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OpticsBlog – Thoughts and reviews of binoculars, telescopes, scopes, sights, and much more - birdwatching, astronomy, target shooting - pretty much anything related to optics, nature, and life!Thursday, May 29, 2008The bicycle effect on binoculars
Almost all things, optical, that I own, personally, are small. This is dictated, in part, by my keep it simple life style and, in part, by my bicycle lifestyle. If it cannot be carried on a bicycle, a binocular, spotting scope or digital camera will not see much use by yours, truly. It's all relative, though. I do own a rather large binocular in my 10x70 astronomy binocular, but, compared to a telescope, even a 10x70 binocular is more portable and, with a backpack, I can still bicycle a binocular this large to a dark sky site. See you out under the stars.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008SLR versus G9
Been thinking of replacing my small point and shoot digital camera with a larger, higher performance digital camera, but I can't bring myself to sacrifice the portability of the smaller digital cameras. Guess I've been spoiled with these cameras that are small enough to slip in a purse or the back pocket on my cycling jersey. Is there a compromise? Maybe. I've been looking at the Canon G9. Not that the 6x optical zoom is a big deal, but I do like having an optical viewfinder and a layout a bit more reminiscent of a DSLR. Size-wise, it may just fit in the purse, though I may have to go with a bigger purse. Hmmm
Tuesday, May 27, 2008Bird survey by bike
First really nice weekend, weather-wise, so I spent most of it on the bicycle (logged 162 miles), but I did see a few birds and talked to a few birders. We agreed that the spring warbler migration is pretty much over, but I did manage to get a Cerulean with my Zeiss compact binocular on Saturday, along the bike trail. Then too, there is still so much bird activity with all the birds singing and rushing about to nest, who could put their binocular away? Still a lot of wonderful resident birds to see. At one of my rest stops along the trail, a Savannah Sparrow took turns with a Song Sparrow, singing from the same small tree near a prairie marsh. Now that's entertainment.
Monday, May 26, 2008A good tripod or cheap tripod
Sometimes amazes me how people will spend big dollars on a camera or spotting scope, then stick a cheap tripod under it. Over the years, I have learned the hard way the price you pay when using a cheap tripod, especially those with plastic heads. Ever seen a $2000 spotting scope bite the dust when a plastic tripod head cracked? I have and it isn't pretty. Other issue is stability. Add a 25x100 giant binocular to a light tripod and you have an useable binocular, no matter how good the optics. Good optics deserve a good tripod.
Thursday, May 22, 2008Gooseneck magnifier
A must have for any hobbyist is a gooseneck style magnifier, such as the Carson Magnifly. I have used this type of magnifier for tying flies, as the name indicates, but also for studying insects, working on model trains with my nephew and I have a friend who uses a gooseneck style magnifier to make jewelry. In other words, anytime you need hands free, a gooseneck magnifier is a great way to go. For me, at least, this type of magnifier is less of a hassle than clip ons or visor type magnifiers.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008A refractor in every room
Okay, this is not a rehash of the refractor versus reflectors versus all the other telescope designs. This is a more personal and intimate reason for liking refractors. Fact is, I just like refractor telescopes, especially small, high quality refractors. Maybe it's because a refractor was my first telescope, but mostly it's because small refractors suit my go light, keep it simple lifestyle. At this point in my life, living off a bicycle as I do, there is simply no room for large telescopes or complicated and fragile telescope designs. If I can't thow it in a pack and carry it on a bike or over my shoulder, a telescope is not going to see much use. To get to even a marginal observing site, I have to walk or ride to a park, several blocks away. Even when I use a telescope on my patio, it is typically a grab and go proposition. Long live the refractor.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008Compact binoculars for birders
Had a good warbler day on Sunday (finally), despite temps in the 40s and a nasty north wind. Go figure. Guess the warblers decided to move, weather or no weather. Anyway, I managed 10 species for the day and, remarkably, all from one spot on the bike trail, early in the morning. That is definitely my best, single stop record. The list includes Wilson's, Orange-crowned, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Redstart, Tennessee, Prothonotary, Yellow-rumped, Yellow and Yellowthroat. Once again, despite the clouds, the little Zeiss 8x20 binocular came through, contrary to what some will claim about compact binoculars not being suitable for birding. To be sure, it is as much the birder as the binocular, but experienced birders should consider compact binoculars a viable alternative when portability is an issue.
Monday, May 19, 2008Compact digiscoping
Had some excellent digiscoping opportunities over the weekend for some song birds, namely a Bobolink and a Magnolia Warbler, both at about a distance of 10 yards. That's the good news. The bad news is no spotting scope or digital camera to take pics. I've been trying to find a good compact digiscoping package that I could carry on the bicycle, since I do almost all my birding, these days, off a bicycle. Seems a shame to waste such great digiscoping opportunities, but I get very fussy about carrying weight on the bicycle. Might have to look into one those 50mm ED scopes like the Nikon Fieldscope 50ED.
Thursday, May 15, 2008Vixen telescope option
Been lusting after a Televue 85 for some time, now, but can't say my bank account agrees. To keep the internal peace, I have been considering a less expensive, though still quality, option in the Vixen ED81SWT. This Japanese telescope may not measure up to overall quality of a Televue, but it's no slouch and has recieved some excellent reviews. The money I save would allow me to add a Vixen Porta mount, plus an eyepiece or two. Be the perfect grab and go scope and would look nice in either my living room or my patio. Tough choice, but it is nice to have a choice when it comes to quality APO refractors. Where's that rebate?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008Turn off the TV and grab a spotting scope
Hey, all you television addicts! Did you know that you can sit and relax and enjoy an even better show by heading outdoors with a spotting scope and a portable chair? One of my favorite things to do is to sit behind a spotting scope at a local marsh and watch all the shore birds, waterfowl, wading birds and other bird groups, not to mention all the other types of wildlife. Best of all, no commercials and lots of sunshine and fresh air, plus, you never know how the show will end. Turn off the TV, grab a spotting scope and a tripod and head to the nearest marsh.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008Concert cameras
Low light plus a moving subject means a headache for a photographer and the only cure is a large (fast) camera lens to speed up shutter time and have any possibility of avoiding a blurred image. That's why folks who ask me to recommend a small digital point and shoot camera or, worse, a digital camera binocular, to get shots at a concert are disappointed when I send them right to the most expensive option - an SLR camera and a large aperture lens. Sorry, the small lens and anemic flash on a small digital point and shoot camera are not up to the task and no digital binocular even offers flash. Of course, if you can get the entertainer to stop dead still and get right up close with a good accessory light, so you can get a nice pic, it might be another story. Wouldn't count on it, though.
Monday, May 12, 2008Live View digital
One of the new developments in digital SLR cameras is the Live View function on the LCD screen. This is a big plus for those who want to use an SLR camera for digiscoping. On DSLRs without a Live View LCD screen, you have to step and look through the viewfinder to frame and focus, just like the old days when we used film SLR cameras on spotting scopes - definitely not comfortable and not fast. It's one of the reasons digiscoping with small digital point and shoots has always been more popular as a camera for digiscoping. Now with Liveview, as found on the Canon 40D, Xts and Pentax 20D, you get the convenience of using the LCD screen for framing and focusing, just like on a digital point and shoot. Ain't technology grand?
Wednesday, May 07, 2008Colorful birding
Walked the bike along a Forest Preserve trail on the commute home, last night, to do some birding. Can't say I saw any new warblers, but it was certainly a colorful session of birding. In my compact binocular, indeed, any birding binocular, a Scarlet Tanager and a Baltimore Oriole make a spectacular sight. Males of both species are a delight to behold and, as a special bonus, the Oriole sang as it perched a mere twenty or so yards, away. Again, where is the spotting scope and digital camera when I need them? Oh, well, only so much gear a girl can pack on a bike as she commutes to and from work.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008Birds in the binocular and spotting scope
Windy and rainy over much of the weekend, but some warblers were moving. Can't remember the last time I saw so many Palm Warblers. Got to the point where I didn't bother raising the Zeiss 8x20 compact binocular, despite its light weight, anytime I saw a warbler twitching its tail. Of course, I also picked up many Yellow-rumped and Tennessee warblers with the little Zeiss compact and also a couple of Yellowthroats and a fair number of Yellow warblers as well. In the spotting scope, I had a great view of a Ruddy duck male in full breeding plumage, but no digital camera, so no pic. Ouch. The birds are moving, though.
Monday, May 05, 2008The Human Touch massage chair for astronomers
For those of you putting long hours with an astronomy binocular or telescope, you might want to do your back and neck a favor afterwards with a session on a HumanTouch massage chair. Be nice to set a Human Touch out on the lawn while you observe, but problem is you'd find yourself falling a sleep instead of observing. We have a Human Touch massage chair, here at OpticsPlanet, and our employees fall asleep in it all the time it's so comfortable.
Telescopes for Saturn
It sometimes surprise me how many people think they need a large and expensive telescope just to see planets, even Jupiter and Saturn. Fact is, if you are familiar with the sky, you can spot these planets with nothing more than a binocular, though a typical binocular will not have enough magnification to show Saturn's rings. Still, any telescope, even the smallest telescope, will show you the rings of Saturn. I first saw the rings in my old 60mm refractor. Of course, if you want to see Saturn and Jupiter in fine detail, you will need to get into a serious telescope. Point is, no matter what you own, you should get out there and use it.
Thursday, May 01, 2008Great wide open with a telescope
The wide-open spaces that others shun as being too desolate, intimidating and barren are near to my heart for many reasons. One of these is the horizon to horizon view you get when doing astronomy. When using a telescope or a binocular on the southern constellations, you pick up objects that you seldom see when surrounded by a landscape with trees. Another benefit that goes hand-in-hand with wide-open spaces is a dark sky. Want to turn your little telescope into a big telescope? Travel to a dark sky site. Going west on vacation? Be sure to take a small telescope or, at least, a binocular and do some astronomy.
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