Hi Tweets and Kent -

Jack has a good point, personal preference and experiencing the scopes
in the field are a good way to narrow your interests. In addition to the
stores Jack mentioned, you might want to check out the Seattle Audubon
Nature Shop. They have recently considerably enlarged their stock of
both scopes and binoculars. I believe that they have Pentax, Kowa and
Swarovski scopes on display.

Best of results in your search.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
bellasoc at isomedia.com

Jack Stephens wrote:

>Jay Reed expressed interest in the Pentax PF-80 ED spotting scope. With
>high-end spotting scopes, just like with high-end binoculars, their optical
>performance is so good that personal preference often plays a part in your
>selection. I do not have experience with the Pentax you mentioned, but I
>know hard-core birders who have compared scopes extensively and have
>selected different models based on personal preference. I know those who
>like the Kowa, Leica, or Swarovski scopes, with Swarovski being the
>favorite for most. On the other hand, I read Better View Desired, and I
>trust Steve Ingraham's evaluation of birding optics.
>So how to decide? My advice would be to sign up for Audubon or WOS trips
>where scopes will be in use. People are happy to have you check out their
>optics, and you could compare scopes under real-world conditions. If you can
>get on a trip where the Pentax is in use, you will have a great way to
>compare to other scopes. If not, once you pick the best of Kowa, Leica and
>Swarovski (with the possible inclusion of the Tele-vue 76), then visit
>Anacortes Telescope or Captains Nautical and compare to the Pentax.
>Best of luck, and let me know what you buy!
>
>Cheers,
>
>Jack Stephens
>Edmonds, WA
>jstephens62 at attbi.com
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