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Which Nikon Fieldscope is this ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Musoman
- Start date
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
Ouch, thanks for the info Henry and Paul
I think you're saying i'm stuck with the MC 24/30W Henry, unless I do some mods like Paul has done.
Is there some critical distance between the end of the EP that sits in the scope and the scope prism, that needs to be maintained ?
E.G. if the scope end of an EP is exactly 15.73mm away from the prism in the scope, if removing the restrictive barrel as Paul did, and then inserting a different eyepiece, would that critical distance still have to be maintained?
There maybe a good side after all this. If i end up having to use the MC24/30W , i suppose finding a Nikon adapter and Nikon compact might be a slightly easier job
I think you're saying i'm stuck with the MC 24/30W Henry, unless I do some mods like Paul has done.
Is there some critical distance between the end of the EP that sits in the scope and the scope prism, that needs to be maintained ?
E.G. if the scope end of an EP is exactly 15.73mm away from the prism in the scope, if removing the restrictive barrel as Paul did, and then inserting a different eyepiece, would that critical distance still have to be maintained?
There maybe a good side after all this. If i end up having to use the MC24/30W , i suppose finding a Nikon adapter and Nikon compact might be a slightly easier job
Last edited:
henry link
Well-known member
The problem is that there is hardly any clearance between the back of the prism and the focal plane of the objective, which falls approximately at the threaded eyepiece opening in the back of the scope. In order for the eyepiece to focus, its focal plane has to be brought to the same position as the objective focal plane. You may be able to do this with some simple eyepieces in which the eyepiece field stop is in front of the eyepiece elements, but only if you first remove the 1.25" tube. Eyepieces with negative field groups built into the eyepiece tube have their focal planes (and field stops) inside the eyepiece between the field group and the other elements, so they won't work because the field group can't be inserted into the scope body far enough to bring the EP focal plane and the objective focal focal together.
I've used the MC 24/30x eyepiece on the ED version of this scope quite successfully. I think it's the most useful eyepiece for it, especially for the non-ED version since CA doesn't become a real problem for visual use until magnification reaches about 30x. Nothing wrong with the 20x eyepiece, but its eye relief is shorter and its true FOV is about the same as the 24x.
I've used the MC 24/30x eyepiece on the ED version of this scope quite successfully. I think it's the most useful eyepiece for it, especially for the non-ED version since CA doesn't become a real problem for visual use until magnification reaches about 30x. Nothing wrong with the 20x eyepiece, but its eye relief is shorter and its true FOV is about the same as the 24x.
theconstantwalker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_constant_walker/?
How good is the scope for normal viewing (can you compare to recent models) ?
theconstantwalker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_constant_walker/?
Thanks
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
Scope has arrived, and i cant believe how small it is. I took a shot of it next to a cigarette lighter. Its tiny, and weighs less than my 40D.
So, Paul C , i took your advice and hand held my 40D with EBC Fujinon ( excellent , top class lens ) 55mm f1.8 attached, up to the EP ( already focused ) on a point about 60ft away.
I also took a shot directly with the 40D and 55mm f1.8 to show what the scene looked like
There's no sun, but its a bright enough day, as you can see in the DSLR photo. I have done nothing to either the scope shot or DSLR shot, apart from convert from RAW and resize. No cropping or PP work was done.
With the scope focused, and then holding up the 40D with 55mm f1.8 ( aperture left at f1.8 on lens ) and focused, i had to use ISO 1600 @ f1.8 to get a shutter speed of 1/25th. Slow !!
I then took a shot with the 40D only , as stated above , of the scene i was shooting. In the DSLR photo, it was the same 55mm @ f1.8, but ISO 100 got me a shutter speed of 1/320th
The purple ring is to show where the scope was focused before shooting
So, Paul C , i took your advice and hand held my 40D with EBC Fujinon ( excellent , top class lens ) 55mm f1.8 attached, up to the EP ( already focused ) on a point about 60ft away.
I also took a shot directly with the 40D and 55mm f1.8 to show what the scene looked like
There's no sun, but its a bright enough day, as you can see in the DSLR photo. I have done nothing to either the scope shot or DSLR shot, apart from convert from RAW and resize. No cropping or PP work was done.
With the scope focused, and then holding up the 40D with 55mm f1.8 ( aperture left at f1.8 on lens ) and focused, i had to use ISO 1600 @ f1.8 to get a shutter speed of 1/25th. Slow !!
I then took a shot with the 40D only , as stated above , of the scene i was shooting. In the DSLR photo, it was the same 55mm @ f1.8, but ISO 100 got me a shutter speed of 1/320th
The purple ring is to show where the scope was focused before shooting
Attachments
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
I think i'll add some more..
The view through just the scope with its 30x is fabulous. Its crystal clear and appears to be sharp across the view ( quite narrow when you see the photo above at 60ft ) - i was quite shocked really. I then set up my Astrokit ( SW 80ED + Canon 40D ) and the difference in clarity is easy to see.
That all went down the pan though, as noted above, when i hand held the 40D + 55mm lens to the focused scope. The light just evaporated - i guess that really means that a DSLR with that old EP ( erfle, according to Henry ) dont like each other too much.
The Astrokit takes lovely photos - many of which are in my Birds ! link in my signature.
Henry, your suggestion of the MC 24xW seems bang on the money. A wider view would be nice, and perhaps the better glass in the MC 24xW ( is it better than the old Erfle 30x ? ) should improve things even more.
Shame about the price of the Nikon MC 24xW though. But it does look like I'm stuck with that, as Astro EP's like Baaders etc, are not going to work, as you say
Can i assume that if i stumped up the £££ for the MC 24xW, that the focal length will of the scope will then be 24 x 60mm = 1440mm ?
At the moment its the 30x EP on the scope x 60mm = 1800mm. Its hard to imagine thats 3 times the reach of a Canon L 600mm F4 IS ??
The view through just the scope with its 30x is fabulous. Its crystal clear and appears to be sharp across the view ( quite narrow when you see the photo above at 60ft ) - i was quite shocked really. I then set up my Astrokit ( SW 80ED + Canon 40D ) and the difference in clarity is easy to see.
That all went down the pan though, as noted above, when i hand held the 40D + 55mm lens to the focused scope. The light just evaporated - i guess that really means that a DSLR with that old EP ( erfle, according to Henry ) dont like each other too much.
The Astrokit takes lovely photos - many of which are in my Birds ! link in my signature.
Henry, your suggestion of the MC 24xW seems bang on the money. A wider view would be nice, and perhaps the better glass in the MC 24xW ( is it better than the old Erfle 30x ? ) should improve things even more.
Shame about the price of the Nikon MC 24xW though. But it does look like I'm stuck with that, as Astro EP's like Baaders etc, are not going to work, as you say
Can i assume that if i stumped up the £££ for the MC 24xW, that the focal length will of the scope will then be 24 x 60mm = 1440mm ?
At the moment its the 30x EP on the scope x 60mm = 1800mm. Its hard to imagine thats 3 times the reach of a Canon L 600mm F4 IS ??
Paul Corfield
Well-known member
When you say the focal length of the scope will be 24 x 60mm = 1440mm, where are you getting the 60 from? Is that the lens on the camera?
Paul.
Paul.
Paul Corfield
Well-known member
The scope will always be 420mm. To work out the focal length once you use the dslr then you multiply the magnification of the eyepiece by the focal length of the camera lens.
So the 55mm lens X 30X eyepiece = 1650mm
the 24X eyepiece would work out at 55mm lens X 24X eyepiece = 1320mm
A 55mm lens is probably a bit much on a 60mm objective though. I should think 28m or 35mm would be about right.
Paul.
So the 55mm lens X 30X eyepiece = 1650mm
the 24X eyepiece would work out at 55mm lens X 24X eyepiece = 1320mm
A 55mm lens is probably a bit much on a 60mm objective though. I should think 28m or 35mm would be about right.
Paul.
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
Ok thanks for that. Judging by the horrible lack of light as soon as i held up the 55mm + 40D, i think i'll forego the DSLR route and go for a compact.
I like the look of the LX3, and although others have said that the 60mm max zoom of the LX3 is too short, its still a bit more than i need, as i know taking photos even at 1000mm is hard work, then what the LX3 + 24xW MC would achieve seems more than enough, focal length wise
I like the look of the LX3, and although others have said that the 60mm max zoom of the LX3 is too short, its still a bit more than i need, as i know taking photos even at 1000mm is hard work, then what the LX3 + 24xW MC would achieve seems more than enough, focal length wise
theconstantwalker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_constant_walker/?
Appears to be a cracking little piece of kit for the money. 
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
I'm happy with the quality of view when simply viewing through the scope.
Its so clear - makes me wonder how good the new EDG scopes are, or how good any modern ED quality scope is, with the benefit of years of extra tecnology. Those guys here with Kowa 884 and Swarvs 80 etc must be in heaven
Its so clear - makes me wonder how good the new EDG scopes are, or how good any modern ED quality scope is, with the benefit of years of extra tecnology. Those guys here with Kowa 884 and Swarvs 80 etc must be in heaven
Paul Corfield
Well-known member
Put a nice eyepiece like a Hyperion on your SW and that will give you an idea of how good ED glass can look. When I put my 17mm Baader (35X) on my SW the views are so crisp, razor sharp. None of my spotting scopes or ones I've looked through could compare to it.
alphan - musoman is on a long journey to the dark side, a journey that may ultimately lead him back to prime focus, where image quality reigns supreme :t:
Paul.
alphan - musoman is on a long journey to the dark side, a journey that may ultimately lead him back to prime focus, where image quality reigns supreme :t:
Paul.
henry link
Well-known member
Musoman,
I believe the 30x eyepiece is an Abbe Orthoscopic, which is why the apparent field is so narrow (42 degrees). The 20x is an Erfle with an apparent field of 60 degrees. The 24x (I don't know its type) has an even wider apparent field so its real FOV is the same as the 20x and it has longer eye relief.
The focal length of the scope doesn't matter for digiscoping, only the magnification. The aperture of the scope counts since it determines the speed of the combination. If you combine a 50mm camera lens with the scope + 24x eyepiece the resulting 1200mm "lens" would be f/20 (1200mm divided by the 60mm aperture of the scope).
Henry
Musoman
PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter
Thanks Henry - the MC 24x30xW is obviously going to make a big difference in terms viewing/ photography. When looking through the scope with that 30x, although the view is excellent, i only have to wobble a tiny fraction, ( i'm talking a millimetre or 2 ) and the view is gone. Sometimes its my own eyelids getting in the way
Is that the narrow view angle, or the poor eye relief ...or both ?
Your maths re the focal lengths now makes sense regarding why all the light suddenly evaportated when i held the 40D / 55mm f1.8 lens up to the EP
And going by your maths - 30x EP + 55mm lens = 1650 focal length. Divide the 1650 focal length by 60mm scope aperture and we get f27.5
No wonder all the light disappeared as i held the cam + lens up
Is that the narrow view angle, or the poor eye relief ...or both ?
Your maths re the focal lengths now makes sense regarding why all the light suddenly evaportated when i held the 40D / 55mm f1.8 lens up to the EP
And going by your maths - 30x EP + 55mm lens = 1650 focal length. Divide the 1650 focal length by 60mm scope aperture and we get f27.5
No wonder all the light disappeared as i held the cam + lens up
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