Seriously impressive. I´m tempted to poke around in my binos myself as a result, but I´d have no idea how to put them back together again. Thanks Henry!
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EII's or SE's better? (1 Viewer)
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Seriously impressive. I´m tempted to poke around in my binos myself as a result, but I´d have no idea how to put them back together again. Thanks Henry!
Hi Henry,
I was kind of hoping you would jump in here and it has been educational, as always, thanks.
I can't see the small glue seam at 6 o'clock in my SE but the other one is visible. And the big ones in the EII are visible. I didn't take off the objectives though. I let well enough alone instinctively!
Bob
Hi Dennis
Well i own both sizes and there is not a great deal in it imho Although the 10 x has longer barrels which do make them easier to hold
Some folk have said they suffer as much shake with the 8 x as the 10 x because of the 8 x short body but you can add quake flip up covers or such to extend the 8x
I added the Quake's to my 8 x and its a lot easier to hold still
Both views are great but the 10 x has a real "wow" factor on field and image scale
I tend to use the 10 x for airshows and 8x for garden and woodland viewing
Both bins have an astonishing fov if you can see it all and considering the small objective sizes the brightness is really good
Regards
RichT
Well i own both sizes and there is not a great deal in it imho Although the 10 x has longer barrels which do make them easier to hold
Some folk have said they suffer as much shake with the 8 x as the 10 x because of the 8 x short body but you can add quake flip up covers or such to extend the 8x
I added the Quake's to my 8 x and its a lot easier to hold still
Both views are great but the 10 x has a real "wow" factor on field and image scale
I tend to use the 10 x for airshows and 8x for garden and woodland viewing
Both bins have an astonishing fov if you can see it all and considering the small objective sizes the brightness is really good
Regards
RichT
Ingle1970
Well-known member
You cant go wrong which ever magnification you decide on, both are excellent, the 10x does sit very nice in the hand though..
OK. I bought the Nikon 10x35 EII off a major website from the chap selling them new who ships from Hong Kong for free. With the conversion in currency they were about $420.00 US shipped. I passed on the used pair that was listed on the major website with the smudged lens and slight wear because I am kind of a perfectionist and that would have bothered me. He said there wasn't any import fees into the US. Has anybody bought these from the US and did you have to pay anything extras such as tax or what not? These are getting rare so I wanted to try a pair before they are gone. If I don't like them I can probably sell them for close to what I paid for them. Anybody know what size Bushwacker lens cover it takes for the objective lens. I heard the 8x30 EII takes a #5 so these would have to be a little larger. Well over to Eagle optics. Thanks for the advice and I will write a review comparing them to my Nikon 8x32 SE's when I get them. The technical end of that review has been well covered by Henry so I will just give my subjective opinion based on what I see and past experience with ALOT of other binoculars. I will summarize by deciding if I simply like'em better than the SE's or not. I like alot of you really like a simple porro-prism that gives you a view comparable to the alpha roofs for way less money and complexity. Very appealing. Good optics in it's purest form.
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Paskman
Well-known member
Funny how different perceptions can be. I got the wow factor from the 8x and I also think they are great in the hand - I have small hands. We are all different!
Paul
I know what he means about image scale. When things are suddenly close, big and sharp it does make you go wow. The 10X magnification tends to do that because it does bring things alot closer than 8X.
Enjoy, Denco! I look forward to your review. If you like them, keep them...even if you haven´t used them for a year! You´ll regret having let them go!
Enjoy, Denco! I look forward to your review. If you like them, keep them...even if you haven´t used them for a year! You´ll regret having let them go!
Exactly! Three binoculars I will keep are my Zeiss 8x32 FL's, my Nikon 8x32 SE's, my Zeiss 8x20 Victory's and my Zeiss 8x20 Monocular. I will probably put the EII's on the No-Sell list if I like them due to their collectability and rarity and vintage appeal. Does anybody know what size Bushwacker Objective covers the 10x35 EII's take. I was looking around and I have a pair of #6's and I was hoping they were the correct size. I have a new Tamrac binocular case, and a Vero-Vellini strap if I don't like Nikon's already shortened and the ends melted!
Paskman
Well-known member
Very true Dennis. I guess I just love the wide field on the 8's. I think you will like them whether 8x or 10x :t:
Paul
henry link
Well-known member
The objective trim rings on the 10x35 EII are almost exactly the same size as the 8x32 SE.
I have a pair of 10x35 EII's mostly because a couple of years ago a local store was offering a refurbished pair for $200. My personal bias is against 10x magnification, small exit pupils (less than 5mm) and widely spaced objective lenses, so even an excellent 10x35 Porro is not my cup of tea. I like the 10x35 EII better than I thought I would, but it does display some of the things I expected from the type, like reduced DOF, more image shake and a generally less relaxed and more finicky experience than I have with a good large exit pupil 8x. Still, it has excellent light transmission and will show all the detail any 10x binocular can show, so I'm inclined to keep it for the rare occasions when 10x seems like a good idea.
One item that hasn't come up in this thread is the tendency of the leatherette covering on some EII's to blister and eventually separate from the metal body. My 8x30 did that long ago and I just noticed today the first signs in my 10x35. Hopefully Nikon has found some better glue by now.
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That means a #5 Bushwacker because that's what my 8x32 SE's take. I have heard of the glue problem and I really doubt if Nikon has changed their glue formula although it is possible with all the complaining going on and the binoculars returned under warranty. I will let you know what I think of them. If I don't like them they will be up for sale. HaHa.
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JohnJos
Well-known member
Henry,
While I do like my 10x35 EII bins, I have had problems with the leatherette covering debonding from the body. I sent them back to Nikon last year for repair and got then back looking nearly new but with a bit of exposed adhesive. We have had pretty hot and humid weather here in NJ over the past month or so. I only use the 10x35 EIIs on my porch to look out at the feeders. Now the leatherette covering is again blistering in a few locations. I guess I'll be sending them back to Nikon for repair but I don't have much faith that they will be permanently repaired. I may have to take on the job myself or possibly sell them and pick up a pair of 10x42 SEs to compliment my 8x32 SEs..
John
I guess the #6's I have won't fit. I will wait and try them first. I believe the #5's were a pretty tight fit on my 8x32 SE's so the bigger size might fit on the 10x35 EII's. Thanks!
henry link
Well-known member
John,
There were some threads a few years ago on the subject of re-glueing the cover material on the EII. The first thread below describes an elaborate repair and the second an easier one. The Nikon repair didn't hold up then either.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=41384
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=55044
I've only gotten as far as removing the covering and residual glue from my 8x30. Maybe now I'll finally get around to trying the super-glue re-attachment. Maybe Bob (ceasar) can tell us how well the his superglue fix has lasted.
There were some threads a few years ago on the subject of re-glueing the cover material on the EII. The first thread below describes an elaborate repair and the second an easier one. The Nikon repair didn't hold up then either.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=41384
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=55044
I've only gotten as far as removing the covering and residual glue from my 8x30. Maybe now I'll finally get around to trying the super-glue re-attachment. Maybe Bob (ceasar) can tell us how well the his superglue fix has lasted.
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The repair I described in the 2nd link above is still holding up pretty well and, as I am ham handed in doing these things, I am satisfied. The rubber cover can stretch a bit so you might need to trim it a slight bit with a small razor blade. You can still get the Loc-tite super glue with the little brush inside the cap which makes doing this job much easier. I just bought a small bottle the other day. I think I am going to have to do it on my refurbished 10 x 35 soon.
Bob
PS: I am also noticing a loosening of the covering on the underside of my 8 x 30. I only repaired the top side as I described in the above link. It is holding up well!
Bob
PS: I am also noticing a loosening of the covering on the underside of my 8 x 30. I only repaired the top side as I described in the above link. It is holding up well!
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