zeiss dialyt
- Thread starter hardstalk
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Bitterroot Bulls
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My obsession with optics led me to consider the dialyt spotter. Here are my impressions from a brief outdoor testing in October of 2011 in Missoula, MT.
First, the good:
1. Optical image quality is outstanding. Zeiss does not produce a poor-performing optic that I have seen. The field is flat, sharp, and mostly free of distortion. it is also pretty bright and has good depth of field.
2. Build quality is solid. It feels like you could run it over with a truck.
3. It is quite compact. It would pack nicely and save a lot of room over a traditional porro prism spotter.
4. Eye relief is very good at a steady 19mm throughout the zoom.
Now, the not so good:
1. For its compactness, It is heavy at 42.5 ounces. A Nikon ED50 w/ 13-30 MC eyepiece weighs in at 19.5 ounces. Yes, less than half the weight.
2. It focuses like an adjustable objective scope, using the front lens. I found this a little cumbersome, but others may not.
3. Field of view is quite narrow at 120-69 ft.@ 1000 yards. This was a big one for me.
4. The scope is not digiscoping friendly in design.
First, the good:
1. Optical image quality is outstanding. Zeiss does not produce a poor-performing optic that I have seen. The field is flat, sharp, and mostly free of distortion. it is also pretty bright and has good depth of field.
2. Build quality is solid. It feels like you could run it over with a truck.
3. It is quite compact. It would pack nicely and save a lot of room over a traditional porro prism spotter.
4. Eye relief is very good at a steady 19mm throughout the zoom.
Now, the not so good:
1. For its compactness, It is heavy at 42.5 ounces. A Nikon ED50 w/ 13-30 MC eyepiece weighs in at 19.5 ounces. Yes, less than half the weight.
2. It focuses like an adjustable objective scope, using the front lens. I found this a little cumbersome, but others may not.
3. Field of view is quite narrow at 120-69 ft.@ 1000 yards. This was a big one for me.
4. The scope is not digiscoping friendly in design.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
It is hard to answer if it was clear, as that means different things to different people when talking about sporting optics. If you are asking about resolution, it still had excellent resolution at max power, but chromatic aberration (CA)was more apparent.
The main advantages of the Dialyt over the ED50 would be its extreme durablity and aperture advantage.
I prefer the ED50's view due to its excellent CA control. The ED50 also has the option of using the excellent MCII eyepiece, which would leave you with a 13-40 power zoom. My ED50 shows a nice sharp image at 40x with this eyepiece. I only bring it up, because I think the weight savings of the ED50 are substantial when talking about a backpacking spotter. If the weight doesn't bother you, there are other great options in full size spotters that are going to outperform the Dialyt, IMO.
I see the Dialyt being a great spotter for something like a backcountry sheep guide in Alaska, where the extra durability might be worth the extra weight. Even then, the weight savings of the ED50 may be too beneficial to pass up.
It's the pack combality I find I have problems with. Currently I have a luepold gold ring but it does not fit into the spotting scope pouch of my black creek pack. Thanks for all your advice I think you have me sold on the NIKON now that I know it has the capability of 40x. How's the warranty and digiscoping ability on the nikon?
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
They make digiscoping adapters for both dslr and point and shoot. As for warrantee,25 year no fault. Pretty darn good if you ask me.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
The good doctor is correct.
Nikon does make digiscoping adapters for the ED50.
They make a DSLR adapter with a Nikon mount that turns the scope into a fixed aperture, manual focus telephoto lens.
They also make a point and shoot adapter. It is really nice, but it requires the use of one of Nikon's DS series fixed eyepiece and certain models of Nikon Coolpix cameras.
My solution is to have a Tines Up adapter made to fit the twist-up eyecup of the MCII eyepiece. I haven't ordered one yet, but I have a Tines Up adapter for my Vortex Razor HD and it is slick.
Here is a thread where I go over my setup:
http://www.eastmans.com/forum/showthread.php/598-Minox-DCM-5.0-or-tines-up-scope-cam
What is a good website I could buy a nikon with the desired ep? And dslr adapter? I've got a baby on the way and have been wanting to upgrade to a nice camera anyways. I might as well bundle while I still have the opportunity to splurge on myself a bit. If you were to build a camera, scope, and ep with the nikon scope what would your choices be?
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
The ED50 is not the most desireable spotter for digiscoping, because it is limited by its 50mm objective, as I have mentioned in the thread I linked above. It does work better than one might think. Using it as a DSLR lens might be more frustrating than you might expect, because it lacks autofocus, has a fixed aperture, and results in a focal length not much longer than a standard 300 mm telephoto lens. The DSLR adapter is called the FSA-L1 adapter. Then there is this from the Nikon website:
"•We do not recommend connecting the FSA-L1 with the Fieldscope ED50/50 A because this combination may be physically imbalanced in actual use and could compromise product integrity."
They do show the ED50 with the 16x DS eyepiece, FSB-3 adapter, and Nikon Coolpix P1 compact camera.
There is no doubt the ED50 would digiscope best with a low zoom compact camera.
If you Really want to digiscope with a spotter as a DSLR lens, a dedicated 80mm-85mm spotter would certainly work the best. Zeiss, Swarovski, Kowa, Pentax, and others all make dedicated DSLR adapters for their big spotters.
As far as Nikon dealers that sell sport optics and cameras, I have had good luck with Cameralandny.com. I really like SWFA.com for sport optics purchases, however, as their customer service is really top notch.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
I'm in the process of switching to a Nikon ed50 along with an ed82. I am using the fsla-1 on the 82 with a Nikon d5000 dslr. For the ed50, im going with a point and shoot setup like bb mentioned.
I sold my Leupold gr today the cheapest I have found nikons for is eBay and natchezss.com for ed50. They are refurbished however carry same warrantee the one from Natchez is a straight body spotter and I am not sure on ep it comes with, I can't remember. However eBay seems to have the best prices.
You should also look into the vortex razor he for a big spotter along with zen ray ed2 spotter
I sold my Leupold gr today the cheapest I have found nikons for is eBay and natchezss.com for ed50. They are refurbished however carry same warrantee the one from Natchez is a straight body spotter and I am not sure on ep it comes with, I can't remember. However eBay seems to have the best prices.
You should also look into the vortex razor he for a big spotter along with zen ray ed2 spotter
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
cameralandny usually has some good deals on ED50 Demos, and those eBay auctions are often from them. The angled spotters have an advantage in supporting the weight of a camera over the straight models.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member