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
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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