Vespobuteo
Well-known member
Nikon Monarch Field Scope 82mm or Swarovski ATX 65mm,
pros and cons?
pros and cons?
-
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New scope? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Vespobuteo
- Start date
The ATX is available, while the Monarch isn't. Don't know what the launching date for the Monarch will actually be, but B&H webpages are talking about July.
It is hard to list pros and cons for a scope (any)one has not seen, but since it is very likely that the Monarch will be optically close to the Fieldscope ED 82mm, something can be said.
A good sample of either scope will be about as good as a scope of that aperture can be. The difference in objective size is significant, about 25%, and will be readily visible as better contrast, resolution and brightness at comparable magnifications. So, if we only stick to the scopes you mentioned, I would recommend the Nikon since it is bigger.
But if we look at the complete systems, then the ATX offers the option of buying the 95 mm objective also, and then you will have the best scope available today. The ATX 95 is what I use now, and would recommend the ATX 65 simply because in addition to being the best 65mm scope available right now, it offers that upgrade path.
As far as I know, we still don't know for sure if the Monarch will accept standard 1,25" astro eyepieces or not. If it does, that would be one factor in its favor. The eyepieces offered for the Monarch look good on paper, and judging by existing Nikon eyepieces, should be of high quality, but astro options will allow higher magnifications if wanted. I'm also hoping that the Meopta 20-70x zoom will eventually be offered as an astro version like the 30-60x Wide zoom already is, as it would be an excellent eyepiece also on scopes other than Meopta, and fitted to the Monarch would offer a really good range with good eye-relief and very reasonable fields of view.
The ATX eyepiece is truly excellent, and the range is just about ideal for the 65mm objective, but the scope is a bit heavy and quite costly for its size (the price of the modularity). So if you don't think you might eventually get a bigger front end to complement the ATX, I might recommend the Monarch or some other 82-88mm scope instead of the ATX 65.
Kimmo
It is hard to list pros and cons for a scope (any)one has not seen, but since it is very likely that the Monarch will be optically close to the Fieldscope ED 82mm, something can be said.
A good sample of either scope will be about as good as a scope of that aperture can be. The difference in objective size is significant, about 25%, and will be readily visible as better contrast, resolution and brightness at comparable magnifications. So, if we only stick to the scopes you mentioned, I would recommend the Nikon since it is bigger.
But if we look at the complete systems, then the ATX offers the option of buying the 95 mm objective also, and then you will have the best scope available today. The ATX 95 is what I use now, and would recommend the ATX 65 simply because in addition to being the best 65mm scope available right now, it offers that upgrade path.
As far as I know, we still don't know for sure if the Monarch will accept standard 1,25" astro eyepieces or not. If it does, that would be one factor in its favor. The eyepieces offered for the Monarch look good on paper, and judging by existing Nikon eyepieces, should be of high quality, but astro options will allow higher magnifications if wanted. I'm also hoping that the Meopta 20-70x zoom will eventually be offered as an astro version like the 30-60x Wide zoom already is, as it would be an excellent eyepiece also on scopes other than Meopta, and fitted to the Monarch would offer a really good range with good eye-relief and very reasonable fields of view.
The ATX eyepiece is truly excellent, and the range is just about ideal for the 65mm objective, but the scope is a bit heavy and quite costly for its size (the price of the modularity). So if you don't think you might eventually get a bigger front end to complement the ATX, I might recommend the Monarch or some other 82-88mm scope instead of the ATX 65.
Kimmo
Vespobuteo
Well-known member
thanks for input,
seems like the Monarch is delayed again,
the last I heard from Nikon was March,
very strange, now it says july for the kit options at BH,
though for separate parts, says 2-4 weeks,
first presented in August 2013 the scope might ending up 1 year late…
:-C
Not unlikely that Zeiss will release a new scope before Nikon gets the thumb out…
standard 1,25" astro eye pieces will work on the Monarch is what I have heard,
I guess it limits the physical size of the eyepieces, and I had preferred
going all the way as Swaro did with the ATX, 20 mm eye relief
in the whole zoom range is a GREAT feature, and very tempting
for eye glass wearing birders
For digiscoping Nikon seems to have a more flexible solution with the new Monarch, with the 82mm unit + FSA-L3 + SLR you get 750mm (DX) at f6.
Not sure what you get with the ATX65 and the TLS-APO but something like f10-11? And diffraction will probably degrade image quality on high density SLR:s?
Vespobuteo,
Swarovski does specify 20 mm eye relief for the ATX, but that is not what I could get when measuring it. With measurement taken from the plane of the special eyeglass-friendly flat-rimmed eyecup, which is the closest you will be able to get your glasses to the eye lens, I measured 17 mm maximum eye-relief and about 14 mm minimum. Jan Meijerink, measuring with the standard eyecup, got 16-12 mm readings for the ATX. The best eye-reliefs I have measured for scope zoom eyepieces are 19-16 mm for the Leica 25-50x Aspherical zoom and 18-15 mm for both of the Meopta zooms.
With eye-relief, unfortunately you need to try before you buy.
I haven't used the TLS-APO yet, but the big advantages of it are firstly that it is very quick to attach so going from visual use to photography can be done in a matter of seconds, and that you have full access to the zoom ring while the camera is attached. This is quite different from the way the FSA-L3 would work.
Kimmo
Swarovski does specify 20 mm eye relief for the ATX, but that is not what I could get when measuring it. With measurement taken from the plane of the special eyeglass-friendly flat-rimmed eyecup, which is the closest you will be able to get your glasses to the eye lens, I measured 17 mm maximum eye-relief and about 14 mm minimum. Jan Meijerink, measuring with the standard eyecup, got 16-12 mm readings for the ATX. The best eye-reliefs I have measured for scope zoom eyepieces are 19-16 mm for the Leica 25-50x Aspherical zoom and 18-15 mm for both of the Meopta zooms.
With eye-relief, unfortunately you need to try before you buy.
I haven't used the TLS-APO yet, but the big advantages of it are firstly that it is very quick to attach so going from visual use to photography can be done in a matter of seconds, and that you have full access to the zoom ring while the camera is attached. This is quite different from the way the FSA-L3 would work.
Kimmo
Vespobuteo
Well-known member
ok, that was less eye relief than expected…
I guess Swarovski measures from the glass surface?
At least I expected the eye relief to be constant,
but I suspect that is not possible, due to the laws of optics?
The "special eyeglass-friendly flat-rimmed eyecup",
is that included or an extra option?
DRodrigues
Well-known member
Kimmo the 30-60x astro version you are referring is the one sold by APM, with an adaptor? If so, these most probably will not reach focus on spotting scopes - it's the reason why I don't have one, as also the Zeiss 20-75x...:-C
DRodrigues
Well-known member
Yes I did. It needs more 60mm infocus than a TeleVue ep...:-C
Hopefully the new Nikon would be 1.25" and the useful eye-relief good enough...
Hopefully the new Nikon would be 1.25" and the useful eye-relief good enough...
mikefreiberg
Well-known member
Launch date for the new MONARCH scope is tentatively planned for middle of this summer as an FYI.
For the dollar, the Fieldscope ED82 will perform better, but as mentioned, it is discontinued although still available through numerous dealers that have extra stock. Feel free to PM me should you seek assistance finding one for sale. Cheers!
All the best,
Mike
For the dollar, the Fieldscope ED82 will perform better, but as mentioned, it is discontinued although still available through numerous dealers that have extra stock. Feel free to PM me should you seek assistance finding one for sale. Cheers!
All the best,
Mike
Vespobuteo
Well-known member
do you mean that the old ED82 are better optically than the new Monarchs?
or is it regarding potential discount on the ED82?
I guess the monarchs are made in China, and the ED-series were made in Japan, so the same quality level might be not to be expected for the Monarchs?
I don't feel like waiting for the Monarch any more, so I might look at the ED82, but also swaro and leica. I have sometimes missed a zoom with good enough eye relief for my ED60, except that it has been a excellent scope for many years with the 30x Wide eye piece. The EDG 65 could have been an alternative but it seems to be discontinued now as well.
Jason Bugay Reyes
Well-known member
I don't think the Monarch Fieldscope would be lower grade optically than the ED82. It should be the successor. No news of EDG series being discontinued http://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/lineup/scopes/index.htm
Vespobuteo
Well-known member
you are probably right on the EDG, it's still in production,
but I can't find it in stock anywhere in Sweden,
so it's hard to test it with the zoom, which I haven't tried,
compared to Swaro ATS65 it's also 500 g heavier,
so it's a bit on the heavy side, but on the other hand
it's very robust, and it will never break at the collar/mount, as some Swaros seem to have done..
tried the EDG 65 with the 30X eye piece some years ago,
and optically it's very very good, extreme edge sharpness and clarity/contrast,
but it's also more expensive than the swaro ATS65,
Jason Bugay Reyes
Well-known member
Same here in my place. Stock needs to be send from Japan...
