| The new silver-body Zeiss Diascope 85mm angled-viewing spotting scope with “LotuTec" optical coatings has a large 85mm aperture that provides almost 13% more light gathering than a conventional 80mm scope. That extra reach in low light or high magnification situations can mean the difference between nailing a life bird and missing the identification completely.
The Diascope uses the Zeiss Advanced Optical System (AOS) that has a fully multicoated five-element Superachromatic objective lens. This lens uses ecologically-friendly lead- and arsenic-free glass with extra low dispersion fluoride (FL) Schott glass elements, state-of-the-art thin lens technology, and renowned Zeiss T* (T Star) multicoatings for sharp, bright images. (Please note that these fluoride ED glass elements are not the same optical composition as the calcium fluorite crystal lenses used in some spotting scopes.) The FL glass in the 85mm Diascope has very high light transmission, high contrast, natural color rendition, and virtually no color fringing.
The external surfaces of the optics are treated with permanent “LotuTec" coatings. These special hydrophobic (water-repelling) coatings are so smooth, even at the molecular level, that water can find virtually no grip on the optical surfaces. This causes the condensation from rain, fog, snow, or your own breath to form in much smaller droplets than on standard optical coatings. Smaller droplets scatter less light, resulting in higher light transmission and a clearer image. Oil, dirt, and grease are similarly repelled, making for simplified, streak-free cleaning.
The Diascope’s light alloy body is finished in a silver look with black trim. It is good looking and durable. Some birders might prefer the matte green version of this scope to this silver-look body, feeling that the green finish might be less visible to birds. However, at the distances at which this scope is likely to be used, it is unlikely that this silver-look version would alarm birds or wildlife. Many birders buy this silver version simply because it looks good. Chacun à son gout.
The Diascope’s body is O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to be waterproof and fogproof in all climates and weather extremes. It is capable of operating over a temperature range of 2 degrees below zero to +131 degrees Fahrenheit – from the Arctic to Death Valley, from the Serengeti Plains to Costa Rica.
Partial rubber armor on the underside of the prism housing helps absorb shock and noise and provides a more secure grip in wet weather. The retractable lens shade improves both visual and photographic contrast and is armored for protection against bumps. A double sight line molded into the lens shade armor helps you quickly align on distant targets.
The scope’s 45° viewing angle is generally more comfortable than a straight-through scope for watching treetop activity or for extended observing from a blind or back porch. You won’t get a crick in your neck from crouching over to look through the scope as you often do with a straight-through model on a too-short tripod. It is also more convenient for observing couples of varying heights who must share a single scope, as there’s little need to constantly raise and lower the tripod to a comfortable height for each observer. There is a click stop built into the body that allows the eyepiece to be rotated from a vertical to a horizontal orientation on either side of the scope body. This permits viewing from off to the side of the scope for a low observer profile to avoid spooking game or birds when observing over bushes and hedgerows.
On the other hand, a straight-through design is generally better for quickly locating birds in the field than a 45° viewing angle model. With a straight-through scope, you can sight over the barrel to center in on the bird before trying a high power eyepiece view that often has a confusingly narrow field. It is sometimes difficult to sight over a 45° viewing barrel, as the prism housing and eyepiece can block the view. This is less of a problem with this angled-viewing Zeiss Diascope, as the lens shade and its built-in sight line can be rotated to put the sighting line on either side of the body where the prism housing and eyepiece do not interfere with your line of sight. Should a straight-through scope be more convenient, however, consider the straight-through Zeiss #Z85SL rather than this angled #Z85AL.
The Diascope has dual rotary focusing knobs built into the top of the scope for one-finger focusing with either hand, even while wearing gloves. One knob gives fast six-turn focusing from 16.3’ to the horizon, while the other is a eighteen-turn knob for ultra-precise focusing at high powers.
The Diascope can be used as a 1000mm f/12 telephoto lens with 20x photographic magnification by adding a T-ring to fit your camera and optional SLR camera adapter #ZPA. This straight-through Diascope is generally more usable for photography than an angled-viewing scope, as it handles more instinctively like a camera/telephoto lens combination. The barrel of the scope can be rotated from side to side to give a vertical or horizontal picture composition during photography. Click stops are built into the rotation mechanism at 45° intervals, although the scope rotation can be set at any angle you choose and locked into place with a knob at the side of the scope body.
The 85mm Diascope body is supplied alone, allowing you to add the eyepiece(s) most suited to your observing needs.
The #Z30LT eyepiece with LotuTec coatings provides 40x, a 98’ field at 1000 yards that is quite wide for the magnification, and 15mm of eye relief.
The most popular eyepiece is the #ZZLT zoom with LotuTec coatings. It provides 20-60x magnification, with a 141’ field at 1000 yards at 20x with 15mm of eye relief and a 66’ field at 60x with 12mm of eye relief.
If you need big light gathering for low light or high power use, vivid color in virtually all lighting conditions, and the detailed resolution only an 85mm aperture scope can provide, this Zeiss is a dream scope to fill your every birding need. This new 85mm Zeiss silver body Diascope with LotuTec coatings is a spotting scope that will give you a lifetime of premium optical performance, good weather or bad, rain or shine.
| 
Printer friendly version
Email page link to a friend
Do you have a question about this product?
