BobC Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Hey Guys Pas Question: I just bought an OptiVisor (thanks to JohnJ) to help me look for smaller stuff like Salenia. I just tried it out using the highest magnification lense (comes with three) and I couldn't see a thing unless I was like 8 or ten inches from the specimen I was looking at. So consequently I was having to not only be on my hands and knees, but I had to lean waaay down to see the ground and it was really uncomfortable. When I got home, I tried the weakest lens and that helped--I could be maybe two feet from the object and see it fine, which was a big improvement over the more powerful lens. Here's my question though--does anything exist that can help me see finer detail on the ground from a standing position? I am in my early 4o's and just recently had to get reading glasses even though I can read fine in the daylight without them--so I am kind of in that netherworld between having to have glasses and not having to have them. Seeing larger echinoids like heart urchins and Phymosomas from a standing position is easy for me, but I recently realized that I'd been at a particular site several times and completely missed a bunch of pea-sized Salenia Mexicana! So does anything exist that magnifies the ground from a standing position? Just curious. Wearing glasses is a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Look into a pair of roof-prism binoculars. The investment is significant, but the uses are many. Go for 7 or 8 power, with a 36 or 42 mm objective lens (respectively), and a 5 ft. (or closer) close-focus. An angle of view of at least 7 degrees is desirable, too. Don't spend under $200 (you need at least that level of optical performance), and there is no need to go over $600. The ones I'm wearing in my avatar are used for a lot more than birding! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 The ones I'm wearing in my avatar are used for a lot more than birding! Geez Chas, I just glanced down at your post numbers.6,590 posts.That's gotta be a record!!!!!!!! WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Look into a pair of roof-prism binoculars. The investment is significant, but the uses are many.Go for 7 or 8 power, with a 36 or 42 mm objective lens (respectively), and a 5 ft. (or closer) close-focus. An angle of view of at least 7 degrees is desirable, too. Don't spend under $200 (you need at least that level of optical performance), and there is no need to go over $600. The ones I'm wearing in my avatar are used for a lot more than birding! Ditto, though if you have the bucks, those Nikon IS are the funk. Too, if you get roof prism, make sure they are phase coated. Otherwise, I would go with porro prism. And MAKE SURE that they are fully multi coated (FMC)!!! Not coated, or fully coated. While I'm at it, go with nitrogen purged, or filled(they are water proof, and won't fog). As far as I can tell, it means the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Ditto, though if you have the bucks, those Nikon IS are the funk.Too, if you get roof prism, make sure they are phase coated. Otherwise, I would go with porro prism. And MAKE SURE that they are fully multi coated (FMC)!!! Not coated, or fully coated. While I'm at it, go with nitrogen purged, or filled(they are water proof, and won't fog). As far as I can tell, it means the same thing. Porros can't focus close enough (9 1/2' is their minimum, and 15' + is the rule). Over $200, it is almost a given that a roof will have phase-coated BaK-4 prisms, be fully multi-coated, and be immersion waterproof & nitrogen/argon purged. Within the range of criteria I mentioned, I have a dozen or so models in stock (out of 100+ in stock overall). My personal pick for this job (and all the other uses he'd find for them) would be the Swift 7X36 Eaglet. Is is compact and light weight (20.6 oz.), with a 4' close focus and a wide field of view. Real crispy image, too. Street price is $410; a less expensive glass could still do the job, but the Eaglet is a joy! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Porros can't focus close enough (9 1/2' is their minimum, and 15' + is the rule). Yep, I rarely focus mine on anything closer than hundreds of millions of miles, and usually light years distant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 regarding the question of magnifying things on the ground from a standing position. really not that practical, in that when you walk you'd get motion sickness, probably. you could ask an optical guru to make you glasses for a specific focal length, as i have, but magnifying i guess would be best with the short-focal-length binos, raised to your eyes when you stop moving. but i just get down every so often and check the surface. lots of larger things hide well, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Yeah, all-in-all, knee pads are cheaper. Binos are best for taking a look at a place that's hard to get to, so you can decide whether it's worth the effort to do so. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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