BirdScope.com Tele Vue Telescopes for Birders

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TELE VUE TELESCOPES FOR BIRDERS

Choosing the Right Tele Vue Telescope For Your Lifestyle

1.		Choose A Body
		First, all Tele Vue scopes are ruggedly built, have a wide power and field range, and accept many viewing and photographic accessories. All models utilize black-anodized machined housings. Where used, all tubes are "evergreen" powder coated aluminum for durability. Note: while there are no parts that can rust, the scopes are not waterproof. All fit standard photo tripods and Tele Vue mounts. While not listed here, larger Tele Vue astronomical telescopes (NP-101, NP-127) can also be used for birding from stationary locations.


Tele Vue 60 APO		The Tele Vue 60 is the most portable APO (total color correction) telescope we make. The body (less diagonal and eyepiece) is only 10"-long. It has a unique drawtube focus for a quick change from near to far viewing, plus a fine helical focuser. A sliding dew/glare shield with convenient snap-on lens cover can also accept 77mm filters. Optional carry case available. Highly portable TV-60 APO shown with optional 90° diagonal and 1¼" eyepiece.


Tele Vue 76 APO		With an ultra-smooth heavy duty 2" rack and pinion focuser, the Tele Vue 76 APO scope provides the finest color-free optical performance in a compact scope. TV-76 APO shown with optional 2" model 90° diagonal, 2" to 1¼" adapter, and 1¼" eyepiece.


Tele Vue 85 APO		The Tele Vue 85, a larger version APO scope, gives even brighter images, presenting not only the finest optical images for birding, but for astronomical use as well. TV-85 APO shown with optional 2" model 90° diagonal, 2" to 1¼" adapter, and 1¼" eyepiece.


2.		Choose a "Diagonal"
		Unlike spotting scopes, which must be purchased with either 45º or in-line viewing, Tele Vue scopes have instantly switchable 45º, 60º, 90º or in-line configurations. There's even an extra-large 2" diagonal available for the TV-76 and TV-85 models to permit extra-wide-angle viewing eyepieces. We recommend the 60º diagonal for the best optical performance and most comfortable viewing. (The image is reversed left-right in 60º or 90º models.) In-line and 45º prism erectors produce normal orientation images -- the in-line having superior image quality. Note that all models, except Tele Vue-60, require a 2" to 1-1/4" adapter and a ring mount for attaching scope to camera tripod.


3.		Select 1 or More Eyepieces
		The simplest choice is to select the zoom eyepiece for most spotting scope needs. However, an effective alternative to the zoom is the 13mm Nagler type 6. This wide-angle eyepiece easily delivers as much field of view as the low power zoom setting, but with the bonus of almost twice the magnification. If particular activities requiring more magnification or wider fields are desired, consider additional individual eyepieces.


4.		Point the Telescope
		For instant aiming, consider the "Qwik-Point" accessory, which visually projects a red dot where the scope is pointed.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Application / Telescope	Tele Vue-60			Tele Vue-76			Tele Vue-85
Birder (hiking)	Excellent			Fair			Not recommended
Birder (stationary)	Excellent			Excellent			Excellent
Terrestrial photography (35mm)	Excellent			Excellent			Excellent
Recommended magnification range	11X-145X			15X-160X			19X-200X
Light collection (over human eye)	74			118			147
Objective Aperture	60mm			76mm			85mm
Objective Type	APO			APO			APO
Focal Ratio	f/6.0			f/6.3			f/7.0
Focal Length	360mm			480mm			600mm
Approximate Closest Focus (ft)	13			20			30
Overall length of optical tube assembly	10" (w/o diag.)			14.5" (w/o diag.)			19" (w/o diag.)
Optical tube assembly weight	3 lbs.			5.1 lbs.			6.1 lbs.
Carrying Case Supplied	None (Soft optional)			Soft			Soft
EYEPIECE RECOMMENDATIONS
Application / Telescope	Tele Vue-60			Tele Vue-76			Tele Vue-85
Eyepiece Type	^*DIOPTRX	Wide Field	Zoom	^*DIOPTRX	Wide Field	Zoom	^*DIOPTRX	Wide Field	Zoom
Eyepiece	18mm Radian	24mm Panoptics		32mm Plössl	24mm Panoptics		32mm Plössl	24mm Panoptics
Magnification	20.0x	15.0x		15.0x	20.0x		18.8x	25.0x
Maximum field (ft @ 1000 yrds)	152.5	225.0		168.8	168.8		135.0	135

Eyepiece	8mm Radian	9mm Nagler Type 6		10mm Radian	9mm Nagler Type 6		12mm Radian	11mm Nagler Type 6
Magnification	45.0x	40.0x		48.0x	53.3x		50.0x	54.5x
Maximum field (ft @ 1000 yrds)	69.2	103.3		65.6	77.5		63.0	74.5

Eyepiece	4mm Radian	3.5mm Nagler Type 6	3-6mm Nagler	5mm Radian	5mm Nagler Type 6	3-6mm Nagler	6mm Radian	7mm Nagler Type 6	3-6mm Nagler
Magnification	90.0x	102.9x	120.0-60.0x	96.0x	96.0x	160.0-80.0x	100.0x	85.7x	200.0-100.0x
Maximum field (ft @ 1000 yrds)	35.0	40	21.7-42.5	33.1	43.8	16.3-31.9	31.5	48.5	13.0-25.5

⁽⁵⁾See note under accessories.
^(*)DIOPTRX™ compatible eyepiece. Only with Tele Vue, can you choose eyepieces that let you observe without your eyeglasses. These eyepieces accept DIOPTRX™ eyesight astigmatism correction lenses, for the sharpest viewing you ever experienced.

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