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Nikon ED50 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Swissboy
- Start date
Alex_sk
A lady who *hearts* nature
Apparently the stay-on case is supposed to be out this month....
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=74517
Alex
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=74517
Alex
I have just purchased a straight Nikon ED50 fieldscope with a 16x MC eyepiece from Kay Optical of Morden , South London. They matched the large mail order firms in price and allowed me as much hassle free testing time as I wanted. I was looking for a lightweight travelscope and compared two scopes, a Kowa TSN 603 with a low powered eyepiece and the ED50. The Kowa cost over £200 more and did not include a case. Testing the scopes on a dull day there was very little difference between their low power images, the Kowa image being slightly better. However what made the decision for me was the diminutive size and weight of the Nikon scope and its lack of visible chromatic aberration. I have also purchased a cheap carbon fibre monopod for under £30 which works well with the 16x magnification to produce an outfit that can easily fit into my luggage when I travel abroad by plane. The image with the monopod is similar to that produced when using binoculars, there is always a slight shuddering of the view, which can be reduced by trying different bracing techniques. The ED50 gives an really amazing view when fixed to a really solid tripod, I just can't believe such a small scope can perform so well! Nikon have bridged the gap between binoculars and spotting scopes with the ED50, producing portability with performance!
michaelboustead
Well-known member
I sold my big scope. This is the Nikon 50 is just so easy to take along.
Edward woodwood
Member
Bought one today for our NE India trip next week
absolutely amazing piece of kit. you can even hand hold them at 24 x wide angle and with a shoulder pod it's just the thing i've been after for years. I expect it to become the main scope very quickly.
So small and so light, yet the image is extremely good. The close focus is remarkable and means it can be even used on birds like wren babblers. I wouldn't have believed it if i hadn't seen it. At last, a quality scope that can be used in a forest setting and is stable enough to use properly hand held or with a shoulder pod. And seeing as i have a larg Nikon scope and eyepiece, it only set me back £239 for the body. And i don't think it needs a case either.
well done Nikon.
Tim
absolutely amazing piece of kit. you can even hand hold them at 24 x wide angle and with a shoulder pod it's just the thing i've been after for years. I expect it to become the main scope very quickly.
So small and so light, yet the image is extremely good. The close focus is remarkable and means it can be even used on birds like wren babblers. I wouldn't have believed it if i hadn't seen it. At last, a quality scope that can be used in a forest setting and is stable enough to use properly hand held or with a shoulder pod. And seeing as i have a larg Nikon scope and eyepiece, it only set me back £239 for the body. And i don't think it needs a case either.
well done Nikon.
Tim
Tim Allwood said:
I think I may well have seen you buying it! We had a customer today who bought one, body only, to go with their 78ED... was that you?
Edward woodwood
Member
postcardcv said:
yes it was me.
i thought Postcard CV was Pat! That's why I asked if Pat was in. Bugger it. Never mind. Nice to meet you at last :t: Same sort of feeling when you cock up a bird ID!
Must say it's nice to have such a good shop and friendly service very close to home. I never made the Glauc though - just too miserable at Salthouse.
I'll see you when i pop back up for a case i expect...
Tim
Tim Allwood said:
Nice to meet you too... there is a Pat that works there too, hence the confusion! Enjoy your trip to India, I hope the new scope helps you see some great birds.
Congratulations on your new scope, mine has become a permanent attachment, might as well sew it onto my wrist. I was out at a local site today with the Cullmann shoulder-pod and a monopod, trying to experiment with various ways of reducing shake. I find the biggest problem, when there´s not much wind, is my own pulse rather than my breathing. Kneeling and bracing either shoulder or monopod against my knee helps, or removing the rubber stopper from the end of the monopod and sticking it into the ground, or else making use of available fence-posts, walls, etc. I can`t seem to find a decent lightweight tripod to suit the ED50, at least not in the stores in Dublin. They´re either flimsy rubbish, or don´t extend high enough. (Anyone got any good tripod advice re. ED50?) I agree with you that it´s been a wish-list item for years, Nikon are onto a winner with this one. Congrats again and best of luck on your trip.Tim Allwood said:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
pduxon said:
Not made of very strong stuff then Pete
I managed to stand on the shore and saw it sailing beautifully in the wind in the afternoon!!!!!! Obviously not a Norfolk lad !!!!!!SteveClifton
Well-known member
Sancho, I have a Feisol CT-3402 four-section for use with my ED50. Like you I also experimented with a monopod, but found it unsatisfactory, and much prefer the stability of a tripod. When I bought the ED50, I got a Slick Video sprint as part of the deal for about £20, but have never been happy with it (too flimsy at full height, and only really useable unextended IMO).
Seems to me if you want a light but decent tripod, you might have to spend some hard cash (though Manfrotto and Velbon do some half-decent looking cheaper aluminium tripods).
I became aware of Feisol when looking at various photography websites, where they were recommended as cheaper alternatives to Gitzo's. Another similar brand worth looking at is Benro (not Benbo!) who are a Chinese Gitzo knock-off. Both Feisol and Benro are reputed to have similar build quality to Gitzos, but at less than half the cost.
I have no experience of Benro, but can tell you that the Feisol is a nice product. It is supplied with both a centre column and a flat plate, for direct mounting of a tripod head such as a Manfrotto 390RC (which I use-about 500g). They also make a slightly taller 4-section model (CT-3401), and from their website they have just introduced new even lighter models which are around 1kg, yet seem to be just as sturdy as the older models (sorry, can't recall the product number!). At the moment they are only available direct from the manufacturer in Taiwan, but they could be worth watching as it seems they are now looking for retail outlets in other countries to sell their products.
It's worth noting that there will be an import fee of around £30 (came as a bit of a shock!) on top of the purchase price of around £130. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for!
Seems to me if you want a light but decent tripod, you might have to spend some hard cash (though Manfrotto and Velbon do some half-decent looking cheaper aluminium tripods).
I became aware of Feisol when looking at various photography websites, where they were recommended as cheaper alternatives to Gitzo's. Another similar brand worth looking at is Benro (not Benbo!) who are a Chinese Gitzo knock-off. Both Feisol and Benro are reputed to have similar build quality to Gitzos, but at less than half the cost.
I have no experience of Benro, but can tell you that the Feisol is a nice product. It is supplied with both a centre column and a flat plate, for direct mounting of a tripod head such as a Manfrotto 390RC (which I use-about 500g). They also make a slightly taller 4-section model (CT-3401), and from their website they have just introduced new even lighter models which are around 1kg, yet seem to be just as sturdy as the older models (sorry, can't recall the product number!). At the moment they are only available direct from the manufacturer in Taiwan, but they could be worth watching as it seems they are now looking for retail outlets in other countries to sell their products.
It's worth noting that there will be an import fee of around £30 (came as a bit of a shock!) on top of the purchase price of around £130. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for!
Tvc15_2000
Well-known member
B & H has the ED 50 for $419 (no eyepiece) (314 EU) for both straight and angled models.
That is 15.8% discount or $80 (60 EU) less than the $499 (254 EU) it was selling for last week! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=426146&is=REG&addedTroughType=search
Optics Planet has it listed for $459 on Amazon.com for the straight model http://www.amazon.com/Fieldscope-An...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1174785584&sr=8-1
Its been my experience that discounts are often used to clear inventory quickly for a model change, or successor. Perhaps (wishful thinking on my part) a new stay on case? All speculation on my part. Could a new model be coming? This appears to be a very good deal.
This is not a commentary on the scope - only the price.
That is 15.8% discount or $80 (60 EU) less than the $499 (254 EU) it was selling for last week! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=426146&is=REG&addedTroughType=search
Optics Planet has it listed for $459 on Amazon.com for the straight model http://www.amazon.com/Fieldscope-An...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1174785584&sr=8-1
Its been my experience that discounts are often used to clear inventory quickly for a model change, or successor. Perhaps (wishful thinking on my part) a new stay on case? All speculation on my part. Could a new model be coming? This appears to be a very good deal.
This is not a commentary on the scope - only the price.
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KorHaan
Well-known member
Sancho said:
Sancho,
You could try the Velbon Sherpa Pro 530 CF with Gitzo 2180 head. Weighs 1980 grams together. Great set up, I use it with my Zeiss 65 angled ( I'm 6 foot 4 ). Very solid feel. Very stable.
When I ever decide to sell the Zeiss I'll get the Nikon 50ED and not wanting another scope for the rest of my birding life.
pduxon
Quacked up Member
Penny Clarke said:Not made of very strong stuff then Pete
8-P
we did venture to the carpark. wandered along saw 8 shore lark, after 300 yards decided it was "a gull" and that there was better things to do. I want to know what happened to the promised weather!
scampo
Steve Campsall
Feel your pulse - Sancho? That's the heart still beating extra hard 'cos you've spent so much money on that birding kit!!Sancho said:
I put mine on a Velbon CF Sherpa Pro with Manfrotto 700RC2 which is so very light and portable. There must be even lighter tripods but I suspect they'll not be sturdy enough. For bird hide use a hide-mount would be superb, I'd guess.
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dogfish
Well-known member
People should indeed hang on to their receipts; they should also bear in mind that this part of the scope is very poorly constructed. Having a receipt is little consolation if the scope falls apart in the field. My advice would be to handle the tripod socket area very carefully. I have owned many scopes in the past 16 years or so and have never had a similar problem.
Sean
Sean
