffs. They run anywhere between $50 and $75. (Orion at www.telescope.com is a good place to check.) When you call them, tell them you want the eyepiece for a Meade 90mm ETX spotter. They may not be aware that the Weaver is the same thing with a different paint job. BTW, use the 26mm lens that’s supplied with the scope for viewing of the moon. The view is absolutely spectacular!!

Bottom line - this spotter will provide you with the very best resolution on the market, for a total cost of only around $400. How do you beat that? You can’t.

Vegeta

looks like a serious bit of kit alright

Sparks

Yeah, and for $400. That's not too shabby. I've got my own AHG scope already, but for something like this, I wouldn't mind trading up once I start shooting smallbore seriously again.

Sparks

Actually, it might be of interest to the long-range guys as well, if that 1/4" at one mile claim is accurate.

17HMR

Can anyone suggest spotting scope magnifications for different ranges ?

I have a cheap and cheerful Seben 60x I got off eBay and it seems only slightly more powerful (and less clear !) than the image seen through my Swift Premier 8-32x 50 at maximum magnification looking at a tar..., ehem, rabbit at 100m.

Vegeta

I could really do with one of these, oh i wish i had more money roll on next year when i get a) a raise and b) have my stupid loan paid off

any idea where to buy one of those bad boys

Sparks

17HMR wrote:

Can anyone suggest spotting scope magnifications for different ranges ?

The magnification's not so much a factor as the objective lens size; that determines how much light the scope gathers and so how high the magnification can go. Getting replacement eyepieces is relatively easy; getting replacement objective lenses is as expensive in many cases as buying a new scope.

For indoors up to 25yds, a 20-40x50 or 20-40x60 scope (for the uninitiated curious guest readers, that's magnificationxobjective lens diameter in millimeters) always did us fine. If you were using backing cards, it would get out to 50m on a sunny day with well-lit cards, but it was marginal at best. At 100yds, forget it unless you had bloody good eyesight. My current AHG is an 80mm lens and works fine at 50m most of the time and is okay at 100yards, but the 100mm lenses do give a superior (as in, easier to see) picture at both ranges.

The ETX above looks better than that, though I'd prefer to compare before buying.

Rovi

Here we go, $349 gets you the scope, 3 eyepieces, and an 'Erect Image Prism' (turns the image the right way up)-
http://meade.telescopes.com/products/meade-etx-90-spotting-scope-w3-piece-eyepiece-package-standard-coatings-6475.html

Plus shipping, of course. :rolleyes:

Lots of options here- http://meade.telescopes.com/site_search/index.php?keywords=ETX%20Spotting%20Scopes

Sparks

Rovi wrote:

'Erect Image Prism' (turns the image the right way up)

Sure you'd need one of those? I'd have thought a spotting scope would already have one fitted!

Rovi

Sparks wrote:

Sure you'd need one of those? I'd have thought a spotting scope would already have one fitted!

I have no idea
It's included in that particular kit, so I suppose it serves some useful purpose.
It also gives "a more comfortable viewing position", apparently.

Vegeta

dam a tripod is quite expensive

Rovi

Vegeta wrote:

dam a tripod is quite expensive

Ah well, my OTHER money-pit hobby is photography, so at least I'm covered there. :rolleyes:

Sparks

Rovi wrote:

It also gives "a more comfortable viewing position", apparently.

Well, hanging upside down from the roof would be a tad akward...

demonloop

It looks too 'breakable' to me, I'd have it in pieces in 5 minutes, but then I'm like that with equipment

Sparks

Always stovepiping .22 rounds with your fingers, eh DL?

demonloop

Sparks wrote:

Always stovepiping .22 rounds with your fingers, eh DL?

Not far from the truth

Seriously that scope is a nice piece of kit, although I think I'm gonna go for the ahg one myself. Pricey little bugger too though!!

Hooly

Hey there Sparks! Sorry to bother you, but I am trying to find a new home for a Meade Deluxe Field Tripod and not sure where to search. You sound like a person who knows people who would be interested in such an item!
Had a dig around the astronomy ireland websites but didnt find a suitable forum and ebay is my nightmare.

Wonder if you could help?

Thanks!

Hooly

bullets

I got a meade Telecope for Christmas they were selling
them in Lidl for about 150 Euro. Pretty Good I must say
for the price. And you get a computer/remote to control
the movements.

They will probably get them in again at some stage.

~B

Hooly

thanks b. was confusing last night. i'm selling one. thanks for your help though!!