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Which MM4 eyepiece? (1 Viewer)

Choc59

Member
France
Hi there ! Digging this old thread up as I am exactly in the same situation for the MM4 60 angled that I intend to purchase. I intend to use it as a 2nd scope, when we are in field-trips for the day with a lot of walking around. My other bigger scope (80mm) will be used when there is not much of walking around involved.

My problem is that I am living in France and the local dealers don’t sell Opticron products . So the only option is to buy online, and trying the different eyepieces is therefore impossible. I can only rely on technical features shared by the brand + the actual product test and reviews from fellow birders across the internet.

In addition to that, the availability of the whole eyepiece range is very different from a website to another, or the prices are skyrocketing (due to better quality or higher taxes ?)

To go with the MM4, I am considering 3 options:

SLv3 eyepiece - foundable on some website but very expensive (more than 400ish euros). Availabilty is average, price is high.

HDFT zoom eyepiece - foundable on amazon (only option is to import from amazon UK but only 1pcs still available… no idea if that will still be available for a long time). price is 250€ : expensive, but more reasonnable and I could consider spending this much if the image quality is a big wow compared to the HR3.

And the HR3 zoom eyepiece - not hard to find : available on many online stores that could deliver to France, and price is less than 200€. Availability-wise and price-wise , it’s the best option.

I actually wonder if you have been able to try the 3 eyepieces during this optic event few years ago and if you remember noticing a big difference ? Any chance you may have actually purchased one of them, that you would still be using ? If yes, any quick feedback would be more than welcome to help :)
 
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I have an MM3 60 bought last spring and was recommended the HDF T by the seller (who has been very realistic and helpful in this and other stuff!), and I'm very happy with it. Within the limits of the 60mm, thermals are the external limiting factor. Seems to me the HDF pretty well maximizes the performance of the scope (which is delightfully portable).
 
The guy who sold me my MM4 60mm was really specific that my best choice was the SDL eyepiece and having checked both, I agreed.
I’d have believed him if an alternative hadn’t been available to test - I trust the guy (actually the company) implicitly and have steered friends to their shop.
 
Hi everyone ! Thanks for the replies

Argh, getting tied here… hard to decide which one to go with as my budget is limited unfortunately, and I am already over the 500€ or so that I wanted to spend on a 2nd scope (eyepiece included).

I am taking some time to think about it, the SDL3 would probably be the best choice but my budget may only allow the HDF !
 
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When I bought my MM4, I specifically asked to try the HDF zoom, as some people on Birdforum had written that it was a better fit for the travelscope range. I was hoping I wouldn’t see a difference, but like Mike and Boogieshrew, I much preferred the more expensive SDL v2 zoom. Also, the SDL is guaranteed waterproof, whereas the HDF range is not. (Having said that, my favourite eyepiece for the mm4 60 is actually the 23x HDF eyepiece.)
Would buying a used SDL v2 from eBay UK be an option, or has this now become too expensive because of customs duties ☹️?
 
When I bought my MM4, I specifically asked to try the HDF zoom, as some people on Birdforum had written that it was a better fit for the travelscope range. I was hoping I wouldn’t see a difference, but like Mike and Boogieshrew, I much preferred the more expensive SDL v2 zoom. Also, the SDL is guaranteed waterproof, whereas the HDF range is not. (Having said that, my favourite eyepiece for the mm4 60 is actually the 23x HDF eyepiece.)
Would buying a used SDL v2 from eBay UK be an option, or has this now become too expensive because of customs duties ☹️?
I’m in agreement. The MM4 is great with the SDL3 (and the SDL2), however my eyepiece of choice is the 23x (40831). I also enjoy the 32x (40858), but this is only available secondhand.
 
Hi everyone ! Thanks for the replies

Argh, getting tied here… hard to decide which one to go with as my budget is limited unfortunately, and I am already the 500€ or so that I wanted to spend on a 2nd scope (eyepiece included).

I am taking some time to think about it, the SDL3 would probably be the best choice but my budget may only allow the HDF !
Before you give up, take a good look at the second hand market.
You might be able to find an MM4 at a really good price and that saving will help with the eyepiece cost.
For example - my brilliant local optics shop has a second hand MM3 60mm with a HR3 zoom and stay on case for £250

perhaps you can find something similar near you ?
 
Hi ! Curious to know what is it that you prefer on the SDL2-3 ? Is it the sharpness, the field of view ?

I must say, as I like to have wide field of views that I am also having a look on the HDF 23x, but I am afraid to be desapointed in bot being able to zoom if I want to. I like the versatility of the zoom:)

An other solution to lower the budget might also be :

Get the MM3 60 ED instead of the MM4, + the SDL3. Not sure, however, what I could lack here by upgrading the eyepiece and downgrading the body…
 
Before you give up, take a good look at the second hand market.
You might be able to find an MM4 at a really good price and that saving will help with the eyepiece cost.
For example - my brilliant local optics shop has a second hand MM3 60mm with a HR3 zoom and stay on case for £250

perhaps you can find something similar near you ?
Yep, also checking that :) but options here are quite limited I must say… I should plan a week end holiday trip to UK and come back with some gear 😄
 
The 40858 is unobtanium, been looking and no secondhand ones seem available. The 23x one is too low power for me, j usually tweak the zoom for the conditions, but it’s usually around 30x or so, where the 40858 would be. The zoom at low power is narrow and I rarely use it apart from occasionally when I can’t find where I am looking.

Peter
 
...An other solution to lower the budget might also be :

Get the MM3 60 ED instead of the MM4, + the SDL3. Not sure, however, what I could lack here by upgrading the eyepiece and downgrading the body…
The current MM3 60 is non-ED. Get the MM4.

From my experience the HDF on the MM4 is just fine. The SDL2 is barely better. Have not tried the SDL3.
 
I own the SDLv2 and I am very happy with it. I did try it back in the day vs the HDF and the SDL was clearly better to my eyes. We are talking about a product that will be used for +10 /15 years so EUR100/EUR150 difference over that period of time is not much.

Field of view is broadly similar to other scopes in that price range (I believe the claim for the SDL v3 is that it is 10% wider). If you really want a super wide field of view you need to go down the Zeiss route, but we are talking about a +4 times higher investment.

I own an MM3 60 (older model) and an HRGAED 80 (discontinued for a few years now), and both work very well with the SDLv2.
 
I had the MM4 60 with an HDFT eyepiece and was happy with it. I had heard that the SDLv2 wasn't much of an improvement and some said it was no improvement at all.

I then tried the MM4 with the SDLv3 eyepiece and the main improvement was the wider field of view and, for me, the eye relief seemed better, but that's subjective. I didn't notice any difference in sharpness (all Opticron EPs seem sharp almost to the edges), or brightness.

I think you'd be happy with either the SDLv3 or HDFT - spend what you feel comfortable with.
.
 
I'm also now looking for an MM4 and they are somewhat hard to find in US (at least from big camera/optics dealers). One thing I found perusing the website is that the SDLv3 is 'waterproof' while the HDFT is not. Whether that's an issue or not is for buyer to decide.
 
An SDLv3 on an MM3 is like lipstick on a pig.
If an SDLv3 would be significantly better on an MM4 ED50 than an MM3 ED50, I will upgrade the body.
If that is simply a comment on the limitation of a 50mm scope, then fair enough. I own the ED50 because it is a small light weight scope - I am just trying to maximise the performance of my small 50mm scope by impoving the eyepiece. I have 3 other scopes up to and including a Swaro ATX95 - the 50mm scope is simply for hikes when birding is not the main thrust of the trip....
 
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