Seawatching eyepiece ?

[Karl J]

What is a good eyepiece for seawatching ?

If it makes a difference i've a Swaro Ats 65, currently i've only got the 20 - 60 zoom which is ok but presumably a wider fov would be better so i don't have to move the scope (and lose the bird ! :eek!: )

Another thread i was looking at said to use a Wide-angle, but doesn't this limit the magnification ... (?) ... And with seabirds away into the distance isn't there a minimum magnification required ?

Thanks in advance :t:

[Andrew Whitehouse]

A fairly low power wide angle eyepiece is certainly very good for seawatching, although there will sometimes be times when you want a bit more power so it's always a compromise. I seawatch with a 20x wide angle and that's usually good because I can see pretty much from the shore to the horizon and above with it. The need for high magnification depends a bit on where you seawatch. If birds are generally a fair way out then a wide field is less important than magnification but if a lot goes through close in then you'll be missing stuff without a wide field. The best solution is to go seawatching with someone else - one of you with a zoom, one with a wide angle!

[Tim Allwood]

20 x wide as Andrew says

some of the 30 x wides are okay too

field of view is very important when seawatching.....as is using your bins to locate birds at times, then scoping in.......

[Michael Frankis]

20 x WA for me too. The wide field of view is essential for finding and following moving birds easily

Michael

[Steve Lister]

I have a 30x wide angle that I use with a Nikon 78 'scope for sea-watching - the only time I use this combination. It gives a good enough field of view and 30x is far better than 20x for a lot of what you see well out.

Steve

[Grousemore]

My first reaction was that the 20-60 zoom that Carlos already has would be fine.
But having noted that the Swaro zoom at 20x gives a FOV of 36m/1000m,whereas the 20xWA gives 60m,then I can see the relevance of the points above.

[Rhion]

It partly depends on how high you are above the sea at you site. If you are only a meter or two above sea level, a 20 x 60 zoom at the 20x mag. works quite well and lets you zoom up when you get on a bird. If you are any higher (which is the case at most seawatching sites) a 20x or 30x wide angle is much better.

[Karl J]

Thanks .... i only go around the Norfolk or Suffolk coast so no higher than 25m up, i'd say, so guess it's between the 20x & 30 x.

I was going to nip up Timberhill and set it up, but it's not too easy to judge the relevant properties in the middle of Norwich city centre. I obviously need a bit more thought on this one