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Opinion on buying 8x30 E II from Japan seller on amazon? (1 Viewer)

Gavin S.

Member
I'd really like to get a pair of these and it seems the only options currently are buying from Japan or paying $800 for the 100th anniversary models. I asked the seller in Japan about warranty and they said there would only be a 1 year warranty in Japan for the bins. Would you guys be wary of that? Thanks.
 
Gavin,

First off I would never pay the price for the 100th Anniversary Edition. They are the same glass as the regular EIIs sold from Japan, except with a silver metal flake paint job. I bought two standard black EIIs from Amazon and they are fine and work very well. Great Glass!
Additionally being a porro prism they are repair facilities here in the US who can easily work on these so if they fail after a year or get out of alignment, then no problem. If the lens breaks, worst case scenario, then you would have to send them to Japan for replacements and at cost. Just don't drop them.

Regards,

Andy W.
 
I think if you bought the anniversary edition from an authorized US dealer you'd have a lifetime warranty. So you could think of the $800 - $480 = $320 extra as the price of a lifetime warranty. Whether or not that's worth it only you can decide. Like Andy said, there are repair facilities that could easily do work on an EII as it is a unsealed porro.

The current going price of $480 seems a bit high by the way. They usually hang around $430 and I've seen it as low as $400.
 
Thanks guys. I guess the question is whether I would typically need a warranty on the E IIs. And I guess the answer is, probably not.
 
I got mine at the 430 range in October 2017, watch the market (value of the yen) the prices at Amazon should drop, or look for a used one, US seller, which can be had for 375.

A.W.
 
Thanks guys. I guess the question is whether I would typically need a warranty on the E IIs. And I guess the answer is, probably not.
I've had an 8x30 and 10x35 for several years and had no problems with them. If the Amazon price is reasonable for the non anniversary model then go for it. Or look for used here on BF. If my bins had a collimation or other problem I would probably send them to a good independent like Suddarth.
 
Thanks guys. I guess the question is whether I would typically need a warranty on the E IIs. And I guess the answer is, probably not.

I think you will be fine without a warranty. My wife's pair feels very nicely made and looks like a simple design where little will go wrong naturally.

Just make sure to be extra vigilant with the rainguard if you get caught in a storm and always wear the strap since they are not rubber armored and would not fare well if dropped.
 
Just got mine from Japan via eBay. Could not be happier with the EII.
 

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Nice pic, the fujinon is a nice glass too bad they stopped commercially making the 6x30 and the 8X30.
The EII is a glass everyone should have.
A.W.
 
I bought both my E2's from Japan through ebay as well as one of my monoculars . They were purchased from three different vendors over this past winter with very little wait time . All were packaged well and arrived safely.
 

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I bought both my E2's from Japan through ebay as well as one of my monoculars . They were purchased from three different vendors over this past winter with very little wait time . All were packaged well and arrived safely.

Hi, Albie, and Welcome:

If a birder had no more expensive bino than the EII, he or she could have pleasant, fulfilling views for the remainder of his or her life and save tons of money in the process. They just wouldn't have the opportunity to pine over the next expensive ... "lo here" to come along. Que sera sera! :cat:

Bill
 
Hello Bill.
Thank you for the welcome .
You and a couple other individuals from the "other" site , inspired me to buy the 8x32 and 10x42 SE's . Those are gone and have been replaced by the E2's . If I were to do it again , I would have the 8x30E2 (love it) and the 10x42SE (loved it) . Live and learn. At least the journey was pleasant.
Oh, by the way Bill , I bought your book and am still waiting for it to show up . Should be a good read.
 
Hello Bill.
Thank you for the welcome .
You and a couple other individuals from the "other" site , inspired me to buy the 8x32 and 10x42 SE's . Those are gone and have been replaced by the E2's . If I were to do it again , I would have the 8x30E2 (love it) and the 10x42SE (loved it) . Live and learn. At least the journey was pleasant.
Oh, by the way Bill , I bought your book and am still waiting for it to show up . Should be a good read.

So ... You're the one! :eek!: :cat:

Bill
 
I've been checking Camera in the Post (seeing as Microglobe are out of stock of EIIs); HK-based (but with a UK office in Dundee), with a promise that they'll pick up the tab for VAT/import duty (probably a total of 22%) and that you only pay the price as advertised.
This may involve you paying this if required, and contacting them for reimbursement via your Paypal account.
Has anyone been through this process? Despite hundreds of glowing reviews via Trustpilot and having been established for sometime, this seems a little chancy.... the price is tempting though!
 
I've been checking Camera in the Post (seeing as Microglobe are out of stock of EIIs); HK-based (but with a UK office in Dundee), with a promise that they'll pick up the tab for VAT/import duty (probably a total of 22%) and that you only pay the price as advertised.
This may involve you paying this if required, and contacting them for reimbursement via your Paypal account.
Has anyone been through this process? Despite hundreds of glowing reviews via Trustpilot and having been established for sometime, this seems a little chancy.... the price is tempting though!

I bought my EIIs from Camera in the Post a few moths ago. At the time their price was about £355 (the best price I could see anywhere). When I ordered, it turned out they didn't have stock, but were able to obtain it within about 10 days from Japan - which they did. In the meantime Nikon had increased their price substantially, and the price on the website went up by about £100. Fair play to camera in the post, though, they honoured their order at the original price. The bins arrived well packed with all the relevant (Japanese) paperwork and warranty documents (valid in Japan). The binoculars had been shipped from Hong Kong via registered mail with tracking, and the declaration was labelled "Small Lens" with a value of $14 - made me chuckle. I should add that I had good email communication with Camera in the Post -not always super-quick, but prompt enough, and answers were thorough - I felt I was dealing with a human at the other end who cared about their service.

Very, very happy with the binoculars - a real treasure, lovely to look through (I wear glasses), really lovely in the hands, and just a joy to own. Mine live in a Crumpler 2-Million Dollar Home bag, which is well padded and rather more functional for field use than the supplied Nikon bag.
 
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Thanks MB! I've subsequently emailed them a couple of times, and like you, had very personalised and thorough replies, explaining as much as they could about how it works. I decided to go for it, as they were still substantially cheaper than anywhere in the UK currently.
The courier has been in touch to say they're on the way, so hopefully no hitches!
Glad you're happy with yours - i'm intending them as 'good weather bins', but sitting here in the east coast with snow hammering down on March 17th, that seems a fair way off currently....!
Paddy
 
I'm sure you'll be delighted with the EIIs - I also use mine as "fair weather" bins, and for that purpose they are a delight, with a wonderful, wide, immersive view, a generous sweet spot, and bitingly sharp - you'll see every ruffled feather!
 
I'd really like to get a pair of these and it seems the only options currently are buying from Japan or paying $800 for the 100th anniversary models. I asked the seller in Japan about warranty and they said there would only be a 1 year warranty in Japan for the bins. Would you guys be wary of that? Thanks.

Gavin,

I'm probably a little late to the parade, but just ordered the 8X30E IIs from Amazon. I spoke to Nikon Sports Optics USA this morning and verified this purchase would be covered under the Nikon Sports "Lifetime No-Fault Warranty", so took the plunge! Basically they stated this full warranty does not require a proof-of-purchase, so in essence is a transferable warranty.

Appears they take it one step further than Swarovski (No-fault warranty, similar to Vortex), so really nothing to lose, except some $$$. I have the Swaro Habicht 8X30 GA porros, so should be an interesting optical\handling comparison! ;)

Ted
 
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