30x fixed eyepiece vs. stock 20-60x zoom (1 Viewer)

Hello all,

I have been using my EO Raven for several months and I am relatively pleased thus far. I have found, as most reviews predicted, that the zoom eyepiece is close to worthless above 40x and I am considering the 30x WA fixed.

Aside from the loss of clarity my biggest complaint about the zoom eyepiece is that as I zoom in I have to move my eye closer and closer to the lens in order to see the entire image, and at 60x I have that occular lens pressed right up against my eye socket. Is the distance between the eye and the lens known as "eye relief"? If so, my zoom eyepiece has 20mm eye relief at 20x and 14mm at 60x, and as I said earlier 14mm is difficult to use. While I think the increased clarity and larger field of view of the fixed 30x is appealing, I see that it is listed with a 13mm eye relief which is somehow less than that listed for the zoom at 60x. Is my understanding of eye relief correct? I read Steve Gross' positive review; how would folks compare looking through the 30x eyepiece to looking through the zoom at 20x specifically as concerns eye relief?

thanks,
Jon
Northern California

As you have discovered, the Raven has it's limitations. I'm not saying it's a bad scope, it's a very good scope for the price, but I don't think the 30x will solve your problems. There are just limits to what it will do, 30x won't get you that much more than 30x on the zoom will. Go ahead and save up enough to get the Swarovski when you can and accept the Raven for what it is, a excellent scope for the money you spent. Your understanding of eye relief is pretty much on the spot.

Jaeger near Chicago

Welcome to Birdforum.

Thanks to both of you for a sound opinion and an astute welcome!

jon

mixing and matching scope/eyepiece brands

I don't want to beat a dead horse, nor do I wish to throw good money after bad. I read a review on this forum I believe where it was suggested that though not readily interchangeable, the image through an EO Raven could be improved by using another manufacturer's eyepiece. My Raven has what I would describe as a three-flange bayonet, and I notice most others do too. The two primary concerns would be

a) the tension on the bayonet, or in other words the length from the mating surface to the flanges, which could be altered unobtrusively (in one direction) with spacers, or possibly in the other direction by having it machined, and

b) the ability of the scope to focus with the new eyepiece, or the ability to maintain the proper distance between the objective lens and the objective end of the eyepiece (clearly I have only an elementary understanding of what the heck goes on in my scope when I look through it).

Has anyone ever tried anything like this? It is an expensive experiment, but I was considering buying something like a Kowa 32x WA eyepiece and investigating what would be needed to mate it up to my EO Raven. I also am aware that the actual magnification (and other specs) will not be that listed on the eyepiece, so maybe a zoom would be better, but I am curious about what liberties people take with their scopes.

thanks
Jon
Northern CA

I may start a new thread with this to fish out more responses.
jon