Pentax PF-80 ED

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Brand and Model:Pentax PF-80 ED
Price ($USD):$1000 (zoom)
Type:Apochromatic Refractor
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:80mm (3.1")
f Ratio:f/6.3
Focal Length:504mm
Finder:n/s
Electric Power:n/a
Mount:n/a
Tripod:n/a
Weight (lbs):3 lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):5"x3"x18"
Description:Versatile spotting scope. Accepts 1.25" eyepieces. Zoom is exceptionally flat and sharp thru its 20x-60x power range. With a little shortening, an Ultima

barlow will convert the zoom to an effective 45x-135x. Color correction is

excellent with slight secondary spectrum visible at higher powers.

Vote Highlights Vote
Pentax PF-80 ED
Excellent scope ! Small and light, yet superb optics and design. The fact you can use your existing 1.25" eypieces impressed me. My Naglers give me a huge image, compared to the propriatory eyepieces that usually come with these spotting scopes (Leica APO 77, or the Pentax Zoom). I tried it with Nagler 16mm Type 5, Panoptic 19 and 15mm, Nagler 9mm Type 6, and of course the Nagler Zoom 3-6mm. Splitting Double Double is not a problem. The image is upright, left to right correct.
Star test is amazing for a prism scope, no false color,
sharpness and contrast excellent edge to edge. Design of the mounting bracket allows tilting left or right, so when you buy the 45 degree version you can offer a shorter person a view without adjusting the tripod. Nitrogen filled optics should guarantee long life.
The Collette type ring holding your eyepiece is a marvel that all telescopes should have, does not mark your eyepiece barrels. The focusser is superbly smooth and absolutely precise, since it has the right amount of slow travel. Yet one can change focus quickly! The ergonomics, dew shield and the rubber armoring are superb. It comes with a field cover useful for birding, but this Pentax is in another bracket altogether: not many birders can be pushed to 160x (plus)magnification!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=122602

Pentax PF-80 ED
This scope is a best buy for a high quality grab and go travel ED scope.For around $900 it comes with the waterproof Pentax XL 8-24 zoom eyepiece that can be used on your main scope. I also use my 14mm and 21mm Pentax XL eyepieces with it along with Plossl eyepieces up to 40mm. I have a ScopeTronix adapter to use my Epson digital camera with some of the eyepieces with great results. When you have very few dark nights and light pollution its nice to grab this scope instead of a DOB or large refractor.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=111621

Pentax PF-80 ED
Tho' I haven't yet tried the new Swarovski or Zeiss 80's, this Pentax is simply the best spotter out there...for any use. Got it with the zoom, but already had the XL 10.5, 14 & 21mm ep's for my refractor. Tho' the 8-24XL is likely the best available, don't really like the compromises in the variables so got rid of that. But the 80 w/the 3 fixed XL's will show a very wide, bright, hi-res image w/no added color or edge curvature (& negligible edge softness).The 10.5 gives about 48x and is about all you can use on most days terrestrially...usually the air is in a state of heating or cooling (at least on sunny days) so the really hi powers (above 50 or so) dont help. The focusing is precise, the armoring and finish are 1st-rate and the tube rotates almost 360* in the ring mount. The locking ring for the ep mount is elegantly simple, yet effective...makes for very quick ep changes without the hassle of set screws or bayonet-groove alignment. Although it's a bit larger than most of the birding klatch is used to, I'm starting to see a lot of the 80's around the local birding hotspots, especially the lakes. Overall, with the ability to take virtually any 1.25 ep and the excellent optics, this is the most usable grab n go scope I've yet used, whether for cosmic or earthly viewing.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=314183

Pentax PF-80 ED
I foolishly sold my first PF-80ED a couple of years ago and after trying everything from Questers, Taks, c5's, to Nkion 82ED spotter, I went back to the PF-80ED and now all is right with the world once more. They should peddle this scope as an Apo because I have seen more color in some of the Apo's I have owned. There are absolutely no cons regarding this beautiful little work of optical art.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=575783

Pentax PF-80 ED
This scope is more an Apo than it is an ED. Could there be a more versitile scope? I think not. I use it mainly for digiscoping, and have achieved wonderful results. The Pentax XL eyepieces only add to the performance, although my Teleview 32mm ploessl seems to provide nearly equal results. This little beauty may seem expensive, but it's really a bargain.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=334737

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