The economical Celestron 80mm Ultima angled viewing spotting scope makes a big aperture spotting scope affordable for just about everyone. For little more than the cost of a conventional 60mm scope, its large 80mm objective lens gives you over 77% more light grasp than a 60mm scope. This extra light grasp can help you make positive species identifications in poor lighting conditions, such as in twilight or under heavily overcast skies. In all lighting conditions, its 80mm aperture provides 33% higher resolution than a conventional 60mm spotting scope, but with almost no penalty in size or weight.
For the birder on a budget, the 80mm angled viewing Ultima gives you more optical performance than you ever thought your budget would be able to afford. Compared to other 80mm spotting scopes, it is quite a bargain.
Optical features of this scope . . .
- 80mm objective lens gathers over 77% more light than a 60mm scope for superior low light performance.
- The crown and flint glass optics are multicoated for good light transmission.
- The standard equipment 20-60x multicoated zoom eyepiece is specified at a generous 18mm eye relief at 20x. While this is technically correct, the actual usable eye relief of this and all other spotting scopes typically measures a mm or two less due to the recessing of the eyepiece when the soft rolldown rubber eyecup is in the down position for eyeglass use. There will be some minor vignetting of the field for eyeglass wearers at 20x. The specifications to the right are for the zoom set at 20x. At 60x, the field is 53' at 1000 yards.
- The scope close focuses to 27'. Through the scope, looking at a bird at this distance at even 20x would effectively be the same as looking with your unaided eye from only 1' 4" away.
Mechanical features of this scope . . .
- The scope's long focusing knob is located at the top right front of the prism housing to allow precise focusing with either hand, even while wearing gloves or mittens. It is semi-recessed to resist snagging on clothing or carrying case and is grooved for a sure grip. Focusing is quite brisk compared to most scopes, with less than five turns of the focus knob needed to move from one end of the focus range to the other.
- The Ultima's 45° viewing angle is generally more comfortable than straight-through viewing for watching treetop activity or for extended observing from a blind or back porch. It is also more convenient for observing couples of varying heights who must share a single scope, as there is little need to constantly raise and lower the tripod to a comfortable observing height for each observer. If you are tall, you will not have to crouch over to see through the Ultima 80, as you would a straight-through scope, saving you from a possible literal pain in the neck.
- A sighting tube built into the left side of the body allows fast centering of the scope on distant birds.
- The scope mounts on any photo tripod having a standard 1/4"-20 thread mounting bolt.
- The prism housing is lightly rubber armored to help shock-proof the optics.
- A water-shedding stay-on soft case is standard equipment. The case has zippered fold-back flaps so you can use the scope on a tripod while it is still in the case. The case has an adjustable length shoulder strap for carrying.
- The eyepiece is shipped in a protective hard plastic screw-top case. A separate zippered soft case (with snap-ring for attaching to a D-ring on the scope case) can hold the eyepiece, if desired. However, the scope case is shaped to fully cover the scope when its angled zoom eyepiece is attached, so you may find the separate eyepiece case to be redundant.
- A snap-in camera-type lens cover protects the objective lens.
- For photography, removing the soft rubber eyecup from the eyepiece exposes standard photographic T-threads. You can attach a 35mm camera body to the scope simply by threading an optional inexpensive T-ring onto the eyepiece and connecting your camera body to the T-ring. No separate camera adapter is needed. The scope becomes a fast 480mm f/6 telephoto lens with a camera attached.
- A limited lifetime warranty is standard.
