Nikon ED60 iiia fieldscope should I get the 30x eyepiece? (1 Viewer)

frootz · Feb 22, 2016

Hello everyone,

I currently own a Nikon EDiiia with the 24x MC eyepiece.

My question is whether I should stick with the 24x MC eyepiece or try to find the 20x/30x/38x MC eyepiece? Is there a huge difference in the view?

Failing that perhaps the zoom is another option to use with the 24x eyepiece!

If it has any bearing on the issue, I don't wear glasses and would be using the scope for general wildlife watching and to view at distance at reserves and for sea watching.

Many thanks if you take the time to reply,

Emma

gandytron · Feb 22, 2016

When I had this scope I used the 30x and the zoom. I think having that combination worked well as I oils use e zoom for distant waders, but preferred the fixed if magnification was less of an issue.

I think the zoom & fixed combo would be a better option than having two fixed eyepieces of reasonably similar power.

Ultimately I moved on to a Swarovski ATM 65mm with the exceptional 25-50 zoom and could not be happier.

andyotter · Feb 22, 2016

frootz said:
Hello everyone,

I currently own a Nikon EDiiia with the 24x MC eyepiece.

My question is whether I should stick with the 24x MC eyepiece or try to find the 20x/30x/38x MC eyepiece? Is there a huge difference in the view?

Failing that perhaps the zoom is another option to use with the 24x eyepiece!

If it has any bearing on the issue, I don't wear glasses and would be using the scope for general wildlife watching and to view at distance at reserves and for sea watching.

Many thanks if you take the time to reply,

Emma

Hi Emma,

I also have an EDIIIA, which I use with a 24xDS, 40xDS (bought initially for digiscoping) , and 20-60x zoom.
For distance viewing like you describe, I really like the 40xDS for the extra reach. I will occasionally switch to the zoom if I can't make a distant id with the fixed EP. More often than not tho', I find the zoom gets very "soft" above 40x anyway, so really only outperforms the 40xDS at distance with good light AND no haze (think cold, bright, winter mornings!).

My 24xDS has same field as your 24xMC - I think you'd be surprised by how narrow the zoom feels in comparison; a bit of a Smarties tube. (Also you need to re-focus as you zoom in - my mate's Kowa doesn't seem to suffer from this).Having thoroughly run it down, I'd still say get one for occasional use IF you can find the right price. Make it your 3rd eyepiece!

Regarding the jump from 24x to 30x, it feels a bit small but I'll let you know when I've had the chance to properly test out my new 30xMC. At present I like the 40x so much I rarely touch the 24x (hoping it'll be useful with a handheld ED50); not as ergonomic as the 40xMCii, I'm sure, but optically good...

As you're local, if you want to PM/mail me when you can get over to Willington GP, I'll pack up all my EPs for you to try!

frootz · Feb 23, 2016

Many thanks for the replies that's much appreciated. The comments have given me a fair bit to think about.

gandytron, I did try the zoom once and it would make sense alongside the 24x - but I'm not sure I like the idea of refocussing too much. On the plus side these are still available new and more seem to be available second hand.

Andy, that's a very kind offer of you, I will let you know! The 40x is a new idea to me, I hadn't considered this one before for the ED60. I think I would like an MC eyepiece rather than DS though as I tried the DS ones in comparison at Bird Fair and found the MC much easier to use. I am not intending to use the scope for photography either. I think finding the 27x/40x/50x MC might be near impossible now though without buying it with another scope! Not something I can afford to do.

I would be very interested to hear how you find the 30x eyepiece in comparison to the others.

Thanks again and best wishes to you both

Emma

Vespobuteo · Feb 23, 2016

The 30x is good, but as a compliment to the 24x
It might not be significant difference in mag,

I used the 30x for 10 years on the EDIIIA,
it works well as a standard eye piece.

The 40x might be a bit high mag and narrow FOV for
every day birding, but it might be a better second EP
if the 24x is used as the main EP.

andyotter · Feb 23, 2016

Vespobuteo said:
The 30x is good, but as a compliment to the 24x
It might not be significant difference in mag,

I agree. IMO, the decision comes down to

get a 30x, like it a lot, stop using the 24x
get a 40x (MC or DS until an MC shows up ) to complement the 24x

So the question almost becomes "how much will you like your 24x when you've got higher mag?"!
For me, the answer was "not much". Pretty much the only scenario nowadays I think of turning to it is when I want to spend time enjoying a group of close-ish birds for plumage differences (i.e. where mag is not a priority but field width is), say a flock of finches at 25m.(Glad I kept it, tho' as it's come into it's own with the ED50 that arrived today!)

Swissboy · Feb 23, 2016

I have the 30x and the zoom, but as I need to wear glasses, I vastly prefer the fixed 30x. If you want the zoom, make sure you get the MC II version. That is optically superb, except for the narrow FOV. I can't say anything about the 24x, but it would seem a bit on the weak side. However, I also have the ED50, and there, I think the 30x is already stretching it if I try to use that scope without a tripod. And the reason for getting the ED50 was exactly that I want to use it with a shoulder pod only. But for that, the 30x is already a bit too powerful. At least for me as I can't hold the scope steady enough.

Hermann · Feb 23, 2016

Swissboy said:
If you want the zoom, make sure you get the MC II version. That is optically superb, except for the narrow FOV. I can't say anything about the 24x, but it would seem a bit on the weak side.

The MC II (20-60x on the EDIII, 25-75x on the ED82) is excellent optically. In fact, I think it's *at least* as good as the (very good) Nikon wideangles. The only weakness it has is the narrow field of view. I find it gives sharp and contrasty views up the maximum magnification. The 24x is optically as good as the 30x.

Whether you prefer the 24x or the 30x depends on where you're using it. My combination on the EDIII is usually the 24x and the MC II zoom. I only use the 24x in woodlands and so on, for anything else I use the MC II. With a cable-tie finder the small field of view doesn't really present a problem.

On the ED50 I tend to use the 30x wideangle (that's 20x on the ED50) and the old zoom (20-45x on the EDIII), simply because it's very small and light. Optically it isn't close to the MCII, but usable. It's 30x at maximum magnification on the ED50, that's about the maximum I'd use on that scope. The ED50 is a nice scope, but optically it's NOT as good as the EDIII (or the ED82).

Hermann

Alexis Powell · Feb 24, 2016

I don't think getting the 30x would do much for you. It is too similar to 24x. I sometimes switch between 20x standard and 24x WF eyepieces on a window mounted 60mm Fieldscope and don't really notice the difference.

My favorite combo on my 78ED Fieldscope for many years has been the 30x WF with, for rare occasions when more magnification is needed, the 50x WF. Similarly, I use the 82ED Fieldscope with 30x DS. These days, since I leave the 50x WF on my 50ED Fieldscope as a 27x WF, I use the MCII zoom with the big scopes if I need more power. I don't like the zoom and don't use it very often. It is a great eyepiece in terms of optical quality but I don't like the narrow FOV and poor eye relief for glasses. I have a 75x WF which I use for a few astronomy tasks, not birding.

--AP

Tero · Feb 24, 2016

Zooms are pretty handy and even though I have 3 eye pieces for a Nikon scope, I only use the fixed piece of smaller magnification for groups, as it has a nice friendly eye cup. For my own use I only use the zoom.

Nick-on · Feb 25, 2016

frootz said:
Hello everyone,

I currently own a Nikon EDiiia with the 24x MC eyepiece.

My question is whether I should stick with the 24x MC eyepiece or try to find the 20x/30x/38x MC eyepiece? Is there a huge difference in the view?

Failing that perhaps the zoom is another option to use with the 24x eyepiece!

If it has any bearing on the issue, I don't wear glasses and would be using the scope for general wildlife watching and to view at distance at reserves and for sea watching.

Many thanks if you take the time to reply,

Emma

I have the same scope and eyepiece as you and the 20-60 MCII zoom. I NEVER use the zoom on my EDIIIA only on my ED78 (and then only when I really have to, which is not often). The view through the 24xW is superb, not so with the zoom. I find the usefulness of varying magnification is not worth the narrow FOV. Just my opinion, others swear by the zoom, only way is to try it and see.

HTH

Nick

Tero · Feb 25, 2016

Not sure of this scope, but bottom end scopes are useless at 60x. But I like to have 30-35x on hand most days. Minimum.

Nikon ED60 iiia fieldscope should I get the 30x eyepiece? (1 Viewer)

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frootz

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Swissboy

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