question for se users (1 Viewer)

i'm considering lining up either the nikon 10,42se or 8,32se up with some top end roof prism bins from leica etc for possible purchase later in the year but am a little hesitant about the desighn of the nikons.my question for any se users is how stable is the image compered to internal focusing of the roofprisms.i currently use opticron imagic tga porros and when held with the objective lenses flat against a window pain i notice the image moves up and down a little when focusing from close focus to infinity.this is not a huge problem but would not want this problem in 400pound plus binoculars.the lack of water proofing is not that big a deal with me.any advice welcomed,matt

matt green said:

i'm considering lining up either the nikon 10,42se or 8,32se up with some top end roof prism bins from leica etc for possible purchase later in the year but am a little hesitant about the desighn of the nikons.my question for any se users is how stable is the image compered to internal focusing of the roofprisms.i currently use opticron imagic tga porros and when held with the objective lenses flat against a window pain i notice the image moves up and down a little when focusing from close focus to infinity.this is not a huge problem but would not want this problem in 400pound plus binoculars.the lack of water proofing is not that big a deal with me.any advice welcomed,matt

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Matt,

I had my 8X32 SE glued to my eyes for the better part of Sunday. The bird details I see in the SE are beyond description, and that goes for birds in flight and standing still. The focus action is a marvel of engineering, though some would say it's a bit slow. If you're in a hurry all the time, the SE isn't your binocular. If you bird in torrential rains, the SE is not for you.

If you want the best view available and serious waterproofing isn't a necessity, the SE is a superb choice. I'll bet that more positive remarks have been made about the SE than any other binocular. Who was it that said they no longer used their EL after purchasing an SE 8X32?

BTW, if you think I'm a fan of the SE, you should speak to my wife!

John

Matt,

You would find no such problem with the SE. As many people on the forum would tell you (John Traynor being among the biggest fans) the image in the SE is unsurpassed, and the binocular is superbly engineered. Some people have a little trouble getting used to the binocular, because poor positioning can cause blackouts of the image or problems with color fringing. I for one have never had those problems, and I am utterly amazed by the image every time I put them up to my eyes.

Some people also do not like the ergonomics of the SE, while I find them the best handling binoculars I have ever held. I can get a rock-steady image with the 8x32 SE, and the resolution and contrast are so great I generally see more than companion birders do with 10x bins.

I also own Leica Ultravid, and it does not outperform the SE. Neither does Swarovski EL or Zeiss FL, and I have tested all of them against the SE. However, the SE is not waterproof, the rubber eyecups are not ideal, and the focus stiffens in cold weather.

thanks for the above comments folks,this is pretty much what i wanted to hear.i definitely need to find a demo pair and i suspect that once i have handled a pair i will regret my initial concerns. matt

Matt,

I'd like to remind you about that previously discussed cold weather focusing, which IMHO *is* an issue with the Nikon SEs (although I didn't say that very clearly ). Our 8x32SEs are almost unusable at temperatures below -10°C. Optically they are clearly among the very best - occasionally I do experience blacking-out with them, but I really don't see color fringing as a problem with the SEs.

Ilkka :t:

mmmmm,this issue of cold weather focusing is something that would bug me the most.in that respect i still prefer the non lubricated focus of the leica trinovids and ultravids.today i have been attempting to find a local dealer in norfolk with a demo pair but have met with the same response,it seems dealers are reluctant to stock this model solely on the basis of the lack of water proofing.this seems strange for a pair of binoculars that many say are optically unrivaled?.to be honest any of the top bins i have been able to demo so far i would happily settle for,at the end of the day i really want something that handles well and will last''hopefully''for most of the guarantee period. [one day i will be a brilliant ornothologist]?