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Okay then...82ED or 60ED (1 Viewer)

V

Vancouver Island Birder

Brian McAllister
Ha, you're not done with me bugging you guys just yet!!

I want a very bright scope which allows all available light into the eyepiece. Therefore, from months of reading, have the mind that the 82ED is better than the 60ED for light gathering and resolution. The weather on Vancouver Island is like many places where although there are wonderful sunny days the fall and winter months are filled with mostly overcast sky and low light settings. However, like most people, I would opt for a lighter model if it is quite close to the 82. I know I should look through both of these myself but none of the stores here carry these scopes. I will have to order over the internet and go with your advice.

So there it is team. Get the 82ED because it is worth the weight (the reasons I would love to hear about) ....or get the 60ED. When you get a second, let me know what you think.

Always appreciate your help.
 
Hi Brian,

I've got both, and have used them in our shared, often dismal, climate. The 82 is noticably brighter than the 60 and yes, a fair amount larger. But the 60 isn't exactly a lightweight optic. If I want "portability" I'll use my bins, so I generally opt for the brighter of the 2 scopes when I bother to take any at all. They're both tack sharp by the way. My overall take: owing to brightness alone the 82 is definitely worth the extra weight, especially in this part of the world and if you ever want to use a long or high zoom eyepeice.

Robert / Seattle
 
Robert / Seattle said:
Hi Brian,

I've got both, and have used them in our shared, often dismal, climate. The 82 is noticably brighter than the 60 and yes, a fair amount larger. But the 60 isn't exactly a lightweight optic. If I want "portability" I'll use my bins, so I generally opt for the brighter of the 2 scopes when I bother to take any at all. They're both tack sharp by the way. My overall take: owing to brightness alone the 82 is definitely worth the extra weight, especially in this part of the world and if you ever want to use a long or high zoom eyepeice.

Robert / Seattle
Click to expand...

Thanks Robert, excellent information.

Image quality and brightness is very important to me, so the 82 gets a big check mark in this regard.
 
I´m at a slightly more northerly latitude than you guys, and also on a the western edge of a continental landmass, dominated by anticyclones, so it´s frequently dull and drizzly. I have the ED82A, it´s extremely bright, I´d concur with everything that Robert has to say. Also, the ED82A isn´t actually that large (it´s a bit shorter than the Swaro 65, for example), and considering you´ll be carrying a sturdy tripod as well, the weight saving of a 60mm won´t amount to very much overall. The 30xw eyepiece is a gem with the 82mm. Best of Luck with your choice, VIB!:t:
 
i agreed with robert and sancho as i used my ED82 with 30x eyepiece mostly in the rainforest during dusk and dawn and it hasn't failed me to identified birds for my visitors hehehe :)
 
Thanks, Sancho and horukuru, for your agreement ...

Incidentally, Brian, I've got the 25-75x zoom eyepiece for the 82ED (20-60x when affixed to a 60ED).

see it here: ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/219285-REG/Nikon_7467_MC_Series_Zoom_Eyepiece.html).

Curiously, I seem to get best results at about 30x power, as stated for fixed focal length eyepieces by Sancho and horukuru, so your choice on eyepieces may be best considering those two options depending on your preference for versatility or absolute optical performance:

Robert / Seattle (just off Vancouver Island)
 
Vancouver Island Birder said:
the fall and winter months are filled with mostly overcast sky and low light settings.
Click to expand...

You should get the 82 mm, unquestionably. I have the 78, 60, and 50. Large exit pupils and light always make seeing things, especially moving things, much easier. In low contrast, low light conditions, you can use all the brightness you can manage. As Sancho noted, the 82 is a very compact and manageable scope, and weight difference versus the 60 after factoring in a tripod is neglidgeable.

--AP
 
And with light (optics, not weight) so important to you, consider strongly the 30X WA eyepiece. I have this and the 20X60 zoom and use the 30X WA about 95% of the time. Higher magnification tends to darken the image so my 60X on my 60 mm scope is almost useless nearing dusk when I can still enjoy views through the 30X.
 
Dave B Smith said:
And with light (optics, not weight) so important to you, consider strongly the 30X WA eyepiece. I have this and the 20X60 zoom and use the 30X WA about 95% of the time. Higher magnification tends to darken the image so my 60X on my 60 mm scope is almost useless nearing dusk when I can still enjoy views through the 30X.
Click to expand...


Dave ( and Sancho and horukuru, as well),

Re 30x WA eyepiece: Is this the one you're talking about?:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=2660

If so, I'll probably get it as well.

Robert
 
Last edited:
82ED strongly endorsed...

Hey...you guys are nailing this thing down for me.
I really appreciate the direct and knowledgeable information. Its always nice to have the voice of experience lend a helping hand. Maybe in 20 years I can pass it on to a newbie...but I'm afraid I might not live that long!

Hope all is well with everyone. Enjoy the weekend.
 
Robert / Seattle said:
Dave ( and Sancho and horukuru, as well),

Re 30x WA eyepiece: Is this the one you're talking about?:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=2660

If so, I'll probably get it as well.

Robert
Click to expand...

This is great information, which I am very pleased to review.
I came across a post recently in this forum where someone had a fantastic PDF chart showing a visual drawing of the 82, 60 and 50 fields of view with various eyepieces. I'm not sure of the forum rules and such, if I am permitted to provide you with a direct link....but you have probably seen it already. If not I could try to find it again and let you have a gander.

Anyway, according to this PDF presentation I see that the zoom eyepiece for the ED82 at 25x yields a FOV of 28 meters at 1000 meters, where as the straight 30x (not sure if this was the wide angle) yields a FOV of 42 meters at 1000m.

No wonder the 30x is so bright when compared to the zoom. I would have just assumed that 25x meant I would always get a larger FOV and would be allowing more light into the scope. Old hat for you boys...but news to me.

I will definitely be buying a 30x. But not sure yet if it is just the 30x or do I have to get the "wide angle" which I think is the 30xWA.

Thanks for baby sitting.
 
Hi all! Robert....I´m pretty sure that´s the same one, and that´s a great price at EO! Mine bears the inscription ".......082 30x WF", and on the box it´s called the "Fieldscope Wide Eyepiece MC 24x (060) 30x(082)". I also got the 38xw version, as well as the zoom (I know, I know....obsession is a sad thing...), and I prefer the 30xw. The 38xw loses just that little bit too much light and resolution for me, but I know some people love it.

(BTW, How are you, Horukuru? Have you a Big Day coming up soon:t:?)
 
The linked 30x WA is indeed the eyepiece in question (although the DS version is just as good optically but it lacks the twist up eyecup).

Vancouver Island Birder said:
...the zoom eyepiece for the ED82 at 25x yields a FOV of 28 meters at 1000 meters, where as the straight 30x (not sure if this was the wide angle) yields a FOV of 42 meters at 1000m.

No wonder the 30x is so bright when compared to the zoom. I would have just assumed that 25x meant I would always get a larger FOV and would be allowing more light into the scope. Old hat for you boys...but news to me.
Click to expand...

The 30x WA (there is no non-WA version for this magnification) has a much wider FOV than the zoom and is therefore my choice 95%+ of the time. I rarely need more magnification to make IDs, and rarely do I find atmospheric conditions stable enough to support higher powers when I do need them (because these are generally VERY distant birds). I also like the 30x for its long eye-relief compared to the zoom (I wear glasses).

As for brightness, the 25-75x zoom is just as bright (when set to 30x) or brighter (when set to less than 30x) than the 30x wide because its optical design is not much if any more complicated than the Nikon WA eyepieces. You will get no brightness advantage using the 30x WA at equivalent magnifications, but as I said above, there are other compelling reasons to choose it over the zoom for most scoping.

--AP
 
Robert / Seattle said:
Dave ( and Sancho and horukuru, as well),

Re 30x WA eyepiece: Is this the one you're talking about?:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=2660

If so, I'll probably get it as well.

Robert
Click to expand...

hio robert im using this http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=4115 mainly for digiscoping and has tried the MC 30x eyepiece before and it is identical in performance hehehe :king:

Sancho said:
Hi all! Robert....I´m pretty sure that´s the same one, and that´s a great price at EO! Mine bears the inscription ".......082 30x WF", and on the box it´s called the "Fieldscope Wide Eyepiece MC 24x (060) 30x(082)". I also got the 38xw version, as well as the zoom (I know, I know....obsession is a sad thing...), and I prefer the 30xw. The 38xw loses just that little bit too much light and resolution for me, but I know some people love it.

(BTW, How are you, Horukuru? Have you a Big Day coming up soon:t:?)
Click to expand...

hahaha soon sancho my parents would set the Big Day date next week with my fiance's parents and i've found out there's a cheap options now to fly to UK from malaysia, so probably going to england for honeymoon + birding and who knows we might meet up there at norfolk ;)
 
Vancouver Island Birder said:
I came across a post recently in this forum where someone had a fantastic PDF chart showing a visual drawing of the 82, 60 and 50 fields of view with various eyepieces. I'm not sure of the forum rules and such, if I am permitted to provide you with a direct link....but you have probably seen it already. If not I could try to find it again and let you have a gander.
Click to expand...

could u pass me the link to that thread ?

thanks ;)
 
horukuru said:
hahaha soon sancho my parents would set the Big Day date next week with my fiance's parents and i've found out there's a cheap options now to fly to UK from malaysia, so probably going to england for honeymoon + birding and who knows we might meet up there at norfolk ;)
Click to expand...
Hey, it´s Congratulations all around on this thread! VIB, Congratulations on upcoming New Scope, Robert - Congratulations on Upcoming New Eyepiece, and Horukuru, Sincerest Congratulations on Upcoming Big Day! I wish you and the lucky soon-to-be Mrs. Horukuru every happiness!:t: (Sorry to hijack the thread, guys, but this is Big News and cause for celebration!)
 
Can a 60mm Deliver...

First of all, many thanks for all of the comments on this thread. They have helped a lot at my end.

I know this is a Nikon forum so I won't go on too much about my thoughts on a small Kowa 60mm as an alternative. Its just that I think I'm going to have a problem finding a dealer for the Nikon ED82 as they seem to all be out of stock and tell me that I have to wait over a month to "hopefully" get the order through on any Nikon scope.

Anyway...it got me thinking about a 60mm as an option and I remembered that the Kowa 60 was highly reviewed and quite light.
I had already researched the Kowa options so all I had to do was find my scraps of scribble where I had made some notes. In terms of comparing the Kowa 60mm to the Nikon 60ED, I see that the Kowa is way lighter, coming in at about 26 oz vs the Nikon at 41.5 oz. Thats about a full pound lighter no matter which way you slice it.

I can pick up a Kowa 60mm with a Prominar XD Objective lens, (same as ED) for $700.00 Canadian, body only. The Kowa 20-60 zoom for $300.00 or a 30xWA for $218.00.

Given that the Kowa 60 weighs considerably less than the Nikon 60 and costs around $1,000.00 Canadian for the scope and lens, can you tell me if I would miss something by not going for the Nikon 60?

Hope this sort of chat is okay here by the way.
 
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