Death Of The Alpha? (1 Viewer)

[[email protected]]

I`m now confused, this thread is "Death of the Alpha", but according to Dennis the Tract and Maven is "Alpha", so are they doomed ?

Think I`ll stick with my endangered Swaro`s and Leica for now, or it`d be like jumping out of the frying pan into..........................!

Alpha in my definition is anything that cost over $2000.00 or in other words is way overpriced for what you get. Maybe we should come up with a new term for the Maven's and Tract's. How about "Discount Alpha's" or "Poor Man's Alpha".

 

[Torview]

Alpha in my definition is anything that cost over $2000.00 or in other words is way overpriced for what you get. Maybe we should come up with a new term for the Maven's and Tract's. How about "Discount Alpha's".

I may be repeating myself, but IMHO without the innovation at the top end I don`t think you`d have the likes of Maven offering something more affordable with high performance, just look how many companies have copied the original EL`s open bridge design, how many have introduced a FF lens element, we see this all the time from Japan and China with car design, they copy, they don`t innovate, the Kamakura design the Tract uses is found everywhere, when will we see a ground breaking innovation from them ?

 

[[email protected]ast.n]

I may be repeating myself, but IMHO without the innovation at the top end I don`t think you`d have the likes of Maven offering something more affordable with high performance, just look how many companies have copied the original EL`s open bridge design, how many have introduced a FF lens element, we see this all the time from Japan and China with car design, they copy, they don`t innovate, the Kamakura design the Tract uses is found everywhere, when will we see a ground breaking innovation from them ?

Personally, I would just as well let Swarovski and Zeiss do the innovating and then when Tract and Maven copies it I can buy it for 1/2 price. That way I don't have to pay for their Country Club memberships. Suits me!

 

[Torview]

Personally, I would just as well let Swarovski and Zeiss do the innovating and then when Tract and Maven copies it I can buy it for 1/2 price. That way I don't have to pay for their Country Club memberships. Suits me!

You miss the point, if they die as you predict because we all buy T & M there will be nothing for them to copy !

These direct marketing companies you are championing certainly are`nt going to come up with any new directions are they ?

 

[jan van daalen]

Personally, I would just as well let Swarovski and Zeiss do the innovating and then when Tract and Maven copies it I can buy it for 1/2 price. That way I don't have to pay for their Country Club memberships. Suits me!

So finally it's in the open. A parasite with a big mouth who is only looking for the free ride.

Can we please ban this guy for life or ignore him?

Jan

 

[Pileatus]

Dennis is entitled to his opinion as much as anyone and he's not getting a "free ride". Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and it's not the consumer's responsibility to defend patents. If Maven or Tract can deliver a high-quality product to market then so be it. Dennis is enfatuated once again...let him enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[mooreorless]

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2815489&postcount=360


Bob Ceasar I hope you don't mind this link! I could fill up this tread with his [D] likes over the years.

 

[Troubador]

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2815489&postcount=360


Bob Ceasar I hope you don't mind this link! I could fill up this tread with his [D] likes over the years.

Hi Steve

Nice to hear from you pal.
Happy new year!

Lee

 

[jgraider]

Is there a timeline on when the big three will start the phasing out process ? :smoke: :-O

There are already some signs of it. Leica and Zeiss both have a terribly hard time selling their high end offerings unless they are heavily discounted (that's the way I'd buy them too though). Nikon can't give away an EDG bino at retail. I will say though that a brand spanking new SLC HD @ $1400'ish is a heckuva good buy, which can be done very easily nowadays.

 

[jgraider]

You miss the point, if they die as you predict because we all buy T & M there will be nothing for them to copy !

These direct marketing companies you are championing certainly are`nt going to come up with any new directions are they ?

That's a very good point Torview, one I had not previously considered.

 

[mooreorless]

Hi Lee,

I do check out this site of course. I wish I could just get all the binoculars Dennis has had a love fest with! I have not been to Lost Creek Shoe Shop for quite some time.

Happy New Year to you and everyone else!!

 

[ceasar]

There are already some signs of it. Leica and Zeiss both have a terribly hard time selling their high end offerings unless they are heavily discounted (that's the way I'd buy them too though). Nikon can't give away an EDG bino at retail. I will say though that a brand spanking new SLC HD @ $1400'ish is a heckuva good buy, which can be done very easily nowadays.

If you go to the Nikon USA Sports Optics website where you can order binoculars direct from Nikon you will find out that the 7x42 EDG, 8x42 EDG and the 10x42 EDG are all back ordered. Somebody is buying them.

 

[jgraider]

If you go to the Nikon USA Sports Optics website where you can order binoculars direct from Nikon you will find out that the 7x42 EDG, 8x42 EDG and the 10x42 EDG are all back ordered. Somebody is buying them.

They are a dismal seller, and that's being nice. Nikon's sport optics marketing effort is as pathetic as Leica's, and that's saying something.

 

[SuperDuty]

Dennis, what if you try a Noctivid and get worked into a big ole stew about it, will there be a new thread. :eek!: :-O

 

[ceasar]

They are a dismal seller, and that's being nice. Nikon's sport optics marketing effort is as pathetic as Leica's, and that's saying something.

Can you document their sales, with numbers, as opposed to Swarovski and Zeiss? Or is this your opinion?

 

[[email protected]]

There are already some signs of it. Leica and Zeiss both have a terribly hard time selling their high end offerings unless they are heavily discounted (that's the way I'd buy them too though). Nikon can't give away an EDG bino at retail. I will say though that a brand spanking new SLC HD @ $1400'ish is a heckuva good buy, which can be done very easily nowadays.

Yes, and the Zeiss 8x42 SF's retail for $2500.00 yet you see them for $1700.00. That is a pretty heavy discount. I had to sell my brand new Nikon 8x32 EDG II for $999.95 to unload it. Nikon's alpha binoculars are already dead and mostly Leica's are also. The rest of the alpha's will follow.

 

[BruceH]

Dennis, what if you try a Noctivid and get worked into a big ole stew about it, will there be a new thread. :eek!: :-O

It will be titled "Death of the Alpha Wannabes". :king:

 

[jgraider]

Can you document their sales, with numbers, as opposed to Swarovski and Zeiss? Or is this your opinion?

Yes, the same as you did here........

They probably can make a profit doing it this way but I don't think they will put any of the big 4 out of the binocular business with the current lines of binoculars they are selling now or in the numbers that they are selling them.

In 15 years of having hunters in camp I've never seen the first EDG, fewer Leica's every year, and more Swaros than anything. The only way I ever try a Noctivid is if someone gives me one.

 

[SuperDuty]

The black model is at full retail or close to it, it seems crazy that they're discounting the gray one so much with the minor changes that were made, they must have had a ton of stock with them still being available at $1700, that closeout started a while back. The pair I got from EuroOptic were made in October 2016, the stock they had sold out fast, if I were buying from any of the remaining sources I would want a latter production SN. It will be interesting to see where used gray models settle out on EBay once the deals are gone, if they ever are.

Yes, and the Zeiss 8x42 SF's retail for $2500.00 yet you see them for $1700.00. That is a pretty heavy discount. I had to sell my brand new Nikon 8x32 EDG II for $999.95 to unload it. Nikon's alpha binoculars are already dead and mostly Leica's are also. The rest of the alpha's will follow.

 

[dalat]

In 15 years of having hunters in camp I've never seen the first EDG, fewer Leica's every year, and more Swaros than anything.

In 10 years of birding, I´ve seen a lot of Nikon, Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski and many others, but never a single Tract or Maven or even Zen Ray.

Nikon's alpha binoculars are already dead and mostly Leica's are also. The rest of the alpha's will follow.

If Tract wants to put Leica and the like to death, an idea to start with would be to sell binoculars also outside the US and Canada