38W or 50W for ed 78?

[chris w]

I feel it's time to get my first scope as I've started to look at sea birds a bit more this year and after reading through some of the threads it seems that the ED 78 at Warehouse is a good buy - I'm not sure whaether to plump for the 38 W or 50W lens. Any thoughts? :h?:

[bill lord]

I feel it's time to get my first scope as I've started to look at sea birds a bit more this year and after reading through some of the threads it seems that the ED 78 at Warehouse is a good buy - I'm not sure whaether to plump for the 38 W or 50W lens. Any thoughts? :h?:

For the eyepiece to be the only one which you have the 38X is much more practical than the 50X, nice though the 50X eyepiece is you have so much more width in the view with the 38X which makes things much easier to find.

[Brian Stone]

Well I have a 20x and a 32x for my 77mm Leica and I find I am using the 32x less and less. At lower magnifications the image is more stable, much brighter and clearer but most importantly you have a larger field of view. If by seabirds you mean seawatching then the larger field of view provided by the lower magnification will be an important factor in locating passing birds.

To some extent this must be down to personal preference - I find I enjoy a brighter, clearer but smaller image - but I can't see 50x being at all practical and even 38x sounds like a lot to me.

You don't mention the possiblity but if you ever think about digiscoping then lower magnifications are pretty well essential.

HTH

[rayl]

I have the ED 78 from Warehouse Express and puchased the old 25x eyepiece, £49 and is excellent, give them a ring and see what they have.

Ray

[bill lord]

I have the ED 78 from Warehouse Express and puchased the old 25x eyepiece, £49 and is excellent, give them a ring and see what they have.

Ray

They do not list them at the moment but if they have them it would seem a bargain especially when you consider that combining one of those with a straight body means you get an ED 78 for £448.

[chris w]

Thanks, I had a feeling the 50 would create be too narrow a field of vision but maybe the answer would be to see if they have a 25x and then next year maybe combine it with a zoom lens. I had found that I was unable to identify a lot of the birds off the coast with my binoculars, hence I'm thinking of the scope. It's secondary use will be when I have it set up at home where I over a river valley with mixed woodland behind it.

[bill lord]

Thanks, I had a feeling the 50 would create be too narrow a field of vision but maybe the answer would be to see if they have a 25x and then next year maybe combine it with a zoom lens. I had found that I was unable to identify a lot of the birds off the coast with my binoculars, hence I'm thinking of the scope. It's secondary use will be when I have it set up at home where I over a river valley with mixed woodland behind it.

If you look at the WE site the eyepieces that fit on the ED 78 are the MC ones that fit on the ED 82. the lowest magnification of these is the 30W which has a superb field of view and is a decent digiscoping lens. Many people have this one on it's own. To have a choice of eyepiece other than the older model 38X and 50X you have to buy a scope body and select an eyepiece of your choice.