Nikon Fieldscope ED82-A help please!! (1 Viewer)

Dave 89 · Jul 12, 2009

Hello everyone! This is my first post to this forum.

I am about to buy a scope for my wife who is an avid birder. In my price range I have it narrowed down to the Nikon Fieldscope ED82-A with the 25-75x eyepiece or the Pentax PF-80ED-A with the 20-60x eyepiece. From what I have learned it appears that the Nikon would be the better scope. However, there is one specification on the Nikon that has me concerned - the eye relief. For this eyepiece I believe Nikon claims the eye relief is 14.1 mm. I have also seen 15 mm listed somewhere and actually had a reputable birding optic store physically measure the eye relief as 16mm. My wife wears glasses and I am concerned that the Nikon will not have enough eye relief for her. She doesn't have deep set eyes or thick glasses.

I would greatly appreciate any opinons regarding using the Nikon with glasses - especially from any eyeglass wearers out there.

Neither scope is available to try locally so it will have to be ordered. I would like to order the scope in the next day or two so any quick responses would be appreciated.

Thank you very much!
Dave

RJM · Jul 12, 2009

Hi Dave. Welcome to BF. Eyerelief is a tricky thing with a zoom eyepiece as it is not constant throughout the range. With the Nikon zoom it is as small as 12mm. But depending on your wife's vision it is possible she may not even need to wear her glasses. The scope focus can usually correct for several diopters of correction. Even astigmatism is not big problem because it normally only affects the outer portion of the pupil which in daylight is rather small. I would buy from a dealer with a liberal return policy and let her try it out.

good luck,
Rick

Martin Fagg · Jul 12, 2009

Dave 89 said:
Hello everyone! This is my first post to this forum.

I am about to buy a scope for my wife who is an avid birder. In my price range I have it narrowed down to the Nikon Fieldscope ED82-A with the 25-75x eyepiece or the Pentax PF-80ED-A with the 20-60x eyepiece. From what I have learned it appears that the Nikon would be the better scope. However, there is one specification on the Nikon that has me concerned - the eye relief. For this eyepiece I believe Nikon claims the eye relief is 14.1 mm. I have also seen 15 mm listed somewhere and actually had a reputable birding optic store physically measure the eye relief as 16mm. My wife wears glasses and I am concerned that the Nikon will not have enough eye relief for her. She doesn't have deep set eyes or thick glasses.

I would greatly appreciate any opinons regarding using the Nikon with glasses - especially from any eyeglass wearers out there.

Neither scope is available to try locally so it will have to be ordered. I would like to order the scope in the next day or two so any quick responses would be appreciated.

Thank you very much!
Dave

Hi Dave,
I wear specs and have this scope. With the fixed 30x DS eyepiece. I have tried it with the 25-75x zoom but there wasn't enough eyerelief for my specs. Hence the fixed mag in use now. The DS (stands for digiscoping) eyepieces are the most suitable ones for use with specs as they are designed to have better eyerelief, I believe.
The other drawback that put me off the zoom is the very narrow field of view. Even if the eyerelief was ok, the fov would have stopped me buying this e/p.
With the 30x DS this scope is brilliant. Wide fov and very sharp image. I've read that some people don't like the focus system but I find it very easy to use.
Eventually I intend to buy the 50x DS e/p to go with it for the rare occasion when I need a higher magnification. Those occasions are so rare though that I haven't gotten around to it yet.

I've never used the Pentax so I can't comment. I think I read somewhere that it is rather heavy though.

Good luck with your scope hunt,
Martin.

joannec · Jul 12, 2009

Dave 89 said:
I am about to buy a scope for my wife who is an avid birder. In my price range I have it narrowed down to the Nikon Fieldscope ED82-A with the 25-75x eyepiece or the Pentax PF-80ED-

Dave

The ED82 is a good scope however.....you say you are buying it for your wife. It is also a HEAVY scope. Being female, I suggest the ED III A which is smaller and lighter, it too is an excellent scope. I also have the zoom eyepiece which on the ED III is, I think, 20-60X, no problems with the eye relief for me.

Good luck
Joanne

Dave 89 · Jul 12, 2009

Thank you all for your advice.

The Nikon apparently only comes with the 25-75x eyepiece now - I don't believe I can get just the body. Otherwise, I would consider the body with the 30 or 50x DS eyepiece as Martin mentioned.

Joanne, you mention that the eye relief on the 20-60x eyepiece is not a problem for you. I believe that is the same eyepiece as on the ED82 right? I assume you an eyeglass wearer? My wife normally hikes with her Zeiss binoculars so I don't think she would be doing too much hiking with the scope. But, you never know!

Any other advice on these two scopes? Are there any others in this size and price range I should consider? Which ever one I decide on I will certainly take Rick's advice on the return policy!

Thanks,
Dave

Alexis Powell · Jul 13, 2009

I don't find the zoom comfortable with eyeglasses, but I own and use it when I need higher power than my usual 30x DS. When buying a big expensive scope like this, I think it is a mistake to limit oneself to one eyepiece.

--AP

blizdas · Jul 13, 2009

The Nikon has great optics but I think you can see somewhat of a consensus that the zoom eyepiece packaged with it does not work favorably with eyeglasses. It's unfortunate that Nikon had decided to pre-package these scopes with the zoom eyepiece. Another thing to consider is that Nikon has recently told us that they have discontinued all the wide angle eyepieces for the Fieldscopes (this includes the Digiscoping eyepieces).

I would recommend taking a look at the Kowa 771 which has really good pricing on it at the moment (total package can be had for $1300). The zoom eyepiece is phenomenal and has good eye relief. You can purchase the body alone and opt for a wide angle eyepiece which would bring the cost down even more.

Kowa also makes much nicer digiscoping adapters than Pentax or Nikon, which may be a consideration to keep in mind.

Ben Lizdas
Sales Manager
Eagle Optics
www.eagleoptics.com

The Kerreran · Jul 14, 2009

blizdas said:
The Nikon has great optics but I think you can see somewhat of a consensus that the zoom eyepiece packaged with it does not work favorably with eyeglasses.

Only somewhat of a consensus though!

I wear glasses and find the Nikon zoom to be the easiest eyepiece I've ever looked through. I do have very short sight, though - apparently this means low eye relief works better for me due to the strength of my lenses [though you'd need one of Birdforum's optical experts to explain it!]. Having said that, a fair few people around my part of Britain use the ED82 and most of them have 'normal' eyes [at least, I think they do..

].

The Nikon Fieldscopes [as opposed to the Spottingscopes or EDG] are an excellent range, and if Nikon are discontinuing them, then a lot of bodies and eyepieces are likely to start appearing at a discount - and having more than one eyepiece is, as Alex rightly said, a good thing. [Also keep an eye out for the ED50 - pound for pound the best scope going [IMHO] and one you can trek with!]

Nikon Fieldscope ED82-A help please!! (1 Viewer)

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