[tpcollins]

Are these actually a Zen Ray with an european address? These bodies look identical:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220572940315...84.m1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110838738930...84.m1436.l2649

[tpcollins]

I've added two links to my original post.

[FrankD]

Tim,

If you use the search function for Hawke Frontier ED then you will see a thread from 3 or so years ago. Back then there were three models that debuted within a few months of each other...the Hawke, the original Zen Ray ED and the Promaster Infiniti Elite FLX ED. All had similar specs and performance. They all use the same basic design but each company has taken that basic design and gone in slightly differrent directions with it.

[eitanaltman]

it's more accurate to think of them as all having a "common ancestor" than to say the Hawke is a "clone" of the Zen-Ray. That branch of the binocular evolutionary tree, originating in China, has also spawned descendants beyond Zen-Ray and Hawke, including Vortex Talon HD, Eagle Optics Ranger ED, Atlas Optics Intrepid ED, Promaster, etc.

That doesn't mean one company is taking the other company's design and slapping a different badge on it, but rather they are all sourcing from the same factory or designer at some level in the production chain.

[tpcollins]

I know there are a lot things that are made by only a few manufactures and various companies put their logos and specific colors on them but the two links I had look like they come down the same assy line.

I worked for Ford for 38 years and although there were seperate "trim" components on our car lines, alot of identical components were used for major items on similar sized Ford and Mercury platforms. I wouldn't think binocular manufactures would be any different.

[NWBirder]

My understanding is that HAWKE ED and original ZEN ED use silver for prism coating, which were also compared to each other. Then ZEN ED2 starts using newer dielectric coating and faster focuser in their glasses

[V-TRAIN]

i thought they were both made in the same factory. they are basicly the same, i have some hawkes my friend has zen's. they both even come with the 2 cases, which are the same, just stamped different.

[FrankD]

The ZRS ED 3s are made in ZR's own factory. Prior models were not.