Nikon 13-40x mcII vs the 40x wide (1 Viewer)

Just wondering if anybody has compared these two eyepieces. I currently use the 27x mcII on my ed50 but i'm looking for a bit more reach.
I know the FOV is going to get narrower plus the image will darken but which of the two eyepieces gives the best view?

Regards Gerard.

squidge said:

Just wondering if anybody has compared these two eyepieces. I currently use the 27x mcII on my ed50 but i'm looking for a bit more reach.
I know the FOV is going to get narrower plus the image will darken but which of the two eyepieces gives the best view?

Regards Gerard.

Click to expand...

I own all those eyepieces, and the ED50, but I'm not sure what you are asking. The 40x will work better than the zoom if you wear glasses. The zoom will make it easier to find birds given its wider FOV and brightness at 13x. Both are plenty sharp at 40x, with no significant difference delivering detail.

Personally, I wouldn't use either on the ED50--I'd stick to (as I do) the 27x. The view at 40x will be dim, and only magnified 1.5x more than the 27x. I'm never very satisfied that I am getting a big increase in utility until I have at least 3x increase in magnification, especially if there is a trade-off with brightness, so even though I've played around with them a bit, I generally have no interest in "doublers" and leave them at home. Same goes for the 40x with the 27x.

--AP

Hi Alexis, Which of the two eyepieces 13-40x mcII or 40x w gives the best view?
The 27x mcII I do have on the ed50 is a great eyepiece but just sometimes when I am using the ed50 I'd like a bit more reach.
I don't plan on getting rid of the 27x but I'd like to compare one of the above two eyepieces with the 27x to see exactly for myself what the extra mag does in the field.

Regards Gerard.

squidge said:

Hi Alexis, Which of the two eyepieces 13-40x mcII or 40x w gives the best view?...

Click to expand...

As I said before, neither is optically superior to the other. If you wear glasses, you will almost certainly find that the 40x wide gives the best view. If you don't, or your glasses fit very closely, you will like the zoom better.

--AP

Thanks for the replies Alexis, I don't wear glasses so I'll try out the zoom eyepiece.

Regards Gerard.