I´ve just taken delivery of the above, and have been out and about comparing them to my Nikon ED82A with zoom, but apologies, I don´t do technical, my comparisons are of the "I like it/I don´t like it" order....so if you want tekkie, read no further. I was musing about FOV´s of various zooms here on BF, when a kind offer arose from a BF Gentleman...from whom I got the Zeiss 85 (with Baader 30x and Zeiss Zoom), and ordered a Baader zoom just for the hell of it from Modern Astronomy (UK).
Initial impressions are very favourable. I always appreciated the sharpness and brightness of the ED82A plus zoom, but could never get on with the narrow FOV, and found I only used it on very rare occasions with stationary birds. (No good for seawatching, then). So my default was 30xw. Constantly frustrated with ep changes on seawatches, I hankered after a usable "default" zoom with good FOV.
The Zeiss/Baader is bright to the max, as bright as the Nikon up to about 60x (after which the Nikon darkens sharply). A tad narrow in FOV at lower mags, but wonderfully wide (for a zoom) from about 30x up. (I say "about", because I have no idea how to measure FOV....I reckon my Baader is giving me about 20x to just above 60x).
Negatives: The Baader zoom is not quite as sharp as the Nikon. Also, the edges of Zeiss/Baader are softer and the field not quite-as-flat. However, this doesn´t matter as extra field is welcome, even if the edges thereof are softer. (I´d prefer softer edges to no edges at all).
As regards colour, etc., I haven´t really had time to compare but to my untrained eye there are no issues in the comparison that bother me. Edge-CA is minimal in both set-ups, and has to be searched-for.
I really have to take the Zeiss/Baader on a serious seawatch to figure it out, but so far I´m very happy with it. (Just as well ´cos I´ve sold my Nikon). As regards fixed mag eyepieces, the Zeiss came not only with a Zeiss zoom, but also with a Baader 30x. I haven´t used either for reasons that embarrass me....I foolishly put the o-ring adapter for the Baader 30x into the scope, and can´t get it out, so I can´t use either the Baader 30x or the Zeiss zoom and compare these to their Nikon equivalents. No matter, I´ll sort it out next week and meanwhile, I would really, really love if the Zeiss plus Baader Zoom became my "default"...the ultimate question for me is not one of sharpness or colour rendition etc. (these are all very fine instruments with hair´s-breadths separating them in any one area), it is one of FOV. If I can seawatch with the Baader zoom, I´m happy. I´m very grateful to Frank D and to others who advised me, and especially to the BF member who sold me the Zeiss....I don´t want to name him in case he wouldn´t like it, but a thorough gent who gave me a great deal and kindly advised me throughout. Now that´s what BF is all about.
Initial impressions are very favourable. I always appreciated the sharpness and brightness of the ED82A plus zoom, but could never get on with the narrow FOV, and found I only used it on very rare occasions with stationary birds. (No good for seawatching, then). So my default was 30xw. Constantly frustrated with ep changes on seawatches, I hankered after a usable "default" zoom with good FOV.
The Zeiss/Baader is bright to the max, as bright as the Nikon up to about 60x (after which the Nikon darkens sharply). A tad narrow in FOV at lower mags, but wonderfully wide (for a zoom) from about 30x up. (I say "about", because I have no idea how to measure FOV....I reckon my Baader is giving me about 20x to just above 60x).
Negatives: The Baader zoom is not quite as sharp as the Nikon. Also, the edges of Zeiss/Baader are softer and the field not quite-as-flat. However, this doesn´t matter as extra field is welcome, even if the edges thereof are softer. (I´d prefer softer edges to no edges at all).
As regards colour, etc., I haven´t really had time to compare but to my untrained eye there are no issues in the comparison that bother me. Edge-CA is minimal in both set-ups, and has to be searched-for.
I really have to take the Zeiss/Baader on a serious seawatch to figure it out, but so far I´m very happy with it. (Just as well ´cos I´ve sold my Nikon). As regards fixed mag eyepieces, the Zeiss came not only with a Zeiss zoom, but also with a Baader 30x. I haven´t used either for reasons that embarrass me....I foolishly put the o-ring adapter for the Baader 30x into the scope, and can´t get it out, so I can´t use either the Baader 30x or the Zeiss zoom and compare these to their Nikon equivalents. No matter, I´ll sort it out next week and meanwhile, I would really, really love if the Zeiss plus Baader Zoom became my "default"...the ultimate question for me is not one of sharpness or colour rendition etc. (these are all very fine instruments with hair´s-breadths separating them in any one area), it is one of FOV. If I can seawatch with the Baader zoom, I´m happy. I´m very grateful to Frank D and to others who advised me, and especially to the BF member who sold me the Zeiss....I don´t want to name him in case he wouldn´t like it, but a thorough gent who gave me a great deal and kindly advised me throughout. Now that´s what BF is all about.