Are The 7x36 ED2 As Good Or Better Then Any Other 7x36 Out There ?

[gcole]

I have read many posts comparing these to Binos twice their cost & not the the same size. Any one like to voice a view about the Zens & the other 7x36's out there ? .....Gwen

[FrankD]

I am sure SteveC will chime in on this one. He has just about every production 6,6.5 and 7x30-something out there right now.

[Steve C]

I posted a review of my 6-7x collection here.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=146500

These, with the exception of the Minox 6.5 IF are quite a bit smaller than the 7x36 ZEN. If I could get the ZEN ED optics and fov inside the Swift Eaglet 7x36, I could not imagine a much better binocular, unless one wanted to pay a bit more attention to enough detail to turn it into a true alpha glass.

The major difference in the ZEN beside its size, it the fov. With the exception of the Vortex Fury 6.5x32, most of the fov's are a lot smaller. The best of the lot, the 7/12x32 Switch Power and the Swift have 100' less fov than the ZEN, and that is really noticeable. The Leupold image comes closest to the ZEN,but the Swift is close. The Minox would be a deal for sure it it had a center focus.

I think I prefer the EO 6.5 Raven over the 6x Yosemite. That is a bit bigger image than the 6x Yosemite, and is a real nice image.

The 7x36 Diamondback and 7x36 Bushnell EX are OK, but are the bottom end of the tribe. The 7x36 EX was for some time listed as a 488' fov. It is really 409' The DB and the EX look to be the same optics in different enclosures.

[jaymoynihan]

There may be others, but the only other 7x36 in new production i am aware of is the Swift 7x36 Eaglet. I have never looked through one, but have read good things.

[Steve C]

In specific new production there is the new Vortex Diamondback 7x36 and the open hinge Bushnell Birder (or Archer in Camo) EX 7x36. Except for being in different enclosures, the EX is open hinge, the DB is a traditional style roof, the appear to be the exact same binocular. Other than the enclosures, the eyecups are different. I think eye glass wearers will prefer the EX. The DB eye cups collapsed are at least 5mm higher than the ocular lens.

As mentioned close at 6.5x there is the 6.5x32 Vortex Fury and the 6.5x 32 Porr Raven from Eagle Optics and the Raptor in Vortex uniform.

But the strict 7x36 are the ZEN ED, Swift, Diamondback, and Excursion.