Zen-Ray, My Lucky Day! (3 Viewers)

[joannec]

I was the lucky winner in the August competition for Zen-Ray HD Prime Binoculars. I opted for the 8x version. They arrived last Tuesday and I have spent the last five days getting to know them. I am not going to post a technical review; I'm a birder and not a binoholic but I will say that they are astonishingly bright, crisp and clear and they do the job exceedingly well. I bird every day and have used them daily and will continue to do so. The only minor criticism is that they are a little on the heavy side (but probably not for a man) but what I have noticed is that the best build quality bins tend to be on the heavy side. This is by far the best prize I have ever won; as I said, my lucky day!

 

[Binastro]

. Well done.

Enjoy using them.

 

[BruceH]

....... I bird every day and have used them daily and will continue to do so. ......

I think that says it all. :t:

Congratulations and enjoy!

 

[perterra]

I have to agree, they are heavy and they are excellent binoculars.

 

[cnick6]

I'm a birder and not a binoholic...

You say this like it's a bad thing...

B

...hic!

 

[Torview]

Congrats on your win, is it me or do they resemble Vortex Vipers quite a bit ?

 

[Bino Chick]

congratulations joannec, nice win! I do love Sussex beautiful county for birding

 

[delia todd]

Well done Joanne. I'm glad you're enjoying them lass.

My turn next of course

 

[joannec]

Update

I've had the Zen-Ray 8x42 HD Primes for about a month now. I've used them every day including some all day birding days. My usual binoculars are Nikon HGL 8x32s so that is what I am comparing them to. Our weather has been unusually sunny this month so I have been using them mostly in good light. After a months usage I have come to the conclusion that they are brighter and crisper than my Nikons; the colours are clear and bright without being exaggerated and the image really crisp and sharp. They really let in a lot of light. Yesterday my husband and I went to Rye Harbour on a dry but dull day and while my Nikons were clear, sharp and good they really weren't as bright as the Zen Rays. I'm astonished. They are fabulous bins and by the end of the day we were fighting over them! Thank you, Charles!

 

[A2GG]

Update

I've had the Zen-Ray 8x42 HD Primes for about a month now. I've used them every day including some all day birding days. My usual binoculars are Nikon HGL 8x32s so that is what I am comparing them to. Our weather has been unusually sunny this month so I have been using them mostly in good light. After a months usage I have come to the conclusion that they are brighter and crisper than my Nikons; the colours are clear and bright without being exaggerated and the image really crisp and sharp. They really let in a lot of light. Yesterday my husband and I went to Rye Harbour on a dry but dull day and while my Nikons were clear, sharp and good they really weren't as bright as the Zen Rays. I'm astonished. They are fabulous bins and by the end of the day we were fighting over them! Thank you, Charles!

You lucky girl you I've never tried a ZR binocular, but have heard a lot of good things about the brand. It's a nice looking bin and the case looks to be decent too. I hope you continue to have many nice days out with it.

~ Beth

 

[typo]

Joanne,

Thanks for the update, they do sound a bit special. Wish I could comment myself but I'm still waiting for mine to arrive. Looking forward to it even more.

David

 

[perterra]

Update

I've had the Zen-Ray 8x42 HD Primes for about a month now. I've used them every day including some all day birding days. My usual binoculars are Nikon HGL 8x32s so that is what I am comparing them to. Our weather has been unusually sunny this month so I have been using them mostly in good light. After a months usage I have come to the conclusion that they are brighter and crisper than my Nikons; the colours are clear and bright without being exaggerated and the image really crisp and sharp. They really let in a lot of light. Yesterday my husband and I went to Rye Harbour on a dry but dull day and while my Nikons were clear, sharp and good they really weren't as bright as the Zen Rays. I'm astonished. They are fabulous bins and by the end of the day we were fighting over them! Thank you, Charles!

Completely agree, they are very impressive.

 

[Jos Stratford]

My turn next of course

Na, employees, mods and the like are not allowed to win Ha ha ha, that is of course a new rule designed purely to increase my odds

 

[delia todd]

Na, employees, mods and the like are not allowed to win Ha ha ha, that is of course a new rule designed purely to increase my odds

Well you don't make the rules of course Jos:cat:

So I'm sticking in here like a.... well take your choice

 

[joannec]

Na, employees, mods and the like are not allowed to win Ha ha ha, that is of course a new rule designed purely to increase my odds

Well you don't make the rules of course Jos:cat:

So I'm sticking in here like a.... well take your choice

Well good luck to you both!

 

[Jos Stratford]

Well you don't make the rules of course Jos:cat:

Does Steve take bribes?

 

[SteveTS]

They are fabulous bins ... !

Completely agree, they are very impressive

they do sound a bit special

The best 'bins' in life are free, and well done you lot !!

Where's Mark ?

:t:

 

[perterra]

The best 'bins' in life are free, and well done you lot !!

Where's Mark ?

:t:

:-O That sounds like the cold beer saying.


(sorry, I know, you can only talk about binoculars here, nothing else)

 

[Kammerdiner]

The best 'bins' in life are free, and well done you lot !!

Where's Mark ?

:t:

I usually have a few pairs lying around, including both SV's and the Prime. When I head out I just grab one, the Prime as likely as any. It's that good. It really is. :t:

Mark

 

[typo]

My Prime 10x42 prize for August arrived at the end of last week. Thank you Charles.:t:

I know one or two asked for a full review from me but I don't feel it's appropriate to reward Charles' generosity with my usual geeky dissection of it's technical properties, so I'll just offer a few comments.

I'm sure most here know by now that individuals react differently to flat views. I've tried a number of others before and found they suite me better for longer distance birding and so chose the 10x. I'm glad I did, I like them and will be using them a lot.

I don't know what the magic formula is for length, weight, balance and grip that ends up with a steady view, but the Primes have it in my hands. That's worth about another 2x on the magnification for me. The close focus is about 1.2m (4ft) with a full turn to 5m and another 90* to infinity. I would suggest the ER is closer to 16mm than the listed 20mm so spectacle wearers beware. The combination of big eyecups with a narrow IPD might not work for some but it worked well for me without glasses. I found the view flat for about two thirds of the view with a slight pincushion at the edges. I think the consensus is that that's probably a good thing for many. The CA, brightness and colour appear pretty good and it's more than sharp enough for my eyes.

I'm going to leave it there, but feel free to PM me for more info if required.

I'll still be using my little 7x for the woods and lanes round where I live but for outings to the lakes or coast the Prime is going to be my first choice. Thanks again Charles.

David