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Nikon 12x40 E series? (1 Viewer)

FrankD

FrankD

Well-known member
Frank,

Well, I think that is a genuine rarity. It's news to me that the 12x40 model survived long enough to be multi-coated. However, in spite of the seller's vigorous efforts to hype its quality and value to collectors, I don't think it's close to being worth $850. It probably cost around $350 as a new binocular in 1990. It's not an optical wonder. It's essentially just a 10x35 E with a 40mm objective lens, so not really in the same class as the 12x50 SE. BTW, the eye relief is not 15mm. One of the disadvantages of the 10x35 eyepiece was short eye relief of 12.4mm.

Henry
 
I have a 7X35 Criterion E:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/5270191814/
and it is really good. It's basically the 7X35 E with Nikon's current generation coatings. I can't tell any difference between its coatings and those on my 8X32 SE and 10X35 EII. Except for having a fairly ordinary FOV of 7.3 deg it's far and away the best 7X35 I've ever looked through. This is the first 12X40 version I've seen. It's very lightweight. Price does seem high, though.
 
Henry,

Thank you. I was hoping you would chime in on this issue as I know you have extensive experience with the Nikon porro lineup. I was actually looking for a different Nikon model and came up these. I was just curious as to how "special" these really were.

LPT,

Yes, I had a 7x35 E with the full multicoatings as well. I sold it recently to another forum member and he is quite happy with it. I would agree with your suggestion that it was as good as the SE and EII in a variety of areas. I do still have a 7x35 E with the single coating....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73029961@N07/6590160701/in/photostream

I think it is a particularly good sample of the original E single coat as the sweet spot seems just a bit larger than the other E single coat and the E FMC that I had in my possession.

Interestingly enough I tend to find the 7x35 WF and 7x35 Gold Sentinel equally pleasing though and possibly even more so because of the larger field of view. I can see no difference in apparent sharpness or contrast. There is that slight color bias to the yellow side because of the single-coating but other than that......

Great bins all though. ;)
 
Roadbike,

What's unusual about this particular 12x40 is that it's multi-coated. I don't think there are many like that. Makes me wonder if there could be any multi-coated examples of the 7x50 CF from this series floating around.

Frank,

Your praise of the original 7x35 Action led me to make some inquiries and I found a really nice one, which I reviewed on another thread. Fun to encounter an old binocular flame after many years.

Henry
 
I had quite an interesting number of email exchanges back in early December with the gentleman who is selling the Nikon 12x40E's, and he is probably the most knowledgeable person on quality binos I have ever had the pleasure to correspond with. He sent me some pics of these 12x40E FMC's back then, and while Henry says the only difference is the 40mm objective, if you look, the objective tubes are much longer than the 10x35's.

He claims to have had every Nikon bino from the 1950's to the present, and from his dissertations of the HG/HGL line, I would think he could give Brock a few pointers.;)

Incidentally, he also thinks the 12x50SE is one of the most under valued binos on the market. I appropriated the term AWOB (apparent worth of binos) from one of his emails.

Now is the 12x40E FMC (early 90's) worth what he is asking? I don't know, but it certainly is a rarity. I've never seen another on ebay in the last 18 months, although there have been a couple of the earlier non FMC models sold.
 
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henry link said:
Roadbike,

What's unusual about this particular 12x40 is that it's multi-coated. I don't think there are many like that. Makes me wonder if there could be any multi-coated examples of the 7x50 CF from this series floating around.

Frank,

Your praise of the original 7x35 Action led me to make some inquiries and I found a really nice one, which I reviewed on another thread. Fun to encounter an old binocular flame after many years.

Henry
Click to expand...


I have read that later versions were multicoated. That would be a plus certainly but they are still in the class of nice but not outstanding binoculars. They are also an excellent example of how Nikon has attained a reputation for making really enjoyable wide field binoculars.
 
lilcrazy2 said:
... and while Henry says the only difference is the 40mm objective, if you look, the objective tubes are much longer than the 10x35's.
.
Click to expand...

I guess I should have mentioned that the 40mm objective has a 20% longer focal length than the 35mm. That's why the objective tubes are longer and why the magnification is 12x instead of 10x.
 
henry link said:
I guess I should have mentioned that the 40mm objective has a 20% longer focal length than the 35mm. That's why the objective tubes are longer and why the magnification is 12x instead of 10x.
Click to expand...

Henry
Wasn't disparaging you as I knew you would know the objectives would be longer. Was merely wondering if that could explain the ER difference.
 
No idea but I did see a second one listed on the bay this morning. The price is a more reasonable $350-$400.
 
I got my 12x40 WF from a New York camera dealer for $99 (blue/purple coatings). Forgot which dealer, but they arrived in a small box with just one bubble pack around it. Nothing to protect the top or bottom of the bin case.

I thought the 12x WFs were pretty good - 5.5* and good edges, pinpoint stars. Used them for stargazing until I bought a 12x50 SE, which not surprisingly outperformed them. More contrast, more faint stars, more 3-D effect.

I've owned the 12x40 WF, the 7x35 WF, and the 8x35 WF. Optically, the best was the 8x35. A/Bing them with my 501 8x32 SE at the time, the views were very close.

My only gripe was the fast focuser (1/2 turn from cf to infinity like the 8x32 HG). Due to better 3-D effect and better perception of depth than the HGs, and better ergonomics, the 8x35 WF was easier for me to use.

I sold it LNIB for $75. Somebody got a great deal. Frank, these are a "must see".

Brock
 
Frank,

Yes, 10x35 E. Now that you are getting into disassembling binoculars you can play around with mixing and matching the eyepieces and objectives of E series binoculars to make models that Nikon never made. 7/10x35 objective combined with 8x30 eyepiece/prism makes a 9x35. 8x30 objective combined with 7x35 eyepiece/prism makes a 6x30. 8x30 objective combined with 10x35 eyepiece/prism makes a 9x30. 12x40 objective combined with 7x35 eyepiece/prism makes a 8.4x40. 12x40 objective combined with 8x30 eyepiece makes an 11x40.

Henry
 
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Henry,

Thanks. I only have 7x35 at the moment but will keep my eyes open for any of the others that might slip under the radar. Just out of curiousity, have you had any success with swapping eyepieces/bodies with different porro prism models....assuming they fit together mechanically?

Tom,

Thanks. That makes more sense. I should have thought of it earlier.
 
Firstly, sorry for dredging up a 5 year old thread, but I've been looking for information on a pair of vintage Nikon 12x40 porro prisms that I've just bought.

They're in good condition, optics look clean, and cosmetically they're not bad at all. I put a bid in because they looked like they might be Nikon E, but I'm not sure that they are. They are marked Nikon 12x40 5.5° WF in the left cover (Nikon in the straight font), and on the front of the hinge Nikon (in italic font), the serial no 674856 and "Japan". The coating is blue rather than purple.

Oh, yes, I paid a shade under $25 for them.
 

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In the US this binocular was never marketed as part of the E Series. I don't know why since it used exactly the same eyepieces and prism housing as the 10x35 E. Yours would be single-layer coated. Quite a bargain for $25.
 
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