Nikon Fieldscope 82 ED Eyepieces. (1 Viewer)

With the 25X fixed magnification eyepiece, how much field in degrees would we get?
Wachi

Look here, Wachi: http://www.bestspottingscopereviews.com/nikon-fieldscope-eyepieces.php#fieldscope_eyepieces

I do enjoy the FOV with the fixed eyepiece but the zoom just works better for me for most applications.

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Hey, I'm looking at 75x ds eyepieces and noticing two versions; one with the specs above each other, the 50mm not mentioned, and one with the specs after each other circling the barrel with 50mm/40x mentioned. I guess the first one is an older design? It will most likely fit the 50mm, is there a noticeable difference in clarity or sharpness maybe because of different optical coatings?

Looked again, both mention 82mm, not 78mm. So the older ep was fabricated between release of 82ed and 50ed so visual quality/coatings would be same generation as the mcii zoom eyepiece. About the same time as the fixed mc ep's or even somewhat later?

I have a large collection of (pre-Monarch version) Fieldscope eyepieces that were produced over the course of decades. Although some series were released earlier than others--unlabeled before WF before MC before DS--some of the older eyepieces remained in production and were updated. My general observation is that over the production life of each eyepiece, Nikon regularly updated the labeling to indicate the scope models that were then current (i.e. at time of that eyepiece's production). Much less frequently, the coatings of the eyepieces were updated, and these changes were not necessarily coincident with changes in labeling or anything else (e.g. The 20/25x was produced starting with the original Fieldscope and continued all the way into the production of the 82ED. It was originally single coated but later versions were multi-coated. Likewise, the coatings on the 25-56x zoom were updated at least once, but with no change in labeling). In a few cases, the optical formula (i.e. the glass design) was changed, and it generally coincided with a change in housing or named series or eyepiece labeling (e.g. 24/30x WF or MC versus 16/24/30x DS, 25-75x MC versus MCII version of that zoom), though I think I recall that there are two versions of the 30x WF (which is a folding-eyecup eyepiece that would be 38x on the 82ED) that are not labeled differently (and that the second version is, reportedly, optically better).

With respect to the eyepieces you are looking at, yes, the 50ED was the last pre-Monarch Fieldscope, so eyepieces that do not mention it are older production than those that do. The DS series was the last pre-Monarch eyepiece series, so all production is fairly recent in the grand scheme of things (in contrast to old versus new 20/25x MC or old versus new 25-56x zoom eyepieces that may have been produced decades apart) and I doubt that they have different coatings.

--AP

Thanks for your elaborate reply, Alexis, very informative

Today I tested a 75x ds against the mcii zoom, on a Ross's goose, and have to say the fixed certainly is somewhat brighter than the zoom at 75x. As expected the fov was larger too, but not as big a difference as on the 30x fixed.

Hi one and all, just a quick post have just joined here so a newbie, have just bought my first scope, a used 82ED which came with no eyepiece, struggling to find one less than twice the price i paid for the scope so just putting the feelers out to anyone who may have one for sale, have nothing to compare coming from a set of Vanguard Endeavor 10x42 ED so anything considered, know it's an old thread but it's a mercy mission before my local Osprey family migrate, thanks in advance....

If you want a great image for general use, get the 30x DS. It is $195 new in box (e.g. on eBay). It's the one I'd get.

If you insist on a zoom or higher magnifications, get the 25-75x MCII zoom. It runs around $265 new in box.

If you paid only $100 for the scope, consider yourself super lucky--they usually go for $500-$1000.

--AP

Seems you had a super price on the scope, it seems, congrats! I gathered a set of used eyepieces by keeping an eye on second hand offers by stores and on eBay. Every now and then cheapo turn up, often ds (without turn up eyecup but a upfoldable rubber edge so usable as well) but mc's sometimes as well (with turn up eyecup). Zoom 25-75x ep I've never seen turn up cheaper than new from Japan. In-focus has some 2nd hand turn up regularly.
30x is nice and bright, 38x should be too and Birdnet has one. I do like the 50x as well as an intermediary between 30x and 75x. The zoom is tight on the eye relief, so a bit pinhole-ish but still very sharp and usable imo. That's why many buy fixed ep's (too), wider fov and eye relief so more comfortable but the zoom covers everything you need.

NeckronomNikon said:

Hi one and all, just a quick post have just joined here so a newbie, have just bought my first scope, a used 82ED which came with no eyepiece, struggling to find one less than twice the price i paid for the scope so just putting the feelers out to anyone who may have one for sale, have nothing to compare coming from a set of Vanguard Endeavor 10x42 ED so anything considered, know it's an old thread but it's a mercy mission before my local Osprey family migrate, thanks in advance....

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I have most of the eyepieces and use...
Nikon 30X DS (superb, relaxing view). I used this exclusively on the 82ED for many years. Used it the other night while viewing the comet NEOWISE.

Nikon 25-75 zoom (sharp as a tack, narrow FOV, short eye relief). Great eyepiece with limitations. On mine the image is tack sharp all the way to 75X. I especially enjoy viewing the Trapezium at 75X.
https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/star-trapping-in-orions-trapezium/

The 50X and 75X DS eyepieces sit in their boxes.

Congrats on your purchase, I've had my ED82 for 10 years and rarely feel the need to upgrade. I'd look at the MC or DS eyepieces rather than the older models - though these are still usable.
The best option as others have stated is the 16x/24x/30x DS, which is absolutely fantastic with this scope. I personally also recommend the 50x, which gives you extra reach and is still a sharp, bright and wide lens - also recommended if you can pick up an ED50.
I've no experience of the 75x fixed lens, here is an affordable unit if you wish to try it.

dwatsonbirder said:

Congrats on your purchase, I've had my ED82 for 10 years and rarely feel the need to upgrade. I'd look at the MC or DS eyepieces rather than the older models - though these are still usable.
The best option as others have stated is the 16x/24x/30x DS, which is absolutely fantastic with this scope. I personally also recommend the 50x, which gives you extra reach and is still a sharp, bright and wide lens - also recommended if you can pick up an ED50.
I've no experience of the 75x fixed lens, here is an affordable unit if you wish to try it.

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Looks to be a 30x here too https://www.at-infocus.co.uk/product/nikon-24x-30x-ds-slim/

Thank you all so much for the info PILEATUS, ALEXIS POWELL, RIES, DRODRIGUES, DWATSONBIRDER & ESSEX TERN, i took a bit of a risk and bought the scope blind off a site in the UK called CEX who trade mainly in second hand mobile phones and game consoles, it had no pictures or descriptions of the scope and was at a different branch to my local one as they have them in most towns in the UK, the manager in the local branch said get it sent and if you are not happy with it bring it in to our branch for a full refund, so i thought i'd risk it they wanted £200 so i took an old spare pair of headphones in i didn't need and got a £53 voucher off them to put towards it aswell (bonus), it came with no box or bag but was well wrapped and hasn't got a mark on it, but i guess i ain't out the woods yet ha, as i guess it could still be a dud that's why i don't want to jump in and buy a new 25-75x zoom as i'll be stuck with an eyepiece and no scope if it is a dud, so from the info you guys have very kindly gave me my options are a -
30x DS £150
75x DS £90
25-56x zoom Euro 110 kindly offered by Drodrigues on here (anybody know if eyecups are replaceable..?)
i had decided on the 38x MC wide on Birdnet you's had mentioned but when i phoned them they said Google doesn't update the page unluss you go to the page direct so was dated 2010 ha, also found a 25-75x MCii in croatia but i tried i don't speak croation so can't contact them ha, still got to get a case sorted and tripod so the palaver is gonna be fun, also do i need any sort of filters for astro viewing, once again thanks in advance...

25-75x zoom vs. 25-56x zoom vs. 38x wide

To better help Carl and others on his situation, I remembered to re-look to these eps on my ED78.
Regarding the zooms there are some differences that I didn't remembered and makes them more different than I thought:
- the 25-56x zoom has a slightly bigger FOV than the 25-75x (about +1.5%), and a slightly bigger AFOV at 25x (see photos);
- at the opposite of the Nikon specs https://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/sportoptics/scopes/mc/spec.htm, the 25-56x has better eye-relief, specially when zooming - didn't include photos of the 25-75x zoom at 56x and over since the eye-relief is too short and the photos got vignetted...

I include a photo taken through the 38x wide ep that illustrates the difference in FOV/AFOV - the comfort difference is similar to the AFOV difference since has also more eye-relief. The zooms have the advantage of zooming and getting higher mags - the 75x make difference to the 56x max magnification zoom in terms of resolution but has the eye-relief penalisation.

Hey guys, I have a mcii zoom ep here which only zooms halfway. Also the barrel part between zoom ring (a black ring) to mount screw can rotate on itself (but fixed when zooming).

Second doesn't seem a problem, but is there a way to fix the zoom problem to get it to zoom all the way?