Small Scopes: January 2006

2006 Hunting Optics Roundup

Interested in hunting or stealthy animal observation? This story rounds up new products for 2006. Camo is a cool look in any case.

Bushnell Binocs: Cheesy or Not?

A story in the Dallas Morning News about free bank gifts claims the gifts are still a hit in attracting new customers:

Mr. Gresham's company designs customer-incentive and loyalty programs for banks. Like it or not, free gifts are a big part of those programs.

"We're not claiming this is more important than convenience and customer service, but it's the minimum you have to do to even compete," he said. "If you don't offer those things, you don't have a chance of retaining customers."

Free gifts even beat out cash in attracting customers, he said.

"What the consumers tell us is that cash was vaporware," Mr. Gresham said. "There's no association back to the bank with that cash.

"We use the gift as the tipping point to call them to action. There's a greed factor to every person, and getting something for nothing creates a call to action. There's a trophy value associated with a physical item that's given."

Mr. Gresham's company doesn't deal in cheesy items. We're talking Pyrex Portables, Bushnell binoculars and Mikasa crystal picture frames.

Call me strange, but most Bushnell products are pretty cheesy to me. I'd much rather have the cash!

Thralow: sites for every sight

A press release reports that Thralow, Inc. has recently purchased www.spottingscopes.com, to go along with www.binoculars.com, www.telescopes.com and several others. It seems they've hit on a formula that works.

Advice for beginning stargazers

The Community Press Online provides advice for beginning stargazers:

You can see enough stars with your naked eye or a good pair of binoculars, says Sandra Ferguson, speaker at the Brown Bag Lunch on January 18.

“Get binoculars,” she recommends. “They are far better than a telescope. Telescopes have a smaller field of vision. If you don’t recognize where you are looking, it is hard to find things. Telescopes can be very expensive.”

She uses a 7 x 50 binoculars which is a standard lens and makes objects appear seven times closer, similar to a birdwatcher’s pair. Sandra is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, Belleville chapter, and has been studying the stars and teaching astronomy in schools for 30 years.

She had a couple of tips for novice star gazers. First get a star chart that shows the constellations for that time of year. Next get a piece of red cellophane to put over your flashlight so you can read the star chart while outside at night. “The red doesn’t bother your eyes,” she says.

...

Saturn brightest for 2006

From CNN International:

January 27 marks the night that Saturn arrives at opposition to the sun; rising in the east as the sun sets, peaking high in the south at midnight and setting in the west at sunrise.
Without question Saturn's famous rings make it the telescopic showpiece of the night sky. In small telescopes, they always surprise observers, both novice and veteran alike, with their striking beauty. Any telescope magnifying more than 30-power will show them quite well.

Great for anyone, any scope.

Finally! A practical portable optics stand!?

This tripod walking stick has potential! It may solve the age-old problem of having something both portable and useful. The extreme length of the neck will surely make it less stable than a true tripod, but hey, if you don't have to constantly keep a hand on it like a monopod. On the other hand, I hope it doesn't provide a false sense of security and result in expensive accidents with the slightest breeze or bump.

It's $139.99 from Trek-Tech.

350 Pound Binoculars!

One amateur astronomer built his own observatory, and...a set of 8" diameter 350 pound binoculars?!?!?

Connors said he also attended conventions and joined the Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society. He wanted his own telescope, but when he learned it would cost about $4,000 to build one, he decided to use his combination of skills to construct his own.
He bought a lens from the society and built his first telescope, an 8-inch, F-6 refractor in a graphite tube on an equatorial mount.
He then built two more telescopes and turned them into a set of 350-pound binoculars with two 6-inch, F-15 refractors.

...

He loved using the binoculars and sharing his love for stargazing with others. However, it took an hour and 20 minutes to set them up. He figured the answer to eliminating the cumbersome task would be to build his own observatory.

A lame parade float, no matter your political views

News that the Minutemen border patrol organization has been rejected for participation in the Laguna Beach Patriots' Day Parade:

The Minuteman Project, co-founded by Gilchrist, uses volunteer civilians to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border for illegal immigrants. Gilchrist ran unsuccessfully for the 48th congressional district last year and has suggested he may challenge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for re-election.

The organization proposed a float bearing dancers who would perform a choreographed act with binoculars and folding chairs to imitate border patrollers and another group of actors in Revolutionary War costumes, Gilchrist said Monday during a telephone interview. About 400 civilian volunteers would follow the float on foot, he said.

It brings back memories of Rob Lowe signing with Snow White at the 1989 Academy Awards. Lame.

Urban 'bird' watching in Singapore

This story details one use for binoculars. No comment.

"...I'm referring to this guy in Woodlands who was questioned by the police recently because he paraded naked before his window and an offended woman living in the opposite block called the cops.
True, he was more than just naked. According to news reports, he was, ah, sexually 'relieving' himself in full public view.

What's wrong with the guy? Why couldn't he have done that in the toilet or in front of the computer like the rest of the male population?

Of course, I don't know what's wrong with the neighbour either. See, in the old days when policemen wore shorts, one would intentionally look into your neighbours' window hoping to catch a glimpse of some action, with the lights off and a pair of binoculars.

In those days, nobody complained about seeing naked bodies. In fact, it was pretty much a bonus.

Of course, I never did anything like that. I was never rich enough to own a pair of binoculars powerful enough."

It's better when you don't need binoculars

A story about visiting the Galapagos islands makes a very good point:

"Visiting nine islands in seven days, my fellow Polaris passengers and I got the point that this is a Mother Nature hotspot. With all the animals we viewed, I was surprised I found the birds among the most appealing. Being able to walk up to hundreds of them at close range made bird watching far more interesting than that thing with binoculars."

If only the scenery were always so cooperative.

Mini digital camera or binoculars in disguise?

Stuff Magazine raises an interesting point: small digital cameras can function as makeshift binoculars (or, more properly, a monocular). The obvious drawback is that extended viewing will suck your batteries dry and result in missed photos, but as the technology progresses it should become a viable option.

Changing the scenery

A fascinating article in the Chinook Observer sketches the history of a rapidly changing coastline.

Basic Concept: In the past 150 years, the Willapa Entrance has changed dramatically. Charts and topographic maps of 150 years ago show a long spit arching down to the southeast from Cape Shoalwater into the entrance, and the main channel near present day Leadbetter Point. Successive charts map the shift of the main channel northward over the next 150 years. During those decades, Cape Shoalwater disappeared into the surf and Leadbetter Point built up out of the surf and extended northward. This situation is not unique to this or any other coastline, and serves as a severe reminder of the fragility of coastal lands built of sand. Similar stories could be told for Grays Harbor and Columbia Entrances; see Komar for several such tales on the Oregon Coast.
...

Lightsmith: affordable video imaging system

The Lightsmith video platform promises big big things for only $199.99. In essence, it adapts your own camcorder for video capture, and can be adapted to telescopes or microscopes.

"The concept is simple. Any camcorder can be positioned above the Lightsmith platform using the flexible camera arm. Our patent pending reversible camera mount lets the user capture video images right side up and from any angle desired. Powered by the camcorder's AC power supply, images of amazing resolution can be displayed on a TV, an LCD projector, or a computer. Unlike other visual presenters, hours of presentations can be easily captured to tape or DVD for later editing or review. And by taking advantage of a camcorder’s fold-out LCD screen to see what is being displayed, a Lightsmith can always be operated facing the students. Can you tell that a teacher designed this?"

It received a rave review from thejournal.com. After outlining many typical uses and new discoveries, the article concludes:

"I've always loved camcorders, but I'm still amazed at how this familiar tool has been transformed in our classrooms. Our district is now using more than 30 Lightsmith Video Platforms with either Digital 8 or DV camcorders, and new ideas just keep coming. And with a Lightsmith Video Platform at only $200, and digital camcorders running about $350, it's the best presentation technology bargain we've seen."

Seems like it has potential for almost any optics application.

Imported elk and tourism

A story from Kentucky discusses the impact of importing elk on tourism and wildlife watching:

When the idea of reintroducing elk into the Eastern Kentucky mountains was little more than a wistful dream floating around the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources' Game Farm headquarters, one of the potential byproducts foreseen was a boost in tourism.
After all, wildlife watching is big business, and elk are among the rock stars of the animal world.
According to a 2001 survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1.36 million Kentuckians spend about $6 million annually watching, feeding and photographing various critters. Nationwide the numbers are a staggering 66.1 million people spending $38.4 billion.
With a little help from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the project literally hit the ground running in 1997 when seven elk were released. During the next five years hundreds more were transplanted from various Western states.
Today Kentucky boasts the largest free-ranging herd east of the Mississippi River, with about 5,500 elk. Hunting opportunities are expanding -- 200 tags will be offered through a quota draw this year -- and the big animals are free to roam across a 16-county restoration zone. Elk-related complaints have been few.
The animals' impact on tourism has been difficult to gauge, according to Parks Department spokesman Doug Bennett, but elk watchers are standing in line to get on the bus.
"Our trips nearly always fill up," said Trinity Shepherd, the naturalist at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park near Prestonsburg. "We could take twice as many as we have room for. Probably more than that."
Jenny Wiley has six elk tours scheduled now through early March. If you want to go, Shepherd suggests making reservations early.
"Definitely," he said. "The sooner the better."
The park tours have access to a slice of elk range most people don't get to see. The van trips go to the Starfire area in Perry County, which is part of an active mining operation that is otherwise off-limits to the public aside from a handful of limited-entry permits for the fall elk hunt.
"The location we go to is the spot where elk were first reintroduced," Jenny Wiley park manager Scott Ringham said. "Nearly every trip we have is sold out."
...

Hunting without the hunting

A story in the Princeton Packet sketches the bird calling and watching experience of a hunter, without the hunting. This seems to bring together people who may not normally associate, such as bird watchers and hunters:

The job of participants is literally to hide, behind cedars and bayberry, within river birch. The job of the ranger is to imitate the calls of wild ducks, using different hand-carved calls, which are among hunters' most prized tools. These slender instruments, chilled by onshore winds, can sound high and panicky at first, then deepen. Each whittled call creates a different sound. One signals "food here!," another, which sportsmen call "the hook," induces fowl to hook back in for a second look.
Mr. Harley's tools are working decoys and calls. They are not the artistic version, made for show, and frequently sold for thousands of dollars.
"Decoys have to persuade," the ranger instructs. "Those ducks are smart — it's life and death." Duck shapes of plastic or foam are precisely weighted so as to bob convincingly on the water. "Every time I put out a spread, it's fresh (different)," he said. Fellow fowl-watchers, tucked behind shrubs and downed trees, "make use of natural cover — nothing man-made. I call them 'hides', not blinds."
Piedad Bernikow, an attorney whose wildlife photography has been published "all over the world," took her first duck-hike with Ranger Harley early this month.
Ms. Bernikow is a regular preserve visitor because she finds nature "gorgeous — and this place 'a little bit of heaven.'" What she most enjoyed about her hike, "apart from when the ranger fell in the water," was that "he led us on 'a trail not taken.'"

Simulating bad optics

Once upon a time I worked in the video game industry. I'm torn between amazement at what's possible, and wondering why gamers don't just go outside once in a while:

"The graphics are excellent, with explosive sound. It might seem silly, but just watching the tank shells explode — the way they kick up the desert sand and shred the other side’s machines — was fun to see. When the player looks through his character’s binoculars, the lenses are scuffed and scratched from previous hard use."

In The Sims you can 1) clean the house, 2) sleep, and 3) use the restroom. It's one of the biggest hits of the last 10 years, and a pretty good summary of why I no longer work in that field.

Satellite Gazing

USA Today has a story on satellite gazing:

"People are surprised," says Pinizzotto. "They ask, 'What night can I see a satellite?' No, it's 'How many satellites can I see on any given night?' "

Pinizzotto logged 40 one summer evening from a lawn chair in Maine. The dean of science and engineering at Merrimack College here, he's also an avid satellite observer, one in a subset of skygazers who like their astronomy with an earthbound twist.

Part bird-watchers, part train-spotters, these people know their star charts. But they are as likely to rhapsodize about a sighting of the International Space Station, XM Radio's geostationary duo (dubbed "Rock" and "Roll"), or an iridium flare (a flash of reflected sunlight from a communications satellite) as they are to gush about a glimpse of Saturn's rings.

This game is as old as Sputnik, and it can often be played from any dark spot with the unaided eye. (Warning: It's hard to stop.) But participants' skills have improved along with sky-tracking software and good, inexpensive telescopes and mounts.

I've tried to do this informally for years, sky permitting. The most common thing people say is "Are you sure that's not an airplane?" Well, no I'm not sure, not always...

Upper size limit for Small Scopes?

This story from UPI describes a discovery with a "small" 0.9 meter telescope:

"The astronomers used the Exoplanet Tracker on the special 0.9-meter Coude feed system within the National Science Foundation's 2.1-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Ariz.

The new planet is the most distant ever found using the Doppler technique with a telescope mirror less than 1 meter in size. There are hundreds of such telescopes worldwide, compared with just a handful of the larger telescopes more commonly used in planet finding, researchers said."

I'm impressed by the feat, but my definition of small means scopes that can be carried by a single individual, and generally with one hand.

Amazing archery

Here's an amazing story on archery by a blind woman:

Janice, like the rest of the field, shoots 120 arrows — 40 rounds of three, or "ends" in archery parlance — over 9 hours in two days during the weekend. A perfect score is 1,200, meaning 120 10s. The best in this tournament is 1,140.
Janice scores 435.
"Last year I shot 478. I'm disappointed because I wanted to beat last year's score. And, since I have nobody else to compete against, I compete against myself."
Asked if she beat anybody, she says, "I may have beaten one of the 6-year-olds. I doubt that I beat many people, but I don't care."
Her mother adds, "She does her personal best, and that's where it is right now."
Walth is on a two-fold mission: improve her score to the point she's challenging the lower level of "sighted" archers; and, above all, promote the sport among the blind.

Eyepiece Comparison: Premium Zoom vs. $8.95 Cheapie

Here's an eyepiece comparison between an apple and an orange, but interesting nonetheless.

As discussed in earlier posts, my Pentax 65mm scope is often packaged and sold with the Pentax XF Zoom eyepiece. The XF Zoom is sold at a premium price (roughly $250 street), and generally receives solid evaluations. Now, a match-up with the extreme opposite in price. Adorama.com is selling the Celestron 10mm SMA (Super Modified Achromatic) eyepiece for $8.95 plus shipping. This makes it essentially the cheapest 1.25" eyepiece on the market.

I purchased the Celestron SMA thinking it would serve as a "poor quality benchmark" to counterbalance the XF Zoom as a "high quality benchmark," but things didn't turn out exactly as I expected.

The XF Zoom results in 20x to 60x power in the Pentax 65mm scope, and the fixed power SMA falls right in the middle at 39x. Here's a comparison of the two:

Field of View

XF Zoom: Feels fairly wide at all magnifications, it's easy to find objects at 20x.
SMA: Relatively narrow and tight, requires substantial hunting to find a target.

Image Clarity

XF Zoom: Sharp at 20x with slight chromatic fringing, remains sharp through 40x. Gets progressively worse beyond 40x and resolves less detail at 60x than 40x.
SMA: Very sharp, minimal color fringing, resolves slightly greater detail than the XF Zoom at any magnification. Stars and lights are round and well defined.

Eye Relief

XF Zoom: Good 15mm relief at 20x makes it comfortable for basic scanning. It shrinks to 11mm at 60x, which feels as if the eyepiece is declining in performance. Actually it's pretty decent unless you wear glasses. The fancy screw up cover allows precise eye positioning.
SMA: Terrible eye relief. It's an eyelash tickler. The cheap rubber eyecup folds down for a little more room.

Apparent Brightness

XF Zoom: Very bright at 20x and still quite usable in low-light at 60x. It creates an unnaturally bright image in some situations.
SMA: Not as bright as the XF Zoom at low magnification, but always usable.

Comments and Conclusions

XF Zoom: I greatly prefer this eyepiece for locating objects and casual browsing that involves near and far objects. The zoom feature is often worth the lack of clarity at high magnification.
SMA: This stomps the zoom for extended viewing of stationary targets. The narrow field of view makes it less than ideal for general use.

Tako John Revealed

Tako John with the view of the white sands and Pebble Beach at Carmel-By-The-Sea

Here's my picture. It was taken on a day trip from the sea. I'd love visit the beach more often but it's murder on my skin.

Web optics sales up

A financial report on the company that owns Telescopes.com and Binoculars.com, Thralow Inc., mentions $20 million in revenue and 57% growth over 2004 for the company overall.

More on the Celestron SkyScout

CNet UK also has a story on the Celestron SkyScout, and includes the photo shown above. As always, a picture is worth 1,000 words. This GPS sky monocular looks quite portable and versatile--it may have non-astronomy applications such as hiking, surveying, etc. The price is reported as $399, which seems about right to me.

Honoring those who made digiscoping possible

The inventors of the Charge Coupled Device (CCD) have received the $500,000 Charles Stark Draper Prize. Without the CCD there'd be no video cameras, no digital cameras, and no digiscoping. It's hard to overstate the huge impact of CCDs on modern life.

The utmost in convenience...and dorkiness

Sportbinox has a product that should sell well to drunken insominacs who watch infomercials and need a gift for unfortunate relatives. These binoculars marry what looks like a a welding mask headband with a pair of rudimentary binoculars, and a radio on some models.

This concept is by no means new--they've sold head band magnifiers for decades--but I'll pass on this one.

Celestron Sky Scout at CES: GoTo to go

CNN Internation has a list of new products creating a buzz at the CES show in Las Vegas. This unit not only tells you where you are, but also what you are looking at.

"...It's about the size of a pair of binoculars, but it only has one viewing lens. On the side is a digital readout, and inside, it packs an impressive amount of technology, including GPS and the ability to calculate the angle at which you're pointing it at the sky.
You see, if you point the SkyScout skyward -- indoors or out -- it will tell you precisely what's above you with the click of a button. It can also guide you to the night's celestial highlights with a series of arrows inside the lenses. For example, if you want to know where Mars is in the sky, just hold it up, and red arrows that blink as you move the SkyScout across the horizon will find it.
This may even fall under the somewhat rare "e" category for gadgets, as in educational. It's expected to ship in early spring for about $399."

Review: Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 Pro Tripod Legs

I've found Bogen/Manfrotto tripods to be probably the most widely recommended brand for "above department store" quality. All it takes is a 10 second look through a 60x scope on a $50 tripod to know that something just isn't right. Manfrotto tripods are not nearly as expensive as Gitzo products and others, and hit the sweet spot of price and performance.

The the 3021 Pro tripod is a light-to-medium duty aluminum model that has a few more features than a basic Manfrotto tripod. Many products in the line are quite similar and it takes extremely careful inspection to tell them apart. They all look alike! The 3021 Pro retails for $150 to $165 (without a head), and is widely available.

Features:

Legs lock at multiple angles -- for extra stability or near-ground use
Extra height for tall users, use without extending the center column, etc.
Quick release leg locks
Slide adjust center column (no gearing)
The center column can be removed and mounted horizontally for vertical/macro shots
The bottom of the center column can be detached for weight savings or near-ground use
Soft padding on 2 legs for comfort and warmth
Bubble level

Pros:

Meaty construction - a machine
Dramatically more stable than a cheap tripod
Legs open to the first angle stop (i.e. typical uses) extremely fast

Cons:

Heavy
Stiff legs may be difficult to use for some
Leg catches can pinch fingers
Irritating ratttle in the top end cap when adjusting the center column

Conclusions:

Fantastic performance versus department store tripods
Recommended, as long as you don't plan to hike with it!

Brave snowy owls heading south

KARE 11 TV in Minneapolis reports on snowy owls at bit farther south than normal.

Brave birds, these owls:

"Shortly after the birders left, the owl stretched its massive five-foot wings and took flight. It flapped three times then rode the ground effect, gliding for what seemed an impossibly long time just above the earth before landing.

Twenty seconds later, it flew again. This time it landed atop a runway direction sign. And a crow, looking like a sparrow next to the snowy owl, began to harass the larger bird. It flew at it, landed and postured close to the owl and then dive bombed.

The owl didn't seem bothered. Nor did it appear at all ruffled when a Champion Air 727 taxied within 50 feet of the bird.

It sat there, magnificent, as if it were Ruler of the Universe."

They've also been spotted in Oregon:

"They go in cycles," Gleason says. "Every few years big numbers of them start moving farther south. Some of the old literature says that as the lemming population increases up north, so do the snowy owls. Then as the lemming population crashes, they move south."

Recommendations for mid-priced optics ($250-$750)

An article in TheNewsTribune recommends Steiner binocs, a Bushnell Browning spotter, and a Fujinon spotter with a Bogen (Manfrotto) tripod. These wouldn't be my choices--except the tripod--but so be it.

Best Binoculars of 2005 - Three views

Field and Stream magazine has posted best of the year lists in several categories. The best binocular category includes pretty safe choices, with top-end products ($1,000 to $1,400) from Bushnell, Leupold, and Zeiss.

The Zeiss Victory declares victory once again at Popular Science.

Outdoor Life picks the "value" $543 Alpen Apex binocs instead--at least for archery.

Happy New Year! 2006 Guide to the Planets

MSNBC outlines the opportunies for viewing the planets in 2006.

The price of professional-grade night vision

A story outlines homeland security measures in rural areas and small towns:

"In a county where volunteer fire departments occasionally raffle firearms to raise funds, recent acquisitions such as the HazMat truck would likely have been impossible without outside funding. The truck comes complete with a mobile weather station, night vision binoculars that cost $3,878.98 each and a camera that relays back everything a firefighter sees on scene."

Interesting facts, regardless of your political persuasion.

Leica: Send me that photo quick!

Leave it to Leica to introduce a flexible and first-rate digiscoping adapter that's compatible with their first-rate scopes but marketed for camera phones! For some reason I think this system will be more popular with private detectives than bird watchers.

Small Scopes

Monday, January 30, 2006

2006 Hunting Optics Roundup

Bushnell Binocs: Cheesy or Not?

Thralow: sites for every sight

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Advice for beginning stargazers

Friday, January 27, 2006

Saturn brightest for 2006

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Finally! A practical portable optics stand!?

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

350 Pound Binoculars!

A lame parade float, no matter your political views

Monday, January 23, 2006

Urban 'bird' watching in Singapore

Friday, January 20, 2006

It's better when you don't need binoculars

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Mini digital camera or binoculars in disguise?

Changing the scenery

Monday, January 16, 2006

Lightsmith: affordable video imaging system

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Imported elk and tourism

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Hunting without the hunting

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Simulating bad optics

Satellite Gazing

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Upper size limit for Small Scopes?

Amazing archery

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Eyepiece Comparison: Premium Zoom vs. $8.95 Cheapie

Tako John Revealed

Web optics sales up

More on the Celestron SkyScout

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Honoring those who made digiscoping possible

Saturday, January 07, 2006

The utmost in convenience...and dorkiness

Celestron Sky Scout at CES: GoTo to go

Friday, January 06, 2006

Review: Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 Pro Tripod Legs

Brave snowy owls heading south

Recommendations for mid-priced optics ($250-$750)

Monday, January 02, 2006

Best Binoculars of 2005 - Three views

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Happy New Year! 2006 Guide to the Planets

The price of professional-grade night vision

Leica: Send me that photo quick!

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