FYI SPOTTING SCOPE

[Kittitas George]

There is a few Bausch & Lomb Discoverer Spotting scopes (15x to 60x) available on ebay. The prices vary and I don't know the condition. I have used this model of scope for prairie dog, gophers and at the range for about 50 years, Too bulky for horseback or a sheep hunt, but very good at the range. We did a very unscientific test with a Pentax, we couldn't see any difference. I have been using optics in my work as a surveyor, B & L products are very good. I still use B&L 60 year old scopes on my 270 and 300 Win. Mag. I also have a pair of B&L 7X50 binoculars, Marine Corps. surplus 1944, the very best. The newer optics have better coatings for light transmission early and late or for color resolution. If you want or need a spotting scope check out ebay.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Allow me to explain few things. There was a big leap forward in optics starting in the late 60s, early 70s. This was the introduction of lens coating. Coatings did not exit in 1944, at least not the coatings needed to dramatically reduce reflectivity of glass. So overall light transmission was horrible, what with losing about 5% of light at each air to glass surface. So your 1944 binos require 50mm objectives just to match the light transmission performance of current day binos with small objectives.

Ancient optics look great in perfect conditions in bright sunlight. After that, useless.

 

[Kittitas George]

Allow me to explain few things. There was a big leap forward in optics starting in the late 60s, early 70s. This was the introduction of lens coating. Coatings did not exit in 1944, at least not the coatings needed to dramatically reduce reflectivity of glass. So overall light transmission was horrible, what with losing about 5% of light at each air to glass surface. So your 1944 binos require 50mm objectives just to match the light transmission performance of current day binos with small objectives.

Ancient optics look great in perfect conditions in bright sunlight. After that, useless.

Yes, I know you are correct. My 1944 B&L binoculars were the best in their day. But even after many years of using the finest, most expensive and precision instruments for land surveying, buildings and setting machinery (Leica, Wild, Kern, Zeiss) and using Swarovski 10X42 binoculars for my shooting, we couldn't see a difference between the B&L spotting scope and the Pentax on the same power. We did it in the middle of the day. I use the B&L 7X50 binoculars out of the truck viewing wildlife, again mid day. Boy, are they heavy, but clear. A salesman at the Scheel's store in Great Falls, Mt. spent quite a bit of time with us explaining lens coatings on Swarovski binoculars, one was better for colors on birds, one was better for big game hunting. We were on our way to the Hi-Line for gophers, 2 of us had Swarovski glasses, on the way back Bill bought a pair. Maybe my color blindness or old eyes is a factor in not being able to see a difference. The Discoverer scope works well for prairie dogs, gophers and at the range, I thought it could be better for someone than a cheap import.
Thanks for your response, George

 

[c3d4b2]

I have a hard time comparing optics by looking. I have been better able to quantify the differance using an optical test pattern.

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[Albany Mountain]

I've got a Bausch & Lomb Discoverer Spotting scopes (15x to 60x) I bought at a garage sale for $75 including window mount. It resides in one of my vehicles while the other vehicle sports a Swift 15x to 60x scope that I have had since 1970. I also have the same Swift at home at the window and another setup in my scope for 22 rimfire practice. They are all good solid scopes and all over 50 years old.

 

[JEFFPPC]

98 percent of what I do my old 15x60 Discover handles adequately . My Zeiss Diascope 85mm comes out for spotting 500yd bullet holes but that is just one application. If conditions are right the old Discover works for that as well.