). BTW, I saw my first Twite. And dipped on lots of other stuff. But had a really nice day.Just want to know if anyone else does this....I tried it today. I was out all day and the terrain involved some close work (8x, wide FOV required) and some medium-range stuff (handy 12x36 IS required) and some longer distances (30xw ED82A with Cleyspy Mule, courtesy of HE2, on back). For the 8x30, I chose my beloved EIIīs, which rarely see action. But theyīre very light. I found that the 8x30 EIIīs and the IS 12x36 around my neck, and the ED82 on the Cleyspy Mule on my back, balanced each other out as regards weight, and werenīt a problem. I was wandering around an estuary walk, a saltmarsh, and a very long beach for a total of 7 hours and didnīt get neckstrain. Iīm sure it was optics over-kill, but does anyone else carry both 8x and 10-or-12x bins plus a scope? (Please donīt tell me I need a pair of Duovids!). BTW, I saw my first Twite. And dipped on lots of other stuff. But had a really nice day.
I've done this.
The combo is 6x30 (Yosemite) for woodland/reeds slung on the neck and a 10x (EO Raptor 10x42 porro) worn bandolier/sash style for distance shorebirds and raptors. I'm usually wandering through woodland and freshwater or saltwater marsh with this combo.
I didn't bring a scope with me ... silly because the 10x weren't enough to help me identify one particular sandpiper on that outing. I should have brought a scope
The 12x IS sounds like a nice instrument for that distance usage. I've though about trying a Pentax HR 12x42 (cheap sale from Eagle Optics) perhaps on a monopod or using a "poor mans Steadcam" system.
The Leupold SwitchPower is a cheaper (but not cheap!) alternative to the Duovid. But it's lighter than my All up weight of about 42oz.
The other alternative would be a 8x plus a lower power lightweight scope (Nikon 50ED) or something that gets down into the teens magnification and perhaps up to 30x.
[QUOTE=Kevin Purcell;1324781]The other alternative would be a 8x plus a lower power lightweight scope (Nikon 50ED) or something that gets down into the teens magnification and perhaps up to 30x.[/QUOTE]
I have an ED50, but I needed a lot of light-gathering power today as I was looking for a Forsterīs Tern at an evening gull-roost. So I took my bigger scope. What we really need is Native Bearers.