The coming shootout

[Fireform]

The impending release of the 7x36 ED2s has inspired me. At some point in the next few weeks, after I've had a chance to get to know them, I'll be posting a shootout among the following 4 bins:

Zen-Ray 7x36 ED2
Nikon EDG 8x32
Nikon SE 8x32
Zeiss 8x42 FL

The latter two are my long-term go-to stable, the EDGs arrived today, and hopefully the ED2s will arrive promptly next week. Not everyone is going to survive!

For the curious, I have no optical impressions of the EDG at all yet, but there are a couple of subtle but important improvements in the 8x32's compared with the 7x42's I test drove a few months ago. Their hinged objective covers fit tightly onto the barrels and seem much less likely to pop off, and the focus knob on this bin has a moderate detent holding it down over the diopter adjustment. It's still easy to slide up, but it doesn't seem to do so unless I want it to now. It also has that snap-on ocular guard that I love and others hate!

Stay tuned.

[FrankD]

With such competition I sincerely doubt the Zens are going to last long...and I have been quite impressed with how the previous Zen offerings have performed.

I am curious though, what are you basing your decision on? Optical performance? Fit and finish? Overall handling? .....or just that everlasting impression that a set of bins leaves you with?

[shaocaholica]

Drop them all from 6ft then 12ft onto concrete. Let us know which which loose collimation, damaged hinge, etc, etc.

[kristoffer]

I look forward to the test. Indeed strong contenders. :) The impending release of the 7x36 ED2s has inspired me. At some point in the next few weeks, after I've had a chance to get to know them, I'll be posting a shootout among the following 4 bins:

Zen-Ray 7x36 ED2
Nikon EDG 8x32
Nikon SE 8x32
Zeiss 8x42 FL

The latter two are my long-term go-to stable, the EDGs arrived today, and hopefully the ED2s will arrive promptly next week. Not everyone is going to survive!

For the curious, I have no optical impressions of the EDG at all yet, but there are a couple of subtle but important improvements in the 8x32's compared with the 7x42's I test drove a few months ago. Their hinged objective covers fit tightly onto the barrels and seem much less likely to pop off, and the focus knob on this bin has a moderate detent holding it down over the diopter adjustment. It's still easy to slide up, but it doesn't seem to do so unless I want it to now. It also has that snap-on ocular guard that I love and others hate!

Stay tuned.

[Kevin Purcell]

Heck, I'm looking forward to Fireform's review of the Nikon EDG 8x32 ... I don't think it's been done here yet (and not many people have them).

Though I'd point out there is always the problem of not comparing like with like (either magnification, objective diameter or exit pupil size).

[denco@comcast.n]

The impending release of the 7x36 ED2s has inspired me. At some point in the next few weeks, after I've had a chance to get to know them, I'll be posting a shootout among the following 4 bins:

Zen-Ray 7x36 ED2
Nikon EDG 8x32
Nikon SE 8x32
Zeiss 8x42 FL

The latter two are my long-term go-to stable, the EDGs arrived today, and hopefully the ED2s will arrive promptly next week. Not everyone is going to survive!

For the curious, I have no optical impressions of the EDG at all yet, but there are a couple of subtle but important improvements in the 8x32's compared with the 7x42's I test drove a few months ago. Their hinged objective covers fit tightly onto the barrels and seem much less likely to pop off, and the focus knob on this bin has a moderate detent holding it down over the diopter adjustment. It's still easy to slide up, but it doesn't seem to do so unless I want it to now. It also has that snap-on ocular guard that I love and others hate!

Stay tuned.

I would put my money on the Nikon 8x32 SE's. Excellent porro's always beat excellent roof's. Better optical desing in my opinion.

Dennis

[NDhunter]

Drop them all from 6ft then 12ft onto concrete. Let us know which which loose collimation, damaged hinge, etc, etc.

Ha. Ha.! Thats a good one!;)

[NDhunter]

I would put my money on the Nikon 8x32 SE's. Excellent porro's always beat excellent roof's. Better optical desing in my opinion.

Dennis

I have the Nikon 8x32 SE, and I have the EDG in 10x42. I like the EDG better. Its handling and view are excellent. We haven't heard a lot here about the EDG, but in time, it will get its respect. :t:

[FrankD]

I have to admit that the little EDG has me curious as well. I have only had one brief encounter with the 7x42 and it was very favorable.

[ronh]

If the big fat 42mm FL can't beat those wimpy little things, something is wrong. I hereby pre-accuse your FL of being a "bad sample", just in case that should happen. (Fortunately mine is a good one!)
Ron

[Fireform]

Of course, it's an apples to oranges comparison, but these are the optics I have and am interested in. I already know the FLs and SEs well, and I'm most interested in a) how the SEs and EDGs compare with each other, and b) how the Zens compare in terms of brightness with the FLs.

I had the FLs out last evening and night, observing the moon and Jupiter which were quite near each other in the sky. People have beaten up the FLs over their edge sharpness because the image does go to hell in the outer 5-10% of the field of view. Inside that radius, though, they hold up well compared with other top bins and the center field sharpness is superb.

Initial impressions of the EDGs are favorable, that's for sure. Their look and feel are just as luscious as the 42mm models, and nobody makes better focusing mechanisms than Nikon.

[kristoffer]

nobody makes better focusing mechanisms than Nikon.

Agreed, reason enough to buy a nikon, almost atleast :)

[NDhunter]

Of course, it's an apples to oranges comparison, but these are the optics I have and am interested in. I already know the FLs and SEs well, and I'm most interested in a) how the SEs and EDGs compare with each other, and b) how the Zens compare in terms of brightness with the FLs.

I had the FLs out last evening and night, observing the moon and Jupiter which were quite near each other in the sky. People have beaten up the FLs over their edge sharpness because the image does go to hell in the outer 5-10% of the field of view. Inside that radius, though, they hold up well compared with other top bins and the center field sharpness is superb.

Initial impressions of the EDGs are favorable, that's for sure. Their look and feel are just as luscious as the 42mm models, and nobody makes better focusing mechanisms than Nikon.

I agree with you on the Nikons focus, I just think the EDG has such a nice smooth, I'll call it fluid focus, compared to my Swar. EL, which doesn't. the Nikon has the "edg" here. Even my SE's have a very smooth action, I like.
"Fireform", I can't wait for your shootout, I'll bet a lot of people here are
feeling the same way.;)

[denco@comcast.n]

I agree with you on the Nikons focus, I just think the EDG has such a nice smooth, I'll call it fluid focus, compared to my Swar. EL, which doesn't. the Nikon has the "edg" here. Even my SE's have a very smooth action, I like.
"Fireform", I can't wait for your shootout, I'll bet a lot of people here are
feeling the same way.;)

I agree with that. Nikons have the best focus. It almost feels like it is hydraulic rather than gear driven and the SE is like that also. I would imagine the EDG are nice but how much are the 8x32 EDG's now? Big bucks aren't they?
Dennis