Zoom vs Wide angle (1 Viewer)

Jay23 · Dec 7, 2005

I have an APO 77 and 20-60 zoom, it's utterly fantastic, typical Lieca solid build and a superb view. HOWEVER, I keep seeing people raving about the wide angle lenses: My questions are: How do you operate with a two eyepiece set up? Where does the WA win over the zoom? How do I justify the price to my wife? Which WA is best/most useful?

Chris

Keith Reeder · Dec 7, 2005

Wide angles have two obvious advantages that spring to mind (in my experience at least).

They make finding birds easier.

A wider view more closely resembles what we see with our naked eyes, so - for want of a better way to put it - they're just more pleasant/more satisfying to use (subjectively at least).

postcardcv · Dec 7, 2005

When I had an APO 77 I had the zoom and the 32x fixed. Everyone raved about the fixed eyepiece so I tried to use it, but really didn't get on with it. I found the magnificationtoo high, in I fact I got motion sickness when panning with it on. It ended up in a draw for months before I finally sold it...

I've now changed to the Swarovski and have the zoom and 30x - the zoom lives on the scope, but I haven't used the 30x since the first week. If you're used to a zoom then you might (like me) struggle to get on with a fixed. If you possibly can I'd recommend trying one out before parting with your cash.

Otto McDiesel · Dec 7, 2005

ChrisSearle said:
I have an APO 77 and 20-60 zoom, it's utterly fantastic, typical Lieca solid build and a superb view. HOWEVER, I keep seeing people raving about the wide angle lenses: My questions are: How do you operate with a two eyepiece set up? Where does the WA win over the zoom? How do I justify the price to my wife? Which WA is best/most useful?

Chris

The most useful and the best WA would be the 32x for Leica. It has enough magnification and wide angle to provide for 90% of your birding in a very pleasant way.
You can operate with two eyepieces, by keeping one on the scope and one in a bag. Obviously, you would be fiddling with the eyepieces more than you would be watching birds.
The WA wins over the zoom in terms of having a significantly wider angle (at the equivalent 32x).
You can't justify the price to your wife, simply because the zoom on your scope is excellent, has the extra reach (50x-60x) for when you need it, and all that you loose is some field of view.
To sum it up: your scope (and my Swaro HD 20-60x80) is as good as it gets, is very versatile, and a wide angle eyepiece is not really needed.
But, if you want to spend money on the extra field of view, or you want to get into digiscoping, or you would spend money on another eyepiece rather than birding in Spain, get the 32x.

tom24 · Dec 7, 2005

I used to have the apo77 with 32x lens,now a swaro 65hd with 30 & 45x lenses.I MUCH prefer fixed eyepieces for the wider angle.
To me, zooms are like looking through loo roll tubes.
In 99% of cases you've already (near enough) made an i.d with a lens of 30x.
To go further just (to me) denegrates the view.As has been said in other forums,44.something is apparently the max. mag. for resolution purposes whatever your ob' lens size.
I hope to be able to buy a 20x lens in the near future.
I know where folks are coming from in using zooms,but in my opinion a range of fixed lenses give more pleasing views of an area and it's occupants.

Sc0tty · Dec 7, 2005

ChrisSearle said:
How do I justify the price to my wife?

You could soften the blow by getting one second hand, have a look at Birdnet Optics:
http://www.birdnet.co.uk/2ndhand.html

Rich.

Atricapilla · Dec 7, 2005

ChrisSearle said:
I have an APO 77 and 20-60 zoom, it's utterly fantastic, typical Lieca solid build and a superb view. HOWEVER, I keep seeing people raving about the wide angle lenses: My questions are: How do you operate with a two eyepiece set up? Where does the WA win over the zoom? How do I justify the price to my wife? Which WA is best/most useful?

Chris

I also use an APO77 with the 20x eyepiece for digiscoping and the 32x for general birding,I find both eyepieces cover all my birding situations

dxchaser · Dec 10, 2005

Richard Scott said:
You could soften the blow by getting one second hand, have a look at Birdnet Optics:
http://www.birdnet.co.uk/2ndhand.html

Rich.

Richard is bang on the money,
I bought an as new 32x ww from Birdnet for £85.00 during the summer,
I have an APO 77 which i bought new with the 20-60 zoom,
My preference is the 32x for daytime viewing and the zoom for astronomy.
IMO the 32x with an APO 77 is superb for digiscoping.

Jay23 · Dec 21, 2005

Zoom or wide?

Thanks for the comments: Now I need to find a second had wide angle eyepiece. I've got a feeling that a 20x would be nicer as I imagine 32x is a bit much. I find myself using the 20X end of the zoom 90% of the time. Thinking about it a 16x - 40x (ish) zoom would be really nice............

postcardcv · Dec 21, 2005

ChrisSearle said:
Thinking about it a 16x - 40x (ish) zoom would be really nice............

sounds like someone hope Santa brings them an APO62...

Otto McDiesel · Dec 21, 2005

ChrisSearle said:
Thinking about it a 16x - 40x (ish) zoom would be really nice............

Leica has a great non-zoom variable power eyepiece design in the Duovid Binoculars. If they build one of those as dual power 20x/40x and both wide angled, that would be awesome.

Zoom vs Wide angle (1 Viewer)

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