brocknroller
porromaniac
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8x32 SE? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Yippeekiay
- Start date
brocknroller
porromaniac
[/QUOTE]I am not sure what county Frank bought the 8SE in that you ended up getting. Somewhere in N.Y. maybe.
An important thing to know if you're buying an SE from an seller on eBay who doesn't know the county where it was originally sold.
Well, as you like to say, it's a "mute point" now.
NDhunter
Experienced observer
Well, I have been careful not to lift the sticker, as I don't want the thing to
fall off, but I feel no engraved numbering. Maybe the numbers are painted
on underneeth the clear vinyl. Maybe some here have lost that clear sticker
and could answer that better than I.
Jerry
jaymoynihan
Corvus brachyrhynchos watcher
While using my Bushnell 7x26 Elite (AKA formerly B&L 7x26 Custom) this a.m., (THE compact, excellent in their own right), it occurred to me;
Wouldn't it be nice to have a member of the SE line, perhaps reverse porro, at 7x by low 20-something?
Wouldn't it be nice to have a member of the SE line, perhaps reverse porro, at 7x by low 20-something?
Kammerdiner
Well-known member
Well, I removed the sticker and the number is on the sticker. I didn't bother putting it back on. I just taped it to a piece of paper for safekeeping. If the SE ever needs servicing, Nikon might want proof of ser. #.
I didn't double check the #, but I'm sure it's 550*** because I got it from EO when they had that closeout at the beginning of the year. Those were among the last . . . or were they?
Hey, why doesn't some mechanical genius just make an aftermarket twist-up eyecup for the SE. I'd do it myself, but I haven't got time. I'd give $100 for a set that works.
I didn't double check the #, but I'm sure it's 550*** because I got it from EO when they had that closeout at the beginning of the year. Those were among the last . . . or were they?
Hey, why doesn't some mechanical genius just make an aftermarket twist-up eyecup for the SE. I'd do it myself, but I haven't got time. I'd give $100 for a set that works.
Mine are clear plastic inserts inlaid into the bottom edge of the left Prism Housing where it meets the leather covering. The serial number 5059xx is white and may be painted on the bottom of the plastic insert. It would be difficult to "peel" it out, but it could be dug out with a knife blade. Directly above it, on the top of the housing is another inlay with raised Gold Letters identifying the binocular as a Nikon 8 x 32 7.5. It's Objective lenses coating colors are greenish with a magenta mix. The Oculars are green.
My 10 x 42's have the same inserts top and bottom, except that the serial number plastic insert is thinner and shorter than the one on the 8 x 32. It's SN is 0059xx and the coating color of it's Objectives is magenta. The Oculars have a green color.
Bob
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brocknroller
porromaniac
Well, I removed the sticker and the number is on the sticker. I didn't bother putting it back on. I just taped it to a piece of paper for safekeeping. If the SE ever needs servicing, Nikon might want proof of ser. #.
I didn't double check the #, but I'm sure it's 550*** because I got it from EO when they had that closeout at the beginning of the year. Those were among the last . . . or were they?
Hey, why doesn't some mechanical genius just make an aftermarket twist-up eyecup for the SE. I'd do it myself, but I haven't got time. I'd give $100 for a set that works.
Kammerdiner,
Is the sticker made of clear plastic? If so, then nothing has changed.
I think what we have here is a "failure to communicate" (chew...spit) or what Plant and Page called a "Communications Breakdown".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYJak-R2iYI (Wolfmother cover)
I'm in large part to blame for mistakenly using the word "engraved".
As someone pointed out earlier, the numbers are painted on the underside of a clear plastic strip that is apparently attached to the metal with adhesive.
This gives the illusion that the numbers are raised (like an engraving) since they sit above the metal, but they are actually on the backside of the plastic.
This might also explain what happened to the "rubbed off" numbers on my 12x50 SE and the missing paint dust. When a previous owner had it, the sticker probably fell off and he put glue on the back of the plastic strip, which reacted with the paint and dissolved it.
By "sticker," I thought you meant an adhesive-backed strip of opaque plastic like a Band-Aid® with the numbers painted on top that you could lift off the binoculars.
But now I'm thinking that you have the same clear plastic "sticker" as Jerry and I have on our SEs, but the adhesive dried up on yours for some reason (exposure to extreme temps perhaps? one of the decals fell off my 8x32 LX after I took it out in 0* F weather).
So unless your sticker isn't clear, I think we all have the same type of "paint under plastic" serial numbers, and all will be right with the world once again. :t:
Of course, that still doesn't solve the mystery about which models have lead-free glass.
:-O
>>> Those were among the last . . . or were they?
When a 551xxx 8x32 SE shows up, we'll know for sure.
>>> Hey, why doesn't some mechanical genius just make an aftermarket twist-up eyecup for the SE?
Don't ask me, Steve is the "mechanical genius" in the family, he made a 3/8" tripod head for my 1/4" tripod so I could fit my Bogen pistol grip head on it. Thank you, Steve!
The problem I see with making twist-up eyecups for the SE is that the ocular housings are oversized (not sure why this is true, perhaps Henry could answer that, the 8x32 LX has a wider FOV but the ocular housings are smaller, and so the LX eyecups fit my deep-set eyes better.
Instead of insetting the eyecups closer to the EP lenses like Docter does on its Nobilems:
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/images/nob10x50b.jpg
Nikon takes the eyecups right out to the edge of the ocular housing:
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/images/nikon8x32b.jpg
The 8x50 Nobilems have the same FOV as the SE (or close 7.4*) but the eyecups fit my face better since they are narrower.
I'm fine with the rubber eyecups now that they made them more flexible, but I wish that Nikon would follow Docter's design and inset the eyecups so they aren't so wide and will fit inside my eye orbits (of course, then I'd probably experience the dreaded "blackouts"!).
Since they are not going to do that, I came up with my own after-market solution, but I have to order the parts (if they are still available).
When I assemble the modified eyecups, I will post of photo and explain how I made them, which would be of interest to SE owners with deep set eyes and/or high bridged noses and the entire Klingon Empire!
Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
Was it ronh (I can't recall) who commented that the Swift 804 eyecups fit over the SE ovualrs and give a bit more stand off?
I think another problem of adding third party eyecups is that Nikon has a very slow "offset (or "wasted ER") design when the eyecups are all the way down (just the thickness of the rubber in the lowest case). Though even with afew mm they might seem
THe other issue (I suspect) is that even when you get the ER just right there is still curvature in the exit pupil that causes some people (especially those with corrected astigmatism) more problems.
But even so ... if one could source some eyecups and even have them machined to size it might be worthwhile.
I think another problem of adding third party eyecups is that Nikon has a very slow "offset (or "wasted ER") design when the eyecups are all the way down (just the thickness of the rubber in the lowest case). Though even with afew mm they might seem
THe other issue (I suspect) is that even when you get the ER just right there is still curvature in the exit pupil that causes some people (especially those with corrected astigmatism) more problems.
But even so ... if one could source some eyecups and even have them machined to size it might be worthwhile.
henry link
Well-known member
One cheap solution to the eyecup problem would be a selection of SE eyecups of different depths. There are already two; the SE eyecup and the EII eyecup which fits the SE, but is 4mm shorter.
brocknroller
porromaniac
Henry,
I have switched the eyecups on the SE and EII, however, I found this puts my eyes too close to the EPs, and I experience "blackouts".
As Kevin mentioned above (I didn't want to reveal my "secret solution" before I put in my order next week ere the supply of Swift 804 and Nikon EII eyecups get wiped out).
The solution I've come up with is putting the EII eyecups on the SE and then inserting the Audubon 804 eyecups inside the EII eyecups (they fit well, but need double sided adhesive backing to make sure they don't fall out)
This combo gives me enough ER to avoid blackouts while insetting the eyecups closer to the lenses so that the eyecup rims that touch my face are narrower like the Nobilem and fit more comfortably inside my eye orbits.
I'm concerned that the double-sided adhesive might come off sometime when I'm in the woods and with all the leaves on the ground now, I'd never find them.
So I need to find an extra pair of each type of eyecups, glue the 804s permanently inside the EII eyecups, and I'll be all set.
I've also solved the other issue, which is that my palms extend beyond the barrels of the SE and light reflects from my palms into the optical path and diminishes the contrast.
I took the 3-inch rubber dewshields originally from an old Carton 8x42 and slipped them over the SE's barrels (they fit perfectly, no adhesive necessary).
In addition to solving the reflection problem, it makes the bin more stable to hold. They feel like a 10x42 SE in my hands.
When I get the whole thing put together, I will post some photos.
Brock
Brock, Son of Grilka....I have an easier solution. Just use the 8x30 EII´s. Nice old-fashioned rubber tun-down eyecups, pretty much the same optics as the SE´s (except much wider, albeit slightly fuzzier edges).
Sancho, son of somebody-or-other.
brocknroller
porromaniac
Well, as you like to say, it's a "mute point" now.
The information I received when I purchased the bin was that it was purchased from Cape May approximately two years before I acquired it.[/QUOTE]
Frank,
Steve was just busting chopsticks because I wrote "county" instead of "country" in my post, but he didn't italicize or put "quotes" around the word, so apparently nobody knew what he was talking about except me.
Steve once did a malapropism in which he used the word "mute" for "moot," and I mentioned it online and he's been trying to "stickler" me every since, but he would have to catch me on a much bigger slip than a one letter typo to beat "mute point" (that's right out of Norm Crosby's playbook - anybody remember him?).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Crosby
I miss off-beat comedians like Crosby, Dr. Irwin Corey, and Ernie Kovaks. Kathy Griffin isn't fit to shine their shoes.
Steve - That would be Cape May County, NJ. Lucky the salt air didn't turn the prisms black!
Uh, oh, here comes an FAA Air Marshal. Got to go...
Kammerdiner
Well-known member
Re: "fail-ya ta commun-cate" (one of my favorite movie lines of all time, B'rock). I use it with my students:
"What we have heah is, a fail-ya ta commun-cate."
My SE had a clear sticker--just a sticker, nothing more substantial--with white numbers. I took it off purposefully, assuming the numbers were engraved. Once off, I figured why bother puttin' it back on. It looked like it would probably end up peeling off anyway.
Using EII cups on an SE sounds like a great solution, at least for those with glasses. With glasses, I have to roll down the SE cups about halfway to avoid blackouts. Since I don't store them rolled down, I have to fiddle with it every time.
Of course, there's gonna be a run on the EII cups. You gotta wonder what Nikon thinks of all us crazy SE-nophiles.
Mark
"What we have heah is, a fail-ya ta commun-cate."
My SE had a clear sticker--just a sticker, nothing more substantial--with white numbers. I took it off purposefully, assuming the numbers were engraved. Once off, I figured why bother puttin' it back on. It looked like it would probably end up peeling off anyway.
Using EII cups on an SE sounds like a great solution, at least for those with glasses. With glasses, I have to roll down the SE cups about halfway to avoid blackouts. Since I don't store them rolled down, I have to fiddle with it every time.
Of course, there's gonna be a run on the EII cups. You gotta wonder what Nikon thinks of all us crazy SE-nophiles.
Mark
Eyecups for both the SE and EII were recently available from Nikon in California. They may still have some. I tried the ones for the EII on the SE. They don't work for me. Too short.
Bob
Nikon Inc. El Segundo
841 Apollo St. Suite 100
EL SEGUNDO CA 90245-4721
Bob
Nikon Inc. El Segundo
841 Apollo St. Suite 100
EL SEGUNDO CA 90245-4721
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henry link
Well-known member
The SE eyecup has an inside depth of about 12mm. The EII eyecup is about 8mm. Sounds like a 10mm eyecup might might be ideal for some people.
At the short end the SE eyecup can be adjusted to cover about 1-4mm. A 6mm eyecup might be useful for some eyeglass wearers who experience blackouts.
Of course, this is all fantasy. Nikon will never ever make 10mm and 6mm eyecups for the SE.
At the short end the SE eyecup can be adjusted to cover about 1-4mm. A 6mm eyecup might be useful for some eyeglass wearers who experience blackouts.
Of course, this is all fantasy. Nikon will never ever make 10mm and 6mm eyecups for the SE.
Nikon may not ever make 10mm eyecups, but it's not that hard to make 10mm rubber/neoprene ring inserts that fit snugly inside an 8mm eyecup. I have made at various times a bunch of such rings out of neoprene/chloroprene gasket material available at plastics/rubber material specialty stores. Cutting a suitable strip and super-gluing the ends together takes just a few minutes.
Kimmo
Kimmo
