MM2 ED - any good? (1 Viewer)

Hi,

I have the chance of a MM2 ED body to use as part of a lightweight portable rig 'on a budget'. Just a couple of questions to those who have experience of this scope:

What would be a reasonable price for body only?
What would be best eyepiece option (I favour fixed focal length)?
Any major disadvantages other than its not waterproof (comes with SOC)?
I know it won't stack up against a MM4 or even a 3 but is it worthy of consideration for someone with limited funds?

Advice appreciated; many thanks,

RB

Hi RB,

A friend of mine uses one of these, and she appreciates the small size, relative low weight and fairly sturdy build quality. I forget which eyepiece is on it, but I believe it is a fixed HR/HDF lens. Optics are fine, though there was a fairly obvious purple fringe around the periphery of the view. A word of caution with regards to the design - as it is technically a draw-tube scope, it may suck in moisture when compressed/extended, and therefore if you were planning on using it in a humid/wet environment, it would likely not be a suitable choice. Hopefully this is indicative of a good price for the scope (though you will need an e/p).
Here are a few budget options worthy of consideration which should be as good/if not better optically. All are below £250. A used but new model Kowa ts501, (and another one!), a used Opticron GS52 ED with e/p, (and one without), a used Kowa tsn604, and a used Nikon EDii.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for taking the time to respond so fully Daniel, very useful. Just thought it would be handy to have on a monopod when mobile rather than carrying around Leica & tripod! Would only need it for confirming IDs, so mega-performance not critical. Not that sensitive to CA so that wouldn't be a big issue and ED glass should help. Could probably get it for £70-80 plus eyepiece so, presumably fair at that? I'll give it some thought.

Any further opinions out there?

Thanks again Dan,

RB

I bought an MM2 with funky stuff going on inside.
Opticron sent me a disassembly guide.
To get the front lens off is very easy:
Tease off the sunshade and unscrew the front lens holder. Careful how you squeeze the tube of the scope as you unscrew as you can deform the tube and make it hard to unscrew.
The lens is held in a plastic ring.