Zen/Hawke/Vortex took over Minox market.

[kristoffer]

This forum section is kinda dead, Zen and the new brands seem to have taken over Minoxs/et al role as cheaper option to the alphas. Capitalism at it´s best. I guess ;)

[FrankD]

Me thinks you might have jumped the gunon this one Kristoffer. Minox has a very strong following and I believe they probably still sell quite a few more binoculars than Zen Ray, Hawke and Promaster combined.

;)

[kristoffer]

not much defense for the brand, yet ;)

[NoSpringChicken]

not much defense for the brand, yet ;)
Perhaps that is because they are all out looking at birds through their excellent binoculars rather than sitting at a keyboard posting about them. ;)

Ron

[dalat]

... rather than sitting at a keyboard posting about them. ;)Ron

You think so? Is there a world outside of this forum? A world where people possibly don't buy zen? Come on, what are you talking about!

[timwootton]

Ah well - I'm just back in from looking through mine. Most enjoyable, too.

[Tero]

I could never find Minox pairs with wide fov. This one interested me a while, but fov 315 is too small for an 8.5x
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/minox/minox-bd-8-5x42-br-alt-binocular

[iveljay]

Not found a ZEN but tried the others. The 3 models in regular use are the Zeiss FLs, Minox HGs & Nikon EIIs - regularly using something really sorts out what you can live with.

Yes, the HGs don't have the fov of the 7x42s but I can live with that, just for the 'fit' and balance (especially the 8x33s(fov 395')). As Ron said, they are out there most days being used - unlike many others I have accumulated or tried.

Start a ZEN section by all means; interesting to read & I might try one one day and see if they feel right....

[kristoffer]

I have nothing against Minox, on the contrary. I merely meant that they compete in the middle-segment vs. brands who got cheaper bins, with maybe as good optics. They are not alone in this struggle of course, but Minoxs subforum seems to be particularly abandoned. And naturally it does not need to reflect sales world wide, but perhaps reflects what kind of bins birders that frequent Birdforum is interested in. And that can later be more mainstream opinions.

[iveljay]

Worldwide perhaps but in the UK I am not aware of anyone selling ZEN. Hawke & Vortex don't have anything like the number of major sales outlets as Minox. It effectively makes little difference in the end but it is useful being able to refer to comments about things that are available.

[kristoffer]

Worldwide perhaps but in the UK I am not aware of anyone selling ZEN. Hawke & Vortex don't have anything like the number of major sales outlets as Minox. It effectively makes little difference in the end but it is useful being able to refer to comments about things that are available.

No, only one other store then Zen them self sell Zen. I just meant that bf optics division tend to look for most optics per dollar, and most here probably want the best deal. People with no optics interest probably just buy what their store have or what their friends use. But good performance and cheap price will make impact sooner or later, even there. Especially considering how lazy nikon is now, no real improvements, not for Europeans atleast.

[BobinKy]

I like my Minox HG BD 8x33, FOV 7.5°.

...Bob
Kentucky

[h14nha]

I have BL 8x42BR's, I love them, if they were lost/stolen tomorrow I would check out the HG's as my first port of call as I think Minox have a first class pedigree and I would be a repeat buyer.
Regards
Ian

[harold9649]

Sorry to but in but didnt Minox have a connection to Leica a few years ago i am told they are a good competitor now.
H

[swede]

I am more than pleased with my 8 x 33 HG's. Enough so that I have been able to resist the urge to buy the new Zen's, etc.... Very nicely sized bino, with great optics in a rugged package.

[blizdas]

At one point, Minox was a division of Leica. A few years ago they sold it and it has since become it's own company, still based out of Germany though.

Ben Lizdas
Sales Manager
Eagle Optics
www.eagleoptics.com (http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars)



Sorry to but in but didnt Minox have a connection to Leica a few years ago i am told they are a good competitor now.
H

[Kevin Purcell]

At one point, Minox was a division of Leica. A few years ago they sold it and it has since become it's own company, still based out of Germany though.

But with production facilities in China.

They're a bit ambigious about where the bins are "made" and where the components are made.

Steiner is very similar with German design and corporate headquaters (and some assembly?) but with a large component production plant in China.

Minox also see a big market in China too. They're one of the few major brands that has their web site in three languages: English, German and Chinese.

[blizdas]

Very true Kevin. Minox does not make it easy to find out what country they source their binoculars out of. As far as I know, they have always come out of both China and Japan, depending on the models. I have heard recently that they plan on "moving some production to Germany". This of course could mean many different things.

Ben

Ben Lizdas
Sales Manage
Eagle Optics
www.eagleoptics.com (http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars)

But with production facilities in China.

They're a bit ambigious about where the bins are "made" and where the components are made.

Steiner is very similar with German design and corporate headquaters (and some assembly?) but with a large component production plant in China.

Minox also see a big market in China too. They're one of the few major brands that has their web site in three languages: English, German and Chinese.