MM3 80 GA ED/45 Fieldscope + HR3 20-60x Eyepiece
Field Review from Skomer Island
By Izzy Burns (August 2025)
Earlier this year, I reached out to Opticron to see if they could support my fieldwork for a Master’s by Research project on Black-legged Kittiwakes. The team were amazing and kindly offered me MM3 80 GA ED with HR3 20-60x zoom eyepiece to use.
I’m studying three colonies on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire for my project, but also assisted with the annual counts of the cliff-nesting seabirds, some from a boat and some using the scope from land. The 20–60x magnification eyepiece provided great flexibility, though I mostly used 20–30x for clarity and for a great field of view. This was especially important during the counts so as not to get ‘lost’ around the cliff when counting thousands of guillemots! Increasing magnification to 60x was useful when checking for eggs or hidden chicks and still offered good image quality, though I did have to be a little more precise with the focussing.
My research looks at how kittiwake breeding success may be influenced by nest temperatures, what might cause that variation, and how it affects parental behaviour. As we face more extreme weather, this could help us to understand which colonies are more likely to survive. I’m recording the small-scale cliff features around each nest to see what creates temperature differences, and the Universal Smartphone Mount was invaluable in recording this. It allowed me to take close-up photos of each nest without needing an expensive camera setup or extra heavy equipment. I could photograph quickly in the field and then assess nest features later, making the most of my limited time.
Outside of work, the scope had plenty of use too. Evenings on Skomer are special—watching dolphins, sunsets, and Manx Shearwaters rafting in the bay. The scope performed really well in low light, which often kept me out much later than intended! Spotting dolphins was also easy thanks to the sharp optics and wide field of view, providing entertainment even when staying at a campsite off the island!
Ergonomically, it performed very well, with the dual focus wheel running smoothly and precisely. Adjusting the magnification was quick and functional, especially when I needed to confirm whether that was a sneaky Razorbill or just a weirdly shaped rock! The absolute only slight catch I had was its weight when having to walk between sites across steep ground, but that’s just proof that I don’t need such a big diameter lens and not at all a reflection on this scope.
Overall, the MM3 80 GA ED has been a fantastic tool—versatile and reliable in the field and I’d highly recommend it for those wanting a scope that is great in all situations, especially in lower lighting. I’m incredibly grateful to Opticron’s team and support with providing this- it’s made a massive difference in a self-funded project.
See Full Details on the Opticron Website HERE