Minox MD 50

[dotman]

I picked up one of these on trade, what are your thoughts?

 

[Matt Cashell]

I like the little Minox Midget. Pretty great value. Not quite the ED50, though.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I think people are surprised how nice they are. I was.

 

[a3dhunter]

I have one as well, love the size and it does well for the price range it fits.

I am seriously thinking of selling the Vortex Nomad because of how well the Minox works for me.

 

[bearguide]

guess i will have to give them a look

 

[luke moffat]

I like my little Minos 50mm spotter. Great little piece of glass, especially for the money and weight.

 

[KWest141]

Guess im gonna have to give this lil guy a look as well. I only get to head out west once a year maybe twice on a good year so i cant really justify spending alot of coin on a spotter. Really have no use for one here in texas soo 50 weeks out of the year itll just be sitting in a drawer. For the price and wieght seems like a good choice.

 

[luke moffat]

Dotman you won't be let down by the little Minox. Its the only spotter I currently own right now (will be getting a big eye spotter in the next month or so) but I plan to use it for some backpacking bear hunts in the coming days.

 

[ckleeves]

I have a pair of minox binos (8x32) and a za 4-20x50 riflescope and have NO complaints with either. The binos I purchased a long time ago before I invested in swaros and I still use them quite a bit and they were starting to show some age from being packed thru miles of oakbrush so I sent them back to get them refurbished and figured it would cost me a few bucks but I like them so I figured may as well. They came back looking like new with no charge! Great company that stands behind their products.

 

[BuckSnort]

Dotman, I have been watching this thread as I am thinking about selling my current spotter and am looking at the Minox for weight and space savings... I was wondering how the edge to edge clarity is at the highest power ?

 

[dotman]

Dotman, I have been watching this thread as I am thinking about selling my current spotter and am looking at the Minox for weight and space savings... I was wondering how the edge to edge clarity is at the highest power ?

Personally from the 5 mins I spent with it free hand I thought it was great, probably one of the benefits of not having owned the $1500 and up glass I think it would be an even better value if it had ED glass and cost more.

If you google reviews there is one that comes up as a pdf by a birding group that is a good write up.

 

[dotman]

Maybe send Luke a pm, he has spent sometime behind this thing.

 

[luke moffat]

I hope to be doing a review on this in the coming week or so per some requests

 

[BuckSnort]

Cool, Thanks guys..

 

[Brock A]

I picked one of these up last night...fricken awesome!

 

[dotman]

Ok I tested the little guy at last light and no way it is giving up the last 15 min, maybe last 5 min of light.

 

[luke moffat]

Ok I tested the little guy at last light and no way it is giving up the last 15 min, maybe last 5 min of light.

That depends on the spotter you are comparing it too. Just got the review written a couple days ago, but all the editors for the website are out bear hunting so it may be a bit.

 

[dotman]

That depends on the spotter you are comparing it too. Just got the review written a couple days ago, but all the editors for the website are out bear hunting so it may be a bit.

Well only my eyes for comparison but it was pretty close to last shooting light I figure that is too late to make a stalk on anything if i'm glassing that late. Looking fwd to it. I do have to say I haven't owned a premiun spotter so that may also be why I think this is good glass.

 

[Chesapeake]

I've had the little Minox for a season or so. I have it and the Slick Sprint mini 2 tripod. Its a nice light weight, cheap setup.

It has its downfalls though. The field of focus (if thats a term) is very small. You are always dialing the focus. It doesnt gather light very well. And there is alot of distortion at the edge of the field of view. Its also not great for looking at horns or for serious work much over 800 to 1000 yards. Resolution isnt that good.

But if your on the cheap and looking for light weight, its a darn good deal.

I think the Nikon 50ED is a better setup and better way to spend your money if you have the cash flow.

I also have the Minox 10x43 HG BR ASPH bino's. They have bean very good. Only downside so far is the focus knob got grit in it and now it makes a bit of a gritty grindy sound. Function is still great.

CameralandNY is a bad site to visit if you like your cash in your bill fold.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I've had the little Minox for a season or so. I have it and the Slick Sprint mini 2 tripod. Its a nice light weight, cheap setup.

It has its downfalls though. The field of focus (if thats a term) is very small. You are always dialing the focus. It doesnt gather light very well. And there is alot of distortion at the edge of the field of view. Its also not great for looking at horns or for serious work much over 800 to 1000 yards. Resolution isnt that good.

But if your on the cheap and looking for light weight, its a darn good deal.

I think the Nikon 50ED is a better setup and better way to spend your money if you have the cash flow.

I also have the Minox 10x43 HG BR ASPH bino's. They have bean very good. Only downside so far is the focus knob got grit in it and now it makes a bit of a gritty grindy sound. Function is still great.

CameralandNY is a bad site to visit if you like your cash in your bill fold.

Chesapeake, your experience is pretty similar to mine with the little Minox. Pretty nice for the size and price, but not a magic wand for glassing. The ED50 is a better instrument overall, but the Minox is still pretty good.

The term you are looking for is depth of field. The little Minox is pretty shallow there and requires some focus work.