Need suggestions for Sub $1000 80mm spotting scope with the same image quality as Nikon Fieldscope ED50 (1 Viewer)

[Passakorn]

I am looking for a (hopefully) sub $1,000 for a new 80mm spotting scope. Now I have Nikon Fieldcope ED50 and I like the image quality (brightness, contrast, clarity etc., apart from it broke into 2 pieces).

I am wondering if I could get suggestions for 80mm range spotting scope that has at least the same image quality for magnification up to about 60x? 30x on the fieldscope ED50 starts to dim quite a bit and I would like to have more magnification if possible. As I only own the ED50 (along with Nikon monarch7 8x30 and Votex viper hd 8x42 binocs) so I set this one as a bench mark for me. Although I may lug it around but the weight is not so much a problem to me.

Thank you so much,

Passakorn

 

[jring]

Hi,

first of all, you can probably tape your ED50 back together... And naturally an ED78 or ED82 would make sense so you can switch the eyepieces back and forth...

Those can often be found from sellers in Japan on US ebay...

Joachim

 

[fazalmajid]

An Opticron MM4 77mm, perhaps? It's $100 above your budget with the HDF eyepiece, $300 with the SDLv3, but the warranty is outstanding and Opticron's been in business for a long time, the company is not likely to disappear before the warranty expires. I have the 50mm version and it is an outstanding little scope.

 

[Ratal]

Opticron 77mm.

 

[sillyak]

What eyepieces do you have for the ED50?

Nikon Fieldscope 82 bodies are avaliable in excellent condition on eBay for less than your budget, they use the same eyepieces as you ED50. There are always straight bodies avaliable, sometimes you need to watch for a couple weeks for an angled to pop up. The ED82 is Made in Japan to a higher standard than the Chinese ED50, so no worry about it splitting in half. Optical quality is excellent, but the MCII 25-75x zoom is tight on ER and AFOV.

 

[b-lilja]

ED82, no brainer. Superb scope for $$.

 

[countryman george]

I am looking for a (hopefully) sub $1,000 for a new 80mm spotting scope. Now I have Nikon Fieldcope ED50 and I like the image quality (brightness, contrast, clarity etc., apart from it broke into 2 pieces).

I am wondering if I could get suggestions for 80mm range spotting scope that has at least the same image quality for magnification up to about 60x? 30x on the fieldscope ED50 starts to dim quite a bit and I would like to have more magnification if possible. As I only own the ED50 (along with Nikon monarch7 8x30 and Votex viper hd 8x42 binocs) so I set this one as a bench mark for me. Although I may lug it around but the weight is not so much a problem to me.

Thank you so much,

Passakorn

Hawke endurance ED85