Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
I've compared the Nikon 50ED to the Opticron 50 MM3 (similar to MM4), both with fixed eyepieces. In comparison to my straight Nikon 50ED with 27x WF eyepiece, the view of the MM3 with the 24x eyepiece (now discontinued) was overall very similar. The most obvious differences to me were that the Opticron was not as sharp at the edges of the view (due to aberrations that I could not focus out) and that it had some blue color fringing and other CA around objects well off-axis (nearly nonexistent in the Nikon), but these differences were trivial (even to someone like me who likes to use the full view), and I don't think that I would select one scope over the other based on optics. Otherwise, the biggest differences were in size and weight. The MM4 is small, but the ED50 is definitely smaller in size and lighter weight.
In the USA, the Nikon is often available gray market or direct from Japan (without USA warranty) for half price or less. I picked up an extra angled model for under $300 recently, just in case it is discontinued in the future.
For travel, I use the Nikon 50 ED with a 27x WF eyepiece (which is older but optically the same as the MC and DS versions, yet much smaller). I've never been disappointed with its performance, even against my full-size scopes.
One option for a wide-angle fixed eyepiece for the 50ED is to adapt an astronomy eyepiece. Near the top of the Nikon subforum, you'll find a thread about how to do that very elegantly. Here's the link:
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=322702
For travel, I like the Velbon Ultra 455 legs with a Really Right Stuff BH-25 Pro ballhead (_much_ lighter than the stock Velbon head). This tripod sets up tall or short super fast, is very light and compact, is very solid when short. If you want an even more compact tripod, you could go with the Velbon Ultra 355.
--AP
In the USA, the Nikon is often available gray market or direct from Japan (without USA warranty) for half price or less. I picked up an extra angled model for under $300 recently, just in case it is discontinued in the future.
For travel, I use the Nikon 50 ED with a 27x WF eyepiece (which is older but optically the same as the MC and DS versions, yet much smaller). I've never been disappointed with its performance, even against my full-size scopes.
One option for a wide-angle fixed eyepiece for the 50ED is to adapt an astronomy eyepiece. Near the top of the Nikon subforum, you'll find a thread about how to do that very elegantly. Here's the link:
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=322702
For travel, I like the Velbon Ultra 455 legs with a Really Right Stuff BH-25 Pro ballhead (_much_ lighter than the stock Velbon head). This tripod sets up tall or short super fast, is very light and compact, is very solid when short. If you want an even more compact tripod, you could go with the Velbon Ultra 355.
--AP
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Certainly less than optimum from a weight and bulk point of view, so it's not a "travel scope" setup by any means!
