[mikefreiberg]

Hey all,

I am not sure how many people out there are looking for this model, but it seems to be a common topic of conversation on this forum. I am currently working with a Hunt's Photo in Melrose, Massachusetts and I noticed there are two of these 8x32s on the shelves. One in mint condition and the other is a display model that is as good as new. They run 699.99 so if anyone is trying to locate one check out this store below.

Hunt's Photo
100 Main Street
Melrose, MA
(781).622.8822

Happy shopping,
Mike Freiberg
Nikon Birding Market Specialist

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by mikefreiberg

Hey all,

I am not sure how many people out there are looking for this model, but it seems to be a common topic of conversation on this forum. I am currently working with a Hunt's Photo in Melrose, Massachusetts and I noticed there are two of these 8x32s on the shelves. One in mint condition and the other is a display model that is as good as new. They run 699.99 so if anyone is trying to locate one check out this store below.

Hunt's Photo
100 Main Street
Melrose, MA
(781).622.8822

Happy shopping,
Mike Freiberg
Nikon Birding Market Specialist

Thanks, Mike. There was someone on here recently looking for an 8x32 SE, but I think he lives on the other side of the pond.

Hunt's price is only $20 more than B&H Photo is selling them for, and the wait time there is 7-14 days, maybe more, so relatively speaking, that's a good price for store that's not a big NYC camera dealer.

However, both those prices are about $200 more than the 8x32 SE was selling for in 2010 ($499-$525).

I also noticed that the 8x32 EDG II price jumped $300 recently ($2,299), and now costs more than the 8x32 SV EL. First time I recall a Nikon bin priced higher than a Swarovski.

A few months ago, I wrote about Japanese car prices going up, and from what I was told by car dealers in the region, this was due to the disruption in manufacturing after the tsunami, which created pent-up demand for Japanese cars, and also to help Japanese automakers recoup losses during that time.

Is this also why Nikon's Japanese-made optics prices have increased?

The prices of Nikon's Chinese-made bins are either the same or in some cases have dropped in price. For example, Amazon's selling the 8x42 Monarch ATB w/ dielectric coatings for $229.

When you take into consideration that an 8x32 SE's optics are often favorably compared to $2K premium 8x32 roofs, $699 seems like a bargain, but not so much with the $2,299 8x32 EDG, which once sold for $999 in the EDG I model.

I'm wondering if the higher prices are temporary or if we will continue to see these prices for the SE and EDG in the future?

Brock

[idaho john]

I had the money to get a refurbished one from Eagle Optics and when I got it together to call...gone. Now an unplanned for repair on my traveling bird blind (my car) has sidelined any fantasy of getting one of these for the time being.

Let's hope that by the time I get moneyed up again, there will be 8x32 SEs to have.

Maybe Japan has decided that since we are willing to pay a high price for German optics, they are going to get in on the bloodletting too!

John

[heliar]

marketing people really sucks.

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by heliar

marketing people really sucks.

I hope you weren't referring to Mike or reacting to my post above, which was asking about the possible impact of last year's tsunami on the price of Japanese-made optics, specifically, the Nikon EDG (the Premier line's prices have also gone up, but not by as much).

Marketing reps have to walk a fine line between answering consumers inquiries and what information the company is prepared to release since they have marketing campaigns and timelines based on a number of factors (optics shows, birding events, the readiness of Websites and advertising for new products, what the competition is doing, etc.).

When asked about the pricing of the Nikon Monarch 7 ED in the U.S., Mike responded to our inquiries with the prices. They were about what I expected.

My question about the price hikes was not meant to be pointed, though perhaps it's more information than the company cares to reveal. However, I felt it was fair to ask because while it might not be obvious from the ample number of birders on these forums who are willing and able to spend $2K on the latest premium roof prism binoculars, we are not out of the woods yet with this global recession. So when prices suddenly jump more than the cost of living increases that most workers receive, and this comes at a time of dropping gas/diesel costs, which usually leads to lower consumer good prices, people naturally want to know what's going on. I know I do.

If it's a temporary price hike, I'll let the deep pocketed do the buying and then buy from them on the used market when they sell their "old" bins to buy something newer.

But if higher prices are here to stay and I want to buy a good quality Japanese roof, I either have to pinch my pennies and wait longer to buy it, or buy a lower cost German- or Austrian-made bin (that's mind boggling) or consider the lower-priced Chinese alternatives.

Brock

[Chhayanat]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

.....However, I felt it was fair to ask because while it might not be obvious from the ample number of birders on these forums who are willing and able to spend $2K on the latest premium roof prism binoculars, we are not out of the woods yet with this global recession. So when prices suddenly jump more than the cost of living increases that most workers receive, and this comes at a time of dropping gas/diesel costs, which usually leads to lower consumer good prices, people naturally want to know what's going on. I know I do....
Brock

I think your concerns are worth airing.
Chhayanat

[mikefreiberg]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

Thanks, Mike. There was someone on here recently looking for an 8x32 SE, but I think he lives on the other side of the pond.

Hunt's price is only $20 more than B&H Photo is selling them for, and the wait time there is 7-14 days, maybe more, so relatively speaking, that's a good price for store that's not a big NYC camera dealer.

However, both those prices are about $200 more than the 8x32 SE was selling for in 2010 ($499-$525).

I also noticed that the 8x32 EDG II price jumped $300 recently ($2,299), and now costs more than the 8x32 SV EL. First time I recall a Nikon bin priced higher than a Swarovski.

A few months ago, I wrote about Japanese car prices going up, and from what I was told by car dealers in the region, this was due to the disruption in manufacturing after the tsunami, which created pent-up demand for Japanese cars, and also to help Japanese automakers recoup losses during that time.

Is this also why Nikon's Japanese-made optics prices have increased?

The prices of Nikon's Chinese-made bins are either the same or in some cases have dropped in price. For example, Amazon's selling the 8x42 Monarch ATB w/ dielectric coatings for $229.

When you take into consideration that an 8x32 SE's optics are often favorably compared to $2K premium 8x32 roofs, $699 seems like a bargain, but not so much with the $2,299 8x32 EDG, which once sold for $999 in the EDG I model.

I'm wondering if the higher prices are temporary or if we will continue to see these prices for the SE and EDG in the future?

Brock

Brock,

Hey there! I am actually going to ask rather than speculate. I will make sure to get back to you as soon as I hear.

Thanks,
Mike

[ChadHahn]

I wonder if the prices will ever get lower.

I was looking at an AR-15 Commando before Clinton was elected and then the price more than doubled. When Bush got in office the prices never went down.

Congress put a 20% tariff on Japanese cars back in the early 80s to give Detroit an edge. When Detroit saw that people were still buying Japanese cars they raised their prices to match. We've since gotten rid of the tariff but prices haven't fallen.

Once a price is in place it rarely goes away.

Chad

[mikefreiberg]

Brock,

You're not referring to the Spring Migration Instant Savings we had for 40 days or so this spring by chance? That dropped the price of the EDG products by $500 with Instant Savings. Also, the EDG I was in the 2K range when we first introduced it. Thoughts?

Best,
Mike

[denco@comcast.n]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

I hope you weren't referring to Mike or reacting to my post above, which was asking about the possible impact of last year's tsunami on the price of Japanese-made optics, specifically, the Nikon EDG (the Premier line's prices have also gone up, but not by as much).

Marketing reps have to walk a fine line between answering consumers inquiries and what information the company is prepared to release since they have marketing campaigns and timelines based on a number of factors (optics shows, birding events, the readiness of Websites and advertising for new products, what the competition is doing, etc.).

When asked about the pricing of the Nikon Monarch 7 ED in the U.S., Mike responded to our inquiries with the prices. They were about what I expected.

My question about the price hikes was not meant to be pointed, though perhaps it's more information than the company cares to reveal. However, I felt it was fair to ask because while it might not be obvious from the ample number of birders on these forums who are willing and able to spend $2K on the latest premium roof prism binoculars, we are not out of the woods yet with this global recession. So when prices suddenly jump more than the cost of living increases that most workers receive, and this comes at a time of dropping gas/diesel costs, which usually leads to lower consumer good prices, people naturally want to know what's going on. I know I do.

If it's a temporary price hike, I'll let the deep pocketed do the buying and then buy from them on the used market when they sell their "old" bins to buy something newer.

But if higher prices are here to stay and I want to buy a good quality Japanese roof, I either have to pinch my pennies and wait longer to buy it, or buy a lower cost German- or Austrian-made bin (that's mind boggling) or consider the lower-priced Chinese alternatives.

Brock

"or consider the lower-priced Chinese alternatives."

Oh godforbid not the CPOS. Brock don't lower yourself. At least stick with the EII's.

[denco@comcast.n]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

Thanks, Mike. There was someone on here recently looking for an 8x32 SE, but I think he lives on the other side of the pond.

Hunt's price is only $20 more than B&H Photo is selling them for, and the wait time there is 7-14 days, maybe more, so relatively speaking, that's a good price for store that's not a big NYC camera dealer.

However, both those prices are about $200 more than the 8x32 SE was selling for in 2010 ($499-$525).

I also noticed that the 8x32 EDG II price jumped $300 recently ($2,299), and now costs more than the 8x32 SV EL. First time I recall a Nikon bin priced higher than a Swarovski.

A few months ago, I wrote about Japanese car prices going up, and from what I was told by car dealers in the region, this was due to the disruption in manufacturing after the tsunami, which created pent-up demand for Japanese cars, and also to help Japanese automakers recoup losses during that time.

Is this also why Nikon's Japanese-made optics prices have increased?

The prices of Nikon's Chinese-made bins are either the same or in some cases have dropped in price. For example, Amazon's selling the 8x42 Monarch ATB w/ dielectric coatings for $229.

When you take into consideration that an 8x32 SE's optics are often favorably compared to $2K premium 8x32 roofs, $699 seems like a bargain, but not so much with the $2,299 8x32 EDG, which once sold for $999 in the EDG I model.

I'm wondering if the higher prices are temporary or if we will continue to see these prices for the SE and EDG in the future?

Brock

"I also noticed that the 8x32 EDG II price jumped $300 recently ($2,299), and now costs more than the 8x32 SV EL. First time I recall a Nikon bin priced higher than a Swarovski."

Makes me feel real good about getting my EDG II's for $800.00! HeHe! The EDG II's are better than the SV's so you would expect the price to be higher.

[mikefreiberg]

Simply put gents, concerning the EDG price increase, production costs increased when the EDG II was being engineered. Also, the devaluation of the US dollar to the Japanese Yen was another major factor. Prices will come down I would think if our dollar regains it's proper value.

Cheers,
Mike Freiberg

[idaho john]

if my remarks about the price of the SE were in poor taste, please forgive me. It was not meant in a demeaning way, just an expression of frustration over the price of auto repair...and the price increase of everything including binoculars.

John

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by mikefreiberg

Simply put gents, concerning the EDG price increase, production costs increased when the EDG II was being engineered. Also, the devaluation of the US dollar to the Japanese Yen was another major factor. Prices will come down I would think if our dollar regains it's proper value.

Cheers,
Mike Freiberg

Thanks for that reply, Mike.

Brock

[Pileatus]

Originally Posted by mikefreiberg

Simply put gents, concerning the EDG price increase, production costs increased when the EDG II was being engineered. Also, the devaluation of the US dollar to the Japanese Yen was another major factor. Prices will come down I would think if our dollar regains it's proper value.

Cheers,
Mike Freiberg

2003 Nikon SE 8X32 purchased online from EO
$599 (this was the going price at the time)

2012
$699 (represents a 2% annual increase in price)

The price of an SE is dictated by the MARKET...as is the USD.

[Alexis Powell]

Originally Posted by Pileatus

The price of an SE is dictated by the MARKET...as is the USD.

Right. Pricing has been discussed on Birdforum in the past, and based on those discussions it seems prices are set based partly on currency values, but mostly on marketing considerations (and maintaining pricing parity with the competition). Prices for many optics are radically different (i.e. lower) in the USA as compared to Europe--why? Not because of the value of the dollar, or because of inflation, or because of the price of oil, or the tsunami. The tsunami is a red herring. It had a direct impact on production of the Nikon D4 and D800, yet prices for those models are comparable to the older models that they replace and to the competition. The flooding in Thailand directly affected D7000 production and the production of many lenses, but again, prices were seemingly unaffected (except during brief periods when supplies were limited). In fact, if memory serves, Nikon Imaging made a tidy profit (based in part on insurance receipts) following the Thailand floods.

--AP

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by denco@comcast.n

......................
The EDG II's are better than the SV's so you would expect the price to be higher.

Dennis,

Have you done a hands on comparison between the Nikon EDG II 8X32 with the new Swarovski EL SV 8X32?

[ceasar]

Originally Posted by Alexis Powell

Right. Pricing has been discussed on Birdforum in the past, and based on those discussions it seems prices are set based partly on currency values, but mostly on marketing considerations (and maintaining pricing parity with the competition). Prices for many optics are radically different (i.e. lower) in the USA as compared to Europe--why? Not because of the value of the dollar, or because of inflation, or because of the price of oil, or the tsunami. The tsunami is a red herring. It had a direct impact on production of the Nikon D4 and D800, yet prices for those models are comparable to the older models that they replace and to the competition. The flooding in Thailand directly affected D7000 production and the production of many lenses, but again, prices were seemingly unaffected (except during brief periods when supplies were limited). In fact, if memory serves, Nikon Imaging made a tidy profit (based in part on insurance receipts) following the Thailand floods.

--AP

If correct, the people who set these prices seem to agree, consciously or sub consciously, with the gentleman quoted below:

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.ph...7&postcount=5B

[idaho john]

Bob: the quote from John Lukacs is good stuff. And fits me to a degree that is uncomfortable.

I reflected after my post in regards to complaining about the price of the SE that I had channeled my dad and my uncle - even to the point of using the same words and inflection. Monkey see...monkey do.

Now...back to binoculars.

John

[denco@comcast.n]

I had the 8.5 x42 SV which bothered me after awhile because of rolling ball and a rough focus that was harder to turn in one direction. I sold it and eventually acquired the Nikon EDG II in an 8x32. I prefer the optics of the Nikon and I think the 8x32 SV would probably be similar to the 42mm except smaller. I think the Nikon EDG 8x32 would be ranked above the SV 8x32 the same way the Nikon 8x42 EDG beat the 8.5x42 SV in the Allbinos test. A direct comparison between the two would be interesting though.

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by Alexis Powell

Right. Pricing has been discussed on Birdforum in the past, and based on those discussions it seems prices are set based partly on currency values, but mostly on marketing considerations (and maintaining pricing parity with the competition). Prices for many optics are radically different (i.e. lower) in the USA as compared to Europe--why? Not because of the value of the dollar, or because of inflation, or because of the price of oil, or the tsunami. The tsunami is a red herring. It had a direct impact on production of the Nikon D4 and D800, yet prices for those models are comparable to the older models that they replace and to the competition. The flooding in Thailand directly affected D7000 production and the production of many lenses, but again, prices were seemingly unaffected (except during brief periods when supplies were limited). In fact, if memory serves, Nikon Imaging made a tidy profit (based in part on insurance receipts) following the Thailand floods.

--AP

Or as economists like to say: "Whatever the market will bear". We'll see if the American market can bear a $2,299.99 8x32 EDG II. My wallet sure can't.

The tsunami was certainly no "red herring" with Japanese automakers (except for those herrings caught up in the waves along with Japanese autos ready to be shipped - see photo in link below).

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other Japanese automakers all had to suspend operations at their domestic plants because of the disaster.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...n-the-showroom

As far as the camera prices not going up, who knows? There might have been ample supplies shipped abroad in warehouses before the tsunami/floods in anticipation of the holidays. Nikon must sell many more cameras than it does sports optics and their best selling cameras are made in China.

Also, it's easier to ship and store cameras than cars and trucks and also to keep camera inventories well stocked than big ticket vehicles. In fact, it was the dearth of Japanese cars that helped pump up domestic car and truck sales last year.

Looking at the economic projections for the rest of this year and 2013 I received from the Independent Finance Office in Pa. last week, which uses baseline projections from IHS Global Insight and adjusts them according to data from my state (which btw, is growing faster economically than the nation as a whole), economic growth in the US is going to be incremental and consumer spending is expected to peak this year (highest since 2007, but still below) and then drop down nearly a percentage point in 2013.

Keep in mind these are baseline projections, man made or natural disasters, a spike in gas prices, or financial problems elsewhere in the world could drastically alter these projections.

Is this relevant to binocular purchases? You betcha. Except for the wealthiest Americans, who unlike the rest of us, didn't lose net worth but actually gained 10% since 2007.

What this means to me, personally, is that I'm going to ride out the Nikon premium roof price hikes and see what the Monarch 7 ED has to offer.

Brock

[Torview]

Originally Posted by denco@comcast.n

I had the 8.5 x42 SV which bothered me after awhile because of rolling ball and a rough focus that was harder to turn in one direction. I sold it and eventually acquired the Nikon EDG II in an 8x32. I prefer the optics of the Nikon and I think the 8x32 SV would probably be similar to the 42mm except smaller. I think the Nikon EDG 8x32 would be ranked above the SV 8x32 the same way the Nikon 8x42 EDG beat the 8.5x42 SV in the Allbinos test. A direct comparison between the two would be interesting though.

Clearly here in the UK nobody reads these reviews, 4 out of 5 birders I meet at RSPB reserves use SV, of the 1 thats left I reckon 60% Leica 30% Zeiss then others, honestly, you just don`t see an EDG, at all.

The EDG maybe about as good as it gets at the moment but in the UK it seems nobody`s interested.

[Troubador]

Torview

You are absolutely right about the lack of interest in the UK for Nikon sport optics. My brother-in-law is a case in point; for years he was a Nikon camera enthusiast and although he uses Canon these days he still has a great respect for the Nikon camera brand.
Ask him about Nikon bins though and his response is that he just doesn't think of them as in the same category as Zeiss or Leica. Other people that I have asked about Nikon bins have reacted in a similar way. It seems Nikon have a lot to do on the marketing front if they are to grow sport optics in the UK.
Swaro have shown it is possible for a newcomer with excellent product to break into the market so you would have thought it would be easy for Nikon with their camera / lens background.
Lee

[Alexis Powell]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

...The tsunami was certainly no "red herring" with Japanese automakers (except for those herrings caught up in the waves along with Japanese autos ready to be shipped - see photo in link below).

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other Japanese automakers all had to suspend operations at their domestic plants because of the disaster.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...n-the-showroom

As far as the camera prices not going up, who knows? There might have been ample supplies shipped abroad in warehouses before the tsunami/floods in anticipation of the holidays. Nikon must sell many more cameras than it does sports optics and their best selling cameras are made in China.

Also, it's easier to ship and store cameras than cars and trucks and also to keep camera inventories well stocked than big ticket vehicles. In fact, it was the dearth of Japanese cars that helped pump up domestic car and truck sales last year...

No no no. The tsunami and the Thailand floods had enormous impacts on Nikon production, the timing of new model releases, and availability of existing models. Given those impacts, it is amazing to me that camera sales and production are, seemingly, presently on-track (Maybe the quality control issues reported with the D800 are an echo of glitches in the company's new/restored manufacturing capabilities, or of parts makers). My comment about the disasters being a red herring was with respect to whether they explain anything about pricing. Prices went up somewhat on items that were in limited supply, but all in all, the effects on price for limited-production or not yet in production photo gear were small in comparison to the increase in bino prices (for top-end models from all manufacturers, not just Nikon) in recent years. With release of the EDG bins and scope, Nikon seems to have decided that to be taken seriously as an "alpha" maker, prices will be set to match or exceed the European brands. In the past, when Nikon has done this, the prices have eventually dropped. I'm not sure what is going on now. The company has decided to pinch off supplies of its best porros in the USA, and of traditional Fieldscope eyepieces, and probably soon the traditional Fieldscopes. How should I understand the recent rollercoaster shift in Fieldscope pricing and availability in the USA? For the past year, Fieldscopes were widely available and were sale priced at the major dealers. Now, supplies are more limited and Nikon has raised prices substantially. Nikon used to be the brand to go to for alpha quality field optics at a surprisingly good price, and the quality/price range of their product line was a continuum. Now they seem interested in being price competitive with average bins, but positioning their best products at a conspicuously elite level to match the Eurobrands.

--AP

[idaho john]

Originally Posted by Alexis Powell

Nikon seems to have decided that to be taken seriously as an "alpha" maker, prices will be set to match or exceed the European brands.--AP

Thank you...the point I was trying to make in passing. You said it much better.

John