Steve C
Well-known member
The new ZR glass, the ED 3 is out and should be ready for sale at least by August 1. There are definitely more similarities to the ED 2, but the changes seem well thought out and do seem to have produced a better binocular.
I have had both the 8x43 and 10x 43 for a few days now. As far as I can tell, these are specimens with no particular flaws and I will assume they are representative; these are a sample size of one each.
Appearance
For those who look at their binocular as much as they do through it, it seems to me that the ED 3 is a much better looking instrument. The rubber armor is very different from the ED 2, being a grayer tint than the ED 2. The ED 2 pattern of knobs is gone, replaced by a checkered pattern that is, from my perspective, a definite improvement. The armor feels softer and more tactile than the ED 2. Gone are the printed “dielectric coating” from the ring below the non diopter eyecup, not only the lettering, but the ring is gone too. The housing on the ED 3 appears to be a little different from the ED 2. The appearance of the hinges is noticeably different and the armor covers the hinge, unlike the ED 2 where the upper hinge was visible, not here. There is only ZEN ED 3, 8x43 426 fov, and waterproof on the focus knob, and the Zen Ray badge on the body armor instead of on the bottom hinge. The ED 3 incorporates two tripod adapter sockets. One socket is in a new location on the back hinge in front of the focus knob, and the traditional one on the front hinge. Both are standard 1/4" thread and any adapter works with either location.
Function
The ED 3 has new eyecups which give a slightly different feel while up to the eye and the ocular lens is now about 1.5mm closer to the rim of the eyecup, increasing the usable ER. The upper level of the eyecup is flush with the ocular assembly, not raised over 1.0mm as before. The ocular lens is a few tenths of a mm closer to the surface too.
The focus is completely different on the ED 3. This has to be about the fastest focus I have ever seen. There is one turn total wheel travel. It takes less than one half turn to go from the close focus distance of about 6 feet to 100 feet. It only needs another quarter turn to get to infinity and there is a quarter turn past infinity. The focus is clockwise to infinity. There is some play in the wheel and wheel movement is fairly stiff. After focus past 200 feet or so, the focus wheel is not really needed. Be glad it is a bit stiff; otherwise it would be easy to overshoot focus. The play in the knob seemed to help too. Just a very slight nudge as the tension comes up. I had no problems following the birds in the big shade trees around the house, nor did I have any problems with fine focus at long distance. The bottom line is, if you wish your ZEN ED 2 had a faster focus, it’s now fixed. The focus wheel is the same size as the ED 2, but is a solid black checkered knob on the ED 3.
The objective covers on the ED 3, while they look like the ones with the ED 2, are a lot better. They look and feel like they should stay put. The neck strap is a little shorter and now is curved to fit the neck. There is only a muted gray Zen Ray printed on the strap. The case and accessories are the same.
The size and specifications remain unchanged.
Image
The ED 3 has a new generation of dielectric prism coating. The antireflective coatings are also different; the ED 3 has a definite purple cast to the lenses. The ghosting or flare that could be seen in the ED 2 is still there, but to a lesser degree. I can only induce flare with the bright sun directly behind me. I can remove it by shifting the lower portion of the eyecup away from my lower eye socket a little.
The excellent color fringing and CA control remains unchanged in the ED 3. The new dielectric mirror coating gives the ED 2 a different color bias from the ED 2. The ED 3 is now slightly cooler in appearance, and seems to be a little brighter. I can’t say as I see much difference in contrast or color rendition between the two models. I do think this 10x43 ED 3 is sharper at long distance; say over two miles than my 10x43 ED 2.
In the two ED 3’s I have, there is definitely less field curvature than in the ED and ED 2. The pincushion on the edge remains unchanged from the ED 2, according to ZR. The edge of the ED 3 does seem “better”. I admit to not caring much one way or another if there is some edge softness as it does not bother me. There are still two rings of distortion at the edge of the field, but the field curvature ring is much reduced, and smaller than the pincushion ring. The amount of pincushion in the ED 3 seems a little less in both of these ED 3’s. This gives them the feel of a wider sweet spot and a seemingly improved afov over the ED 2.
Quality issues
This may well represent the swan song for this design for Zen Ray. Charles has been increasingly frustrated with some of the later ED 2 production runs and has rejected shipments from this factory. I personally have had had two 9x36 ED 2’s that were faulty QC issues with them were one reason they didn’t seem to take hold in the ZR lineup. There has been some personnel changes in the factory there and Zen Ray has now entered into a “partnership” (I don’t know what this is exactly) with several QC people and optical engineers and some other optics people and now have much more active control in everything from the design through all levels of production to the packaging of the product. The whole process is now in a different facility as well. Many of the changes in the ED 3 are probably done to see what the new production arrangement is capable of. Also he was getting low on the ED 2 he was confident in selling, so the ED 3 is born. Many of the sub suppliers are different in components in the ED 3 from those in the ED 2. The armor and housing comes from different places, and some of the coating processes are different for example. So while we are seeing the same basic design, there are many differences in QC processes and parts. I do know there is another ZEN model someplace on the drawing board (there always is as Charles is not one to sit on his laurels). Whenever we see it, I think it will be quite different from the ZEN ED lineage. I really doubt it will be called the ZEN ED 4. I suppose this one may open some eyes when we see it. Perhaps the ED 3 will remain as well.
I have been in the process of 14-16 hour days and I will leave this here for now. I'll get up some pictures and post any other things. The dew alarm just went off, so I'm out to bale hay until probably 3:00 am.
I have had both the 8x43 and 10x 43 for a few days now. As far as I can tell, these are specimens with no particular flaws and I will assume they are representative; these are a sample size of one each.
Appearance
For those who look at their binocular as much as they do through it, it seems to me that the ED 3 is a much better looking instrument. The rubber armor is very different from the ED 2, being a grayer tint than the ED 2. The ED 2 pattern of knobs is gone, replaced by a checkered pattern that is, from my perspective, a definite improvement. The armor feels softer and more tactile than the ED 2. Gone are the printed “dielectric coating” from the ring below the non diopter eyecup, not only the lettering, but the ring is gone too. The housing on the ED 3 appears to be a little different from the ED 2. The appearance of the hinges is noticeably different and the armor covers the hinge, unlike the ED 2 where the upper hinge was visible, not here. There is only ZEN ED 3, 8x43 426 fov, and waterproof on the focus knob, and the Zen Ray badge on the body armor instead of on the bottom hinge. The ED 3 incorporates two tripod adapter sockets. One socket is in a new location on the back hinge in front of the focus knob, and the traditional one on the front hinge. Both are standard 1/4" thread and any adapter works with either location.
Function
The ED 3 has new eyecups which give a slightly different feel while up to the eye and the ocular lens is now about 1.5mm closer to the rim of the eyecup, increasing the usable ER. The upper level of the eyecup is flush with the ocular assembly, not raised over 1.0mm as before. The ocular lens is a few tenths of a mm closer to the surface too.
The focus is completely different on the ED 3. This has to be about the fastest focus I have ever seen. There is one turn total wheel travel. It takes less than one half turn to go from the close focus distance of about 6 feet to 100 feet. It only needs another quarter turn to get to infinity and there is a quarter turn past infinity. The focus is clockwise to infinity. There is some play in the wheel and wheel movement is fairly stiff. After focus past 200 feet or so, the focus wheel is not really needed. Be glad it is a bit stiff; otherwise it would be easy to overshoot focus. The play in the knob seemed to help too. Just a very slight nudge as the tension comes up. I had no problems following the birds in the big shade trees around the house, nor did I have any problems with fine focus at long distance. The bottom line is, if you wish your ZEN ED 2 had a faster focus, it’s now fixed. The focus wheel is the same size as the ED 2, but is a solid black checkered knob on the ED 3.
The objective covers on the ED 3, while they look like the ones with the ED 2, are a lot better. They look and feel like they should stay put. The neck strap is a little shorter and now is curved to fit the neck. There is only a muted gray Zen Ray printed on the strap. The case and accessories are the same.
The size and specifications remain unchanged.
Image
The ED 3 has a new generation of dielectric prism coating. The antireflective coatings are also different; the ED 3 has a definite purple cast to the lenses. The ghosting or flare that could be seen in the ED 2 is still there, but to a lesser degree. I can only induce flare with the bright sun directly behind me. I can remove it by shifting the lower portion of the eyecup away from my lower eye socket a little.
The excellent color fringing and CA control remains unchanged in the ED 3. The new dielectric mirror coating gives the ED 2 a different color bias from the ED 2. The ED 3 is now slightly cooler in appearance, and seems to be a little brighter. I can’t say as I see much difference in contrast or color rendition between the two models. I do think this 10x43 ED 3 is sharper at long distance; say over two miles than my 10x43 ED 2.
In the two ED 3’s I have, there is definitely less field curvature than in the ED and ED 2. The pincushion on the edge remains unchanged from the ED 2, according to ZR. The edge of the ED 3 does seem “better”. I admit to not caring much one way or another if there is some edge softness as it does not bother me. There are still two rings of distortion at the edge of the field, but the field curvature ring is much reduced, and smaller than the pincushion ring. The amount of pincushion in the ED 3 seems a little less in both of these ED 3’s. This gives them the feel of a wider sweet spot and a seemingly improved afov over the ED 2.
Quality issues
This may well represent the swan song for this design for Zen Ray. Charles has been increasingly frustrated with some of the later ED 2 production runs and has rejected shipments from this factory. I personally have had had two 9x36 ED 2’s that were faulty QC issues with them were one reason they didn’t seem to take hold in the ZR lineup. There has been some personnel changes in the factory there and Zen Ray has now entered into a “partnership” (I don’t know what this is exactly) with several QC people and optical engineers and some other optics people and now have much more active control in everything from the design through all levels of production to the packaging of the product. The whole process is now in a different facility as well. Many of the changes in the ED 3 are probably done to see what the new production arrangement is capable of. Also he was getting low on the ED 2 he was confident in selling, so the ED 3 is born. Many of the sub suppliers are different in components in the ED 3 from those in the ED 2. The armor and housing comes from different places, and some of the coating processes are different for example. So while we are seeing the same basic design, there are many differences in QC processes and parts. I do know there is another ZEN model someplace on the drawing board (there always is as Charles is not one to sit on his laurels). Whenever we see it, I think it will be quite different from the ZEN ED lineage. I really doubt it will be called the ZEN ED 4. I suppose this one may open some eyes when we see it. Perhaps the ED 3 will remain as well.
I have been in the process of 14-16 hour days and I will leave this here for now. I'll get up some pictures and post any other things. The dew alarm just went off, so I'm out to bale hay until probably 3:00 am.
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