• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Nikon EDG series (1 Viewer)

NDhunter said:
The focuser does not move easily when in use, but it can slide as in moving it
along on the car seat, it can be moved, and that can be an annoyance. It appears to me after some experience with the EDG, that a re-engineer on the
focuser is quite involved, so it has not been done yet. From what I have gathered when looking at early reviews from some birding groups months ago, that Nikon may have waited before full distribution to correct this. Optics though are very good. Hopefully there will be a recall or fix to this later.;)
Click to expand...

Update on the Nikon EDG: I spoke directly to those in the know at Nikon, and the EDG binoculars at the retail sales level, are the same from the start as current shipments. There was not an initial run and then changes made, etc. The talk on that is purely speculation.
 
NDhunter said:
Update on the Nikon EDG: I spoke directly to those in the know at Nikon, and the EDG binoculars at the retail sales level, are the same from the start as current shipments. There was not an initial run and then changes made, etc. The talk on that is purely speculation.
Click to expand...

Are they still available for sales? I thought they were pulled because of patent issue with Swarovski
 
falcondude said:
Are they still available for sales? I thought they were pulled because of patent issue with Swarovski
Click to expand...

It's very disappointing to read that Nikon went ahead with the production of the EDG knowing that it had a defect.

What's the point of sending prototypes to optics experts and then not taking their advice about problems with the bin?

Also, that makes it more puzzling why they waited so long to release the EDG after the initial prototypes appeared if there was no patent issue.

And how could there be? With so many companies using the open-bridge roof design, Swaro would have to sue them all.

Vortex cloned the EL before Nikon. Why aren't they suing them? Makes no sense. Probably another rumor.

Brock
 
Last edited:
The open-bridge design is not patent protected (they weren't the first ... the Rollei L11A1 British Army bins ... and proabably bins back to the turn of the century.

In fact the "open bridge" can just be seen an a much longer version of the bridge on the Nikon SE. It's not really a innovation more a extension of a previous design. A patent has to be non-obvious.

The interesting Swaro patent is on their paddle focuser design in the EL (the internal design) which I've cited on this forum before.

Whether the EDG infringes on that is unknown but it is patented in the USA and the EDG bins still appear to be on sale here.

It is possible that Swaro have a EU patent only (not a US patent) on some item of bin mechanics that Nikon MIGHT BE infringing on so that would stop sales ONLY in the EU.

So far it seems the aren't on sale in the EU (but that might not be a patent issue ... vould be a marketing issue or waiting for the update to fix the slippy diopter)

They are heavily advertised in the USA. See the Audubon magazine.

So far Swaro hasn't come out and said they're suing Nikon. Nikon hasn't said anything. And they both haven't' said (AFAIK) they're in patent cross-licensing talks which is the way these things usually end up (the worry being that Nikon in defending their design come up with a Nikon patent that Swaro is infringing on). The big guys with lots of IP (and that would be Nikon more than Swaro here) usually agree not to shoot at each other.
 
Thanks to all of you. Still would love to try it. :) I have narrowed the options and there are two players. Nikon is not tending to win by its high price tag but I will see.

Szimi
 
Today Nikon advertised their HG L series in the latest issue of the club-300 magazine here in Sweden as their top of the line. Obviously Nikon has no intention to introduce the EDG in Sweden/Europe any time soon.
 
Yes, true! On the official Nikon site there is no sign for Nikon EDG at all (EU site). I had to browse more to find the micro-sites of EDG products in the America site.

Szimi
 
Latest EDG News for the UK & Europe.

Just to get all you UK and European birder's up to date on the EDG. During my visit to the Bird Fair at Rutland Water over last weekend I asked the Nikon reps when we could expect to see the EDG, they stated that the product has been put on hold for the foreseeable future! Read into that statement what you will, but it certainly appears that Nikon have a lot of problems to resolve with this top of the line model, before it appears on dealers shelves.
 
Had a look at the Birdfair. Not that impressed with image quality, did not knock me out as the Kowa 88s did when I first looked through them. The zoom on the eyepice was very fiddly and difficult to move also no gradations to show what zoom level it was on.
 
So any current EDG units out in the market should be a fairly hot commodity assuming there aren't any problems with them.
 
FrankD said:
So any current EDG units out in the market should be a fairly hot commodity assuming there aren't any problems with them.
Click to expand...

Not really, they're not for sale in Europe or Asia but are in the USA.

Nikon has never been clear about production and selling in the USA. But given the advertising here I think it's here to stay.
 
Yeah no EDG commercial here. As far as we Europeans know, the HG L is their best stuff. But regardless.. is really the EDG good enough for us to bother missing it? Expensive but not really up to the pricetag as I understand it.
 
EDG bins for Europe in 2010

According to a good source in Nikon UK there are production problems with the EDG binoculars and they will not be launched in Europe until 2010. The problems must be pretty major to cause such a long delay. My contact declined to say whether the European model will be identical to the current US model. I suspect maybe not - we'll see.
 
Anthony S said:
According to a good source in Nikon UK there are production problems with the EDG binoculars and they will not be launched in Europe until 2010. The problems must be pretty major to cause such a long delay. My contact declined to say whether the European model will be identical to the current US model. I suspect maybe not - we'll see.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, Anthony.

Maybe they'll fix the diopter setting pop up worldwide? ;)
 
Robert L Jarvis said:
Had a look at the Birdfair. Not that impressed with image quality, did not knock me out as the Kowa 88s did when I first looked through them. The zoom on the eyepice was very fiddly and difficult to move also no gradations to show what zoom level it was on.
Click to expand...

I agree. Only a brief test at the Birdfair, but I don't think Zeiss/lLeica/ Swaro have anything to worry about. Thought the focusing was much too fast and the zoom's image at maximum magnification was downright dark.

(I do realise this thread appears to be about the bins, though you wouldn't realise it from the title)

Sean
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

has530
8-16x40 XL Zoom...One Binocular to Rule Them All?
Replies
9
Views
2K
tenex
tenex
A
Do you use your Nikon roofs in the rain?
Replies
16
Views
1K
quincy88
Q
P
Nikon EDG and MHG 8x42 comparison.
Replies
8
Views
2K
Paultricounty
P
S
Got my first Nikon today…
Replies
0
Views
926
safaridreaming
S
B
Nikon EDG 7x42 wandering diopter
Replies
2
Views
816
Boogieshrew
B

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top