I like the binocular decanter. Good place to hide your juice. The wife would NEVER look there. She hates your binoculars.
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Is the NEW Zen-Ray 8x42 ZRS HD Monocular a keeper? (1 Viewer)
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I like the binocular decanter. Good place to hide your juice. The wife would NEVER look there. She hates your binoculars.
I will compare the Zen Ray monocular to my Zeiss 8x20 compact binoculars also. Get a real three way contest going.
How about smaller binoculars. The objectives on EII 8x30 porros are all but flat against the prism housing and image quality will be better than through a monocular.
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Sure a binocular beats a monocular, I mean, what are you doing with your other eye that's so important anyway? But a good quality, and good sized, monocular would be very interesting to people who have only one good-functioning eye. Before these Zen Rays, only very small monoculars which could at least be had in alpha quality, or generally rather crappy larger monoculars, were available. And yes, it would be interesting to try to see at what point a biggerbetter monocular equals a smallerworse binocular.
Ron
Ron
Surveyor
The more I understand, the more I understand why I
Hello RonH;
Actually, “free” eye can be quiet useful and busy.
I run all my single tube optics with both eyes open. I can use either eye with the optics and monitor view with the other eye. This is very useful when using 30x optics with only a 1.5 degree field of view and finding your target. My left eye is the better one, but I have a strong right master eye.
With a little practice you learn to focus your vision on one image or the other (just look at the left or right image), and can just shift back and forth or overlay them. You may wind up squinting a little with the free eye, but if I do I do not notice it.
Try it sometime, you might find it very useful.
Interesting and reasonable, RonE. Unfortunately my only experience with monoviewing is with astronomical scopes, so the other-eye view is either a closeup of the telescope tube (Newtonian) or the garden shed or my feet (refractor with star diagonal).
What you describe would be very useful if a bird seen bird in a spotting scope(which I don't have) flew away a few feet, and you could see where it went with the other eye.
RonH
What you describe would be very useful if a bird seen bird in a spotting scope(which I don't have) flew away a few feet, and you could see where it went with the other eye.
RonH
OK! I got the Zen Ray 8x42 HD Monocular. Had a chance to compare to my Zeiss 8x20 monocular and my Zeiss 8x20 Victory binoculars. First, I will answer my own question. Yes, the Zen Ray is a keeper.
After opening the box I started examing the monocular and I would say it is typical Zen Ray quality meaning pretty good. The adjustable eyecups have a little slop in them just like their binoculars ,the case is pretty nice although I don't think it is real leather and there is a short wrist strap attached to the monocular that is removable with a clip. Zen Ray should make the strap longer so you can put it around your neck and put a hole through the case so the strap can slide through it and not get lost. You hear me Charles! They could make a longer strap that clips to the one they have now on the monocular. It says in the description of the monocular that a deluxe padded neck strap is included. I didn't get one where is it? Why oh why can't Zen Ray make lens cover that FIT! Why are they so sdhjhhvd loose? These are the same way as their binoculars almost falling off when you pull the monocular out of the case. BIG PIA! The focus was smooth and for once not too hard. Now for the good part.
As is typical of Zen Ray binoculars they have superb optics for the money. This thing is exactly like one-half of a Zen Ray 8x43HD binocular in other words excellent. I compared it the Zeiss monocular and compact binoculars at sunset and the optics are WAY better than the smaller Zeiss monocular and I almost prefer the Zen Ray monocular over the $450.00 Zeiss 8x20 Victory binoculars. It is sharper at the edge and had excellent glare control which was better than either Zeiss and was incredibly sharp on-axis. It has all the optical advantages of a regular 8x42 high quality binocular including great ER and easy eye placement in a compact light(11oz) waterproof and dustproof package for $125.00. If you have never used a monocular they are amazingly quick to get up to your eye because you don't have to worry about IPD or getting the concentric circles just right like you do in a binocular.If you have never tried a monocular give this one a try. It would work quite well for a compact light alternative to compact binoculars and you just might find you like it better. Now if Zen Ray can get a longer strap on it and get some lens caps that fit it would make it that much sweeter. You hear me Charles.
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looksharp65
Well-known member
I have sent this idea to one of the well-known optics manufacturers, and I had a polite but declining reply.
In my profession, I perform visual examinations and thereby meet many patients with either one blind eye or lacking binocular vision. Some patients in the latter group actually have full vision on both eyes, but are unable to perceive stereoscopic or even simultaneous vision. Thus, they deliberately alternate between the right and the left eye when watching the environment.
Furthermore, sometimes a status called monovision is produced by their optometrist. In this case, a contact lens is being used to focus on close distance, while the other eye still focuses on more distant objects.
Thinking of this, I got an idea to a new kind of optical instrument, a bi-monocular, primarly intended for the above-mentioned group of patients.
Basically, it looks like a binocular, but its two tubes have radically different focal length and magnification, for instance 7x and 15x. Zoom optics like 4-8x + 10-20x could also be considered (of course, a tripod or monopod screw mount is crucial here). Each tube is individually focused by the eye-pieces. The unit is externally symmetrical with a centered hinge, so it can be turned upside-down to choose the desired magnification for the eye. This feature is primarly intended for those who are blind on one eye. By turning the unit "upside-down" a change of magnification is obtained.
For those who have unimpaired binocular vision but still want to use the bi-monocular, magnetic objective covers that are easily moved could be used
(they attach to the unit but also to each other, in order to easily change which part of the unit that is in use).
The eye-pieces must be excellent for spectacle wearers, and a possibility to screw in correction lenses could also be considered.
The purpose of this construction is to provide a single unit with properties that are equal to a monocular+spotting scope combination, but with the ease of handling from a hand-held binocular.
I know it may seem as an oddball thing, but regarding all these people with some visual or binocular vision impairment now using less appropriate devices, I still believe this can be a success. But the marketing is crucial - while the bi-monocular is aimed towards impaired people, it actually turns the "defect" into an advantage. It can also be used by basically everyone.
In my profession, I perform visual examinations and thereby meet many patients with either one blind eye or lacking binocular vision. Some patients in the latter group actually have full vision on both eyes, but are unable to perceive stereoscopic or even simultaneous vision. Thus, they deliberately alternate between the right and the left eye when watching the environment.
Furthermore, sometimes a status called monovision is produced by their optometrist. In this case, a contact lens is being used to focus on close distance, while the other eye still focuses on more distant objects.
Thinking of this, I got an idea to a new kind of optical instrument, a bi-monocular, primarly intended for the above-mentioned group of patients.
Basically, it looks like a binocular, but its two tubes have radically different focal length and magnification, for instance 7x and 15x. Zoom optics like 4-8x + 10-20x could also be considered (of course, a tripod or monopod screw mount is crucial here). Each tube is individually focused by the eye-pieces. The unit is externally symmetrical with a centered hinge, so it can be turned upside-down to choose the desired magnification for the eye. This feature is primarly intended for those who are blind on one eye. By turning the unit "upside-down" a change of magnification is obtained.
For those who have unimpaired binocular vision but still want to use the bi-monocular, magnetic objective covers that are easily moved could be used
(they attach to the unit but also to each other, in order to easily change which part of the unit that is in use).
The eye-pieces must be excellent for spectacle wearers, and a possibility to screw in correction lenses could also be considered.
The purpose of this construction is to provide a single unit with properties that are equal to a monocular+spotting scope combination, but with the ease of handling from a hand-held binocular.
I know it may seem as an oddball thing, but regarding all these people with some visual or binocular vision impairment now using less appropriate devices, I still believe this can be a success. But the marketing is crucial - while the bi-monocular is aimed towards impaired people, it actually turns the "defect" into an advantage. It can also be used by basically everyone.
mooreorless
Well-known member
But Dennis does the ZR have any ghosts in it.;-) I am still laughing at your post on the EDG thread.
On edit of this I laughed at your post but I agree with Brock, Henry etc. about the glare problem in the EDG binocular being veiling glare. In other words I took your post with the ghost as a joke and of course had a good laugh this morning.:-O
On edit of this I laughed at your post but I agree with Brock, Henry etc. about the glare problem in the EDG binocular being veiling glare. In other words I took your post with the ghost as a joke and of course had a good laugh this morning.:-O
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Surveyor
The more I understand, the more I understand why I
Now that you mention it Ron, I have an ATS80HD somewhere around here.
I have only set it up once, a year or two ago, and did not pay any attention to what the other eye was looking at, though I guess I spent most of the time messing with the digiscoping setup, and have not had it out since.
I will have to get it out and pay attention. When you look through various optics 8 hours a day for 40 years, it is amazing how much crap you can tune out or ignore.
Best,
EDIT: Hmmm, further back than I thought, found a picture, the only time I took the thing out of the box, dated 4/21/2007 (3.4 years ago). Guess I ought to trade the thing for something I would use more.
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Indeed, but I wasn't aware the original poster was working with monocular vision. If so it would make sense. Otherwise a compact high quality 8x30 binocular like the EII would offer the usual benefits enhanced images from seeing with both eyes, depth of field and would be less obvious than a mono with a large 42mm objective.
OTOH another optical toy can be fun too!
What I saw in th Nikon EDG was not veiling glare. It was ghosting. It is not logical that all three of us are positioning our eyes a certain way as Henry says in the Nikon EDG to see veiling glare. I know what veiling glare is and ghosting is quite different.
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It sounds feasible but how much of a market do you really think there would be. How would you get a prototype built?
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looksharp65
Well-known member
It is all about marketing. Admittedly, the market is not huge. Should the marketing only aim at visually impaired people, i e with low vision, the sales number might be only a few hundred samples.
But, like I wrote, many people can for different reasons use only one eye, or only one at a time.
Then an set of ordinary binoculars is a waste. But the shape of a binocular makes it easier to hold steady than a monocular, so a bi-monocular should be equally easily handheld.
Building a prototype would actually be the least problem. All one has to do is to do is buy a monocular (like the ZR 8x42) and a small straight spotting scope with moderate magnification. Then it only takes a self-made bridge of any material to connect the two units. No fine-tuned collimation needed.
Some kind of support, like a chestpod, should be used to avoid shake.
birdazzLED
Well-known member
John Dracon
John Dracon
Dennis - I'm similar to RonE. Better left eye but strong right master eye. I've settled on the Zeiss 8x30 B porro as my monocular of choice. Long discontinued, it is nonetheless a superb piece of optics in spite of old coatings. For some unknown reason, every one I have encountered has a bit of haze on the porro prisms surfaces, diminishing its brightness. But I have learned how to clean those up with minimum of fuss. Being it is a monocular, the problem of collimation is pretty well eliminated. The Zeiss porro seats are very precise, and since those prisms (circa 1960s) aren't cemented in place, the prisms can be removed and carefully cleaned and reinstalled. Sometimes only one porro surface has the "haze" on it, reducing the cleaning effort. Being it is individual (spiral) focused, with only the precision that Zeiss seems to manage, focusing is without blacklash or tight spots. The Zeiss porro monocular is highly water resistant - I would say shower proof from my experience. And the ergonomics - at least to me are wonderful. The little rascal fits in my palm perfectly, and with the fore finger(either hand) pressed against my eyebrow, I'm very steady. The roof monocular on the other hand is hard to hold steady, regardless how you hold it. I believe the little Zeiss is vastly underrated in terms of use and optical quality. John
Sound interesting. Where do you get one? E-bay or maybe Astromart. The new Zen-Ray 8x42 ZRS ED is the best monocular I have seen and I have tried alot of different ones over the years. Absolutely stunning. Glare control and sharpness are remarkable on this new one. I think Zen-Ray has learned alot from their binocular development and they are getting better and better in the optical department. Now if they could just get some lens covers that fit! Charles said he would send me some tighter lens covers. Zen Ray has amazing customer service too. Imagine getting Nikon to send you some lens covers.
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John Dracon
John Dracon
I've picked mine up on Ebay. They (the B series) sell up to $150. Most are in excellent condition. The design was used as a telephoto lens, not just as a monocular. Some have focusing on the objective end (telephoto lens) and others the ocular end. Some have hard eyecups and others have the rubber cups - the aging process cracks those, I get the full field wearing eyeglasses. I estimate the close focus is around 9 feet. They are very handy, fit easily in most pockets, and can be suspended from the neck with little weight sensation.
Charles sent me a perfect fitting objective lens cover with tether for the monocular. Zen Ray does have amazing customer service.
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