I really Leica my new scope!

[Cloudy]

Having had the opportunity to try the new Leica scope out at the Engrave-in, I recently sold my old set-up and bought the new one from Tira (www.engraver.com). The packing was impressive for starters, and things just got better! It scope is very light, but solid. The stand is just amazing and can stretch out 48" and is readily reattached with thumb screws for added mobility if needed. The working height is higher than my previous system, and the image is excellent, side to side!!!! The LED ring light is very good as well, and has 10 brightness settings.
And I can't say enough about Tira's customer service!!!!
Definitely a great investment!:clapping::clapping::biggrin:

 

[Sam]

Congrats, Cloudy! What is the working distance in inches between the bottom of the scope and the top of the vise?

I have some Leica binoculars which are utterly amazing. Great German optics!!

 

[BES]

Congrats, Cloudy!

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

looks great Catherine

arnaud

 

[Dave London]

Cloudy, nice scope

 

[mrthe]

wow congratations!!! enjoy it i have just bu a leica too nothing to compare with the your ( is a old stereozoom 6 photo) but i have really appreciate the difference with my old b&l sz 4!

 

[James Roettger]

The stand looks interesting. With the higher working height is there a feeling of having to stretch your neck up a bit to span the distance top to bottom? I currently use a Meiji EMZ which has a somewhat tight or short eyepiece to work plane distance, especially since I don't use an added .5x objective. I did once try a scope with a longer eye to work plane distance and found it a bit of a stretch fitting everything in between knees and eyes when seated.

 

[Tira]

James & Sam, The working distance from the bottom of the scope to the work depends on how you want the scope set up. With no objective the distance is 120mm (4.7"). With a .75 objective the distance is 150mm (5.9") and with the .63 objective it's 185mm (7.2"). The LED ring light is 20mm (.78") tall so if you plan on using the ring light then the working heights would be 100mm, 130mm and 165mm, respectively.

The stand is fully articulated and has a vertical range of 495mm (almost 19.5 inches). Where I have it on my bench I can use it when I'm sitting and then I can stand up near the bench and use it comfortably while standing as well. There is also a fixed arm stand available for people who prefer the traditional scope mount.

More info on the scope may be found here: Leica A60-F Scope

 

[Tira]

One more thing that is really worth mentioning about the scope. Leica has a new patented optical system that they call FusionOptics and this scope has it. This system gives the scope a 100% more depth of field and an 80% wider field of view. Those two features allow me to set the scope once at the beginning and really not fuss with it at all. I do zoom in and out from time to time, but there is no more moving the piece and then having to readjust the whole focus because the new angle is fuzzy. To give you an idea about the depth of field - if you lay a quarter flat on your block and then hold a second quarter perpendicular to the base quarter (straight up like a wall) on top of it - then you will be able to see the entire face of the quarter in focus AND you will also be able to see the serrated teeth on the top quarter in focus at the same time.

 

[Sam]

You have to hand it to German optic ingenuity to achieve such a depth of field. In fact, I've never heard of such a thing and I think it will be especially appreciated by stonesetters who may tilt their work more often than engravers will, benefiting from additional depth of field. I will read more about their new FusionOptics technology as it sounds fantastic.

 

[unclejim1955]

Tira,
Your website is awesome. Very nice looking and easy to navigate. Too easy, I've started my Christmas list already.