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TELE VUE TELESCOPES FOR BIRDERS
Rated best optics in the world by Cornell Ornithology Lab!

Choosing the Right Telescope

 

 Choose By Size, Aperture, and Weight
First, all Tele Vue scopes are ruggedly built, have a wide power and field range, and accept many viewing and photographic accessories. All models utilize black-anodized machined housings. Where used, all tubes are "evergreen" powder coated aluminum for durability. Note: while there are no parts that can rust, the scopes are not waterproof. All fit standard photo tripods and Tele Vue mounts. While not listed here, larger Tele Vue astronomical telescopes (NP-101, NP-127) can also be used for birding from stationary locations.

Tele Vue 60 APO 
Highly portable TV-6...
Highly portable TV-60 APO shown with optional 60° diagonal, and optional eyepiece. Optional soft case.
  The Tele Vue 60 is the most portable APO (total color correction) telescope we make. The body (less diagonal and eyepiece) is only 10"-long. It has a unique drawtube focus for a quick change from near to far viewing, plus a fine helical focuser. A sliding dew/glare shield with convenient snap-on lens cover can also accept 77mm filters. Optional carry case available.

Tele Vue 76 APO 
TV-76 APO shown with...
TV-76 APO shown with standard 2" 90° diagonal, 2" to 1¼" adapter, and 24x eyepiece. Soft case included.
With an ultra-smooth heavy duty 2" rack and pinion focuser, with 10:1 finefocus, the Tele Vue 76 APO scope provides the finest color-free optical performance in a compact scope.

Tele Vue 85 APO 
TV-85 APO shown with...
TV-85 APO shown with standard 2" 90° diagonal, 2" to 1¼" adapter, and 30x eyepiece. Soft case included.
  The Tele Vue 85, a larger version APO scope, gives even brighter images, presenting not only the finest optical images for birding, but for astronomical use as well.
Choose Accessories
Recommendations by Al Nagler, telescope designer

 

Tele Vue 60 APO
  1. You will need a diagonal. The 60º mirror diagonal, part-number DPC-6012 will give you the brightest, sharpest and the most comfortable viewing experience. Left-right is reversed. An alternate is the 45 º erect image diagonal (AMI-0011), which is not recommended for astronomical use over 100x.
  2. You need a low power eyepiece to get the maximum field of 225' @ 1000 yards: 32mm Plössl* @ 11x or 24mm Panoptic @ 15x.
  3. For medium power: 10mm Delos* @ at 36x or 11mm Nagler @ 33x.
  4. For higher power: 6mm Delos* @ 60x or 7mm Nagler @ 51x.
  5. For viewing planets: 3.5mm Delos* or 3.5mm Nagler @ 103x.
  6. For easy telescope aiming, consider adding the Qwik-Point red-dot finder.

 

 Tele Vue 76 APO
  1. The telescope comes with a 90° diagonal and 20mm Plössl @ 24x. Image is left-right reversed. For astronomical viewing, this diagonal permits the sharpest, brightest hi-power viewing, and also permits using a 2" barrel eyepieces for the widest possible views, up to 11 Moon diameters (287' @ 1000 yards) wide. You may want to consider the optional 60° 1¼" mirror version for top comfort as well as image quality, or the optional 45° erect image diagonal for birding.
  2. The widest field low-power eyepieces for use with the 45° or 60° diagonals will give 169' @ 1000 yards. Choose either 32mm Plössl* @ 15x or 24mm Panoptic @ 20x.
  3. For medium power, consider the 12mm Delos* @ 40x or 11mm Nagler @ 44x.
  4. For higher power, consider the 6mm Delos* @ 80x or 7mm Nagler @ 69x.
  5. For viewing planets, consider the 3.5mm Delos* or Nagler @ 137x.
  6. For easy telescope aiming, consider adding the Qwik Point red dot finder.

 

 Tele Vue 85 APO
  1. The telescope comes with a 90° diagonal and 20mm Plössl at 30x. Image is left-right reversed. For astronomical viewing, this diagonal permits the sharpest, brightest hi-power viewing, and also permits using a 2" barrel eyepieces for the widest possible views, up to 9 Moon diameters (230' @ 1000 yards) wide. You may want to consider the optional 45° erect image diagonal for birding.
  2. The widest field low-power eyepieces for use with the 45° diagonal will give 135' @ 1000 yards. Choose either 32mm Plössl* @ 19x or 24mm Panoptic @ 25x.
  3. For medium power, consider the 14mm Delos* @ 43x or 13mm Nagler @ 46x.
  4. For higher power, consider the 8mm Delos* @ 75x or 9mm Nagler @ 67x or 7mm Nagler 86x.
  5. For viewing planets, consider the 3.5mm Delos* or Nagler @ 171x.
  6. For easy telescope aiming, consider adding the Qwik Point red dot finder.
*The long eye-relief of these eyepieces is better if wearing glasses, and these eyepeices accept our DIOPTRX™ accessory that is superior to eyeglasses for correcting eyesight astigmatism.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS
Application / Telescope Tele Vue-60 Tele Vue-76 Tele Vue-85
Birder
(hiking)
Excellent Fair Not recommended
Birder
 (stationary)
Excellent Excellent Excellent
Terrestrial photography
 (35mm)
Excellent Excellent Excellent
Recommended magnification range 11X-145X 15X-160X 19X-200X
Light collection (over human eye) 74 118 147
Objective Aperture 60mm 76mm 85mm
Objective Type APO APO APO
Focal Ratio f/6.0 f/6.3 f/7.0
Focal Length 360mm 480mm 600mm
Approximate Closest Focus (ft) 13 20 30
Overall length of optical tube assembly 10"  (w/o diag.) 14.5" (w/o diag.) 19" (w/o diag.)
Optical tube assembly weight 3 lbs. 5.1 lbs. 6.1 lbs.
Carrying Case Supplied None (Soft optional) Soft Soft
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Copyright © 2003-2013 Tele Vue Optics, Inc., 32 Elkay Dr., Chester, NY 10918. All rights reserved.