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

Regarding Nikon Se (1 Viewer)

Simon S said:
Nikon serial numbers follow no logical numbering system. Be warned if you are trying to date them this way.
Click to expand...

Simon:
You are correct, as earlier models began with 504xxx, and other
combinations.

Recently they do, they have had the 550xxx shipping since 2009,
or maybe earlier. I have or have owned 3, 550's and can follow the
dates.

If they do a full run of 1,000 now it seems they start with 551xxx.

Jerry
 
Mine is 550802, received last August from Nikon Warranty.

There was a long thread at the time on correlating numbering with build sequence. All we concluded was that, apart from a sheet of stickers which could be applied in any sequence, and a pile of modular components, which could have been built long before, all theories as to dating are pure conjecture.

The existence of a 551xxx does suggest, at the very minimum, another sequence of stickers but doesn't necessarily imply a new build cycle. But perhaps the sky isn't falling, yet.

David
 
David Swain said:
Mine is 550802, received last August from Nikon Warranty.

There was a long thread at the time on correlating numbering with build sequence. All we concluded was that, apart from a sheet of stickers which could be applied in any sequence, and a pile of modular components, which could have been built long before, all theories as to dating are pure conjecture.

The existence of a 551xxx does suggest, at the very minimum, another sequence of stickers but doesn't necessarily imply a new build cycle. But perhaps the sky isn't falling, yet.
David
Click to expand...

David:

Do the math, what comes after 550 ?

Bingo, it is 551. Yes, another set of ser. numbers, and production continues.

Is that hard to understand? Don't be troubled, be happy.

Jerry
 
Give it a rest. SE's are probably sitting in a warehouse collecting dust. Clearly, North America sales have been extremely dismal for many years...no one has carried it as a regularly stocked item for a long time.

My bet is they still sell a few outside the US and that a handful are shipped our way when a BF reader asks for one. Most people can't tell you a thing about an SE. Trust me, expensive porros are dead.

Long live the SE!
 
Pileatus said:
Give it a rest. SE's are probably sitting in a warehouse collecting dust. Clearly, North America sales have been extremely dismal for many years...no one has carried it as a regularly stocked item for a long time.

My bet is they still sell a few outside the US and that a handful are shipped our way when a BF reader asks for one. Most people can't tell you a thing about an SE. Trust me, expensive porros are dead.

Long live the SE!
Click to expand...

In my case everything I've thrown at the SE has utterly failed to kill them, most recently some SLC HD's. In fact not only have they not died but the sale from the SLC is about to give birth to a second pair of SE's! ( due Wednesday) ( 550's to accompany my 505's if that's of any relevance) oh and a pair of EII 8x30's arrived yesterday too! and thanks to the SLC's I still have money left over for some cheap chinese waterproofs :) Will be very interesting to finally see if there is any truth in the 550 is best theory....
 
mulligatawny owl said:
In my case everything I've thrown at the SE has utterly failed to kill them, most recently some SLC HD's. In fact not only have they not died but the sale from the SLC is about to give birth to a second pair of SE's! ( due Wednesday) ( 550's to accompany my 505's if that's of any relevance) oh and a pair of EII 8x30's arrived yesterday too! and thanks to the SLC's I still have money left over for some cheap chinese waterproofs :) Will be very interesting to finally see if there is any truth in the 550 is best theory....
Click to expand...

I`m a bit jealous, let us know your ranking r.e. SE EII.
 
Torview said:
I`m a bit jealous, let us know your ranking r.e. SE EII.
Click to expand...

I much prefer the EII to the SE. The W-I-D-E FOV of the EII is positively addictive. While the SE is undeniably a landmark binocular, it's relatively narrow FOV have been a dealbreaker for me. That said, the SE does offer a technically superb view, it is justifiably considered to be the most highly refined center focusing porro prism binocular ever made. That being said, seeing the world through an 8x30 EII for the first time is a jaw dropping experience for FOV afficianados - exceeded (slightly) only by the Zeiss 7x42 B/GAT and FL - in my opinion. By contrast, the SE doesn't elicit a sense of awe, but rather of supreme competence. While the scientist will prefer the SE, the artist will prefer the EII.
 
Last edited:
angelo225544 said:
I much prefer the EII to the SE. The W-I-D-E FOV of the EII is positively addictive. While the SE is undeniably a landmark binocular, it's relatively narrow FOV have been a dealbreaker for me. That said, the SE does offer a technically superb view, it is justifiably considered to be the most highly refined center focusing porro prism binocular ever made. That being said, seeing the world through an 8x30 EII for the first time is a jaw dropping experience for FOV afficianados - exceeded (slightly) only by the Zeiss 7x42 B/GAT and FL - in my opinion. By contrast, the SE doesn't elicit a sense of awe, but rather of supreme competence. While the scientist will prefer the SE, the artist will prefer the EII.
Click to expand...

I have the 3 binoculars you mentioned and I agree with you for essentially the same reasons.

Bob
 
John Dracon said:
You will find that the SE 8x32 will take much more physical abuse and stay in collimation better than the 8x30 EII.
Click to expand...

I would tend to agree, if you plan on physically abusing your binoculars, the SE may be the better choice (unless the abuse includes submersion in water, in which case neither will survive unscathed). On the other hand, if you plan on simply looking through them...
 
I find the EII less to my liking ergonomically, there`s nowhere to rest one`s pinkie`s as there is on the SE with the protruding objectives.
 
The Nikon 10x35 E also makes a good birding binocular offering slightly more magnitude and similar brightness. Its worth remembering Nikon do other Porros apart from the aforementioned.
 
Simon S said:
The Nikon 10x35 E also makes a good birding binocular offering slightly more magnitude and similar brightness. Its worth remembering Nikon do other Porros apart from the aforementioned.
Click to expand...

Point well taken, Simon. Which Nikon porros do you think are worthy of consideration? I have always assumed that after the SE and EII, there is a fairly steep drop-off in image quality.
 
Torview said:
I find the EII less to my liking ergonomically, there`s nowhere to rest one`s pinkie`s as there is on the SE with the protruding objectives.
Click to expand...

Get a pair of Bushwacker No. 5 extension-thingies. Cut off the flip-covers. They fit perfectly over the objective barrels, and extend them by about 1.5 cm, providing added protection for the lenses and a landing-strip for your pinky.
 
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