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Looking for something with a wide view and easy to hold (1 Viewer)

C

coopershawk

Well-known member
Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while and decided to make an account and ask some advice.

I currently own a leupold bx3 mojave 8x42. I mostly like them but sometimes it feels a bit shaky and the field of view a little narrow. My plan is to get a new main bin and relegate these to my car's center console. I'm hoping to find something in the sub $400 range, maybe $450 absolute max. I've narrowed it down to the zen ray 7x36 ed2 and nikon 8x30e ii.

The zen ray is roughly the same weight as my mojave, but the lower magnification should make the view easier.

On the other hand, the nikon is a few ounces lighter, but the same 8x magnification as the mojaves. Also the exit pupil is smaller on the nikon.

Both seem to have magnificent fields of view.

I'm really torn here, does anyone have any thoughts? Which would be the better "all arounder"? Are there any other bins I should be considering?

Thank you!
 
:hi:
Hi Coopershawk,

Welcome to Bird Forum!

Between these two binoculars (the 8x30E2 and the Zen Ray 7x36) it is not even close! Get the Nikon 8x30 EII.

It has been around for years; since 1999 at least, and it has proven itself to be a real classic! I still have and use one I got about 14 years ago.

Read about it here:

http://www.allbinos.com/168.1-article-Legendary_binoculars_-_Nikon_8x30_EII.html


Zen Ray is a new company and when they first came out they were quite popular because of the quality of their binoculars and their responsive service. Right now they seem to be having management problems. It is too long to get into here, but my advice is to use caution.

You might also consider the new Nikon Monarch 7 8x30. It is compact enough to fit into a console and it has a wide FOV of 435'@1000 yards.

It is pretty tough finding any 7x binoculars anymore. Celestron has a 7x33. It has a very wide FOV of 477'@1000yds and weighs 22 ounces. Eye relief is 15mm. Eagle Optics sells it for about $322.00. I have no experience with it.

https://www.eagleoptics.com/collections/binoculars/products/celestron-granite-ed-7x33-binocular

Bob
 
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coopershawk said:
Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while and decided to make an account and ask some advice.

I currently own a leupold bx3 mojave 8x42. I mostly like them but sometimes it feels a bit shaky and the field of view a little narrow. My plan is to get a new main bin and relegate these to my car's center console. I'm hoping to find something in the sub $400 range, maybe $450 absolute max. I've narrowed it down to the zen ray 7x36 ed2 and nikon 8x30e ii.

The zen ray is roughly the same weight as my mojave, but the lower magnification should make the view easier.

On the other hand, the nikon is a few ounces lighter, but the same 8x magnification as the mojaves. Also the exit pupil is smaller on the nikon.

Both seem to have magnificent fields of view.

I'm really torn here, does anyone have any thoughts? Which would be the better "all arounder"? Are there any other bins I should be considering?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
The E2 is the best binocular at your price point and has a huge FOV which you are looking for. Here is one on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-N...556645?hash=item3ad212e465:g:E-8AAOSwwE5WX9ql
 
Thank you for the input Bob and Denco. The E2's certainly look very very nice. I think my only concern with them is the lack of weathersealing. I'm not too concerned about water since I rarely bird in the rain, but I am concerned with them fogging up in the middle of an excursion. Is that ever an issue?
 
coopershawk said:
Thank you for the input Bob and Denco. The E2's certainly look very very nice. I think my only concern with them is the lack of weathersealing. I'm not too concerned about water since I rarely bird in the rain, but I am concerned with them fogging up in the middle of an excursion. Is that ever an issue?
Click to expand...
Do you wear eyeglasses and where will you bird? Eye relief on the E2 is not eyeglass-friendly and, since they are an unsealed porro, they will fog under the right conditions.
 
Pileatus said:
Do you wear eyeglasses and where will you bird? Eye relief on the E2 is not eyeglass-friendly and, since they are an unsealed porro, they will fog under the right conditions.
Click to expand...

Shame, though not a dealbreaker. I definitely still need to try these. I wear contacts when I bird so the eye relief shouldn't be an issue. I bird a lot in Missouri, but I also travel out west a fair bit and will probably be moving somewhere west in the next couple years, a bit dryer than here.

What conditions would they fog up in? Is it like glasses, where if you go from cold outside to warm inside they fog up? Would they fog even after being acclimated to an environment for half an hour?
 
If you are OK with staying with an 8x binocular you can get the highly regarded Monarch 7 8x42 through Cabelas for $480.00. It is waterproof, has a wide FOV of 420'@1000yds, weighs 23 ounces, has long eye relief of over 17mm and a large exit pupil.

Cabelas website says it is in stock at the Hazlewood, Missouri store if you want to try one out. Give them a call to confirm it.


http://www.cabelas.com/product/hunting/optics/binoculars|/pc/104791680/c/104752080/sc/104217480/nikon-monarch-7-8x42-binoculars/1382089.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fbinoculars%2Fnikon%2F_%2FN-1100054%2B1000004133%2FNe-1000004133%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU
 
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Can't remember any reports on E2s fogging up. Mine has never fogged in the past 3 years, but we have a temperate climate here.

I find them very comfortable and steady to hold. I hold them with my forefingers pressing against my brow thus connecting the bins to my face and eliminating a great part of shake and tremors.

The exit-pupil is smallish, but the E2s are very easy to use, much more so than the Monarch 8x30.

But of course handling is a very personal thing so best to try for yourself before you buy or buy from a vendor with a good return policy.

George
 
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coopershawk said:
What conditions would they fog up in? Is it like glasses, where if you go from cold outside to warm inside they fog up? Would they fog even after being acclimated to an environment for half an hour?
Click to expand...

They will fog on the outside when going in from the cold - as will all optics, regardless of being fog-proof or not.

The (minor in my opinion) problem with non-sealed optics is that they also can fog up on the inside when moisture has been able to get inside. This will not happen easily in normal use, the usual way this happens is extended use in very wet conditions with a lot of focusing action (as this changes the volume of the binocular, moist air might be drawn in).

I bird a lot with porros and haven't had this problem so far, tropical rainforest included. Light rain is not a problem and if it really starts pouring, I have a plastic bag in the backpack...

Joachim
 
The view on the EII was great, but the limited eye-relief was a huge issue; I also felt the (maybe unnecessary) need to baby them.
 
Bob - I didn't think about going to Cabela's. A bit of a drive but I'd be willing to make the trip in a few weeks to try some pairs.

George - Thanks for the tip, I was wondering how stable those eye cups would feel against my face.

Joachim - Yes, I usually have a small backpack with me when I bird so I wasn't too concerned about rain. Glad to hear they can put up with some humidity and light rain.

jremmons - Thanks for the input, I'll keep those things in consideration when I try them.


So here's my current line of thinking...
I went into making this thread with my heart pretty set on the zen rays but figured I would see how people compared them to the EII's. It seems like 1. the EII's blow the zen rays out of the water and 2. zen ray as a company doesn't seem to be as reliable as they once were, so I'm staying away.

This is a shame because 7x sounds like a nice magnification but no other manufacturer makes a good one in the ~$400 price range (though I may try that celestron granite).

So now I'm thinking maybe I should go for the EII since they offer a really wide view (half the reason I want to switch) and are lighter and more compact than my 8x42's. Then down the road I'll save up, sell my mojaves and grab a 7x40ish premo bin as my go to all-around any weather pair.
 
cropershawk, I'd also recommend the EII 8x30. It is so close to the SV 8x32 and for the under $500 price that is amazing. Trying to read distant signs at 500m with elbows braced on a bench I could see SV is a bit sharper. The EII makes up for that with the super wide FOV and amazing porro 3D depth. Maybe the porro 3D view is not for everyone, but you won't believe what you are missing until you use the EII. The build quality is really good. They do fog up if exposed to water. I once had water on the eyepiece and it fogged up inside the eyepiece. After an hour it was back to normal. I don't wear glasses when birding and I always keep the rubber eyecups folded down and it works well when supported under the eyebrows. The EII is one of the very few bins I have not seen many complaints about eye positioning or blackouts. It is also great for children as the IPD can be brought quite close. The only thing that bothers me is the way it hangs. The strap brackets are on the underside of the body and it tilts back when hanging from the neck.

If this will be the main pair, having objective covers such as this will help http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=3221114&postcount=68

The rain guard that comes with the EII is useless and any after market rain guard like the one from Vortex should be better.

I am also considering this waterproof case that hang on the bins. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Spudz-BinoSlicker-trade-Waterproof-Binoculars-Cover/2061231.uts?productVariantId=4181638&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=04169251&rid=20&gclid=CjwKEAiAyanCBRDkiO6M_rDroH0SJAAfZ4KLIPGjJzGvb7nPgOHIkWulcQ1m11ZuBDj1qOW8IVsMMRoCKDnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

IMO, these items should keep the EII going a long time in the field.
 
Another vote for the EII! Money got a little tight so it'll be a little longer until I can order a pair to try.

Thanks for the response Subzero.
 
Just to agree with all the positives about the E11, I have most top 8x30 porro's in my collection, and in my view, the E11 is all round, the best, a joy to use and tremendous value for money.
 
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