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Opticron MM4 60ED vs. Leica Televid APO 62 (1 Viewer)

The 26xWW is a superb eyepiece and would be the one that I would go for if I was considering a fixed magnification. Saying that, the 16-48x zoom (if you can find one) is also well worth considering and gives good, sharp images even in relatively poor light. As has been said, all accessories, eyepieces etc for the APO Televid 77 & 62 were discontinued some time ago and are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

RB
There's a nice 16x that I could purchase right now but I'll wait for a good 26x to show up. The unit I purchased comes with the 2nd version of the 16-48x zoom eyepiece which has the markings for both the T77 and T62 but no locking pin. My understanding is that this is the same as the 3rd version optically but not as refined mechanically.

I started off with the 26xWW but it was quickly superseded by the zoom once I'd experienced the superb optical & mechanical quality of it. The zoom now stays on the scope 24/7 but I too am hanging onto my 26xWW, just in case ... If you can get hold of the latest iteration of the zoom - the one with the locking pin - you won't go far wrong IMHO.

RB
Did the later versions of the fixed eyepieces come with locking pins? I'm going to keep an eye out for the version 3 zoom but I think my version 2 zoom will give me a good idea of the optical quality of the scope.
 
No, all fixed mag eyepieces had a straightforward bayonet mount. The zoom was eventually redesigned with a locking pin as it had a tendency to loosen the whole eyepiece when twisting the zooming mechanism which was - necessarily - quite stiff, especially when new.

RB
 
I would like to see a PF65, having read great reports. They don't seem to be readily available though. I hardly birdwatch anymore, so my 'big' scope is redundant, but I wanted something small and light to take on more casual walks 'just-in-case'.

Hi Sancho! When you sold that green ED50A to me, I soon found out that it was so close to my PF-65EDAII that I'd stop using the latter.
That's why I sold it and bought myself the ED82A.
Recently, I tried the 40x Wide DS with the ED50A and found it both very sharp and reasonably bright. If I were to buy myself another 60ish scope, only the Nikon EDIIIA and the MM4 are on my short list. In particular the light weight and the decent SDL zoom make it woth considering.
An EDIIIA would probably be used with a 30x Wide and occasionally the 60x Wide DS.

//L
 
There's a nice 16x that I could purchase right now but I'll wait for a good 26x to show up.

I would not hold my breath waiting for that 26x to show up because if you do you will probably end up turning very blue just before you pass out and expire. I say this because the 20x-16 power is hard enough to find in good condition, with the 26x eyepiece even rarer to see selling anywhere. If you do by any chance come across one that's worth buying, be pepared to open up your wallet. When I ended up selling my in new condition 20x-16 power eyepiece for $400. it took only a few days. You will find that the Leica 62 APO scope bodies are a lot easier to find than their fixed power eyepieces.
 
There's a nice 16x that I could purchase right now but I'll wait for a good 26x to show up.

I would not hold my breath waiting for that 26x to show up because if you do you will probably end up turning very blue just before you pass out and expire. I say this because the 20x-16 power is hard enough to find in good condition, with the 26x eyepiece even rarer to see selling anywhere. If you do by any chance come across one that's worth buying, be pepared to open up your wallet. When I ended up selling my in new condition 20x-16 power eyepiece for $400. it took only a few days. You will find that the Leica 62 APO scope bodies are a lot easier to find than their fixed power eyepieces.

I found one but unfortunately it has some small marks on the glass coating. The coatings must be relatively delicate because I see quite a few Televid EPs and bodies with marks in the coating.
 
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Hi Sancho! When you sold that green ED50A to me, I soon found out that it was so close to my PF-65EDAII that I'd stop using the latter........only the Nikon EDIIIA and the MM4 are on my short list.

//L

Hi Lars!!! You really know the obsession is off-the-scale when you can't remember optics you've sold....I've little recollection of a green ED50!
I'd also like an EDIIIA. They come up occasionally on the 'bay, from Japan. I couldn't live with the MCII zoom eyepiece though. The MM3 ED60/22-45x fills that space adequately though, and for not much more heft or weight than the ED50. I'd love to know if the MM4 has better optics.

(P.S.- I do remember the EDG 7x42 that went MIA in a Stockholm postal depot for a few months!;))
 
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(P.S.- I do remember the EDG 7x42 that went MIA in a Stockholm postal depot for a few months!;))

The ED50A, in contrast, took only 32 hours from you dispatched it 'til it was in my trembling hands! :eek!:
That was back in February 2011 so no wonder you've forgotten it.

//L
 
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The scope arrived on Wednesday and I have been using it since then. The scope is beautiful in person with or without its case on. Definitely something that can be kept out on display in my home and it makes me want to upgrade my tripod/head to a Leica unit or something of similar quality. It's basically brand new and the coarse focus wheel was very difficult to turn when it arrived. I have been rotating the focus wheel through the focus range a lot since I received it and it has loosened up a bunch, but I'm still debating sending it in to Leica for a tune up. The optics are crystal clear and it's bright enough at every magnification for my usage. The eyepiece shows no sign of loosening up so I see no reason to purchase the ver. 3 eyepiece. My only gripe is that I wish the eyepiece had longer eye relief. I know that the fixed eyepieces have longer eye relief but I prefer the versatility of a zoom eyepiece.
 
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Did anybody try to digiscope (with Smartphone) through leica apo televid 62 vario (16-48) eyepiece? Are the resuls viable? I'm considering to buy a used one with this eyepiece.

Thanks!
 
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