Zeiss Terra ED vs Nikon 8x32 HG DCF (1 Viewer)

Hi all...

I currently have a second gen Nikon Monarch 8x42 ATB (not dialectric, etc.). Need a second pair and would like to have this become my primary pair (i.e., move up to a nicer, brighter view, preferably wider field of view). Budget is trying to staying around max of $400ish, preferably closer to $2-300.

I am exploring the Zeiss Terra EDs, given the nice reviews I've seen. I did find a used Nikon 8x32 HG DCF on here for around $400ish (this is the Premier, I believe now, right?). Which is a better bet, overall, and why? Which will be brighter? I know Nikon is theoretically wider, right? Will the ED glass and "newer" tech matter in the Zeiss? How bad is CA in both?

I don't mind the view of my current Monarchs, but definitively is a "sweet spot" effect with vignetting and a narrow view. Focus and feel of the Monarch is very nice, though -- how does this compare for the other pairs I've mentioned? Thanks for any help!

I have both of them. And yes, the Nikon HDG is now known as the Premier. Only the name has changed.

All things being equal, with no obvious problems, the Nikon is optically and on it's exterior a much better binocular all around than the Zeiss. That is understandable because it costs over $1000.00 new. It was Nikon's Alpha Roof Prism until Nikon came out with the EDG.

Both binoculars are very well constructed for the long run but the Nikon is clearly much better finished. Some people don't like the design of the "ears" where the strap hangs from the Nikon and the way it affects one's grip. I rather like it.

The Nikon will have faster focusing and with all that the Zeiss is still pretty fast. The Zeiss focuser turns 360º and most of it is useable from close up to infinity. The Nikon has a very fast focuser and about 200º from close up to infinity is useable. I recommend that you check it out. It can give a sense that it does not have good depth of field. It has as good a depth of field as any 8x binocular. You just have to be a little more precise when you are focusing on close birds. You get used to it. A little bit of stiffness in it's focusing is a good thing.

The Nikon is very bright for a binocular with Silver Coatings. It has a much wider FOV than the Zeiss and it has a virtually flat field that is sharp to the edge of the view. In this respect it could be called a "poor man's Swarovision" except that it had this "flat field" years before Swarovski had theirs. The 8x32 does not have "rolling ball" like the larger 8x42 HG DCF does so don't worry about that. The Zeiss can't compare with it here but it is no slouch for a binocular in it's price range.

Eye relief is very good on both binoculars, somewhat longer on the Nikon. The eye cups work more smoothly on the Nikon but they are thinner and can come loose if one is careless. They can be glued back on with a drop of glue. The Zeiss's are thick and rugged. The Zeiss at 8x42 has a large 5.2mm exit pupil whereas the Nikons have 4mm which might make a little difference on the Zeiss's behalf at twilight.

As far as CA I can't help you much there because I'm not unduly susceptible to it. Both binoculars control it every well.

Bob

scobrown said:

Hi all...

I currently have a second gen Nikon Monarch 8x42 ATB (not dialectric, etc.). Need a second pair and would like to have this become my primary pair (i.e., move up to a nicer, brighter view, preferably wider field of view). Budget is trying to staying around max of $400ish, preferably closer to $2-300.

I am exploring the Zeiss Terra EDs, given the nice reviews I've seen. I did find a used Nikon 8x32 HG DCF on here for around $400ish (this is the Premier, I believe now, right?). Which is a better bet, overall, and why? Which will be brighter? I know Nikon is theoretically wider, right? Will the ED glass and "newer" tech matter in the Zeiss? How bad is CA in both?

I don't mind the view of my current Monarchs, but definitively is a "sweet spot" effect with vignetting and a narrow view. Focus and feel of the Monarch is very nice, though -- how does this compare for the other pairs I've mentioned? Thanks for any help!

Click to expand...

If you want to move up from the East Side to a Deluxe Binocular in the Sky, and you like Nikons, for $300 you can buy a Nikon 8x30 Monarch 7. It has 8.3* FOV, very generous sweet spot with gradual fall off at the edges, no fuzzy ring around the collar, and it's very iightweight, 15 oz. Great eyecups and smooth focuser. Very bright for its size.

A word of caution, Nikon's Chinese plant apparently messed up on the first production run of this bin, forgetting to paint some parts in the objective tubes, which causes flaring. The sample I tried didn't have that problem. So you might have to send it back to the dealer for a better sample or ship it to Nikon for replacement.

Not a good way to launch a new bin. Nikon also had problems with the initial launch of their EDG I, which was plagued with loose focusers and drifting diopters. Not a good way to launch your first top of the line alpha roof. Then Swaro threatened to sue the company so Nikon had to redesign the body from an open bridge roof to an open hinge roof. I'm sure the problems and delays caused losses for Nikon, not only in having to replace the defective EDG ones with EDG twos, but also with the cost of less than a life cycle redesign, and the fact that buyers whose pockets were jingling didn't wait to find out what was next but instead bought an SV EL, Leica UV HD or Zeiss FL.

If you get a good 'en, the 8x30 M7 is a great buy for the money. I liked it better than the Terra ED, which had a focuser that was faster than Quick Draw McGraw.

OTOH, the M7's focuser is one that Baby Bear could live with, it's not too fast, not too slow, but just right. Otherwise, I liked the Terra ED, but I think the Nikon's image was slightly "sharper." Didn't try them side by side, though I did compare the Terra to my SE and then my SE to the M7, and the M7 was closer in apparent sharpness. Not that the Terra's image looked "soft," the Nikon just has a bit extra edge. Either the M7 or Terra will certainly be a step up and a half from your old Monarchs. The M7 in particular handles a lot better for me than the original Monarch body. The open hinge design of the M7 is much more to my liking.

The Terra ED is "chunky," so there was enough room for my hands. The view is very immersive, as is the Nikon's. After looking through that straw-like 50.4* AFOV of your Monarch ATB, you will feel like somebody took the blinders off.

Good Luck!

Brock

P.S. Is it true that everybody in Lansing drives a Camaro?

I do not drive a Camaro, but a Subaru... hahaha! A lot of Malibu's, though, and a fair share of Cadillacs...

What about the eye relief on the M7s??? I wear glasses, find the current ATBs okay, but say ER on the M7 8x30s is only around 15mm.

scobrown said:

I do not drive a Camaro, but a Subaru... hahaha! A lot of Malibu's, though, and a fair share of Cadillacs...

What about the eye relief on the M7s??? I wear glasses, find the current ATBs okay, but say ER on the M7 8x30s is only around 15mm.

Click to expand...

There seems to be some dispute over the useable ER for the Terra ED:

Terra ED Eye Relief

What counts is not the listed ER number, but what is actually useable for eyeglass wearers. If an optics maker measures the ER from the top of the EP lens to the focal point above the EP, you have to minus about 2mm or 3mm for the lens recession below the top of the EP housing, and if the eyecups sit on top of the EP housing, about another 2mm. You could end up with 4mm-5mm less than the listed ER.

Nikon's ER numbers usually are useable ER, so 15mm should be what eyeglass wearers get. That's the bare minimum for most folks, so it will depend on how far behind your glasses your eyes set and the thickness of your glasses. The FOV is wide - 8.3* - so even if you lose a little, there's ample FOV left.

Not sure about the Terra ED. I didn't use sunglasses with it. Even if I did, what works for me may not work for you. With eyeglass wearers the only way to know for sure if any given bin has enough useable ER is to try them with your eyeglasses on.

If you can't try them locally but have a sufficient line of credit, I would order both the M7 and Terra ED from a store with an ample return period and no restocking fee so you can compare them side by side, keep the one you like better and send the other pair back.

Brock