Terra ED (1 Viewer)

It's nice when you are pleasantly surprised when you make a purchase. I am such with the 8x32 Terra i received today. I haven't had much time behind it yet, but I must agree with Mr Dracon's assessment of the performance of these bargain priced, over achieving binocs so far. They are pleasing to hold, focuser is smooth (although it's a bit easier to turn one way than the other), eyecups stay in position and are just the right size for me, are amazingly sharp and contrasty, ........especially for the $285 (thanks fleabay) purchase price. I usually don't see CA, and see none here. I'll check for glare later on this eve. Lot's to like so far.

jgraider said:

I usually don't see CA, and see none here. I'll check for glare later on this eve. Lot's to like so far.

Click to expand...

There is a tiny bit of both. Try looking at the moon tonight. That should reveal the glare a bit. It's totally fine in "normal" daylight conditions though.

I really like the Terra ED 8x32 as well.

jgraider said:

It's nice when you are pleasantly surprised when you make a purchase. I am such with the 8x32 Terra i received today. I haven't had much time behind it yet, but I must agree with Mr Dracon's assessment of the performance of these bargain priced, over achieving binocs so far. They are pleasing to hold, focuser is smooth (although it's a bit easier to turn one way than the other), eyecups stay in position and are just the right size for me, are amazingly sharp and contrasty, ........especially for the $285 (thanks fleabay) purchase price. I usually don't see CA, and see none here. I'll check for glare later on this eve. Lot's to like so far.

Click to expand...

Apparently, Zeiss has been retro-engineering Swaro focusers. Oh, no!

After trying the 8x42 Terra and liking it overall but finding it lacking in two areas - too fast focuser and a bit less sharp than I would like (the latter is being picky, because the image is acceptably sharp with no fuzzy edges, but after owning the SE and EII, I'm spoiled), I'm eager to try the 8x32 model, which someone on here said was sharper than its bigger brother.

I'm also interested in finding out how the 32 model checks out on flare/glare. I gave the 8x42 model a grueling test today by pointing the bins in the direction of the sun over the ball field in the late afternoon and panning back and forth with it.

I saw a bit of a haze at about 30* angle coming in and going out from the direction of the sun and a bit of grey crescent while (carefully) moving the bins up toward the sun and stopping at the top of the trees. Not bad at all! Better than other roofs I've tried, better than the 8x30 EII. Not quite as good as the 8x32 SE, but certainly commendable for its price point.

After many years of disappointment with roofs, I can say about the 8x30 M7 and the 8x42 Terra ED what I used to say about porros, they are both a "good bang for the buck."

Brock

cnick6 said:

Brock, I know nothing about this company, but they're based in the USA. Check out the specs of their newest binocular series. The 8x30 costs $499 but its specifications are impressive:

http://styrkastrong.com/products-S7binoculars

Click to expand...

I recently wrote an article about defense contractors in Johnstown, Pa., and the name "Styrka" came up in one interview.

Apparently, the bins are made by General Dynamics. They also make armored vehicles:

Stryker_ICV

<B>

P.S. In case you hadn't guessed already, "apparently" is the secret word of the day. "Say the secret word, and you win a prize." (only old coots like WJC will get that one). !

brocknroller said:

I recently wrote an article about defense contractors in Johnstown, Pa., and the name "Styrka" came up in one interview.

Apparently, the bins are made by General Dynamics. They also make armored vehicles:

Stryker_ICV

<B>

P.S. In case you hadn't guessed already, "apparently" is the secret word of the day. "Say the secret word, and you win a prize." (only old coots like WJC will get that one). !

Click to expand...

General Dynamics Land Systems does make the Stryker, a wheeled combat vehicle, but Stryka the binocular shop is not part of General Dynamics.
Stryka seems to be a new firm, albeit one claiming a century of optical experience, offering two lines of riflescopes and binoculars.
My guess is that Stryka is a venture inspired by the success of firms such as Zen-Ray, where a handful of dedicated entrepreneurs launch a business and find success in the marketplace.

etudiant said:

General Dynamics Land Systems does make the Stryker, a wheeled combat vehicle, but Stryka the binocular shop is not part of General Dynamics.
Stryka seems to be a new firm, albeit one claiming a century of optical experience, offering two lines of riflescopes and binoculars.
My guess is that Stryka is a venture inspired by the success of firms such as Zen-Ray, where a handful of dedicated entrepreneurs launch a business and find success in the marketplace.

Click to expand...

It was a joke. I guess I should have used a smilie, eh?

General Dynamics making sports optics, that would be something. Maybe they do make hi-tech night vision binoculars fitted to the Stryka vehicles? Nah, they would outsource that. In fact, most of the metal parts used in the Strykas are subcontracted to a defense contractor in Johnstown Pa. named JWF Industries, which itself has now become a prime contractor, bidding directly on defense contracts like G/D.

The reason this happened (and is happening with other U.S. subcontractors) is that two years ago, the federal government changed its policy. Since time immemorial prime contractors had been allowed to keep their intellectual property rights exclusive, so when the government needed more widgets, they had to buy them from ABC Company for whatever the asking price. If they went over budget, the government paid under "Cost-Plus." This drove up the defense budget and the deficit.

Now the government allows prime contractors to keep their intellectual property rights for only the length of the first contract, after that, the part or product becomes public domain and any prime or subcontractor can make it. This has brought prices down by introducing competition like the private sector. It has also benefited subcontractors who can now bid directly on parts manufacturing rather than having to get subcontracts through primes.

As my interviewee from JWFI told me: Being nimble, changing your cost structure, and moving up the food chain is the secret recipe for success today in the defense industry.

I think you're right about Zen (and Hawke and Vortex) inspiring companies such as Maven and Stryker, and what's the name of that other hunting company that made optics which Steve C. and Frank D. have reviewed? It has "trophy shots" on its website? Haven't heard much about that company in a while.

My concern with these new companies, even if they offer lifetime warranties, is will they still be around when their optics go kaboom and need repairs 10 years from now? If the optics are cheap, it doesn't matter, but if you pay $1,000 or more for one of their bins, that would be something to think about.

Brock

Hey Brock......I kneeeeeeew you would comment on the focuser!!!!! Anyway, how about I send my sample up to you for you to wring out and compare to your stuff, whatever stuff you may have? Let me know if you'd be interested, seriously.

cnick6 said:

There is a tiny bit of both. Try looking at the moon tonight. That should reveal the glare a bit. It's totally fine in "normal" daylight conditions though.

I really like the Terra ED 8x32 as well.

Click to expand...

I'll take your word for it on the CA, and agree with you on the tiny bit of glare, but you are right again in that i did not see it during daylight.

BruceH said:

The Terra arrived today but UPS was not kind. There was about a a 3 inch hole knocked out of the plastic display case. The plastic case was bubble wrapped and placed in a larger box which was stuffed with plastic wrapping. The box must have taken a heck of a hit, but it did not look that bad.

Click to expand...

Bruce. I had a similar experience with the 8x32 that I recently received. It had the double-box packaging, which didn't show any overt damage. But when I got to the plastic display box, there was a crack. However, unlike yours, the crack in my display box was not readily visible until I opened it and removed the binoculars. Luckily, the collimation seems fine! My guess is that the weak link in this chain is the display box itself, which is probably designed to look good, rather than to absorb shock.

peatmoss said:

Bruce.

My guess is that the weak link in this chain is the display box itself, which is probably designed to look good, rather than to absorb shock.

Click to expand...

Peat

Undoubtedly the pack was designed to look good and in particular to allow the bins to be seen inside. Equally undoubtedly, the last thing Zeiss would want you to see is a busted up pair of bins inside.

If the package took damage in the way that you describe, but the bins inside are undamaged, then the package did it's job and absorbed the shock (to absorb shock does not mean to not sustain damage) and didn't pass it on to the contents.

Lee

The 42mm Terra clear plastic display case does have a couple of thin layers of foam that that cover the objectives and the eye pieces. It offers some protection.

Peatmoss ... Good to hear your 32mm survived UPS. I suspect mine would have been just fine but I figured why take the chance since I did not want a broken case.

Jgrider ... Thanks for posting the good news on your 32m Terra. I hope to see one this August at a festival. I am wondering how the color balance compares to the 42 mm series, among other things. I need to go back and read Bob's comments.

Bruce

I have a Terra 8x32 for testing now and it will be staying after the test. It is a stunning little performer, so much so that both my wife and brother-in-law, both of whom are not at all bino-maniacs like me, are both going to get one.

I won't dive into why we all think it is so good otherwise I will take the wind out of the sails of the comparison test where I will be setting against Zeiss's Conquest 8x32 and Swaro's attractive little CL 8x30.

Stay tuned. :t:

Lee

Lee ... I appreciate the preview on the Terra 32mm. Sounds like you have several hours at the keyboard in front of you with the Terra comparison and the other models mentioned in a previous note.

There sure are a lot of good choices for an affordable (approx. $300 -$400) 8X32. Each has some strong attributes along with some weaknesses. (Monarch : Wide FOV but touchy eye placement, Endeavor: Great optics but smaller FOV, etc) Maybe the Terra will be the best in bringing all of these attributes together.

I will be receiving a Terra 8x32 for testing also. My usual midsized reference standards - 8x32 SE and 8x30 EII - are history so I won't be able to compare them, but I do have an 8x42 Terra ED and Nikon 8x42 Prostaff 7 for comparison.

I'm particularly interested in how the 8x32 Terra compares to the 8x42 model. Some have said the 8x32 model is "sharper" than the 8x42, which was the same thing said about the 8x30 M7 vs. 8x42 M7. The focuser is also quite a bit slower on the 8x32 Terra.

Will the diminutive 8x32 Terra fit my hands as well as the diminutive 8x30 M7? Stay tuned... same bat time, same bat channel.

Brock

brocknroller said:

I will be receiving a Terra 8x32 for testing also.

Brock

Click to expand...

That's great Brock, looking forward to hearing what you think of it. It's a compact little varmint, so you may need to have about an inch taken off each finger. It's quite fast-focusing too but all three of us over here found that not only easy to deal with but a pleasure to use.

Lee

sk88 said:

I tried and my Terra 10x42 that I just purchased is unscrewable as mentioned by pressing down with thumb. It does not have a Z logo on it. Now I just need to figure out which adapter would fit. Zeiss adapter cost too much.

Click to expand...

I received the Celestron tripod adapter model #93524 and it works perfectly on Zeiss Terra ED 10x42. The thread is standard 1/4" x 20.

Troubador said:

That's great Brock, looking forward to hearing what you think of it. It's a compact little varmint, so you may need to have about an inch taken off each finger. It's quite fast-focusing too but all three of us over here found that not only easy to deal with but a pleasure to use.

Lee

Click to expand...

"quite fast-focusing, too?" Bob said the little varmint turned from cf to infinity in 1.5 turns. The 8x42 model only takes 3/4 of a turn to go through the same range (for me, only 1/2 turn). When you do your evaluation, please measure the focus range so we can compare notes. Thanks.

Brock

brocknroller said:

"quite fast-focusing, too?" Bob said the little varmint turned from cf to infinity in 1.5 turns. The 8x42 model only takes 3/4 of a turn to go through the same range (for me, only 1/2 turn). When you do your evaluation, please measure the focus range so we can compare notes. Thanks.

Brock

Click to expand...

OK Brock, will do.

Lee

brocknroller said:

"quite fast-focusing, too?" Bob said the little varmint turned from cf to infinity in 1.5 turns. The 8x42 model only takes 3/4 of a turn to go through the same range (for me, only 1/2 turn). When you do your evaluation, please measure the focus range so we can compare notes. Thanks.

Brock

Click to expand...

Brock,

If I recall correctly I did not say that exactly. I said that the focus wheel of the 8x32 Terra ED turned 1.5 turns from dead stop close up to dead stop past infinity and I probably mentioned how far past infinity it went for people who were nearsighted and wanted to use it without spectacles. I believe that I was comparing it with my 8x42 Terra ED which has a focus wheel which turns only one complete turn or 360º.

There is a difference in the useful amount of focus range in all binoculars as opposed to the full range of their focus wheels.

Bob

brocknroller said:

"quite fast-focusing, too?" Bob said the little varmint turned from cf to infinity in 1.5 turns. The 8x42 model only takes 3/4 of a turn to go through the same range (for me, only 1/2 turn). When you do your evaluation, please measure the focus range so we can compare notes. Thanks.

Brock

Click to expand...

Brock

The Terra 8x32 takes about 13/8 turns from what is the effective focus on the far distance for me (therefore isn't with wheel turned all the way to the stop at the infinity end of the travel, for the reasons mentioned by Bob) down to the close-focus stop.

Lee