Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope for Spotting Paper Targets

[Gun5tuff]

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with Mak-Cass scopes for long range spotting of paper targets? They seem like an excellent value for very good optics.

For example, an Orion 127 Mak-Cass (that's 5" piece of light collecting glass) with a 32 mm eyepiece gives about 50-power magnification with a one-degree field of view (60MOA). That's for medium range work. A 17 mm eyepiece gives about 90-power magnification. The scope with its folded optics is just 15" long and weighs less than 9 pounds. There are smaller Mak-Cass scopes with 102, 90 and 65 mm front glass. And if money is no object there is bigger and better stuff out there.

What spotting scopes do 1000 yard target shooters use? A 6 to 7.6 mm hole is very small at medium to long range.

Peter

 

[filmbeargun]

I have used Makutsov-Cassegrain compact telescopes for bird watching etc, and find that they excel at high-power, compact tasks.

Having said that, nothing beats Leica binoculars for usability in bad weather and in the cold.

M-C optical systems have a focus point that is a bit touchy as they have a notoriously shallow depth of field in a land role. As well, they don't take going inside\outside well as they are not sealed optics, so you can get internal condensation when you take them inside a heated shelter. You can keep them packed in a Pelican case so that they adjust to the inside temperature more gradually, or plastic bag the scope, squeeze the air out, tie off the end, and put it in your fridge...

With sealed, nitrogen-purged binoculars you don't have to do any of this...

all the best,
filmbeargun

 

[Gun5tuff]

Thanks, Filmbeargun. This is the sort of practical information I was looking for when I posted this thread. The point about condensation building up could become a problem if one doesn't take preventative steps.

Thanks for the comment about the shallow depth of field. I guess the focus won't stabilize until the instrument equilibrates with the ambient temperature.

What size Mak-Cass are you using for bird watching?

I'd love a pair of Leica Binoculars. The optics on my Leica rangefinder are so good that it's usually all I take when hunting.

Peter

 

[filmbeargun]

Thanks for your note! I had a Celestron C-90 in the 1980's, which I sold. I now use Leica 8x32 Trinovid binoculars, if neccessary mounted with a strip of dead truck tire on top of a photo tripod. In low light I also use a ski pole as a crude monopod. One of those adjustable height walking sticks works bettter...my Leica's are superb, critical for determining bear body language and intentions here from a safe distance. They also work at -40C which you cannot say about a lot of things! Binocular vision is worth paying for. If you can find a pair of sealed, marine-style (immersion-proof to 5M water depth) 20x80 astronomical binoculars, they will give you more information than a spotting scope...but at 600M you may need more magnification than that...if size and weight are critical, by all means go with a Makatsof-Cassegrain---if all-weather use is important, I'd look at big binoculars; Zeiss Fujinon and Cannon make superb models. They also make 20X stabilized models that can be used as binocular telescopes free-hand; beware, most do not work below -10C, and require AA batteries....



All the best,
filmbeargun

 

[Anvil]

I was looking at a Celestron MAK C-65 today and it is a sealed and nitrogen filled scope with coated lenses. The retail price was $140, and for the price it is an excellent optic. I didn't really get to test it out other than reading price tags across the store ( 30 - 40 yards).
It is a 65mm objective with a 30x to 90x eyepiece. It has, as filmbear said, the shallow depth of field that is typical of Maksutov-Cassegrain scopes, but the resolution surprised me. I'm going to see if I can borrow this scope to test drive it in the field. I would prefer a 90mm scope but the 65mm one is light and very compact.