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The Pentax PF-80ED-A Spotting Scope is a large and terribly impressive optical performer, with a brilliant 80mm objective lens and the ability to accept any 1.25" astronomy eyepiece as well as 82mm filters at the front of the objective. It is 100% waterproof and fogproof, with durable rubber armor over an all-metal housing that's got a rotating tripod collar with detented stops every 45°. The fully multicoated optics feature Pentax's well-regarded SMC multicoating process, and an element of ED (extra-low dispersion) glass helps provide razor-sharp edge delineation to high-contrast subjects.
The PF-80ED-A's 1.25" diameter eyepiece specification allows less compacting of the light shaft produced by the objective lens, and thus a larger final image with superior depth perception. Any great 1.25" eyepiece can be used, from Pentax themselves to elite telescope manufacturers' eyepieces such as Meade, Celestron, Vixen, and of course Tele Vue. The PF-80ED has a focal length of 518mm.
The PF-80ED-A is amongst the very short list of premium spotting scopes that includes a view-through case as standard equipment. This valuable accessory is quite nearly a necessity, and is not included but rather an expensive additional option with the European-made units.
Pentax supplies this scope with the Pentax USA's "Worry Free" Warranty; Pentax will repair or replace this spotting scope to the original purchaser (even if damaged by fault) for a small shipping charge.
| Objective Lens Diameter | 80mm |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 19.0' (5.8 m) |
| Weatherproofing | Waterproof & fogproof |
| Dimensions | 16.3 x 5.3 x 3.9" (415 x 135 x 100mm) WxHxD |
| Weight | 3.57 lb (1620 g) |
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Reviewed by 4 customers
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Comments about Pentax PF-80ED-A 3.1"/80mm Spotting Scope (Requires Eyepiece):
I bought another less expensive scope and regretted it from day one. The eye relief was not great and eye fatigue set in on long days (across the course matches and longer). This scope is on the firing line with ones costing 2-3 times as much. Now I can see as well if not better than almost all of them. No more eye fatigue. I paired it with the xw14 eyepiece. That eyepiece is 35x in this scope. On a decent day I can see impacts from the 500 yard line. I noticed it before the targets were up when I could see the texture of the grass on the berm of the 500yard line. The depth and texture compared to others on that day was impressive.
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Comments about Pentax PF-80ED-A 3.1"/80mm Spotting Scope (Requires Eyepiece):
Use for bird watching from tripod at home. Is everything it promises to be. Only minor thing is the focus wheel - it could be a little bigger or devided into at rough and fine wheel.
Overall, I think it is a great value for money.
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Comments about Pentax PF-80ED-A 3.1"/80mm Spotting Scope (Requires Eyepiece):
I use it for bird and whale watching and looking at the moon and planets. I have the 20 to 60 times zoom. Its great because of its bright image, crisp and clear focus across the whole image, and minimal chromatic aberration. Its easy to focus and the lack of a fine focus control is not an issue. While substantial, I find it fine to carry.
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Comments about Pentax PF-80ED-A 3.1"/80mm Spotting Scope (Requires Eyepiece):
I've been very pleased with this scope since I bought it in 2006. It's well made and has a nice smooth focus mechanism. I have both the XW14 and XW20 eyepieces. The low power eyepiece has a very wide bright field and clarity is excellent. 26x may not seem like a lot, but this eyepiece works great for me 90% of the time. It's not always about how large the image is, but rather how much detail you can see. When more magnification is needed I can switch to the 36x. Naturally this eyepiece is not as bright and the field is relatively narrow, but it's still very sharp. When you consider both cost and optical quality this scope is very worthy of consideration.
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