Olivon Birdseer 90mm Advance ED Spotting Scope with Tripod and digiscoping Kits

The following review are translated(by google translatio) from http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique/equipemt/equipement_art92_1.htm

Test the telescope Olivon T-ED 90
Date online: 04/12/08 - Submitted to the Committee on Reading

First Contact
View of the T90-ED, with its cover (enlarge photo)
Source: Topoptics
We tried the flagship brand which speak more of him in Europe: a telescope with a diameter of 90mm and fitted with glasses "extra-low dispersion (ED): the T-90 ED .
Olivon ad features classic techniques but very tasteful: BaK4 prisms, full multi-layer coating, sealing and filling with nitrogen under pressure with O-rings.
The T-90 ED is among the models at reasonable prices, considering its endowment ED glass, one might even say it has few competitors.
By opening the package, we discovered a simple presentation. The telescope is protected by a black cloth bag polyester fine mesh, robust and resistant to rain.
A zipper reveals ample eye and the wheel of development. In contrast, another zipper release target. The heel attachment to the tripod emerges without difficulty. It is sized so that it fits into a "click" and without intermediate head tripods Olivon and many other brands. Gone are the eternal problems of shoes that are loose mounting and telescope that oscillates from right to left!

The wheel-T90 ED
Source: Topoptics
Slightly wider and "floating", the cover is not a model of elegance, but it has the great merit of existing, to be effective and be provided without charge a conventional plastic cover protects the lens .
As for the eye, he takes shelter in a metal cylinder that is screwed on a step also sized to receive the ring positioning Olivon digiscoping adapter (another specialty of the mark).
The eye automatically provided with the telescope is one that displays zoom 22-68 x (20-60 x models T 80 and T 80-ED whose length is slightly shorter). OLIVONE also offers a fixed eye wide field which magnifies 36 x (30 x about 80 mm).

The shoe attachment of the T90-ED
Source: Topoptics
Under the cover, one discovers a long rubber tube coated charcoal. The dressing makes a good impression and does not unsightly smudges. The shoe attachment to the tripod is carried by a camera angle that make life easier for those who like to watch lying or from their car, fixing the telescope at a pair of glass.
The wheel of development is simple, well located on the right side (too bad for the left ...).
In short, if it is rejected the ostentatious luxury distilled (at what price ...) by Swarovski, Leica and others, presenting the Olivon T-90 ED may be classified as serious and good level.

Specifications

Model: T90 Olivon angled (45 º)
- Focal Length: 540 mm
- Length (mm): 560
- Weight (g): 1440
- Field of View zoom 20x-60x: 31 m - 15.7 m
- Minimum distance (apprx.) zoom 20x-60x: 8 m - 10 m

The T-ED 90 in the hands
With this diameter, we can expect a compact instrument. The T-ED 90 shows a length of 57 cm and weighing over 1,800 grams. It is clear that it will mate with the tripod stable and robust.
Its length creates a door overhang important tend to prick the telescope's nose, but on the contrary, improves balance if it installs equipment digiscoping. Those who fear that congestion could opt for T-ED 80, more than six cm shorter and lighter than 150 grams.
The zoom is equipped with a simple folding rubber eyecup, simple formula that has proven itself. For us to spend a minimum magnification (22 x) maximum (68 x), it rotates on third turn. Its use is simple, practical, no problem.

The wheel of Olivon T90-ED
Source: Topoptics
The small knob of development requires more than three laps to pass the minimum (8 m) to infinity, which is quite long, but has the advantage of a good progression. If the transition from a developing to a distant close focusing will not be quick, fine adjustment, it will be easy. Of course, at this price, we could expect the double wheel introduced by Leica since taken over by Zeiss and Kowa ...

The two "ears" of the bag of the T90-ED
Source: Topoptics
The two large "ears" of the cover that generate the eye are more rebellious and might have hoped for a double closure system to open or close them more fit. He will resort to a "D" ...

Optical performance amazing
When we descend to the eye zoom, there is first a broad lens that allows for comfortable viewing. At 22x, the image is very beautiful and well stitched, seamless and without disturbing dominant. A thin blue fringe occupies the extreme edge, but it disappears as soon as the zoom operates. When we increase the magnification, the image is very good up to about 45 x, then its brightness decreases, which is a common phenomenon even in high-end. Beyond 55x, the image is dull and softness.

Eye of the zoom Olivon T-ED 90
Source: Topoptics
In terms of developing minimum Olivon the T-90 ED is no miracle merely to 8 meters, but we will agree that compliance in the first few meters is not really the role of a long -view.
When the advanced T-ED 90 against the light and that it varies slightly developed around the optimum setting, we see the development of small bands of chromatic lines in high contrast.
The ED lens, based on fluorine derivatives very expensive, have different qualities, more or less effective in their fight against the phenomenon of differential scattering of wavelengths. Seeing the sale price of the T-ED 90, it is likely qu'Olivon could not opt for glasses ED higher performance. However, it remains quiet and far more limited than with an instrument equipped with an optical non-treated. The T90 does not steal his name "ED".

Comparison with the Nikon Fieldscope ED 82
The optical balance of the T-90 ED is very satisfying, but to have the heart net, we have compared to other instruments that are "storefront" as the Nikon Fieldscope ED 82, also equipped with low dispersion glass.
If the presentation of this telescope is more flattering, its price is significantly higher, about double that of the T-90 ED if the team zoom and a protective cover.
And yet, once you put the eye to the eyepiece, the difference is far from striking ...
The results obtained with the 25-56 Nikon zoom does not differ from those provided by T Olivon 90-ED: good pictures homogeneous and well stitched, but declined when we go beyond the halfway zoom.
Of course, but not negligible, Nikon has his instruments on a guarantee of 10 years, while that of Olivon is limited to 2 years (extension possible).

The T-90 ED and digiscoping
Digiscoping of Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) performed with Olivon T-ED 90 (enlarge photo)
Source: Topoptics
Very interested in the development of technical digiscoping, Olivon company offers complete equipment for their telescopes, relevant course for T 80 and T-ED 90-ED. A British site is almost entirely devoted to the same "digiscoping prowess" of these instruments.
Our tests confirmed the readiness of the T-90 ED on the subject. The eye fixed 36x wide field is more favorable. On the T 80 and T 80-ED whose length is slightly shorter, it magnifies 32x. But in his lower magnifications thanks to its wide lens, the 22-68 zoom is already very satisfactory.
A "rough", the images obtained do not compete with what piqued produce a Swarovski HD or a Leica APO. There is some chromatic boundary with high contrast.
But after a few simple alterations on a good program for editing images, but an evil that finds a difference.
We can therefore say that Olivon T 80 and T-ED 90-ED are the telescopes that allow less expensive to enter through the front door in the universe digiscoping.

A nice bulletin
The least we can say is that Olivon T-ED 90 meeting perfectly the expectations of an audience that wants more and more to optical "processed" in order to make digiscoping, but which rates Germanic or Japanese, are staggering.
A telescope sober and simple but comfortable to use and powerful observation that both digiscoping, all without ravaging the portfolio: this is a kind of instrument that was expected for some time.

Other products
In addition to telescopes, Olivon produces a range of accessories including optics and tripods. Note also that the owners of the company also control the giant optical astronomy Celestron ... that such telescopes equipped compact space shuttles.
In short, it is understood, Olivon part of these giants discreet, behind the scenes, make a lot of strings.
Website: www.brandonoptics.com

Topotics is the distributor of the long-Olivone views to francophone Europe. Website: www.topoptics.biz