New to me Fujinon Super 80ED... (1 Viewer)

Well today I received an excellent Fujinon Super 80ED spotter.

It was a little nicer of an optic than I had expected. I had only randomly seen and read about them over the years and was my first chance to pick one up.

I bought it mainly because of the 25xLER eyepiece.

I found it quite bright and pretty sharp. I might go so far as to say the Fuji Eyepiece is even very slightly better than the Kowa 25xLER....At least in comfort of the view anyway...Very handy and easy to focus scope despite it's size.

I tested it on my usual "resolution" targets...Telephone poles 100-1000yds distant and rusted hay wagons wheels, transformers, Number tags in cattle, etc...

From what I've understood, these ED Fujinons varied a bit..Some good, some not so? This one appears razor sharp, maybe I'm lucky?

I compared it against the optics I have on hand..My Kowa 82SV, TSN 613, Kowa TSN 773 and B&L ED 77....All using Kowa 25xLER eyepieces...

The fujinon is both brighter and sharper than the 82SV, TSN 613. It's equal to the TSN 773.

The Fujinon is a little brighter than my B&L..But dare say the B&L might be a touch sharper than any of them. Could be me, but I'm inclined to believe it.

I didn't try the TSN 821M, it's in AL, but that scope compares to the 82SV anyway...

Overall surprised by it. Anyone ever use the Fujinon or have similar results?

A Fujinon Super 80ED was my first spotting scope.

The zoom that came with it was a sad affair. The field opened and closed while zooming. It also had quite a narrow view.
I also had the 25x LER EP. OK but I didn't need all the eye relief this thing afforded which was considerable. The trade off was again, a narrow FOV.

OK, that's the bad part.

The good part was the wide field 30x was a gem. The scope could hold it's own with anything out there with this eyepiece. Also my (straight version) had a peep sight right on top that was very effective for getting on a subject. The scope also has a thin rubber like armor that seemingly didn't increase the bulk of the scope much, if any, but lent a grippy tactile texture that was easy to hold onto.

I sold it for the lack of EP selection and I really didn't like the insecurity of the bayonet mount.

If you keep it, see if you can find a 30x EP for it. I suspect these are exceedingly rare however.

Kevin thanks for the reply.

I also noticed the eyepiece doesn't lock up as snug as my other optics. I was contemplating a little thicker o ring would snug it up a bit?

a 30x ep would be pretty sharp I think...Not likely I'll ever see one though

Funny how the memory works. I deleted from my post the part about the zoom EP coming loose when zooming as I remembered it had a locking ring that threaded onto the scope to prevent this. If one didn't engage the ring it most definitely would twist off.

Upon further reflection I think I had the 50x as well. I seem to recall it was a good EP but not particularly wide field.

Around that time I was getting interested in astronomy and having recently bought a Tele Vue telescope, was smitten with the idea of a spotting scope using 1 1/4" astro EPs and that helped grease the skids for selling the Fuji and getting a Pentax ED80.

The Pentax was sold as I couldn't get adequate results digiscoping with it and was replaced with a Nikon Fieldscope ED82. Now we're talking. Better visual performance and much better digiscoping results. I have it still along with a Fieldscope ED50 and a full assortment of EPs for them, all of which are good, some brilliant.

I had the same experience as Kevin. My first scope and it had the very strange acting zoom eyepiece but unfortunately that was the only eyepiece I had. Worse was the fact that it fogged internally and Fujinon would not cover the defect and in fact the US rep was a bit nasty. I think he may have been the same guy who went on later to form another (well known to Birdforum members) optics company that initially talked the talk but then failed miserably.
Peter

Well I'm glad I didn't find one with a zoom in this case.

I did make a somewhat surprising discovery...The Fujinon eyepiece fits and functions perfectly on my Kowas 100%. Like it was made for it....Although I haven't tried, I doubt the Kowa EP will fit the Fuji...

That's a bummer about your Fujinon Peter. I guess I bought mine knowing I'm completely on my own with it

I've only been a member here for a couple years, so I don't know of this individual...Although I did attempt to do business with one strange fellow (To the point of bizarre) who apparently has or had, some kind of business here....