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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Nikon 8x32 SE review - vs. Habicht and Swarovision (1 Viewer)

What vintage are SE 8x32 502xxxx?

I've just bought a mint pair which seem great although I like the extra boost from the 10x35 EII when looking out a long way.
 
Good review.
I recently had to get a new eyeglass prescription, which resulted in excessive ER/eye placement problems with my 8x SE. I folded the upper part of the eyecup down until it almost touches the edge of the eye lense. Worked like a charm, and similar to your solution. So far, my fold stays in place.
 
My situation is the same, and a set of very thin O-rings folded under the eyecup keep them fixed. I don't recall the dimensions of the rings, but a quick search here will pull up the O-ring thread. Once I sorted out the ER, my SEs get as much use as my EIIs. They are finicky, but the view is worth the effort.

David
 
I feel I can forgive weaknesses in a 700.- glass which I can´t in a 1700.- glass...

and I guess - judging from the many different opinions I read - that the SEs and E2s have more sample variation then the SV.

I doubt if that's true of the SEs. The SV EL's focusers alone would vary more. I've owned seven SEs - 3-12x50s, 1-10x42, and 3-8x32s). I also tried another 12x50 SE and a 10x42 SE for a month each. I tried two other 10x42 SEs more briefly.

The only difference I found was a closer close focus in one 12x50 SE (16 ft, like the 10x42, rather than 24 ft. as per spec) and better contrast on newer models with more advanced coatings, but that's to be expected.

OTOH, I have found sample variation with the EII in terms of how much field curvature they have. Some have a moderate amount, some very little. Not sure why this is, but it's based on 3-8x30s and 3-10x35s. With the eights, comparing three samples side by side, not from memory. Even the one with the most field curvature was still a great birding bin.

Brock
 
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In my opinion a good copy of the SE will remain a superb almost state of the art glass for years to come, because they are the sharpest, don´t have RG, and a transmission boost of 5% as with the latest Zeiss will not be really visible, as we discern brightness changes in a logarithmic, not in a linear fashion. The SEs are not very much behind the SV, in some fields they are even better, and for a fraction of the price.

Great review of a very interesting and quirky binocular. Since the world of quality birding porros is shrinking, I would suggest consideration of the Opticron 8 x 32 SR.GA. as well. No, it's not a Nikon SE or Habicht, but it's a wonderful binocular in its own right, with optical performance far better than it's modest price would suggest and a convincing reminder of the time-tested virtues of the 8x30 porro configuration.
 
Great review of a very interesting and quirky binocular. Since the world of quality birding porros is shrinking, I would suggest consideration of the Opticron 8 x 32 SR.GA. as well. No, it's not a Nikon SE or Habicht, but it's a wonderful binocular in its own right, with optical performance far better than it's modest price would suggest and a convincing reminder of the time-tested virtues of the 8x30 porro configuration.

And how much more it costs the buyer to get the same level of performance out of a roof.

The gap is closing, however. Tried the 8x30 Monarch 7, and given the price, it's a "good bang for the buck." I don't often say that about roofs.

Brock
 
Brock have you tried the 8x42 Monarch 7 ? I would be interested in your opinion.

No, only the 8x30 model. Several BF members tried both and thought the 8x30 was the better of the two.

But don't worry, I compared the 8x32 SE to the 8x30 M7, and the SE is better. You'd have to go a $1,000 over the price of an SE to get as good quality in a roof. But for $300, the 8x30 M7 is better than the Vortex 8x42 Fury, which was the "best buy" in its day.

Brock
 
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Thanks, on paper with the wfov and low weight all in full size bin it read well as a Winter go to bin and leave the SE/EII at home.
 
The CA suppression of the 12X50 SE puzzles me. I've read reports of every thing from huge green halos that spoil the image, to very minimal and not bothersome. I wonder if I'm missing the boat like I did on the 8 and 10X by not getting a new pair at $799 while they're still available ? The Binomania review in particular makes them sound like a must have. As you know, the BD 10X44 BP is my favorite binocular, but it does have a good bit of CA.

I doubt if that's true of the SEs. The SV EL's focusers alone would vary more. I've owned seven SEs - 3-12x50s, 1-10x42, and 3-8x32s). I also tried another 12x50 SE and a 10x42 SE for a month each. I tried two other 10x42 SEs more briefly.

The only difference I found was a closer close focus in one 12x50 SE (16 ft, like the 10x42, rather than 24 ft. as per spec) and better contrast on newer models with more advanced coatings, but that's to be expected.

Brock
 
The CA suppression of the 12X50 SE puzzles me. I've read reports of every thing from huge green halos that spoil the image, to very minimal and not bothersome. I wonder if I'm missing the boat like I did on the 8 and 10X by not getting a new pair at $799 while they're still available ? The Binomania review in particular makes them sound like a must have. As you know, the BD 10X44 BP is my favorite binocular, but it does have a good bit of CA.

I've owned two 12x50 SEs and had another on loan for a few weeks. All exhibited noticeabe CA in certain situations. For example, while looking at a hawk flying overhead, I would have to keep the hawk dead center or he would develop a thin green and red "halo." Comparing the 10x42 and the 8x32 against the 12x50s (had all three out one day), the 10x required less centering and the 8x, the least, but even the 8x would show some CA if the sky was gray. When I've looked at birds in trees, CA was not a problem with the 12x SE, though the 5* TFOV starts to become an issue. I found myself looking over the bins to "sight" the bird after I couldn't find it through the bin and then go back and try again. But you already have a narrowish FOV with the 10x44 MINOX. If that doesn't bother you, the 12x SE's FOV probably wouldn't, and there you get 12x.

Compared to other non-ED bins, the 8x and 10x SEs are quite good when it comes to CA suppression, but 12x is pushing it for a non-ED bin.

But it really depends on how sensitive you are to CA and also what your experience is with other bins. If you are used to the "clean" view of an ED bin, you are more likely to notice the CA in the 12x50 SE.

I also found the 12x hard to steady for daytime use. Unlike the 8x and 10x, the balance point isn't on the prisms, but on the seam between the prisms and barrels, so I had to move my hand further toward the objectives to counterbalance the weighty objective side.

For stargazing, where the weight is back on your face, the 12x SE was easier to handle, though stars are more vulnerable to "the shakes" than birds so I had to be in a reclining chair with my arms supported.

All the SEs are excellent, though some people have problems with image blackouts. I have that a little with the 8x, because I have to adjust the IPD the most due to observing close in, but for the 10x and 12x, where I'm almost always looking medium to long distances, image blackout is less of a problem since I keep the IPD set so that the image forms a perfect circle.

You'll still see used 12x50 SEs come up for sale on Astromart and Cloudy Nights now and then. Amateur astronomers are always getting "aperture fever," and they sell their 12x SEs to move up to 15x, 16x or 20x. Sometimes they have seller's remorse. I did.

Brock
 
You'll still see used 12x50 SEs come up for sale on Astromart and Cloudy Nights now and then. Amateur astronomers are always getting "aperture fever," and they sell their 12x SEs to move up to 15x, 16x or 20x. Sometimes they have seller's remorse. I did.

Brock

Brock I have trader's remorse sometimes. I traded the[your] 12x50SE for an Orion 100ED, that is until I look through the 100ED. I will say I saw CA like you in some situations with the 12SE. I wish I still had it, more so than the 10SE. BTW I have never seen CA in the 100ED.
 
Is the $799 they're going for at B&H about where new price on the 12X has been for a few years ?

You'll still see used 12x50 SEs come up for sale on Astromart and Cloudy Nights now and then. Amateur astronomers are always getting "aperture fever," and they sell their 12x SEs to move up to 15x, 16x or 20x. Sometimes they have seller's remorse. I did.

Brock

Brock I have trader's remorse sometimes. I traded the[your] 12x50SE for an Orion 100ED, that is until I look through the 100ED. I will say I saw CA like you in some situations with the 12SE. I wish I still had it, more so than the 10SE. BTW I have never seen CA in the 100ED.
 
Is the $799 they're going for at B&H about where new price on the 12X has been for a few years ?

Yes, the 12x50 SE was $799 before they were discontinued, it's the only model whose price has remained stable. The 8x32 SE had been $599 two and a half years ago, incrementally increased to $625 in 2012, and then to $679 last year, but jumped to $799 this year after stores began listing the SE as discontinued. The 10x42 SE had been $699, but that, too, jumped to $799, so now all three models are the same price.

Before the tsunami, SE prices had been fairly stable. The 8x32 SE new sold for about $525-$550 for nearly a decade.

Let us know what you think of the 12x50 SE.

Brock
 
Thanks Brock

I really hope these are a good match for me. I think this model would have a decent chance of retaining good resale value.
 
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