Mm2 Ed (1 Viewer)

I see that Opticron now have the ED version of the MM2 on their website, with it being available in June. The body is £225 and they recommend the use of HDF lenses, so it will work out a little cheaper than the Nikon ED50. I wonder how it will compare optically?

Michael

MEJ said:

I see that Opticron now have the ED version of the MM2 on their website, with it being available in June. The body is £225 and they recommend the use of HDF lenses, so it will work out a little cheaper than the Nikon ED50. I wonder how it will compare optically?

Michael

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It's been available in Japan for the last couple of years (under the Vixen brand) but only in a straight version.................you can get it with a 30X eyepiece for about 150 quid. Actually it came out just a month or so after I'd got the non-ED version..........................I wasn't too happy.

Judging by the recent mark downs in Japan on this product I'd suggest it isn't as highly thought of as the Nikon...........

MEJ said:

I see that Opticron now have the ED version of the MM2 on their website, with it being available in June. The body is £225 and they recommend the use of HDF lenses, so it will work out a little cheaper than the Nikon ED50. I wonder how it will compare optically?

Michael

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No bull****, the Nikon ED50 will easily out perform the newer version of the MM2 with the better glass, and you might save a few pounds but you won't get the performance, false economy i.m.h.o.

Have never been that impressed with the overall optical performance of the Mighty Midgets; the IS 50 or 60'S are much better and cheaper pro-rata.

If you want a good standard 50mm lightweight spotting scope and fixed mag. lens for under £150 then an IS50 with x20/25 is good value.

Out of all the 50mm EDs (including the KOWA 500 series) I feel the Nikon comes out on top, try one if you can.

given none of us have looked through one.....

I'd imagine that on the web the price will be discounted. You can pick up an ED50 for £239 which compares very favourably with the mm2ed so given that the ED50 is waterproof etc they would have to discount it. I presume that's why the price has come down in Japan.

The thing against the midget for the travelling birder is the draw-tube. Bit of a drawback in very humid climates.

Not sure why the IS50 hasn't sold as well. Feels better built and not much in it optics wise.. You see a lot more MM2's about. I dislike the standard lenses for the MM2 but the image is respectable definitely better than no scope!

pduxon said:

Not sure why the IS50 hasn't sold as well. Feels better built and not much in it optics wise.. You see a lot more MM2's about. I dislike the standard lenses for the MM2 but the image is respectable definitely better than no scope!

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I'm thinking of buying an IS50. A friend uses the Nikon ED50 on a monopod and I've been very impressed by how easy it is to use. Locating birds at x20 is simpler than I'd imagined. I know the Opticron wouldn't give quite the same quality, but I already have a couple of HDF eyepieces for my ES80 scope.

I did consider an MM2 but another friend had trouble with the draw-tube jamming and that's put me off. I haven't been too impressed with his scope using an MM2 zoom.

The HDF 40809 (x32 on my main scope) would give x20 with the IS50 and I reckon it would be a great lightweight alternative if used with a monopod to lugging around the ES80 plus tripod, useful though that will still be in the right circumstances. And not too much money.

Any thoughts?