Opticron mm4 vs mm3? (1 Viewer)

Has anyone tried both of these? Have found a demo version of the MM3 for a very good price, but want to make sure I am not missing any advancements with the MM4?

I am primarily using it for long hikes so will be going with the 50mm version for ultralightweight.

I saw a few old threads on the HDF eyepiece vs SDL. Looks like most people believe it is 6 in one half dozen in the other. Any differing viewpoints?

Thank you in advance.

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum :t:

I've moved your thread to the Opticron section of the Forum where you're likely to get more answer. I've also subscribed you to this thread so that you'll be notified whenever someone posts reply.

You would be missing nitrogen purging..the mm3 version does not offer this extra protection against fogging..the scope could be waterproof ,f it is well sealed,but full ,guaranteed weatherproofing requieres the scope to be filled with gas,to eliminate the chance of fogging in extreme conditions
The MM4 model seems to be fully water/ weatherproofing ,nitrogen filled.

Agree with Mayoayo, however I have owned an MM3 50 mm since the year of its introduction (3 or 4 years ago) and have not had any issues with internal fogging, mold, etc...

I did compare the 3 to the 4. Cosmetically and mechanically they are identical. They did apparently switching coatings though as the reflections are different plus the MM4 has slightly increased contrast. Whether that is worth the price difference is entirely up to you.

I have both scopes in 60mm and both zooms. After a fair amount of backyard and lakeside viewing I really don't notice a difference in the image itself (MM3/HDF vs MM4/SDL). I believe Frank is right in the increased saturation and contrast of the MM4, but its barely noticeable. Acuity at 45x appears identical. The primary difference (visually) in the zooms is FOV although its not that great. The SDL has a nice "walk-in" image at the high mag which, while zooming out, can make the slight tunnel view at the low end seem worse than it is.

Also, my SDL is somewhat prone to internal reflections from light coming in from the side of the user. A brimmed cap or hat should help with that.

For a travel or backup scope I see no reason to upgrade from MM3/HDF to MM4/SDL. For a main scope there is still very little point in upgrading unless you don't mind spending the money to have the absolute latest model and the official waterproofness of the SDL.

I do not recommend the Opticron stay on case. The scope is virtually unusable with it on.

And...I really wish Opticron would come up with some better lens covers. The set back of the objective lens from the front of the body is quite small and the soft rubber cover can easily be depressed to touch the lens. A Kaiser 74mm lens cover is better, but still does not offer the level of protection I'd like.

Bill Atwood said:

...I really wish Opticron would come up with some better lens covers. The set back of the objective lens from the front of the body is quite small and the soft rubber cover can easily be depressed to touch the lens. A Kaiser 74mm lens cover is better, but still does not offer the level of protection I'd like...

Click to expand...

I'm a big fan of the Quake Bushwacker optics covers, specifically the black (not transparent yellow) version. The size 7 is a perfect fit on my Nikon 50 ED, and the size 8 fits my 60mm scope. Similar products are made by others, but I especially like the fit and materials of this brand in comparison to some others that I've seen.

--AP

Thanks Alexis, but it appears that Size 7 is the largest available, but its too small for the 60mm that has an OD of 2.88". Vortex and Butler Creek make similar covers, but also fall short for 60mm objective scopes.

Bill Atwood said:

Thanks Alexis, but it appears that Size 7 is the largest available, but its too small for the 60mm that has an OD of 2.88". Vortex and Butler Creek make similar covers, but also fall short for 60mm objective scopes.

Click to expand...

Yes, size 7 works for 50 mm but would be too small for 60 mm. I guess size 8 has been discontinued. Bummer. It's a great product, but perhaps it didn't sell well. They're especially suitable for scopes that don't have a built-in hood. The rubber attachment provides some armor, and the flip-open cap is robust and secure. I wish they made a really big one that would fit my old Nikon 78ED.

--AP

I really like that style of cap and you had my hopes up. Nightforce is another brand I've discovered, but it also ends at just over 2.5" OD. Looks like they are all designed for rifle scopes which seem to max out at 56mm objectives.