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nikon fieldscope ed82 a (1 Viewer)

Bird spotter said:
I bought the Nikon Coolpix P300 camera recently for digiscoping purposes.Works perfectly well in conjunction with the Nikon ED82A,despite using a home made adaptor from two pieces of cardboard tubing.(Pat Pending)|:D|
I'm very pleased with the setup and just need to work out all the settings on the camera in order to get the best results.
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Hi . What tripod are you using?
 
IF Nikon had the first clue about marketing a product they would have revamped the already fantastic 82ED by tweaking the eyepiece design, giving it generous eye relief, expand the FOV, and then you'd have a legit alpha spotter. The EDG spotter is a laughable product at the prices they want for it.
 
jgraider said:
IF Nikon had the first clue about marketing a product they would have revamped the already fantastic 82ED by tweaking the eyepiece design, giving it generous eye relief, expand the FOV, and then you'd have a legit alpha spotter. The EDG spotter is a laughable product at the prices they want for it.
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What makes it a laughable product for you ? Did Nikon discontinued the ED82 when they released the EDG ?
 
I agree with jgraider. The Nikon ED82A was a fine alpha-class scope. But when other producers began to introduce wide-angle zoom lenses (which we had all begged for from Nikon), Nikon began to reduce availability of ED82 eyepieces, and then scopes, in favour of the EDG scopes, which look like Darth Vader's personal spotter. Now those who still own ED82's face limited eyepiece availability, and I've moved on. I'd never buy a Nikon scope again.
 
horukuru said:
What makes it a laughable product for you ? Did Nikon discontinued the ED82 when they released the EDG ?
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Besides the fact that it's the ugliest scope known to mankind, it's way overpriced (at least here in the US), and it's really heavy, all at a price higher than I paid for a Prominar 884? That's laughable to me. Nikon needs to stick to something it's good at, like cameras.

Don't even get me started on this spotter/digiscope contraption Nikon wants megabucks for.......that's beyond laughable.
 
jgraider said:
Besides the fact that it's the ugliest scope known to mankind, it's way overpriced (at least here in the US), and it's really heavy, all at a price higher than I paid for a Prominar 884? That's laughable to me. Nikon needs to stick to something it's good at, like cameras.

Don't even get me started on this spotter/digiscope contraption Nikon wants megabucks for.......that's beyond laughable.
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Go and read about Nikon EDG at their website http://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/edg/top/index.htm

Clearly you haven't try the product and making fun of it. So pity hahaha :king:

Nikon is giving options for buyers either to get their flagship EDG or ED series scopes. You complained about the narrow Field Of View of the 25-75x zoom MC II eyepiece, so Nikon answered it with the new EDG 20-60x zoom eyepiece. Choices is yours.

I have tried the Kowa Prominar 883/884 and I like the view from it except the dual focusing, but I never tell my birding friends that, from my eyes, my EDG scope is better then theirs :smoke:
 
horukuru said:
I have tried the Kowa Prominar 883/884 and I like the view from it except the dual focusing, but I never tell my birding friends that, from my eyes, my EDG scope is better then theirs :smoke:
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You're dremin' my friend. So is Nikon if they think they're a serious competitor.
 
Today I took delivery of the Nikon FSB-8 Digital Camera Bracket designed to be used with the ED82 in conjunction with the Nikon Coolpix P300.
You can see the progress I have made in just a week. :)
From a simple cardboard tube (V1) then (V2) and much improved looking product,both worked but suffered camera shake when pressing the shutter button.
The Nikon Digital Camera Bracket FSB-8 works perfectly, the cable release is excellent with zero camera movement when used.
 

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How does an Optolyth TBS 80hd with zoom compare with the Nikon 82ed? And if one would put a Baader zoom on it?
 
Just bought me an angled one on fleabay. A bit more expensive than I'd planned and hoped (€800, with mcii zoom and case, as new) but it seems they are getting rarer as everybody is holding on to theirs so guess it's worth it. Really excited about this buy, looking forward to it! Will let you know what I think of it when I get it and tested it :)
 
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Haven't had the time/chance to get out in the field with this, only tried it in my garden. First impressions: what a lens but what a compact size! Lens caps are somewhat loose, gotta replace that sometimes, but having second thoughts as the soc is so great! Scope is snug in it, and still extremely usable, even twisting it inside the ring can be done, fantastic. Hardly an excuse to ever get it out of the case again.

The field of view really is quite narrow. Compared to my Celestron 65mm with comparable mags, it is obvious but is it that much? I doubt how much it is gonna hinder when using it for what I use it for most; waders and seabird watching.
The view is crazy; sharp from edge to edge and even at 75x there's just marginal decrease in clarity and definition/sharpness. Colours are true to life and contrast looks real too, not exaggerating shades.

Yes, this is visually and build-wise an amazing scope. But indeed, that field of view is a downside. That's the only thing that might get me to change to something else in a few years. First to get into the field to experience it there. Hard with fulltime work and the fall weather hardly cooperating...
 
Ries said:
Yes, this is visually and build-wise an amazing scope. But indeed, that field of view is a downside. That's the only thing that might get me to change to something else in a few years.
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If you ever find one of the wideangles at a decent price, get it. Even the old 20x for the 60mm Fieldscopes is pretty good. My most used wideangle on the ED82 is the 16/24/30x. Actually, it's my most used Nikon WW eyepiece on all three of the Fieldscopes.


Ries said:
First to get into the field to experience it there. Hard with fulltime work and the fall weather hardly cooperating...
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Yep, you can say that again. 18 more months ... 18 more months ...

Hermann
(looking forward to retiring in 2021)
 
I can find the 25x quite affordable, the 50x as well but the 30x and 38x are more expensive at those rare few places they're still to be found. I'm quite the zoomer but maybe fixed ep's on this scope will change that? First to create the budget for it, goes off of travel plans so...might take a while.
 
I recommend both the 30x and the 50x fixed mag eyepieces, if you wear glasses try the DS series. Both are fantastic with the ED82, you will soon get rid of the zoom!
 
dwatsonbirder said:
I recommend both the 30x and the 50x fixed mag eyepieces, if you wear glasses try the DS series. Both are fantastic with the ED82, you will soon get rid of the zoom!
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IMO getting rid of the zoom would be a bad mistake. There are plenty of situations where you need all the magnification you can get.

Hermann
 
Well, I certainly don't have a lemon. The reach of this thing is incredible! Even at 75x the view is crisp, sharp and bright. I felt like there was a sweet spot around 55-60x where brightness, sharpness and fov were optimal. Focusing is a bit tight but snaps into focus nicely. Yes, the fov is somewhat narrow but it hardly felt as a minus, while scanning loads of geese and ducks on incredible distances and still being able to see all plumage detail. Great stuff. The only thing to upgrade for would be that bit of fov, but would that be worth the amount of money needed? Right now I'd say no but who knows when that tickle for something new returns...For now I'm very happy!
 
I had a bit of a doubt about this scocpe while getting used to the small eye relief and fov, same for the barrel focus which is quite sensitive on the higher mags. But yesterday I took it out to a classic spotting spot of mine, Ezumakeeg at Lauwersmeer, and got to terms with this scope. I could sharply see every little duck even at the very back end, against the reed beds, even while it was a bit dark misty weather. Yes, focussing in the 55+ mags is sensitive but not hard to get right. Yes, the fov is narrow but on this distances (which are the situations where I find myself using the scope most and higher mags most frequent) it hardly matters nor bothers.

So I've grown adapted to and satisfied with this fantastic (I love the design, even of the soc) apparatus. Now I've put my mind on fixed eyepieces to get the wider fov. There was a slightly battered (but clear lenses) 30x mc wide on fleabay I managed to snatch for a quite decent price (€125 ex p&p), have my eyes on a 75x mc and searching for a 50x wide mc (of which the ds and the non-wide are easily found but the magic mc still not affordably found...) to get a full stock. Not only for the 82...I've been thinking about a travelscope to bird abroad in the notsofar future (2021). Thought a 60mm...Opticron mm3/4ed but quite an investment...Nikon EDIII I find a bit on the large side to travel with...So I've grown towards a Nikon ed50 thanks to the rave reviews and nice mags I can get on it with all the eyepieces I by then will already own :) A thing I will buy somewhere in the coming year, not much hurry for that.

Well, the evolution of a scope owner, for your reading pleasure :D
 
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