Nikon ED50A bridging the gap (1 Viewer)

RJM said:

This kit is tall enough for my 187cm height when the legs and center column is fully extended. I think it weighs ~700g with the ball head but I added the strap and some camo tape to make it easier to carry and hold in the cold.

Plenty windy in Japan so added a hook to hang my water bottle or fanny pack. If it is really windy I'll add a stone bag for stability.

I want to be hands free to drink or eat my sandwich, to share views, consult my guide book or a myriad of other tasks. A monopod lacks this "versatility".

I have used the string gadget too with great success, but prefer the Gorillapod for ultimate lightweight flexibility.

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Before buying the Pentax scope, the Nikon ED50 was one of the possible alternatives. If I had bought it at that time, a lightweight tripod would have been my choice. The first one I bought was broken at arrival and felt much less field-worthy than I expected, and the pan head was not up to its task.
It was also too short for me.

Now that I'm buying the ED50 I will store it at work for lunch-break birding, and bring it when biking into the forests east of my home town.
You seem to use yours the way I use my Pentax. That's fine with me, it could have been me. Nice pictures, btw!

Regards

L

looksharp65 said:

The GS52 is a very nice scope. But the tripod thread is so near the front end of the scope that I think "the hanging monopod" idea would not be practicable - simply because there is too little space for the front hand.

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That's a good point.

I must PM you when I get an eye test carried out in the next few weeks to find out what contact lenses I need. I like the vision I get through my glasses for work and driving but they aren't so good for cycling and wildlife watching.

looksharp65 said:

The GS52 is a very nice scope. But the tripod thread is so near the front end of the scope that I think "the hanging monopod" idea would not be practicable - simply because there is too little space for the front hand.

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There are 2 tripod threads on the base of the GS52 GA ED, I use a pistol grip with the rearmost and find the scope is very well balanced and easy to use.

Cleme said:

That's a good point.

I must PM you when I get an eye test carried out in the next few weeks to find out what contact lenses I need. I like the vision I get through my glasses for work and driving but they aren't so good for cycling and wildlife watching.

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Are You going to put Your eyeglasses in a monopod?...(scratching my head)..I use My ears/nose combo, and it works PERFECT!!

mayoayo said:

Are You going to put Your eyeglasses in a monopod?...(scratching my head)..

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It has been done...

mayoayo said:

Are You going to put Your eyeglasses in a monopod?...(scratching my head)..I use My ears/nose combo, and it works PERFECT!!

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Ha. No, I'd like to leave them at home when I go into the countryside!

I bought Sancho's green ED50A in very good/mint condition and I can't say how pleased I am with the purchase. And he's a great guy, too!
The zoom - well, it can be used with spectacles and I will try to keep them on, unless I wear contacts. It is correct that the eye placement is critical, but not to the extent that I can't manage it. The AFOV at 13x is not exactly great, but I didn't expect it to be. At 20x and 30x it feels wide and natural. The edge sharpness from about 20x to 30x is very good and leaves nothing more to wish for.

I will use it with the monopod for a while and leave a report within a couple of weeks.
But I have a hint: When placing my foot on the bar-end side bracket, the image is very, VERY steady. And this solution is also very speedy - I can choose to look first and decide whether to extend the monopod or not. When I do, I just have to turn two levers, rather than six + spread the tripod legs + adjust the center column and the pan head.

Some pictures:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2161325#post2161325