I got mine off ebay about 4yrs ago and it must be one of the very earliest examples (sn is 47726). Apparently there have been running changes to diopter adj, eyecup style and maybe coatings. I've seen several reviews (2 by BVD, about 3 yrs apart, by different authors) and they variously describe dipoter adj as being click stop on the ep and also as a pop-up on the center knob (ala FL & others). Also, one reviewer wrote of the ep diopter as being click-stop.
The one I have has regular friction-twist adj on the ep (ala 820) and it has straight pull-up eyecups, not twist-up as mentioned in some reviews. (Actually, I prefer this type adj, as you can bring both to focus more quickly, and get it exact. My 7x42 FL has the locking popup on the wheel and I'm not taken with it.)
My real concern it the brightness, or lack of it. The objective coatings seem to have almost a blue-green cast, where all my other binos and scopes are more of a grass-green. Compared to my 820 (non-ED), 8x32 SE, 8x32 DCF-SP, et al, there is a noticable difference, almost as if the 828 wasn't phase-coated....or maybe in early production the application of the FMC was too thick (?). I'd like to try a late model, but haven't as yet.
In spite of that, I still consider it a favorite because of sharpness, ease of view (like it's porro sibling) and nice handling. And it's a bargain.
The one I have has regular friction-twist adj on the ep (ala 820) and it has straight pull-up eyecups, not twist-up as mentioned in some reviews. (Actually, I prefer this type adj, as you can bring both to focus more quickly, and get it exact. My 7x42 FL has the locking popup on the wheel and I'm not taken with it.)
My real concern it the brightness, or lack of it. The objective coatings seem to have almost a blue-green cast, where all my other binos and scopes are more of a grass-green. Compared to my 820 (non-ED), 8x32 SE, 8x32 DCF-SP, et al, there is a noticable difference, almost as if the 828 wasn't phase-coated....or maybe in early production the application of the FMC was too thick (?). I'd like to try a late model, but haven't as yet.
In spite of that, I still consider it a favorite because of sharpness, ease of view (like it's porro sibling) and nice handling. And it's a bargain.