Which scope / eyepiece ? (2 Viewers)

I do a bit of seawatching, a bit of watching waders on estuaries & ducks etc. on lakes. I am intending to buy a scope - probably either the Nikon ED82 or the Zeiss Diascope 85. The Nikon is cheaper, and when I tried it the x30 eyepeice looked very good, but the 25-75x zoom seemed to have a very narrow field of view. The Zeiss 20-60x zoom seemed better in this respect.
I think the Nikon with the x30 would be good for seawatching, but I might miss the higher magnification on estuaries etc. Would the Zeiss with the zoom give me the best compromise for these two situations? Or would it be better to get the Nikon with the 30x and perhaps buy a zoom or a 50x later?

I've got the Nikon ED82 with 30x and it's an excellent scope. However, I reckon the Zeiss with the zoom is probably the best scope set up available for seawatching because it has a very wide field of view at the lower end but has the possibility for zooming up when needed. The Nikon is fine but I'd like a wider angle lens than they currently provide and, as you say, the zoom has a very narrow fov.

I have the Zeiss, my sone the Nikon. The Nikon with 30x offers a magnificent view - wide, sharp, bright and as faithjful as nature. The Zeiss with zoom offers unsurpassable field of view for a zoom but withoput the contrasty naturalcolours of the Nikon.

My choice would be for the Zeiss if you intend uisng a zoom; but the Nikon with a wide angle. We've used them both recently in Northumberland and, really, with regard to the views they each offer, they are both great birding scopes.

Thanks for the advice. I've bought the nikon with the x30. I'm working this weekend, but hope to try it our next week.

You're in for a treat; whatever the light conditions that scope is a dream with the 30x eyepiece especially.