purchasing first scope (ED50 - kit hard to find in the states) (1 Viewer)

[chchang]

hello all,

I'm quite late to the show but after hearing all of the hype about the Nikon ED50, I've secretly (or not-so-secretly) lusted after it for years. My 25th birdday is just around the corner and I've finally built up enough money that I'm thinking of going for the plunge. The problem is that it seems like Nikon has made it well-nigh impossible to purchase any fieldscopes or their assorted accessories (esp. eyepieces).

FWIW, I do fieldwork in the (sub-)tropics of SW China and SE Asia, so I'd like a scope that's super portable but doesn't compromise on optical quality. I don't plan on using it for hardcore wader watching per se--in that event, I'd probably eventually save up for an 70-80mm scope.

I'm planning to get the angled model in pearlescent green. I know that folks have mentioned that the angled model has a bit of distortion or tends to waver a few degrees to the side of your target, but I'm sure there are ways of dealing with that (this seemed like a super useful resource). And the advantage of the angled body is that it's better for a range of heights (myself being quite short and my bf a bit taller)--right?

My main concern is that it seems incredibly difficult now to find the 27x eyepiece (which I am assuming is #5 on the attachment here: http://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/lineup/scopes/mc/index.htm). It looks like the digiscoping version is available in Amazon Japan (is this actually the correct product though?), and I saw that previous birdforum members used something called "Tenso" to ship their products abroad (how does that work?). On the other hand, a few US retailers have other eyepieces that other members have mentioned (MCII 13-40x zoom and the 16x eyepiece -- though the mag on that seems to be so low as to be pointless?). In my limited understanding, however, it seemed like the wide-view 27x eyepiece was the best overall though.

Given the fact that it looks like Nikon is discontinuing all support for its fieldscope line, would that affect warranties/repairs? Would I be better served looking into a new product such as the Vortex Razor HD compact scope (no reviews yet that I could find though)?

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you.

cheers
charlotte

 

[dalat]

High Charlotte,
can't answer all your question, but some comments regarding the eyepiece:

Yes for the 27x there are MC and DS versions available, the first with classical eyecup and the second for digiscoping. The DS is also usable very well as normal eyepiece, one gets quickly used to that. Just make sure you get the "wide" version, there is an older version of the MC which has a narrow field.

The 27x is a good, but for your use (in the tropics, not for wader-watching), you may indeed consider a lower magnification. A 16x on a tripod or monopod is very good to use in tropical forests, with a 27x it is quite difficult to find things in the canopy with the smaller field of view. If you want to get 1 eyepiece only, I think 20x would be the best choice. If you get 2, 16+27 or 20+27 will cover all you need.

I know that folks have mentioned that the angled model has a bit of distortion or tends to waver a few degrees to the side of your target

Not sure what you mean with this, I've never heard about this and personally I don't have such issues (with my angled ED50).

Best, Florian

 

[Alexis Powell]

If, like me, you are used to using a scope with a ~30x widefield eyepiece most of the time, I'd say go for the Nikon with that eyepiece. Although some people find pointing a small scope harder than a large scope, the FOV with the 27x is the same as an 80 mm scope with an equivalent fixed eyepiece, so I find that configuration most pleasing (because it does, in terms of magnification and view what I expect a scope to do). That said, if you don't need the magnification, the 20x is of course brighter and has an even larger FOV and DOF. So I'd take the trouble to get the 50ED with the 20 or 27x through Tenso.

The Vortex scope is an interesting product. Looks like good spec. The zoom is likely more comfortable to use than the Nikon zooms. But I dislike zooms, especially if all viewing is going to be at mags below ~30x anyway, and it doesn't seem the Vortex has a fixed WA option.

It does seem that Nikon is dropping the old 60 and 82 mm Fieldscopes, and has been dropping the eyepieces from the US market for several years now, but the 50ED is still very much available (it hasn't been discontinued) though only with the zoom eyepiece, and I expect it will remain so until Nikon has developed a replacement. Also, Nikon is generally quite good in my experience about servicing older products, and even if they do replace the 50ED and don't maintain parts to repair it, I'm sure they'd replace your old scope with the new one at no charge, at least in the USA.

--AP

 

[bcskr]

I have the ED 50 with a variety of EPs and agree with the observations above by dalat regarding EPs. I also have recently purchased the Opticron GS 52 GA ED with the new zoom EP and think you would be far better served with the Opticron, even though it is heavier. I think you'll see that it is much easier to locate a bird in the canopy with a good zoom EP than with a fixed lens with any power greater than 16x. The Nikon zoom EP is like looking through a straw, while the Oticron zoom EP on low power is as good as the Nikon 16x WA fixed EP with the advantage of being able to zoom to higher power after locating the bird.

 

[FrankD]

I agree to an extent. The Opticron with the newest zoom is bright and contrast-filled a little more so than the Nikon. The new Opticron zoom isn't as wide as the Nikon fixed power eyepieces but it is now notably wider than the Nikon zoom.

 

[SEOW]

On ease of locating birds in the canopy- the 20x ep on the ED50 is spec'd at 3.6 deg. (189' @ 1000 yd.), while the Opticron zoom on the GS 52 gives 186' @ 1000 yd. at lowest power (12x), the same FOV- so I think no advantage to the Opticron for getting on the bird there.

The Opticron option would allow you to get higher powers however, and does have a bigger field than the Nikon 27x (but then added to the equation is that with a zoom ep you have to take the extra second or so to zoom it in).

 

[SEOW]

FrankD, when you say that the Opticron with the new zoom is a little brighter & more contrasty than the Nikon, do you mean the Nikon with the 13-30x zoom supplied with it, or with some other eyepiece?

 

[Perry Grin]

Nikon fieldscole lenses generally available in Europe from the various Amazon sites.

 

[FrankD]

SEOW,

Good question. I believe on both occasions it was the newer Nikon zoom.

 

[Alexis Powell]

On ease of locating birds in the canopy- the 20x ep on the ED50 is spec'd at 3.6 deg. (189' @ 1000 yd.), while the Opticron zoom on the GS 52 gives 186' @ 1000 yd. at lowest power (12x), the same FOV- so I think no advantage to the Opticron for getting on the bird there.

The Opticron option would allow you to get higher powers however, and does have a bigger field than the Nikon 27x (but then added to the equation is that with a zoom ep you have to take the extra second or so to zoom it in).

Although I completely agree with everything you say, and I'd always choose the fixed 20 or 27x over fiddling with a zoom, the 12x does have an advantage of greater depth of field (and in some cases brightness), which in some instances might be more important than magnification for getting on a bird quickly.

--AP

 

[SEOW]

That's true, the lower mag would have better depth of field- good point.

 

[chchang]

hey folks! thanks for your helpful advice. another quick question--if I go ahead and buy the ED50 body from a Japanese retailer, can I still get coverage under Nikon USA or would it be a grey market item? Has anyone had experience with buying scopes/optics abroad and then trying to get repairs done in their home country? thanks!

 

[RJM]

The Nikon Japan Warranty that comes with the scope is 1 Year only.

 

[Perry Grin]

From what I have read here on birdforum the Nikon USA is pretty good, much better than over here (UK). Why not get the scope in the US and source your lenses from overseas - these are less likely to develop a fault (well I assume they are as there are!)

Perry