Oberwerk 8x32 SE (1 Viewer)

[dries1]

Perhaps the Oberwerk uses the same prisms as the 8.5X 42 Visionary , perhaps same eye piece? with smaller objectives. It (Oberwerk 8X32) does look larger than the Nikon SE since the photos are a bit deceiving, hiding the length of the 32mm objective tubes.

 

[lilcrazy2]

Ok, you talked me into it. I got a pair on the way. The CF is 10 feet like the SE, not 10 meters. Actually, the discontinued Vixen Foresters were pretty good porros. These could be pretty good because they are a porro and the quality out of China is getting better all the time. I like the 8.2 degree FOV and the eyepiece oculars look big, which could be a good thing. Also, I like the fact that they are waterproof and nitrogen filled, have ED glass and adjustable eye cups unlike the Nikon SE. I will let you know what I think about them when I get them. Actually spec wise these are the dream porro's everybody has wanted.

Here's some pics of 8x42 Vixen Foresta ZR CF WP Porros I found in my magic closet. NIB - made in China - purchased Sept. 2012. Very good optics. I also had the 7x50 model but sold it another BF member years back.

 

[Paultricounty]

Here's some pics of 8x42 Vixen Foresta ZR CF WP Porros I found in my magic closet. NIB - made in China - purchased Sept. 2012. Very good optics. I also had the 7x50 model but sold it another BF member years back.

I had used the forester MIJ and it was nice glass, but not up to the E2 or SE level. The China one I tried back in July was five minutes in the backyard and back in the box for the trip back to retailer.

 

[lilcrazy2]

I had used the forester MIJ and it was nice glass, but not up to the E2 or SE level. The China one I tried back in July was five minutes in the backyard and back in the box for the trip back to retailer.

Are they still making this model after all these years? These used to get fairly glowing reviews 10 to 11 yrs ago on BF. I still have my E2 from many yrs back as well, and wasn't implying they were as good. Only posted as a comparison to some of the other 8x42 clones others were bandying about.

 

[Paultricounty]

Are they still making this model after all these years? These used to get fairly glowing reviews 10 to 11 yrs ago on BF. I still have my E2 from many yrs back as well, and wasn't implying they were as good. Only posted as a comparison to some of the other 8x42 clones others were bandying about.

I was referring to these.There were comparisons being made if the Oberwerk are the same product. This picture is the MIC version, they were not good at all. I had tried one made MIJ , don’t know when that one was made but it was very good. Not quite up to the level of an E2 but on access they were very good, very bright, they were waterproof and built very nicely.

 

[Boogieshrew]

Hilkinson?

Monks Optics?

Strathspey?

B.

No. Don't think it was any of those three...

 

[[email protected]]

I had used the forester MIJ and it was nice glass, but not up to the E2 or SE level. The China one I tried back in July was five minutes in the backyard and back in the box for the trip back to retailer.

I am sure you guys are right on these. The Oberwerk will probably be just be a clone of the Vixen Foresta ZR CF WP or the Visionary Porros and will be similar optically. I don't think they are going to be close to the E2 or SE, so if you want a porro you might as well pay a couple of hundred more dollars and get an E2. I cancelled my preorder. If anybody does try them, let us know what you think.

 

[Binastro]

From the photos and some of the details posted here it may be that the Oberwerk 8x32 SE is longer than the Nikon SE 8x32.
It seems to have the length of an 8x40.

If the focal length of the objectives is 15% longer, then the focal ratio might be around f/4.5 instead of around f/3.8.
I think that I have seen some measurements of the Nikon SE 8x32 on Birdforum but forget what they were.
So there should be less CA and maybe less spherical aberration.

The eyepiece focal length would then be longer and the eyepiece bigger.

However, as the Nikon SE 8x32 was the binocular whose optics were the test bench for other binoculars, I would need to test, preferably three samples of the Oberwerk SE 8x32 from different batches to compare with the Nikon SE.

It may be that the Oberwerk is heavier and longer than the Nikon.

It may also be that the Oberwerk uses high speed polishing and the Nikon more traditional methods, but this is speculation.

There are at least two UK importers who test each binocular that comes in from China.
They may not need to test their Japanese made binoculars, as these may not present with problems.

Collimation is only one aspect of a binocular. It is critical, but there are then many other factors.

A good sample of the Oberwerk SE 8x32 may be very good, but how consistent are they, and will quality be maintained.

The Nikon SE 8x32 and the Oberwerk SE 8x32 seem to be quite different binoculars, except for SE and shape.

Regards,
B.

 

[[email protected]]

I don't think the Oberwerks are going to challenge the SE or E2 for the value crown in low cost porros. I think they are going to be more similar to the APM 6x30 and the Orion ED 8x30 quality wise and optic wise, both MIC. Experience tells me that if you are in the market for an inexpensive porro get the E2 for another $200.

 

[Binocollector]

Experience tells me that if you are in the market for an inexpensive porro get the E2 for another $200.

If only an EII would cost just 400€ here. I'd have long gotten one. Unfortunately in Germany it is more like 700€. Even importing directly from Japan would be more than 600€ due to taxes and shipping. Some German sellers charge more than 800€.
Not really an alternative to an Oberwerk.
I already have the 8x40 Mariner however. Good enough for me and built like a tank. Supposedly the civilian version of the Chinese military 8x40 by KUO.
The APM 6x30 is excellent BTW. You seem to be the only person online who doesn't like it. If there was an 8x30 version sold by APM I'd get one. Unfortunately the European Orion-website closed down so I'd have to import the 8x30 from the US.
That being said -- one of my favourite 8x binos is the good old Canon 8x32WP. Flat field, razor sharp and very, very low amounts of CA. Too bad Canon no longer makes non-IS binos.

 

[Cest]

There will be a review on the Cloudy Nights forum in January. Oberwerk has an excellent reputation. It should be interesting.

 

[Paultricounty]

If only an EII would cost just 400€ here. I'd have long gotten one. Unfortunately in Germany it is more like 700€. Even importing directly from Japan would be more than 600€ due to taxes and shipping. Some German sellers charge more than 800€.
Not really an alternative to an Oberwerk.
I already have the 8x40 Mariner however. Good enough for me and built like a tank. Supposedly the civilian version of the Chinese military 8x40 by KUO.
The APM 6x30 is excellent BTW. You seem to be the only person online who doesn't like it. If there was an 8x30 version sold by APM I'd get one. Unfortunately the European Orion-website closed down so I'd have to import the 8x30 from the US.
That being said -- one of my favourite 8x binos is the good old Canon 8x32WP. Flat field, razor sharp and very, very low amounts of CA. Too bad Canon no longer makes non-IS binos.

I spoke with Kevin the owner, the Oberwerk 8x32 SE and soon after the 10x42 will use FK-61 ED, he is saying this will be an improvement in CA correction over the Nikon SE. He also said that it will not have a field flattener and the 8.2 field fall off will be very gradual and be more immersive than the Nikon. He also indicated that he had given one to somebody to do a review, coming soon.

I also think the APM 6x30 is excellent, very sharp. If you consider the actual retail cost of the E2 when they were fully in circulation you could be paying for the higher labor cost MIJ. It’s very possible that these Chinese binoculars could be very close to the E2 and be completely waterproof in a much more robust build, better eye relief and twist up eye cups. This could very well be a winner.

happy holidays

Paul

 

[Cest]

Fiske on Cloudy Nights has been sent one for review and said it should be there soon. Hopefully before Christmas.

 

[Paultricounty]

Fiske on Cloudy Nights has been sent one for review and said it should be there soon. Hopefully before Christmas.

There we go, maybe that’s who the owner was talking about.
Thank you

Paul

 

[brocknroller]

This one sounds interesting. Someone should try it and compare it to the Nikon SE.
Jerry

Hi Jerry,

As mentioned above, Fiske ordered one. He plans to write a review on Cloudy Nights; however, I'm not sure if he owns an 8x32 SE. He had a 12x50 SE, but the EPs developed balsam separation. He sent the SEs to Corey Suddarth, but Corey couldn't separate the doublet that had the degraded cement (it was doublet with the field flattener, which is very thin). Corey said he was afraid it would melt if he heated any higher to remove the cement. So, it's not a problem that can be fixed.

I'd be shocked if the optical quality of Obie's SE comes even close to Nikon's SE's, which is one of the finest binoculars ever made. I have a 501xxx sample. Superb resolution and contrast. The 8x30 E2 Anniversary Edition is brighter and has more vibrant colors than the SE, and it appears to have a flat light spectrum like my 8x42 EDG. Whites are Oxi-Clean white, no red tinge. Still, there's something special about the SE's view that is unmatched by any other binoculars I've owned. The ergonomic design also fits my hands like a glove.

Yunnan Oberwerk Optics took on a tall task in trying to make an SE clone. Hopefully, the EPs don't have spherical aberration of the exit pupil, which caused some SE owners to sell theirs since they could not use the SE without image blackouts or weren't able or found it too tedious to use MOLCET to overcome it.

The fact that Obie is at least trying to recreate the classic SE shows the lingering interest in SE porro binoculars. I'm wondering if Nikon licensed the design to Obie?

Brock

 

[jring]

Hi,

looks interesting - I think I wrote a few times that a re-release of the SE with twist up EPs, modern coatings and waterproofing would be warmly appreciated and still be quite competitive with alpha bins... although I had hoped for Nikon to release it for the 100th anniversary...

It is indeed just shy of half an inch longer than the Nikon version (5" vs 116mm aka 4.57") and quite a bit heaver at 800g - Nikon 8x32 was 630 and 10x42 was 710g. The weight is a bit of a bummer especially for a 8x32 pair often bought for their low weight... many 8x42 pairs are lighter...

If the sweet spot of its non-flattened 8.2 deg tfov will be as large as the sharp to the edge 7.5 deg of flat-field Nikon, that will be even better if the edge is not too terrible... we'll have to wait for the reviews.

Regarding the use of ED glass I still think that it is not really necessary in bins unless you want a very short (and thus fast) instrument. The Nikon SE series doesn't use ED glass and does just fine with color control, especially the 8x version...

Joachim

 

[dries1]

Fiske on Cloudy Nights has been sent one for review and said it should be there soon. Hopefully before Christmas.

So the reviewer who has bought every maven wx etc. who sees CA with glasses will do a review. I think I will pass.

 

[brocknroller]

So the reviewer who has bought every maven wx etc. who sees CA with glasses will do a review. I think I will pass.

Andy,

If you don't trust Fiske's CA-laden eyeglasses, you will have to buy a clone yourself and compare it to your SEs.

Brock

 

[NDhunter]

Brock:
I agree that it would be hard to find something as good as the Nikon SE, it has been a reference standard for many
users. I would want to see a direct comparison, from someone who has the ability to judge.
It does give us something to talk about...........
Jerry

 

[normjackson]

So it's looking as though the most tangible link to the Japanese SE might be the fact that there is to be a range of models with the same specs as far as magnification and objective size go :

Oberwerk Products Comparison Chart - Oberwerk

Oberwerk Products Comparison Chart Series Model Features* Effect. Aprtr. (%) FOV (degrees) FOV (@1000m) AFOV (degrees) Usable Eye Relief (mm) Exit Pupil (mm) IPD Range (mm) Min. focus (meters) Length (in.) Weight (lbs.) Price (USD) LightWeight 6.5x32 LW WP, WA, soft case 94 8.0 143m 52 19.3 4.65...

oberwerk.com

However the diminishing values for eye relief in the range for the higher powered models suggests the same eyepiece is not shared in this instance.

BTW Fiske's first thoughts are already up on Cloudy Nights.