Nikon eyepiece Q: MC vs. DS

[Jeff B]

Is there any downside to getting one of Nikon's "DS" digiscoping-specific eyepieces instead of one of the MC eyepieces for general use? Both types are called "wide-angle." As I understand it the "MC" stands for multi-coated. Are the DS eyepieces NOT multicoated (perhaps for some reason related to photo-specific use?), and does this negatively affect the performance of the eyepiece for general viewing? (Obviously, I know little about scope eyepieces.) I do hope to eventually use the scope for digiscoping, but that's not my primary interest at the moment. I just want to get the best eyepiece now for a new scope. If necessary (i.e., the MC eyepieces are better for general use), I'll get one of them first and the DS one later (if and when I can afford the rest of the digiscoping setup).

Also, my local dealer said some new (30x) Nikon digiscoping eyepiece would be available in June, but it seems that these eyepieces ARE already available online. Do you know if something new is coming, or if in fact this is already old news... ?

I'm also waiting to hear a comparison between the MC and DS eyepieces (although I think that there is currently another thread running on this issue).

Thanks for your response... :flowers:

(I posted this thread yesterday, but it didn't show up online; I'm not sure why.)

[avan]

Hi,
The DS eyepiece are the same as the MC II (Wide) when you look at the spec. The only difference are the longer eye relief (19mm) of the DS. For digiscoping I have try the zoom eyepiece (25X-75X) with my Nikon CP4500, the vignetting disapear a bit below half the camera zoom (yellow flower) setting. With the wide DS it's suppose to come close to no vignetting. I order one, and so let you know when I have try it.
Alain

[Jeff B]

Thanks! I wonder how they manage the greater eye relief if the specs are the same (but this is technically way over my head, probably, so it may be no real mystery). I do like the longer eye relief.

-jb

[avan]

Over mine too. I compare the spec of the swaro 30X WS and the Nikon 30XDS last night, and they look like very close (maybe I'm wrong).

Alain

[Jeff B]

Alain, what scope do you have? Do you like it? I was confused about what to buy recently, but I think I'm going to get the Nikon 82.

-jb

[avan]

Hi,
I recently buy the Nikon 82ED with MCII zoom eyepiece. To be honest the only other one that as tempted me was the swaro STS 80HD, but at double the price I pass on it ( Nikon: $1,600 CDN, Swaro $3,100CDN. It was better but not that much,except the FOV at 20-25X they are both very good at high magnification they are close to equal, the swaro dealing a bit better the heat haze at 60X when I test both. I realy love the Nikon, the image are realy great; bright, neutrality, lots of details. the image are so good I don't realy want to crank the zoom. With a wide angle it can be just lot better.
Alain

[Jeff B]

Thanks for the info. From what I've heard, the Nikon is very good--and, yes, the "premium" brands are much more. I've not yet tried the 82, but I have seen the 60. I got the Pentax 80 for a gift, and it's good optically, but rather large and bulky. I decided that the Nikon 82 would be a good alternative. Also, the Nikon has a much better warranty. The warrenty is important to me, although it is almost never mentioned in reviews (or posts by users). I am waiting for my dealer to get the Nikon in stock, and then I will probably get the new DS eyepiece. -jb

[avan]

The DS eyepiece gonna be more user friendly too if you want to make some digiscoping. I receive the FSA 1,2,3 adapter last night (no ring (CP9XX) for the cp4500, and no DS I order in the same time), and it's not very user friendly with the zoom eyepiece, as it cover all the eyepiece and if you want to birding (Nikon: yes we do both) you have to unscrew the FS2 also to pull out the retractable rubber (I forgot the word in english). The DS eyepiece are built like the FSA 2 part, so you just have to insert the FSA 3 part,tight the screw and take picture.

Alain

[pes]

for the new DS specifications, have a look at this page:
http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm#d3

Since the day I bought the 30x DS eyepiece and replaced the 25-75x MCII, it has not left my scope :-)

[Jeff B]

Great, thanks.

[avan]

Like Pes said when it's on the scope you don't whant anything else. The only one thing I don't like it's the eyeguard, too close to the eyepiece, it's only there barely to don't touch the metal of the eyepiece with your face when it's cold. At this regard if you dont do digiscoping the regular MC wide gonna be more friendly with it's retractable eyeguard. For digiscoping it's a dream, with my CP 4500 and the FSA 3 adapter the vignetting it's close to non existant (two very slight dark spot at the bottom of the image). I try the DS this morning in backyard and the view are really superb, it's better at all level compare to the zoom eyepiece, and that a lot because the zoom are very good.
Alain

[pes]

Like Pes said when it's on the scope you don't whant anything else. The only one thing I don't like it's the eyeguard, too close to the eyepiece, it's only there barely to don't touch the metal of the eyepiece with your face when it's cold. At this regard if you dont do digiscoping the regular MC wide gonna be more friendly with it's retractable eyeguard. For digiscoping it's a dream, with my CP 4500 and the FSA 3 adapter the vignetting it's close to non existant (two very slight dark spot at the bottom of the image). I try the DS this morning in backyard and the view are really superb, it's better at all level compare to the zoom eyepiece, and that a lot because the zoom are very good.
Alain

I would be interested to see some images obtained with your setup. I also digiscope with the DS 30x with several cameras. I found the images of good quality, but not to the level I would expect given the superb view it gives.

Merci d'avance ;-)
Pierre

[Jeff B]

Alain, I'd like to see some shots also.... -jb

[avan]

Alain, I'd like to see some shots also.... -jb
This is a sample take this week-end. I also have send an other one too in digiscoping accesories (Ds 40/50X). I don"t know how to send more than one at the time, sorry

Alain

[avan]

This is an other exemple. The quality is less on the site than on my computer, but that give an idea of the quality. Compared to the one take via my old Accuter I have,now more image of better quality, less correction with Photoshop. Also with the DS eyepiece, I find myself using more the middle zoom setting of the camera, that mean sharper image, So i'm happy with the set up.

[Jeff B]

Thanks. They look good! I have not posted any pictures, but I assume you can post them to your personal gallery.

Do you like your Nikon 4500 camera? (I see that it has a small LCD. Does that bother you?)

According to http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm#d3, you don't need the FSA adapter with the wide-angle eye piece. Is that true?

[avan]

Hi Jeff,
Yes, I like the nikon, it can give some very nice picture (digiscoping or not). It also have some drawback, like the shuter speed that is too slow and the LCD that is very small, but I use the eagleeyes extend-a-view that help to make a good focus but with a strange pixelized view, In shaded area I better like to use only the LCD. For the FSA adapter it's true and not. Whwn you buy the FSA adapter it come in 3 parts (FSA 1-2-3), with the wide DS eyepiece You only use the FSA 3 and the adapter ring (sold separatly), in my case the FS-CP9XX for the CP4500.
Alain

[Jeff B]

Thanks again. -jb

[jtss47]

Been away trying my Coolpix 7900 with the Nikon Fieldscope and the DS lens and FSB1 adapter. I bought the set up for disgiscoping and was not disappointed. The only problem is focussing the telescope but that can be sorted before attaching the adapter. However, I was delighted by the quality of the lens for general observations. The weather was good so plenty of light but the 60mm scope performed equally as well as my 82mm Kowa. I have rarely been as pleased by a purchase.

[avan]

I usualy made the focusing with the scope and with the camera on the eyepiece. With the Nikon, you usualy know exactly where the focus it's OK. The must touchy part are when you use the infinty mode with the camera. You can take a bit more picture trying the focus of the scope at different slight touch of the focusing ring.
Alain

[jtss47]

The Coolpix 7900 is auto focus and auto exposure which many people see as a disadvantage. However, when attached to the Fieldscope with the FSB-1 adaptor, there is no vignetting and, as long as the scope is focussed, no problem getting photos as long as the birds co-operate!! ;)

[Jeff B]

You are digiscoping with the 60mm Fieldscope? I was tempted to stick with that smaller scope rather than get the 82, which is on back order from my dealer. But I was concerned that the 60mm would be too limiting for photography. Do you think this is not the case? Thx.

[jtss47]

I got the 60mm because a) it was cheap b) it was small c) it was available
The plan is to use it as my "travel" scope and the camera and attachment mean I can also digiscope on my travels. However, I have been delighted with the performance so far. Luckily, I have been blessed with bright days and fairly co-operative birds. The only downside is the tripod I bought in Japan. Tends to dip slightly when attaching the camera. Guess what I gained in size and weight with the 60mm will be offset by the tripod I may have to buy! |=(|

[Jeff B]

Yeah, there is always that issue. I do think the small fieldscope is really a good product. I'm just concerned wether it would limiting as my only scope... Thanks for your thoughts.

[jtss47]

What I should have mentioned is the DS lenses drop magnification with the 60mm models. So far, no problem. Got the weekend off so going birding. See you next week!

[gorank]

using cp4500 and Fieldscope EDIIIA 60mm + 30X MC (II?)for digiscoping and it works ok in good light, but the exit pupil is a bit to small and magnification is a bit too much, considering the 24x DS eyepiece, and perhaps the cp7900, but Im not sure its worth extra money, what do you think is the best alternative/gives the best result?
1) CP4500 + 30X MCII + homemade adapter, works fine
2) CP7900 + 30x MCII + ?adapter?
3) CP4500 + 24x DS + fsa adapter
4) CP7900 + 24x DS + fsb adapter

What will I loose with 24x instead of 30x for birding??
Perhaps it is not significant?? Perhaps more light will compensate for less magnification. Resolution is more important i think and perhaps a 24x is more suitable on a 60mm scope. But I am very satisfied with my current 30X eyepiece so...

[gorank]

This is an other exemple. The quality is less on the site than on my computer, but that give an idea of the quality. Compared to the one take via my old Accuter I have,now more image of better quality, less correction with Photoshop. Also with the DS eyepiece, I find myself using more the middle zoom setting of the camera, that mean sharper image, So i'm happy with the set up.

looks very good, nice colors, is this a crop/full size??
is the Accuter a scope with APO/ED ??
interested in seeing pictures taken with the ED82 and DS eyepiece as well!

[avan]

They are both full size. Even with the CP 4500 the vigneting are very small and sometimes I don't see it when I take a picture. I have send an other picture that show that vignetting in the tread "digiscoping accesories- digiscoping with a 40/50X DS eyepiece.
The Accuter was a non ED lens,So I have lots of chromatic abberation especialy when I have the sky as background. With the accuter I have made some nice shot too. You can see the result in the general scope section-digiscoping with an accuter S-80.
Alain

[gorank]

They are both full size. Even with the CP 4500 the vignetting are very small and sometimes I don't see it when I take a picture. Alain

I think that vignetting depends on the aperture size, with my setup I get more vignetting when the aperture is small (higher f-falue). f/2,6 gives less vignetting than f/5,6 when the zoom is on the wide side.

[jtss47]

With the FSB-1 adaptor, from the start I had no vignetting at all. The 7900 is in the same mold as the original cameras that the adaptor was made for. Screw it onto the adaptor and attach to lens and it's ready. Sometimes, the attachment is a bit difficult as it is quite tight. The 7900 is 7 megapixels and so it is possible to use the 3 times optical zoom while taking the picture and then zoom in on your editing suite without losing much quality. That is as long as the scope is focussed and the bird co-operates. As they say, practice makes perfect and I'm still practicing and the birds aren't co-operating!

[trealawboy]

..., what do you think is the best alternative/gives the best result?
1) CP4500 + 30X MCII + homemade adapter, works fine
2) CP7900 + 30x MCII + ?adapter?
3) CP4500 + 24x DS + fsa adapter
4) CP7900 + 24x DS + fsb adapter

...

I have a similar dilemma, and have not arrived at a final decison yet. I have a Fieldscope EDIII with the 30Wx MCII and a Coolpix 5200. I belive I can connect the camera to the eyepiece with Nikon's own FSA1, FSA2 and FSB adapters. This will be the cheapest option, but looking at Nikon's site at:

http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/bi_e/products/nature_c.htm

suggests the MC eyepieces will give more vignetting than the new DS eyepieces.

Another useful page is at:

http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/bi_e/how_to/digisco/

I love the scope and 30Wx eyepiece. I also like the Coolpix 5200. Digiscoping is a secondary interest, but it seems a shame not to combine the two units together. Whether the outlay is worth it is the difficulty, as I can't find any opinions out there whether picture quality is any good using this combination.