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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Zen-Ray ZEN ED2 Spotting Scope Test Drive Opportunity (US Members only) (1 Viewer)

Z

ZEN-RAY

Well-known member
To appreciate the support from Birdforum.net community, Zen-Ray Optics has arranged one ZEN ED2 20-60x82 spotting scope for members to try out. This test drive will accommodate 3 members to participate and to minimize the wait time. Due to the limited slots available, we will prioritize this opportunity to BF members who (1) have a minimum of 150 posts AND (2) purchased a pair of Zen-Ray binoculars through Zen-Ray or its authorized dealers (need proof of purchase) prior to 11/5/10.

Zen-Ray will ship the spotting scope to the first person in line. Each person can keep the spotting scope for up to 10 days. A shipping label will be sent out so he/(or she) can forward it to the next person in line.

Please PM Zen-Ray (Charles) if you are interested in participating this test-drive.

Privacy disclosure: Zen-Ray will never share or sell participants' contact information with any third party, including BF. We will not contact members for future commercial interest either unless they opt in to get notified for our future product information.

Thank you very much for your interest.

ZEN-RAY OPTICS
 
ZEN-RAY said:
To appreciate the support from Birdforum.net community, Zen-Ray Optics has arranged one ZEN ED2 20-60x82 spotting scope for members to try out. This test drive will accommodate 3 members to participate and to minimize the wait time. Due to the limited slots available, we will prioritize this opportunity to BF members who (1) have a minimum of 150 posts AND (2) purchased a pair of Zen-Ray binoculars through Zen-Ray or its authorized dealers (need proof of purchase) prior to 11/5/10.

Zen-Ray will ship the spotting scope to the first person in line. Each person can keep the spotting scope for up to 10 days. A shipping label will be sent out so he/(or she) can forward it to the next person in line.

Please PM Zen-Ray (Charles) if you are interested in participating this test-drive.

Privacy disclosure: Zen-Ray will never share or sell participants' contact information with any third party, including BF. We will not contact members for future commercial interest either unless they opt in to get notified for our future product information.

Thank you very much for your interest.

ZEN-RAY OPTICS
Click to expand...

Nice offer!
Unfortunately, I don't qualify. Probably best left to those far more knowledgeable them me anyway but I would love to take a peak through one.

Looking forward to hearing what people think.

Martin
 
I would love to take you up on the offer, have more than the minimum of posts, have a pair of 8x43ED's (which do not disappoint), just not in the right country!!
 
I think that Zen-Ray did specify U.S. only in the title block of post 1.
"Zen-Ray ZEN ED2 Spotting Scope Test Drive Opportunity (US Members only)"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Just playin'. I agree with Martin. Review should probably be left to the someone who really knows their stuff.............. (Ut! 9 to go)..
 
The USPS just left me a 20-60x80 ED angled specimen. First glance says it looks like e every bit the optical equal of the ZEN ED binocular. Crummy gray day so some time will be needed.
 
Kevin Purcell said:
Crummy gray days are the best for testing stray light and contrast ;)
Click to expand...

Yes they are and so far the spotter shows very good contrast and seems to control stray light well.

It seems to be maybe a bit better built than the ZEN ED binocular. It is also more compact (shorter) than the posted pictures make it seem, It looks longer and slimmer than it is. It also looks somewhat less like the Razor up close and personal than the picture makes it seem. Although there are certain similarities that will be built into any two 80mm porro spotters. Now this seems, at first glance, to be every bit the optical equal of the ZEN ED binocular and looks well worth the $$$. The eye relief I can get just right for me, which is not always the case with me and spotters. The edge of the view is sharp and the field seems quite flat. Edge distortion will not, in and of itself, force you to center something seen on the edge. That and the flat field should help long scanning periods. The color balance is pretty neutral and the images so far are quite satisfactory. Both the coarse and fine focus wheels work just about right for my taste too. I have always found in any spotter of any price range that the optimum image quality remains up untill you get below a 2.0 mm exit pupil. The quality of the scope seems to be the determining factor of whether or not the image begins to degrade either before or just past the 2.0mm mark. The higher the quality the less the degradation. This does show some dimmimg of the image upwards of 45x, or somewhat less than 2.0 mm EP. The image remains very good until 60x, but the fall off is there.

Saying any more than that will have to wait a bit.
 
Steve C said:
Yes they are and so far the spotter shows very good contrast and seems to control stray light well.

It seems to be maybe a bit better built than the ZEN ED binocular. It is also more compact (shorter) than the posted pictures make it seem, It looks longer and slimmer than it is. It also looks somewhat less like the Razor up close and personal than the picture makes it seem. Although there are certain similarities that will be built into any two 80mm porro spotters. Now this seems, at first glance, to be every bit the optical equal of the ZEN ED binocular and looks well worth the $$$. The eye relief I can get just right for me, which is not always the case with me and spotters. The edge of the view is sharp and the field seems quite flat. Edge distortion will not, in and of itself, force you to center something seen on the edge. That and the flat field should help long scanning periods. The color balance is pretty neutral and the images so far are quite satisfactory. Both the coarse and fine focus wheels work just about right for my taste too. I have always found in any spotter of any price range that the optimum image quality remains up untill you get below a 2.0 mm exit pupil. The quality of the scope seems to be the determining factor of whether or not the image begins to degrade either before or just past the 2.0mm mark. The higher the quality the less the degradation. This does show some dimmimg of the image upwards of 45x, or somewhat less than 2.0 mm EP. The image remains very good until 60x, but the fall off is there.

Saying any more than that will have to wait a bit.
Click to expand...

Steve:

Good to hear someone has one of these to evaluate. Like most optics, I am
hoping you have another scope somewhat similar to compare with. When you
get into scopes in the over $1,000 range, you are entering the higher end so
expectations will also be high, especially with a new entrant.

Jerry
 
NDhunter said:
Steve:

Good to hear someone has one of these to evaluate. Like most optics, I am
hoping you have another scope somewhat similar to compare with. When you
get into scopes in the over $1,000 range, you are entering the higher end so
expectations will also be high, especially with a new entrant.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Yeah, my problem right now is I don't have a lot on hand to compare it with. There is a small local dealer I know fairly well and he had a nice Swaro that I might be able to set up a side b y side at his store, provided Santa did not buy it for some body's present. I'll have to call a couple of people and maybe arrange some use with their glass. So, I'll try to get as many to compare as I can. However, I'd really like to get these next to the Nikon x82 mm Fieldscope, but have no clue where I'll find one of those.
 
Steve:

A few general questions:

Does the scope body allow for an interchangable EP? If so what format (1.25"???)

It's an 80mm objective, I assume the focal length is about 480mm, thus the Zoom EP is a standard 8-24mm EP? Is this about right? No information about EP's on ZR's web site.

I wear eyeglasses. It's my sad obsevation that all EP/Scope manufacturer's lie about their zoom EP's eye relief. Is the eye relief really consistent from 20 mm at 20x to 18 mm at 60x? I bought a WO Zoom because of those specs, but it's actually 20-15 mm just like my Vixen CS Zoom. ZR is truthful about their binocular's eye relief. That's a good sign.

It's specified weight is 64 oz (4#) with a length of 15.3"; does this include the EP. If so it's actually fairly compact for an 80.

Finally, the tripod mounting plate looks a bit different (on ZR's website) than what I'm use to (a flat bottom). Will this mounting plate accept a variety of standard QR plates or is the base fabricated as an integral QR plate? If so for what format (Manfrotto 128RC, 701HDV, etc...).

Thanks

bearclawthedonut
 
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Bearclaw...

I see nothing to indicate any difference you mention on EP.

The eyepiece is detachable and appears to be a standard 1.25" format. As far as I know they are looking at adding a wide angle eyepiece for those so inclined to want one. As to the degree of eyepiece interchangeability, I have not tried anything else yet, so I can't say. As a point of interest the eyepiece is a triplet with two of the three elements being ED glass. Getting the eyepiece right was one thing that took longer than anticipated and is one reason why the cost is over $1,000.

The mounting plate is boilerplate QR standard. I have two el-cheapo tripods and the typical mounting plate of either (one larger than the other) work just fine.

I don't need eyeglasses, so I have to use a huge mental sticky note to myself to look at the eye relief issue. I just looked at the distance and it "looks" pretty close to the advertised specs. However, I am very reluctant to get too close to optical glass surfaces with metal rods on calipers. I'll put on my reading glasses and try it with those and see how it works with sunglasses and let you know how that goes.

The length, including eyepiece, measured diagonally, eyecup extended, from center of the eyepiece to the center of the objective is just barely 15".

My camera battery was dead this morning, so as soon as I can, I'll post a few pictures.
 
Last edited:
Just had message from Henry Link. At his suggestion, any further posts on this will be in a new thread in the spotter section. Henry has one enroute and I look forward to what he thinks of this scope.

Merry Christmas to all!
 
bearclawthedonut said:
I wear eyeglasses. It's my sad obsevation that all EP/Scope manufacturer's lie about their zoom EP's eye relief. Is the eye relief really consistent from 20 mm at 20x to 18 mm at 60x? I bought a WO Zoom because of those specs, but it's actually 20-15 mm just like my Vixen CS Zoom. ZR is truthful about their binocular's eye relief. That's a good sign.
Click to expand...

Note that most zoom eyepieces have a dip in the middle of the range so the minimum ER occurs in the most useful range (25x to 35x)

e.g. see

http://www.tvwg.nl/testrapporten/telescoop/zeisstelescopen65tflen85tfl.htm
http://www.tvwg.nl/testrapporten/telescoop/images/eyerel03.jpg

The Zeiss is very similar to the Baader and even Baader only quote 15 to 12mm for their wide zoom

http://www.alpineastro.com/Eyepieces_Accessories/Eyepieces_Accessories.htm#Zoom

Steve C said:
The eyepiece is detachable and appears to be a standard 1.25" format. As far as I know they are looking at adding a wide angle eyepiece for those so inclined to want one. As to the degree of eyepiece interchangeability, I have not tried anything else yet, so I can't say.
Click to expand...

Does the EP come with a Celestron/Synta (M35) or Zeiss (M45) (i.e. Baader style) threaded collar?

Steve C said:
As a point of interest the eyepiece is a triplet with two of the three elements being ED glass. Getting the eyepiece right was one thing that took longer than anticipated and is one reason why the cost is over $1,000.
Click to expand...

Do you mean objective rather than eyepiece?
 
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