Zeiss Terra ED: First Look (1 Viewer)

Birders need a bin, a field guide and simple clothing.

Hunters need a bin, a weapon, possibly a scope, ammunition, license(s), specialized clothing and other hunting related gear. It's mind boggling how much a modern hunter can spend on their passion...for a few days of actual sport.

Birding is inexpensive. Buy the best and enjoy the best time of your life 365.25 days a year!

Pileatus said:

Birders need a bin, a field guide and simple clothing.

Hunters need a bin, a weapon, possibly a scope, ammunition, license(s), specialized clothing and other hunting related gear. It's mind boggling how much a modern hunter can spend on their passion...for a few days of actual sport.

Birding is inexpensive. Buy the best and enjoy the best time of your life 365.25 days a year!

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Yes.

And it can get really expensive if you do a lot of long distance traveling to participate in it. If you do it often it will cost much more than equivalent birding trips.

Staying local does keep these costs down. Upgrading most equipment, for instance, is not often required. Ammunition and Licenses are basic. Same thing with bait, lures and licenses for fishing. My brother and I still have the 2 guns our father owned and hunted with over 50 years ago and they still would be just as effective for their purposes in our area, if we hunted and used them, as they were then.

I admit that I did upgrade my Fly Fishing Equipment far more often than I needed to!:king: That can get pretty costly too.

Bob

ceasar said:

Yes.

And it can get really expensive if you do a lot of long distance traveling to participate in it. If you do it often it will cost much more than equivalent birding trips.

Staying local does keep these costs down. Upgrading most equipment, for instance, is not often required. Ammunition and Licenses are basic. Same thing with bait, lures and licenses for fishing. My brother and I still have the 2 guns our father owned and hunted with over 50 years ago and they still would be just as effective for their purposes in our area, if we hunted and used them, as they were then.

I admit that I did upgrade my Fly Fishing Equipment far more often than I needed to! :king: That can get pretty costly too.

Bob

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That IMX sure is addictive !! :hippy:

Just wait till they start putting it in bins ....... :smoke:


Chosun :gh:

I feel like Ziess was taking direct aim at the "budget market" dominance of the Nikon Monarch. Less about hunters vs. birders but more about trading on their brand reputation and capturing that $250-300 buyer who suddenly realizes that for an extra 50 bucks they can have a ZEISS. And a good one at that.

I said this in my initial review of the Terra when I saw it a few months ago at the San Diego Bird Festival -- I know for ME personally, if the Zeiss Terra ED had been available a few years ago when I initially entered the bin market and was thinking about $300 options like Eagle Optics Ranger or Nikon Monarch, I would have definitely jumped at it. Brand cachet works, and in addition to the warm and fuzzies the owner gets it will help resale value. From what I saw with the Terra it dusts the Monarch 3/5 optically and I think the power of that brand name will sway a lot of buyers who otherwise would be squarely in the Nikon Monarch wheelhouse.

Bob's review seems to verify the impressions I posted back then too -- excellent optics, with a "clean and easy" view, but most importantly solid build quality, a sweet focus knob, and a product that doesn't feel "cheap" at all. The downfall of most sub $500 China ED bins is their inconsistent quality control, an area where the Nikon Monarch really separates itself and allows it to remain dominant despite objectively worse optics (small sweet spot, bad CA control, narrow FOV). If the Terra can capture that formula and deliver consistent quality control while upping the ante (in both optical quality and brand cachet) on the Monarch it will be a big success.

The Terra doesn't have to be the BEST optics in the $400-and-under price point, it just has to be really good (better than the Monarch 5) and the brand name will do the rest. I don't think Zeiss cares too much about "niche" China ED options that get play on this forum like Zen-Ray or whatever. That's not their competition -- outside of internet forums like this I doubt they have the anywhere close to the market clout of the Nikon Monarchs (and to a lesser extent Vortex / Eagle Optics / Bushnell).

ceasar said:

American Hunters will probably buy it. Most of them don't have the financial wherewithall or freedom of time to travel that many birders have. The price will be attractive and once they try one in the nearest Cabelas or Bass Pro Shop and the word gets around on their internet forums they will start buying them.

Bob

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Sorry Bob, but that is waaaaaaaaaaaaay off track. Check out the prices of some guided hunts and I think you will find hunters have just as much time and $$$$ to devote to their pursuit as birders. There are certainly a fair amount of hunters who buy cheap, but there are birders who don't know better too. Both activities have a period of evolution in gear choice.

That aside the Terra looks intriguing. I will wager it will work just as well for hunting as for birding.

My family's bowhunting ranch in S. Texas has about the cheapest day rate going @$180/day w/free accommodations. I have seen all types hunters there during my lifetime, from the fully outfitted multi-millionaires to shoestring budget hand-me-down hunters. Rarely does their gear translate into a hunt success.

Most all the birds seen today were also discovered and observed with the very first binoculars 100yrs ago, optics of infinitely less quality than the "cheapest" binoculars we have today. Like with hunting, determination, knowledge and luck are far more important to success in this hobby.

r

Steve C said:

Sorry Bob, but that is waaaaaaaaaaaaay off track. Check out the prices of some guided hunts and I think you will find hunters have just as much time and $$$$ to devote to their pursuit as birders. There are certainly a fair amount of hunters who buy cheap, but there are birders who don't know better too. Both activities have a period of evolution in gear choice.

That aside the Terra looks intriguing. I will wager it will work just as well for hunting as for birding.

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Steve,

There is no reason why they shouldn't work well for both activities.

On the matter of hunting. It is very inexpensive in Pennsylvania for residents. Nobody has to spend a lot of money. Lots of hunters never leave the state. No guides are needed.

Here is a list of the State Forests: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_forests

Here is a list of the State Game Lands and shooting ranges:

http://www.huntingpa.com/sgl.html

Here is an interactive map showing both:

http://pgcmaps.pa.gov/pgcpublicviewer/

Residents of PA who have limited incomes can hunt easily and cheaply not far from where they live. Heck, residents on welfare can do it! These people don't go on guided hunts very often and when they do it is usually to Eastern Canada where the guides are mandatory. Additionally there are many farms near these areas which allow hunting on them with permission.

These are the people I was talking about. Not the ones you are talking about which are, for the most part, outnumbered by those with limited incomes and we have many of them here. I think most states which have big public areas to hunt in also have many of them.

Bob

ceasar said:

r

Steve,

There is no reason why they shouldn't work well for both activities.

On the matter of hunting. It is very inexpensive in Pennsylvania for residents. Nobody has to spend a lot of money. Lots of hunters never leave the state. No guides are needed.

Here is a list of the State Forests: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_forests

Here is a list of the State Game Lands and shooting ranges:

http://www.huntingpa.com/sgl.html

Here is an interactive map showing both:

http://pgcmaps.pa.gov/pgcpublicviewer/

Residents of PA who have limited incomes can hunt easily and cheaply not far from where they live. Heck, residents on welfare can do it! These people don't go on guided hunts very often and when they do it is usually to Eastern Canada where the guides are mandatory. Additionally there are many farms near these areas which allow hunting on them with permission.

These are the people I was talking about. Not the ones you are talking about which are, for the most part, outnumbered by those with limited incomes and we have many of them here. I think most states which have big public areas to hunt in also have many of them.

Bob

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Bob,

I really was not talking about any group. I look at it this way. Hunting, or birding, or for that matter life in general, can be as simple or complicated, or as extravagant or frugal as we make it. Always has been like that, always will be. Are there hunters who go overboard with gear based on their own personal perceived needs...yes there are. Ditto for birders.

There are hunters and birders out there who can spend with each other dollar for dollar every day, or pinch their respective pennies with equal zeal.

I agree that the Terra is likely to work equally well for both pursuits. In my opinion there is no difference between a good birding and a good hunting binocular. After 40-50 years afield doing both, I can say that by far the hardest answers to the questions asked by the eyes of the binocular comes when hunting...NOT birding. Try separating a bedded gray or brown earth toned game animal from a brush pile, or other earth toned landscape feature, or look for antler tips in a CRP grass field, and you will find that monumentally more difficult and time consuming than getting detail on a bird.

Chosun Juan said:

Brock - that ain't gonna happen ...... the Terra ED is aimed at birEDrs NoT HunTers (poor ones at that - too poor to fork out for extraneous bullets to send whizzing all over the countryside). Sheesh! The Terra even has ED glass - Not - HT glass ...... so it is definitely NoT for HunTers! Bambi slayers, with their fondness of camo, will go elsewhere |>|

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Ummm, fellas ...... I was joking ...... :cat:

Talk about opening a Pandora's Box !! |8.| |^| || ||



Chosun :gh:

I am interested in this Zeiss Terra ED and will have to take a Safari in my back yard.I will have to search for the different class of people in State College when I go to work Monday.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/220318/ppuser/28262

mooreorless said:

I am interested in this Zeiss Terra ED and will have to take a Safari in my back yard.I will have to search for the different class of people in State College when I go to work Monday.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/220318/ppuser/28262

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Great picture Steve!

The movers and shakers and different class of people in that big University Town in the center of the state that you mention don't have to go very far to see scenes like that. Just take a run down Route 45 along the experimental farms of the University to the village of Spruce Creek where former President Carter fishes.

http://www.sprucecreekpa.com/

http://www.tu.org/join-the-community/major-donors-ccf/trips/spruce-creek-pennsylvania

Wish my backyard was like that. Mine shows a former small dairy farm and behind that an old Anthracite Coal Breaker and behind that the corridor of I-81 and behind that Mt. Joe Palooka the furthest western point of the Pocono Mountains.

Bob

Chosun Juan said:

Ummm, fellas ...... I was joking ...... :cat:

Talk about opening a Pandora's Box !! |8.| |^| || ||



Chosun :gh:

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That's alright CJ.

I had something to say about IMX Rods and other types. There was a good article about them from the Downriver Walleye Federation web site but I'll forgo it now.

http://www.dwfonline.com/

I do like the Walleye fishing song though--sung to the tune of "Rawhide."

"Trollin' trollin' trollin!
Keep that engine goin'!
Gunwales overflowin!
Walleye!

In wind and rain and weather,
We'll all fish together,
Drinkin"B , smokin' :smoke:, Tellin' lies:-O !

Cast 'em out, pull 'em in ---- Cast'em out, pull 'em in!
Cast 'em out, pull 'em in! Walleye!

Bob

ceasar said:

Great picture Steve!

The movers and shakers and different class of people in that big University Town in the center of the state that you mention don't have to go very far to see scenes like that. Just take a run down Route 45 along the experimental farms of the University to the village of Spruce Creek where former President Carter fishes.

http://www.sprucecreekpa.com/

http://www.tu.org/join-the-community/major-donors-ccf/trips/spruce-creek-pennsylvania

Wish my backyard was like that. Mine shows a former small dairy farm and behind that an old Anthracite Coal Breaker and behind that the corridor of I-81 and behind that Mt. Joe Palooka the furthest western point of the Pocono Mountains.

Bob

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Bob:

The nice thing about hobbies as mentioned they can take many forms, and
the costs vary greatly.
Your link to Spruce Creek, verifies a 2 day fishing trip, can be a enjoyable and
expensive venture. Just don't count the price per lb. of the fish.

Birding, hunting, fishing can take many forms and can be very inexpensive,
with your local outing, or hike may be a part of your daily venture.

Jerry

mooreorless said:

I am interested in this Zeiss Terra ED and will have to take a Safari in my back yard.I will have to search for the different class of people in State College when I go to work Monday.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/220318/ppuser/28262

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You don't have to search far, Steve, just train those SLCneu's, er....I mean Terra EDs... on the union mechanics and bus drivers in State College at CATA after work as they get into their Dodge Megacabs, Ford Super Duties, GM Silverado High Countries, full sized SUVs with Blue Tooth, OnStar, LED screens, chrome straight stack exhaust pipes, power everything, and the bus driver who has a fully loaded Gold Wing trike. Yeah, that's "a different class of people" all right.

After a rainy week, the weather was nice on Saturday, but instead of going birding with the alpha owners from the SC Bird Club or going to Toftrees to golf (my regular caddy, Danny, was off, and it annoys me to always have to tell a newbie what iron I want when it should be perfectly obvious), I went to the 25th Annual Historic Bellefonte Car Show and Cruise, ate a funnel cake, and bought a raffle ticket from A.B.A.T.E. for a new Harley-Davidson "Fat Bob."

Which reminds me, I've got to clean out the RV and get propane in preparation for the Grange Fair before the summer is gone. I know Jolene, my prize pig, is going to win a ribbon again this year!

http://www.grangefair.net/

(I hope that puts stereotypes in proper perspective). :smoke:

Photos from the car show....

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ceasar said:

Let us know how they work out. I don't wear glasses but I tried mine wearing aviator type sun glasses which are kind of thick and with the eye cups all the way down. The FOV was the same as when I used them without glasses and with the eye cups extended.

Bob

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Finally got them dialed in.. Very happy with the results. Lot more detail / brighter view than old bins so complaints. With problems I've had with my nikons think this was a good choice in my price range for replacement

Brock I like to go birding after work, either at KFC or Chick-fil-A looking for that Chicken Hawk with the fried chicken leg in it's talon that has been seen in State College. The Terra ED would be perfect for that.

mooreorless said:

Brock I like to go birding after work, either at KFC or Chick-fil-A looking for that Chicken Hawk with the fried chicken leg in it's talon that has been seen in State College. The Terra ED would be perfect for that.

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Not here anymore. Took off after KFC closed on N. Atherton. Like me, she apparently didn't like Chick-fil-A.

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The free case is now available from zeissgear.com. Looks like a nice case.

http://www.zeissgear.com/zeiss-terra-ed-binocular-pouch.html

kbrabble said:

The free case is now available from zeissgear.com. Looks like a nice case.

http://www.zeissgear.com/zeiss-terra-ed-binocular-pouch.html

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OK!:t: It's a case but they call it a pouch.

It looks just like the case I got with my 7 x 42 Victory FL.

There was a Velour like pouch with a string tie which I received with my new 8 x 42 TerraED. It smells of camphor.

Bob

ceasar said:

OK!:t: It's a case but they call it a pouch.

It looks just like the case I got with my 7 x 42 Victory FL.

There was a Velour like pouch with a string tie which I received with my new 8 x 42 TerraED. It smells of camphor.

Bob

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The camphor will help keep away the bugs, which we are going to need since bats are dropping like flies in Pa. due to white-nose disease. Depending on the species, a single bat can eat between 300 to 3,000 insects a night! Take away the bats and you've got a pestilence problem. Insects eat leaves and crops, so we also might have a famine problem.

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