Is €1350 a good price for a brand new Nikon EDG 8x42 DCF (1 Viewer)

Hi. I have been searching for a binocular for more than 6 month now and been through all the mid binoculars without finding a binocular that suits me. I have therefore raised the amount i will buy a binocular for and in that search I yesterday found a Nikon EDG 8x42 DCF at a big retailer for €1350. The competition is the Vortex Razor HD 8x42 at €1000, the Kite Bonelli 2.0 at €1150 and the Kowa Genesis 8.5 x 44 at €1070, will the Nikon be that much better at the price, its in the higher end of my amount for a binocular or are there one of the other mentioned that is just as good at a lower price. I know I have to try it before i decide, but I'm looking for a binocular that will last at least 5-10 years.

Tommy

Hi Tommy:

The lowest price I have seen for the EDG 8x42 was 1330Eur, so 1350 Eur is a very good price. Personally I would prefer the EDG to the other binos you mentioned, but you may have different priorities....

Peter.

As always it would be best to try before you buy.

Binoculars can look good on paper but personal preferences will only be apparent when you have the binoculars (and ideally their contenders) in your hand.

tommybj said:

Hi. I have been searching for a binocular for more than 6 month now and been through all the mid binoculars without finding a binocular that suits me. I have therefore raised the amount i will buy a binocular for and in that search I yesterday found a Nikon EDG 8x42 DCF at a big retailer for €1350. The competition is the Vortex Razor HD 8x42 at €1000, the Kite Bonelli 2.0 at €1150 and the Kowa Genesis 8.5 x 44 at €1070, will the Nikon be that much better at the price, its in the higher end of my amount for a binocular or are there one of the other mentioned that is just as good at a lower price. I know I have to try it before i decide, but I'm looking for a binocular that will last at least 5-10 years.

Tommy

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Is it an EDG I or EDG II? The EDG II is the later improved model and is preferred because Nikon solved some problems with the EDG I. I have seen EDG I's for as low as $700.00 and EDG II's for as low as $1000.00. In fact I sold my new EDG II 8x32 for $1000.00. I would say $1500.00 is a little high. I would prefer the EDG over your other choices personally. For $1500.00(€1350) you could probably get a reconditioned or possibly new Swarovski 8x32 SV. Like they say though try them if you can.

tommybj said:

Hi. I have been searching for a binocular for more than 6 month now and been through all the mid binoculars without finding a binocular that suits me. I have therefore raised the amount i will buy a binocular for and in that search I yesterday found a Nikon EDG 8x42 DCF at a big retailer for €1350. The competition is the Vortex Razor HD 8x42 at €1000, the Kite Bonelli 2.0 at €1150 and the Kowa Genesis 8.5 x 44 at €1070, will the Nikon be that much better at the price, its in the higher end of my amount for a binocular or are there one of the other mentioned that is just as good at a lower price. I know I have to try it before i decide, but I'm looking for a binocular that will last at least 5-10 years.

Tommy

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I don't know the Razor, but I happen to have the other three mentioned. Of these, the Nikon is - in the sum of its qualities - the best. It has everything you want in a good bino. Whether that is worth 200-300 € more than the Kite or the Kowa is hard to say.
The Kowa would be my next choice, an excellent solid instrument with a very high central sharpness, but unfortunately a smaller field of view (122m, against 135m for the Nikon), otherwise I like it a lot.
The Kite would be my third choice, it does have a field of view almost as wide as the Nikon (132m), but I would rate it's optics (contrast, sharpness) slightly below the Nikon or the Kowa.
If you have the money and can spend that much on a bino, go for the Nikon, you will hardly regret it. If you are not sure you want to spend that much, go for the Kowa.
My humble opinion.
Canip

Thank for your answers. As it turns out the price has raised to €1799 today for the Nikon so I either wait for it to drop again or go for one of the others. But I have also just found out that there will be a Bird Festival in Sweden in a couple of weeks and I will go to that event to look at all the above mentioned binoculars and even try some of the others not mentioned. So I'll wait for that event and then see what happens. Maybe I'll get back then with some more questions.

Good idea: you can try several binos at Falsterbo Bird Show, but I doubt that you will be able to find the Razor there. Anyways, a good price for a new Razor is about 900$, and I am not sure you can get it for that price in DK or SE. Regarding the EDGs sometimes they can be found in new-like condition on auction sites for prices under 1000$.