In the last two posts, I gave the answer to what the best birdwatching binoculars were, as vague as it may have been and also went over what to look for when you are about to purchase your first set of birdwatching binoculars. Today, I am going to expound on this a little more. Before we do this, understand that I do this primarily as a hobby too, so any information that you might have is welcome.
The angled scope and the straight scope: the pros and cons of each....
Unlike binoculars, birders will use scopes because it allow for a more stabilized way to view birds in the distance. Since most scopes are simple mounts with legs, what it gives in stability, the birder will lose in mobility. However, serious birders will want to eventually look into investing in a scope. But, which one is best for you?
If you were to ask what scope is best for a birdwatcher, you would probably get a mixed variety of answers as well as reasons as to why they like one scope better than the other one. Many like the straight scope because you can simply point the scope in the direction you are looking and you get exactly what you see. Others like the angled scope (which is typically angled at a 45 degree).
Obviously, if you are not accustomed to viewing the world through a looking glass, then either scope is going to feel a bit weird. In this case, perhaps the straight scope would be a better fit for you as it kind of takes less time to adjust to position the optic in the way you want it.
However, as you become more accustomed to using a scope, the angled scope definitely has its advantages....
- With a straight scope, you can only view it one way....however, with an angled scope, you can angle it from the side or from above. The cool thing about an angled scope is that you the image will look right side up no matter what position you are trying to view it. Plus, if you are sharing your scope with a fellow birdwatcher, there is absolutely no need for the other person to "find" what you are looking at; they can just readjust the scope to their height and see it.
- Unlike a straight scope, an angled scope can be mounted lower, which can provide a more steady and better image. Think about it...think of a straight scope kind of like a telescope...you can only mount it as low as the scope is long and imagine if you were trying to mount a straight scope really low, then you too would have to get very low as well (and you can only get so low)...so, if you want more stability, like in the case of less shaking in the wind, an angled scope would be better.
- Angled scope makes it easier to look up and down- Once again, if you want to look at a bird from way up in a tree, you will find it way more difficult to look at it with a straight scope. However, with an angled scope, you will be less likely to get on your hands and knees. As far as looking down, it is the exact same thing. Let's say you are taking a look at something down hill. Once again, with an angled scope, you simply adjust your scope and voila!...no standing on your tippie toes.
- Finally, you can use an angled scope from a smaller space, such as a car- Because you can swing the scope in virtually any direction, you can easily see from the frontseat to the rear or visa-versa without having to awkwardly crane your head into a cramped position.
No comments:
Post a Comment