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old nikon scopes (1 Viewer)

woodhornbirder

Well-known member
i cant find any info on older nikon scopes. the official nikon site has very limited info on older gear, and the help line is 10p a minute.

Recently aquired a nikon scope 65mm 15-45 zoom. BOdy has dark green heavy duty body armour, and the scope weights alot for its size.

ON the plate underneath where tripod screw hole is.....reads

KOREA
022846

any ideas on model number??

I think the scope is 10-15 years old. Eye piece can be unscrewd, so its possibly upgradeable.

any advice on how to work out what model ii is appreciated )
 
1 dodgy pic comming up....

I know that scope, had a look at it in the field years ago. Must be older than 10 years though, it was Nikon's budget scope at the time when the original Fieldscopes were still around. Optically quite nice, but obviously not an ED-scope with colour fringing and slightly soft images. In other words, it's the sort of beater I'd leave in the car just in case I need a scope on a day when I don't have my usual gear around. The eyepiece isn't interchangeable with the fieldscope eyepieces though, they're a different diameter.

Hermann
 
http://www.adorama.com/NKFS2045X.html?sid=1239867493670208
this one seems very similar in size. guess i need to get tape measure out?

No, that Fieldscope eyepiece will not fit your scope. Sorry to have neglected this thread after my first reply and your subsequent posting of the photo, but here are some answers to your original questions.

You have what was called the Nikon Spotting Scope (not to be confused with the original Fieldscope, which was first released as the Spotting Scope), model #7835. Please note that your scope has a 60mm, not 65mm objective. As noted by Hermann, this was Nikon's budget scope line, below the ED II and nonED II Fieldscopes. It was released in 1991 (long after the introduction of the original Fieldscope of 1981, and after the Fieldscope II of 1989). It was replaced in 1997 by the Sky and Earth 60 mm scopes (which, unlike your scope, came in straight and angled versions).

As for eyepieces, the ones for the Fieldscope will not fit yours. There was a fixed 20x straight version of your scope (#7834), and I think the eyepieces were interchangeable, but I'm not sure they were ever sold separately. I'm not sure about possible interchangeability with the later Sky and Earth series, or perhaps even eyepieces with other brands, but it is quite possible that your scope uses the same standard as some Bushnell or Opticron scopes. There were separate eyepieces sold for the Sky and Earth, including a 20x and a 25xWA.

--AP
 
I know that scope, had a look at it in the field years ago. Must be older than 10 years though, it was Nikon's budget scope at the time when the original Fieldscopes were still around. Optically quite nice, but obviously not an ED-scope with colour fringing and slightly soft images. In other words, it's the sort of beater I'd leave in the car just in case I need a scope on a day when I don't have my usual gear around. The eyepiece isn't interchangeable with the fieldscope eyepieces though, they're a different diameter.

Hermann
I have had this scope since the mid 90s, I am very attached to it. Obviously it's not as good optically as a better/newer scope, but it's pretty handy at 20x, and I reckon that in 95% of situations it gets the bird just as nicely as an alpha scope would. Plus scope and small tripod fit easily in a small rucksack, for bike-birding or hike-birding or cabin luggage :)
 
This thread reminded me of my similar scope, a 20x RA II, on a shoulder mount. Very useful for hiking to a hawk watch, easily accessible when one doesn't want to carry the big scope on a tripod. The whole kit cost about 300 USD about 20 years ago. Serves me well to this day, and was invaluable when the Swaro scope was repeatedly in the shop!

PXL_20241013_181125843.jpg
 

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