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Pentax PF65 ED |
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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Posted: October/20/2008 at 07:09 |
I had the chance to compare several spotting scopes last week. Won't go into details, but the Pentax 65 mm ED with the SMC eyepiece was absolutely unbelievably good.
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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Is that SMC a variable? Thanks, I'm obviously not familiar with them.
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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Yes, and it is expensive, but the overall package (scope+lens) is well worth it.
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 8902 |
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Some info available here from the Pentax site:
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God save the Empire!
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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Is the SMC variable the one that comes with the PF65 ED package? If not, is a person well advised to get the pentax body only and get the SMC instead? Thanks.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I have the PF80ED and really, really like it. it is huge, but very clear, very sharp, great color - and the best eyepiece in the business.
Enjoy the scope, it is a great deal in a spotter. |
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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Usually yes. Just make sure that it is the XW/SMC series Pentax zoom.
As these scopes take any 1.25" astronomical eyepiece, the possibilities are tempting and endless.
There are many eyepieces out there, from $30 to $500. You could start with just the body and a $70 eyepiece, decide whether you want a zoom or a fixed power wide angle eyepiece (and what magnification), and later purchase a premium eyepiece when funds permit.
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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The Pentax SMC XW zoom eyepiece will give you a magnification range of 16x-48x in the 65 mm scope. It is of higher quality than the Pentax XF zoom eyepiece, which will give you a magnification rage of 20-60x in the 65 mm scope.
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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Just to show you the possibilities at the upper end,
check out the Tele Vue Ethos 13 mm eyepiece ($620) : it will give you about 30x magnification in the 65 mm scope, with 100 degrees of edge to edge sharpness and incredible contrast.
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dahoffman72
Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/14/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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I have several of the Pentax eyepieces offer someone who is interested, I just cannot post them as yet.
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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There is a reason why you cannot post your items for sale. And yet, you persist in telling everyone in numerous places that you have them whilst bemoaning that you don't yet have the requisite permissions.
Rather than wasting everyone's time, why don't you just be patient, spend some time at the site, contribute to some posts in a meaningful way, and let people get to know you a little? It won't take hardly any time at all and you'll have earned the appropriate permissions and in the meantime, you won't create a bad reputation for yourself that will most assuredly cause you more difficulty in selling your items than will this short little "probationary" period.
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Smokey53119
Optics Apprentice Joined: November/02/2005 Status: Offline Points: 165 |
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Touche'
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wyobowhunter1
Optics GrassHopper Joined: March/29/2009 Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Is the SMC XW zoom eyepiece the one that comes with the pentax scope on samplelist.com? I am looking pretty hard at that spotter.Thanks!!!
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Vegetarian- old indian word for bad hunter
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dahoffman72
Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/14/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Wyobowhunter, the eyepiece which comes with the scope normally is the SMC Zoom which is a 8-24mm which equates to a 20 - 60 zoom. As far as I know the XL and XW series are all fixed focal lengths.
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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No, it is not. The scope on the samplelist is the XF zoom which is Pentax's lower-end zoom. It is the one that typically is included with the PF65 as a kit. The SMC zoom eyepiece can be found here: http://www.swfa.com/pc-7334-2849-new-pentax-zoom-eyepiece.aspx It costs $460 all by itself, but the images it produces are fantastic. |
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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The eyepiece that comes with the PF65 is the lower-end XF model. The SMC eyepiece is included with the purchase of the PF80 and/or PF100 kits. Edited by lucznik - April/16/2009 at 20:29 |
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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As an owner and user of the PF80, the upgraded eyepiece is worth the extra $$!
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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The "default" eyepiece that comes with the Pentax PF65ED spotter is the XF zoom (I have one) which is pretty decent for the money, but not nearly as good as the higher end XW and SMC zoom eyepieces.
ILya |
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smschulz
Optics GrassHopper Joined: May/17/2009 Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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I recently got rid of my Leupold Wind River 15x45 60mm spotter and replaced it with the Pentax 65EDIIa (angle) and the better SMC Zoom eyepeice (#70509). WHAT a difference! There is no comparison in the quality of the optics. I know it is kinda expensive but I was tired of not being able to see 223/556 paper holes at 200yds and straining at 100 yards. I do not have that problem now and for good reason as I am shopping for a 308 bolt rifle and will be shooting 300yds +.
Nice spotter.
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