Centon Spotting Scope - too good to be true?

chemistry

Member
I'm looking at various scopes on the market. As part of my research I've been looking at the Hawke Endurance 20-60 x 60, which has had good reviews and retails at ?179. My birthday is coming up you see...

Wandering into Jessops, I see they offer a Centon 20-60 x 60 Spotting Scope for ?190. Based on the photographs it looks identical to the Hawke (they share the same black rubber gills at the back, for example, exit pupil specs., weight etc. all match up too). Fair enough I thought, just Jessops selling an own brand version and marking it up a bit to cover their hiugh street costs...

....however, then I see that cameras2u.com have a Centon 20-60 x 60 scope for just ?69.99.

Now, if the Centon is the same as the Hawke, that has to be a bargain!

So, my questions are:

1) Does anybody KNOW whether the Hawke and Jessops are indeed the same scope, just rebadged versions of each other? They look similar, but are they the same? Do they have the same cases? Does the Centon have the same (distinctive) lens cap as the Hawke, etc.?

2) Does anybody know whether the cameras2u.com version is the same as the Jessops version?

3) Has anyone got one of these from cameras2u and if so, is it any good?

I'm hoping that if the answers are yes, yes and yes I can bag a bargain!

chemistry
 

worthipa

Supporter
Supporter
Buy the Centon.

It's not as if you need an expensive scope for looking at the nocks on your arrows at a fixed distance.

The Centon certainly looks the same as the Hawke, and the Deben for that matter, it would seem those two are both made by Deben Industries (link) Deben Group Industries Ltd
The only difference in spec I could see between the Hawke/Deben and the Centon was a slight difference in weight which would indicate perhaps the Centon doesn't use the Bak4 Prism, other than that they're both nitrogen filled and very similar. Buy the cheaper one.



I'd be interested to know what name is under the very badly Photoshoped Centon badge?
 

jmvargas

New member
except for the elite brands like swarovski, leica, and zeiss most if not all of these scopes and binoculars are now made in china and other asian countries and just branded by the importer...asahi pentax has their low end models made in the cebu export processing zone in the philippines and only the high end models in japan if at all...my bushnell spacemaster spotting scope purchased from lancaster archery in the USA has "made in china" marked very clearly on the box....many of my pilot friends have bought generic brand spotting scopes whenever they were in shanghai and these have all been of very good quality and very reasonably priced....
 

JohnKR

New member
Dont know if you are interested, but theres a "Summit Spotting Scope 20-60x70" as sold at Quicks for ?99 for sale here at ?75.

It is not listed on the Website but it is in the window of the Wigan branch.
The site says they provide free postage and next day delivery.
the one in stock is black, not green.
John.
 

chemistry

Member
Dear both. Thanks for the feedback.

I think I'll pop into Jessops and see if I can have a look though their Centon. If it seems half decent then I'll take the risk that the one on cameras2u is exactly the same and order myself one of those.

chemistry
 

chemistry

Member
Buy the Centon.

It's not as if you need an expensive scope for looking at the nocks on your arrows at a fixed distance.

The Centon certainly looks the same as the Hawke, and the Deben for that matter, it would seem those two are both made by Deben Industries (link) Deben Group Industries Ltd
The only difference in spec I could see between the Hawke/Deben and the Centon was a slight difference in weight which would indicate perhaps the Centon doesn't use the Bak4 Prism, other than that they're both nitrogen filled and very similar. Buy the cheaper one.



I'd be interested to know what name is under the very badly Photoshoped Centon badge?
It appears from teh email exchange I've had with Jessops (not that I've got much confidence ion their reply) that the Centon doesn't have the BaK4 prisms, which may explain the weight difference:

Dear Mr [chemistry],

Thank you for your reply. The Centon 20-60x60 uses a regular glass prism.

Kind Regards

Laurelle
Customer Support

>>> <> 8/7/2007 08:33 >>>

Dear Laurelle,

Thank you for your email. However, I understand that the Centon 20-60 x 60 uses an internal prism - my question was whether this is a BaK4 internal prism, or regular glass.

[chemistry]


------------------------------------------------------


-----Original Message-----
From: Laurelle
Sent: 06 August 2007 12:02
To: Subject: Re: Purchasing / Availability / Information:I would like moreinformation/advice about a product on Jess

Dear Mr [chemistry],

Thank you for your email. The Centon 20-60x60, uses a internal prism.
Sorry for any inconvenienced caused.

Kind Regards

Laurelle

...by the way, I have no idea why Jessops felt the need to apologise for the inconvenience in her first email, all i did was drop them a line enquiring about the material...!
 

SimonW

Member
I ordered one of these scopes (Centon) and it arrived today.

I took it down the field and used it at 70m.

I'm not an 'optics' expert in any shape or form but I was very impressed with this scope.

The image seemed very clear and bright and I could not see anything obviously wrong with it.

In fact I was so happy using it that I scored 307 for 3 doz which in a tricky wind I was very happy with.

Would I recommend it? Yes for the money it seems very good value.

It's lightweight (the manual says 1050g but it feels very light in the hand).

It appears well made (but time will tell I guess), there's nothing fancy about it (the coating of the case is very basic, no ruggedised or ruberised finish).

It says it's waterproof (and nitrogen filled).

I only really used it at 30x magnification. Above this and the jitter from the tripod moving in the wind coupled with the low light conditions (I didn't start to shoot until 7.20pm and the sun seemed to set early tonite - I guess the nights are already starting to draw in) meant the image wasn't very good.

All the controls seem to work smoothly.

I'll compare this to a few others down the club over the next week or so and add any additional comments if necessary.

Simon
 

chemistry

Member
I ordered one of these scopes (Centon) and it arrived today.

I took it down the field and used it at 70m.

I'm not an 'optics' expert in any shape or form but I was very impressed with this scope.

The image seemed very clear and bright and I could not see anything obviously wrong with it.

In fact I was so happy using it that I scored 307 for 3 doz which in a tricky wind I was very happy with.

Would I recommend it? Yes for the money it seems very good value.

It's lightweight (the manual says 1050g but it feels very light in the hand).

It appears well made (but time will tell I guess), there's nothing fancy about it (the coating of the case is very basic, no ruggedised or ruberised finish).

It says it's waterproof (and nitrogen filled).

I only really used it at 30x magnification. Above this and the jitter from the tripod moving in the wind coupled with the low light conditions (I didn't start to shoot until 7.20pm and the sun seemed to set early tonite - I guess the nights are already starting to draw in) meant the image wasn't very good.

All the controls seem to work smoothly.

I'll compare this to a few others down the club over the next week or so and add any additional comments if necessary.

Simon

Does it say whether it has the Bak4 prism?
 
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Watch_Man

Active member
We had a Centon bought off ebay and were very happy with it. My wife found it a bit large and heavy on her flimsy tripod (buy a better tripod - I know) However I bought her a Bushnell 15-45 25x50 which I think is still available at some dealers at a very good discount. It is compact to cary as the front pulls out when in use, it comes in an aluminum case for transport and has interchangeable eyepieces like a proper telescope.

Image quality is in her opinion better than the Centon and it is certainly easier to use. It has a bespoke waterproof glove which has a hand strap built in so you can use it 'hand held'

Microglobe have it reduced from ?229 to ?159 - Bushnell 15-45 25x50mm Spacemaster Silver Straight Spotting Scope
 
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