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Kamakura bins in the UK (1 Viewer)

The-Wanderer

The-Wanderer

Well-known member
In the USA, there are available several named bins of acclaimed high quality, even alpha contenders, from, I understand the Kamakura works.

Does anyone know what variants of these are available in the UK or, more widely, in the EU, and their brand names?
 
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It's rare that anyone will tell us exactly who makes what for who but amongst the better, probable Kamakura products are the Vortex Razor HD, Kite Bonelli 2.0, Opticron VHD, Zeiss Conquest HD etcetera. As far as I am aware no one in Europe has gone for a version of the big AK prismed Mavens yet, let alone the very best KK can offer.

David
 
"As far as I am aware no one in Europe has gone for a version of the big AK prismed Mavens yet, let alone the very best KK can offer."

Thank you for that, Typo - I thought not. With shipping, customs duties, VAT and import fees,buying from the states seems to be of no advantage.
 
Maybe they do, but in a plant in PRC for the Viking. Perhaps owners of the acclaimed binoculars would say what their's state on the bin as their "made in" label
 
At a quick and very casual glance, the KK made Tract Toric chassis does not seem familiar, even if the optical specs are within cooee of other siblings (distant or not) in the family ..... are there other branded KK-made bins directly cloning it?

EDIT:
Q1. Is there a website for Kamakura showing all their binocular and other optics products?
Q2. Given that they also have ties to companies in China, how much (% per bin) of the MIJ product is actually 'made' in Japan?? (what's the legal definition of that anyway? - is it as loose as Made in Germany?)


Chosun :gh:
 
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Petrus82 said:
Viking ED Pro is made in Japan.
Click to expand...

Interesting! I was talking to a Viking rep setting up a stand over at Minsmere and I commented that I thought it looked like the ED-S and FF were made in China and the ED Pro in Japan. He said they were all made in the same factory. I asked if me meant the same company and he insisted it was the same factory. He wouldn't say which factory though. Was he right or wrong?

David
 
I was at a shop recently and tried the Kamakura EDL4 and thought they looked al lot like the Viking ED Pro. Decide for your self on the pictures attached. I have seen on the specs and there is a difference in weight.

You can find some of their products at http://kamakura.se/produkter.php
 

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typo said:
Interesting! I was talking to a Viking rep setting up a stand over at Minsmere and I commented that I thought it looked like the ED-S and FF were made in China and the ED Pro in Japan. He said they were all made in the same factory. I asked if me meant the same company and he insisted it was the same factory. He wouldn't say which factory though. Was he right or wrong?

David
Click to expand...

David,

It was a wel known Scottish Viking employ who told me they were made by Kamakura in Japan. Japan is marked on the binocular.
 
My Vixen Apex Pro is a Kamakura model. It is (used to be?) sold in the UK as the Ace Avian F, in the US as the Celestron Regal. Kite had this model too, and a few other brands.
 
This is why I asked, some time ago, just who was left in the field that designed and built their own binoculars. That list is very small and getting smaller all the time, it seems.

All the rest are re-branders, re-badgers and poseurs...IMO. Great for the consumer but it will push out the old brands at some point.
 
Petrus82 said:
David,

It was a wel known Scottish Viking employ who told me they were made by Kamakura in Japan. Japan is marked on the binocular.
Click to expand...

As I suspected in the first place.

I'm sure word must have got around, but the guys on the Viking stand were letting every one no that Dougie passed away a few weeks ago. I never had a need to call upon his services, but I know many here have reason to be grateful for his skills. He will be missed, particularly by those that knew him personally.

I understand that the Glasgow repair workshop will close and the work transfer to Suffolk. Dougie's main man Jo will be going with it, in the short term at least.

David
 
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The-Wanderer said:
According to http://www.shop.featherswildbirdcare.co.uk/reviewED-FF.html the Viking FF ED is made in PRC. The owner of the shop is a BFer. I presume he had his information from Viking literature or the bin itself.
Click to expand...

The ED FF is made in China. ED Pro is apparently made in Japan by Kamakura. Although from what David has said, some reps are claiming they are made in the same factory! The plots thickens. I do remember an early post on the ED FF and a Viking rep incorrectly said they were made in Japan.

RIP Dougie. Great man.
 
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