Product Review: The Nikon EII 10 x 35. (1 Viewer)

[Holger Merlitz]

Dear Holger,

Thanks for the heads up!

Great to hear of your positive astronomical experiences with the 10 x 35 EII.

Agreed on the WX; 9 degrees at 10x over a perfectly flat field I can only imagine is awe-inspiring!

Alas, this far north(56 degrees latitude), we have twilight until the end of July, so no true darkness. So for now, it serves as a 'sky darkening glass' lol but I still enjoy star fields around the brighter summer luminaries like Altair, Vega and Deneb. M13 in Hercules and the Coathanger in Vulpecula are also favourite targets too. If we get a chance to visit my relations down in Pembrokeshire South Wales over the summer, I might get a few hours of truly dark skies.

With best wishes,

Ps Hope the book is going to schedule!

Neil.

Dear Neil,

That's right, to darken the background sky the EII is a great tool. Just read on cloudynights.com that Nikon might introduce field flattening lenses to the EII, which would make them even better under the night skies.

Thanks, everything is going smoothly with the book!

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Dipperdapper]

Hi Holger,

OMG, I just read this thread!

Not sure when it will materialise, but it's very exciting!

Maybe they'll call it the Nikon EIII or some such.

That said, I'm delighted with both of the EIIs, their field curvature is quite gentle to my eye.

Some veterans have owned and enjoyed these instruments for over twenty years. I'm going to enjoy my 'honeymoon period' with these instruments and see how the story of the EII develops.

Good to hear all is going well with the book. I predict it will make a big splash when it lands!

Kind Regards,

Neil.

 

[Scott98]

Neil - it's funny you should ask about the neck strap! My 10x35's are actually sporting the luxurious Swarovski "Universal comfort" strap. I have some arthritis condition that gives me weak joints, I already have trouble with my neck for astronomy. The OEM strap was not enough cushion for my bones.

It's hard to find a decent strap I like. I could use a couple more. The Swaro one is silly-expensive. The OEM straps that come with the EDG and Zeiss SF's are just about perfect, but they're not available for purchase as accesories. None of the others seem quite right, the neoprene is too long or I don't like the attachments. The one you linked to looks pretty good.

I'm tempted to call Zeiss support and order a couple of their SF straps, if that's possible. They sell the rainguards separately but not the straps.

The extra-long tail of the cuckoos gives them away here. We've got a brown-billed and a yellow-billed. My bird club's full of expert veteran birders, every walk with them is a free lesson, I appreciate their skills. They immediately ID'd cuckoo calls twice during the walk. One time it emerged enough for us to see it, the 2nd time it did not come out of the brush.

 

[henry link]

The extra-long tail of the cuckoos gives them away here. We've got a brown-billed and a yellow-billed.

Black-billed

 

[tenex]

I have some arthritis condition that gives me weak joints, I already have trouble with my neck for astronomy. The OEM strap was not enough cushion for my bones. It's hard to find a decent strap I like. I could use a couple more. The Swaro one is silly-expensive. The OEM straps that come with the EDG and Zeiss SF's are just about perfect, but they're not available for purchase as accesories. None of the others seem quite right, the neoprene is too long or I don't like the attachments. The one you linked to looks pretty good.

I highly recommend my favorite, the Leica OEM strap. It has a useful ergonomic contour to the neoprene band but is otherwise very simple. Available at Leica Store Miami (here), not to be confused with the red-dot consumer version sold at B&H etc which inexplicably has something in the pad that prevents it from stretching. (If you have a Leica product their customer service might offer you one for less; I once got a spare at no charge.) It's made by Niggeloh and a version is also sold here as "Vero Vellini", but choose the contoured not the straight version. For lighter items I prefer a simple nylon strap with no pad at all just a non-slip strip, Nikon AN-4B.

Just read on cloudynights.com that Nikon might introduce field flattening lenses to the EII, which would make them even better under the night skies.

Sounds like the rebirth of SEs, likely with some reduction in field of view? I hope they still continue to produce the current version.

 

[Dipperdapper]

Neil - it's funny you should ask about the neck strap! My 10x35's are actually sporting the luxurious Swarovski "Universal comfort" strap. I have some arthritis condition that gives me weak joints, I already have trouble with my neck for astronomy. The OEM strap was not enough cushion for my bones.

It's hard to find a decent strap I like. I could use a couple more. The Swaro one is silly-expensive. The OEM straps that come with the EDG and Zeiss SF's are just about perfect, but they're not available for purchase as accesories. None of the others seem quite right, the neoprene is too long or I don't like the attachments. The one you linked to looks pretty good.

I'm tempted to call Zeiss support and order a couple of their SF straps, if that's possible. They sell the rainguards separately but not the straps.

The extra-long tail of the cuckoos gives them away here. We've got a brown-billed and a yellow-billed. My bird club's full of expert veteran birders, every walk with them is a free lesson, I appreciate their skills. They immediately ID'd cuckoo calls twice during the walk. One time it emerged enough for us to see it, the 2nd time it did not come out of the brush.

That's good to know Scott. We've had a lot of hot sunny weather here lately and I've noticed that the supplied straps chafe my neck but when I switched them out for the better padded straps shown below; I get much more comfortable handling. Not in the same league as the ones you quote but a big improvement nonetheless.


Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Hi Holger,

OMG, I just read this thread!

Not sure when it will materialise, but it's very exciting!

Maybe they'll call it the Nikon EIII or some such.

That said, I'm delighted with both of the EIIs, their field curvature is quite gentle to my eye.

Some veterans have owned and enjoyed these instruments for over twenty years. I'm going to enjoy my 'honeymoon period' with these instruments and see how the story of the EII develops.

Good to hear all is going well with the book. I predict it will make a big splash when it lands!

Kind Regards,

Neil.

I guess your book will be out first? Looking forward to, it will definitely be a bigger splash, while my humble write up will only be read by a couple of technique geeks

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Dipperdapper]

I guess your book will be out first? Looking forward to, it will definitely be a bigger splash, while my humble write up will only be read by a couple of technique geeks

Cheers,
Holger

Dear Holger,

You’re far too modest.

On the contrary, technical literacy is an important part of a balanced scientific education: good for the citizen and wider society. We should all strive to be more numerate.

I see your up-and-coming book as being essential reading. When you survey the online forums you have innumerable opinions- some of which are very outlandish - which is fine, but while you can have your own opinions, you can’t own your own facts. That’s where I see your work will be of greatest value; using solid physical theory to constrain the unbridled speculation of forum ‘exhibitionists,’ and urban myths that have no basis in physical reality.

From what I’ve seen of your sample chapters, you do a great job outlying the theory and then explaining what it means in simple language, so it’s of benefit to everyone remotely interested in what their binoculars are showing them. I’ve certainly benefitted greatly from your work. Indeed, I’ll be referring to your work often in my own book for those who want to dig deeper.

My book will have more pretty pictures than yours though!😛

Re: dates. Not heard back yet from my editor, but first draft submitted at the end of April. Usually takes 5 months to go from submission to print, so I'm hoping a fall 2023 release. That said, I have more stuff to add, particularly a summary of my findings regarding to Nikon EII 10 x 35, so more tweaking in the pipeline.



With best wishes,



Neil.

 

[Scott98]

Black-billed

Doh! Thanks Henry. My birding skills are pretty much lacking at this point

I called out a group of 8 Gold finch overhead Saturday and they were Cedar Waxwings. I think part of serious birding is knowing to stay silent....at least until you know what you're doing out there It's a nice hobby, the veteran birders are always willing to help an enthusiastic novice.

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Dear Holger,

You’re far too modest.

On the contrary, technical literacy is an important part of a balanced scientific education: good for the citizen and wider society. We should all strive to be more numerate.

I see your up-and-coming book as being essential reading. When you survey the online forums you have innumerable opinions- some of which are very outlandish - which is fine, but while you can have your own opinions, you can’t own your own facts. That’s where I see your work will be of greatest value; using solid physical theory to constrain the unbridled speculation of forum ‘exhibitionists,’ and urban myths that have no basis in physical reality.

From what I’ve seen of your sample chapters, you do a great job outlying the theory and then explaining what it means in simple language, so it’s of benefit to everyone remotely interested in what their binoculars are showing them. I’ve certainly benefitted greatly from your work. Indeed, I’ll be referring to your work often in my own book for those who want to dig deeper.

My book will have more pretty pictures than yours though!😛

Re: dates. Not heard back yet from my editor, but first draft submitted at the end of April. Usually takes 5 months to go from submission to print, so I'm hoping a fall 2023 release. That said, I have more stuff to add, particularly a summary of my findings regarding to Nikon EII 10 x 35, so more tweaking in the pipeline.



With best wishes,



Neil.

Dear Neil,

You are kind, and I certainly hope, that as many people as possible may enjoy reading my book, even though this reading experience will be tedious at times. There are enough fun parts, though. I want to submit my files, now converted into the new Springer format, by the end of this month, so a publication before Xmas may be possible

Cheers,
Holger

 

[wllmspd]

We’ll all have to enquire about how to have a “signed copy” (maybe a printed insert)?! I noticed the “poor” edges of my E2 when comparing to some “ultra flat” eyepieces in my binoscope. If Nikon do make a “flat E2” (with the same or wider field a please!) I’d buy them in a flash! Small, light, easy to use, like a comfortable old coat or a pair of slippers…

Peter

 

[[email protected]]

We’ll all have to enquire about how to have a “signed copy” (maybe a printed insert)?! I noticed the “poor” edges of my E2 when comparing to some “ultra flat” eyepieces in my binoscope. If Nikon do make a “flat E2” (with the same or wider field a please!) I’d buy them in a flash! Small, light, easy to use, like a comfortable old coat or a pair of slippers…

Peter

Nikon already makes a "flat E2". It is called a Nikon SE 8x32. The FOV is tack sharp right to the edge. I bet if Nikon does make a flat E2, it will not have the huge FOV it does know. It would take a very complex eyepiece to achieve that, like the Swarovski NL, and it will be much heavier and larger.

 

[Paultricounty]

Nikon already makes a "flat E2". It is called a Nikon SE 8x32. The FOV is tack sharp right to the edge. I bet if Nikon does make a flat E2, it will not have the huge FOV it does know. It would take a very complex eyepiece to achieve that, like the Swarovski NL, and it will be much heavier and larger.

If Nikon stopped down the E2 to 8°, It would be an SE and be sharp to the edge 😉.

 

[[email protected]]

If Nikon stopped down the E2 to 8°, It would be an SE and be sharp to the edge 😉.

Exactly, grasshopper.

 

[wllmspd]

But an SE isn’t and E2…. We’ll have to see what Nikon comes up with…..

Peter

 

[[email protected]]

But an SE isn’t and E2…. We’ll have to see what Nikon comes up with…..

Peter

What ever it is, I will bet the armour will last longer than Swarovski's! 😁