Opticron Mighty Midget II scope - any good?

Jolanta Zofia Nowak · #1 (**permalink**) 08-02-2008, 11:49 AM

I had the use of one of these with a wide angle eyepiece recently at a RSPB reserve. I was very impressed, especially with the lightness and portability.

I'm being offered one at a reasonable price but with a 15 - 40X zoom eyepiece.
Does anyone use this and would they recommend it?

Hobjob · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 02:45 PM

I've looked through several - they are fine. But with such a small scope don't expect brilliant results on dull days.

Meta menardi · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 03:50 PM

I have one, but with a 25x eyepiece, straight through configuration. I have made a rifle rifle-butt type mount for it, and find it great for just slinging on your back when out for a walk. Bit nervous about being seen with rifle looking thing these days, but it seems to work well. A bit fiddly focus and I would like a bigger and better scope with...and...and. But if the price is good and it is a mkII, then go for it. MkI models were a disappointment, I am told.

richardkm · #4 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 04:49 PM

For a small scope, these are very good, but even better if you get the HDF eyepeice to go with it. We sell quite a lot to birders who are going abroad and don't want to take their larger, expensive scopes with them. Opticron also do an ED version.

But saying that, they're no replacement for a decent large scope. In poor light you will be disappointed.

For goodness sake, don't buy one from the RSPB, you will pay well over the odds!

RobinP · #5 (**permalink**) 20-02-2008, 03:39 PM

I had one and was a bit disappointed with the standard non-ED version with the 15-40 zoom, though I have been spoilt with my other scope, a Leica APO 77! I have now swapped the Opticron for a Nikon ED50 with 13-39 zoom MCII eyepeice, a bit more expensive but well worth it!

eeyore · #6 (**permalink**) 20-02-2008, 04:04 PM

You get what you pay for so dont expect it to compare favourably with a leica - but as budget scopes go these are pretty good - they are better (IMO) than the comparable baby kowa (tho these arent bad either) - but like others have said dont expect them to be great in dull light or much cop for digiscoping.

as richard notes the RSPB arent the most competitive option arround - but on the other hand if you do buy from them your money will be going to conserve birds and biodiversity rather than into a retailers pocket - it depends what is important to you at the end of the day.

Sherlock · #7 (**permalink**) 13-11-2010, 02:57 PM

We have had our ED with HDF 12 x 36 zoom since late 2007.

As we have recently aquired a Nikon ed82 the MM2 is now used on a monopod while walking to and from prime bird watching areas and it serves us jolly well. The view through the ED glass is very good and having a steadyish monopod means higher magnifications can be used.

Problems with the MM2 to date -

when the lens cap is removed the rubber eyepad thingy keeps moving and it has to be pushed back each time

the adjustable eyepiece securing screw worked loose once. Opticron sent another screw which I fitted but now it has worked loose again and I fear the thread in the adustable eye relief has now worn because of the loosening screws. The thread on the screw is very small and not very long and the metal the screw goes into is not very thick. A weak point on the HDF zooms surely?

I made a modification as I disliked the drawtube operation. A sleeve of plastic was sliced to fit into the extending section. It is secured by very small nyloc cable ties. This negates the need for the scope to be opened in damp conditions and reduce the possibilty of allowing moist air into the internals everytime the scope is extended.

CharlieCreek · #8 (**permalink**) 13-11-2010, 10:04 PM

I think it all depends on what you want if for.

I use an MM2 with the 25 x fixed eyepiece. That suits me fine, because I dont tend to stick myself in one spot with a big scope and let things come to me. I like to be out and about and the MM2 is great because it slips into my jacket pocket and if something is too far for my bins then I have the scope.

But if you are more inclined to do less walking around and want a larger field of view and brighter images then the MM2 won't suit. It's small size means you can pretty much always have it with you but the size, glass etc does mean that it won't compare with larger and more expensive scopes.

For me it does the job for what I require out of a scope and I chuckle at the big boys lumping tripods and 'bazookas' of scopes around, but then again I guess they chuckle inwardly at me with my pea shooter of a scope

RoyW · #9 (**permalink**) 16-11-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieCreek

For me it does the job for what I require out of a scope and I chuckle at the big boys lumping tripods and 'bazookas' of scopes around, but then again I guess they chuckle inwardly at me with my pea shooter of a scope

It all depends what you want to get out of the scope. I've used a MM (I borrowed one and took it away on a foreign trip), but I wasn't overly impressed. I now own a Nikon ED50, which I use for trips when I want to travel light - but I tend to take its bigger brother, the ED82, out when birding in the UK.

CharlieCreek · #10 (**permalink**) 16-11-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyW

It all depends what you want to get out of the scope. I've used a MM (I borrowed one and took it away on a foreign trip), but I wasn't overly impressed. I now own a Nikon ED50, which I use for trips when I want to travel light - but I tend to take its bigger brother, the ED82, out when birding in the UK.

Couldn't agree more, the last bit of comment was meant very tongue in cheek.

I don't spend a lot of time looking through a scope, I use the scope very little just using it now and then to get a bit of a closer view than the bins. If you are going to use the scope a lot then the MM2 is going to be a disappointment.

Also for the greatest part of the time I'm not out birding etc, I am out working in the countryside and want to travel very light. The MM2 is ideal because it slips into my wax jacket pocket or into the botton of my game bag and it's cheap compared to other scopes so if it gets bashed around it isn't any great loss.
(I use a game bag not because I shoot but because they are excellent outdoor bags).

If you are seriously going to use the scope a lot in all light conditions to get really good views of fauna then the MM2 isn't the way to go. I did have a larger scope but found that I just didn't want to lug it around, but the sacrafice is that the image quality I get now is very poor in comparison - but that said I use it more and it suits my needs.

I also made the descision at the time to trade my larger scope in to make an upgrade purchase to the best possible bins (for my eyes) I could afford as they get used the most and downgraded the scope which is less frequently used.

It's all horses for courses.