If you are on a budget, look around for a Nikon 8x30 E with green coatings. (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Mau]

If you are on a budget, and you need a good birding binocular, look around for a Nikon 8x30 E. You can find them on eBay for around $200 to $250, and they are great value for a nice birding binocular. I picked up a brand new one that had never been used on eBay that had been sitting in the attic in it's sealed box with the lens covers on for 32 YEARS! I purchased them for $250, and they surprised me how good they are for the price. They have no haze, mold or fungus inside the lenses. They are a hidden gem and are worth looking around for. I compared them to my new Nikon 8x30 E2 with the latest coatings and outside of a slightly smaller 8.3 degree FOV versus 8.8 degree FOV for the E2 they are very similar in resolution and brightness. I also compared them to my $1000 Nikon HG 8x42s and in the daylight they are in fact just as good with a more stereoscopic image. Of course, in low light the HG 8x42 would have an advantage with its bigger aperture.

The build quality is impressive, and I don't think you will find a nicer binocular for $250. One thing to watch out for before the early 1990s these were made with old-style single coatings and this makes a big difference in performance. Only buy the newer multi-coated ones. Multi-coatings will be a dark green, with single coatings having a much lighter shade of blue-violet and also the lettering on the left prism cover is much bigger than the older model as shown in the photo below (Courtesy of Henry Link). Here are a couple of Bird Forum threads on them and a review on Scopeviews and the eBay link showing the condition with the price tag still in the box after 32 years! I replaced the individual ocular covers with an Opticron 37mm Rain Guard which fits perfectly, and I replaced the objective covers with a new pair of Nikon E2 8x30 covers I had lying around. I used a Bluecabi binocular strap from Amazon.com.(Links are below.)

Nikon "E"?

In trying to hunt down a Nikon EII, I stumbled across what I think might be the earlier E version. It says Nikon 7x35 6.6°WF Is this the E version? How much of a difference is there between the E and the EII and is $80 a good price for an E in good condition but missing the beautiful case? I am...

www.birdforum.net

Review: 8x30 EII, 8x30 E, 8x32 SE

I apologize in advance for the length of this post. I know only a few other obsessed optogeeks will wade through all this, so for you healthy ones here’s the short version: As others have already said, the Nikon 8x30 EII is an excellent binocular. Buy it while you can. Mechanical Quality-...

www.birdforum.net

Nikon 8x30 E Review

www.scopeviews.co.uk

Nikon Binoculars 8 x 30E Wide Focus 8.3°, Mint Condition! | eBay

Experience the wonders of nature with Nikon's 8 x 30E Wide Focus binoculars. The anti-reflection coating ensures a bright and clear view, while the fog proof and waterproof features make them durable in various weather conditions.

www.ebay.com

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVQKHF8?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

 

[42za]

Yes of course , I have wanted one for ages , but actually finding a good one is not so easy where I live

 

[Isthatascratch?]

Yes of course , I have wanted one for ages , but actually finding a good one is not so easy where I live

Check the focus wheel to for an impending split. I have seen that more than once (even though they still often work)…

 

[Dennis Mau]

Yes of course , I have wanted one for ages , but actually finding a good one is not so easy where I live

You're right. I have been looking for a while when I accidentally found this one. There are a few from Japan, but I question their condition being an unsealed binocular that might be decades old, and you don't know if it was stored in a high humidity environment or not. Japan is very humid, and they could have just been stored in a warehouse somewhere. When buying one I would ask the seller if there is any mold, fungus or haze inside the binocular. For example, this one from Japan looks pretty good, but they say it has a tiny mold inside the binocular.

[NEAR MINT in Box w/Case Strap] Nikon binoculars 8X30E CF WF 8.3° From JAPAN | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for [NEAR MINT in Box w/Case Strap] Nikon binoculars 8X30E CF WF 8.3° From JAPAN at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Dennis Mau]

Check the focus wheel to for an impending split. I have seen that more than once (even though they still often work)…

I will, thanks for the tip! I checked the focus wheel carefully with a magnifying glass and I see no signs of cracks. It seems solid.

 

[Scott98]

IMO there's nothing wrong with the non-Criterion E binoculars either. The green-coating ones have slightly better contrast but it's a small margin. The price/value on the original E's is off the chart. You often have to pay big bucks to get the "C" version - I think I had to pay over $300 for my 7x35 E-C. And most likely the focuser will need re-greasing which adds a couple hundred more to the price.

For that reason, I would tell people that want this bino to just order the current 8x30 E2 from Japan (via Kyoie Osaka). Everything has been upgraded over the older E-C version. The body, the focuser, the coatings on the glass. And most of all, the eyepieces in the E2 were re-designed and work better than the E eyepiece - easier eye placement and sharper edges.

So much easier to go with a new pair - no worries about the condition of the binos. Most of the E and E-C porros on ebay have some kind of problem...if you have to pay for any servicing at all, you've paid the same price as a brand new pair from Japan with several upgrades.

 

[Isthatascratch?]

Maybe it depends where you live.
I’ve managed to get 8x30 E-C 10x35 E-C in the U.K. for under £100.00 each, one had recently been serviced.

I do agree that a new one will have less issues as they can be hidden nasties!

 

[Patudo]

most of all, the eyepieces in the E2 were re-designed and work better than the E eyepiece - easier eye placement and sharper edges.

That may be so, but if you are nearsighted you need to be careful that they have enough overdrive to compensate for having to remove your glasses (or enough eye relief that you can use them with glasses, which I can't). They fall into that awkward spot where they have neither enough eye relief or focus beyond infinity. I appreciate they work very well for some users, but if you wear glasses, beware.

The older generation of binoculars do tend to have more focus beyond infinity, admittedly I've never tried the Nikon A or E series 8x30s, but the European 8x30s do.

 

[Dennis Mau]

IMO there's nothing wrong with the non-Criterion E binoculars either. The green-coating ones have slightly better contrast but it's a small margin. The price/value on the original E's is off the chart. You often have to pay big bucks to get the "C" version - I think I had to pay over $300 for my 7x35 E-C. And most likely the focuser will need re-greasing which adds a couple hundred more to the price.

For that reason, I would tell people that want this bino to just order the current 8x30 E2 from Japan (via Kyoie Osaka). Everything has been upgraded over the older E-C version. The body, the focuser, the coatings on the glass. And most of all, the eyepieces in the E2 were re-designed and work better than the E eyepiece - easier eye placement and sharper edges.

So much easier to go with a new pair - no worries about the condition of the binos. Most of the E and E-C porros on ebay have some kind of problem...if you have to pay for any servicing at all, you've paid the same price as a brand new pair from Japan with several upgrades.

I have a brand-new pair of Nikon E2 8x30s with the latest coatings and the Nikon E 8x30 multicoated I just picked up seemed every bit as good outside of a slightly smaller FOV which is hardly noticeable. I notice very little difference in eye placement, edge sharpness or brightness. In fact, I think if you get a good pair of older 8x30 Es with the green coatings for $200-$250, they can be a better bargain than paying over $600 for a new 8x30 E2. It all depends on what condition the 8x30 Es are in, and what the seller is asking for them.

"The daytime view is very good, like a much more expensive modern roof prism binocular but with more field width. Overall these older Nikon E 8x30s are a real bargain as a birding/nature-viewing binocular, if you can find a good used pair: light, bright, solidly made and with a spectacularly wide field. Make no mistake, your chances of finding a cheap pair of roofs with equivalent optical and build quality is nil. What’s more, the Nikon 8x30 Es are slim and elegant and finely made in a way cheap porros today aren’t. In fact, apart from Nikon’s own EII, you’d have to go to Swarovski Habichts to get this quality in a porro-prism binocular now."

Nikon 8x30 E Review

www.scopeviews.co.uk

 

[Scott98]

That may be so, but if you are nearsighted you need to be careful that they have enough overdrive to compensate for having to remove your glasses (or enough eye relief that you can use them with glasses, which I can't). They fall into that awkward spot where they have neither enough eye relief or focus beyond infinity. I appreciate they work very well for some users, but if you wear glasses, beware.

The older generation of binoculars do tend to have more focus beyond infinity, admittedly I've never tried the Nikon A or E series 8x30s, but the European 8x30s do.

Yes, I think the E's are the same way.

The situation for servicing binos in the US has changed in the last year. The two big places that do it have risen to $200-$300 for any servicing. It sounds like things are better in the UK with multiple good options.

Most of my comments on the E versus E2 are based on the 10x35's. Everything is better in the 10x35 E2, except one thing - more CA in the E2. Those E-C porros are some of the best ever made, certainly some of the best pre-2000 vintage. The build quality of the E2 is extra-special-nice though! It's surprising to see how nice they are - equal to the $2000-$3000 class in build quality I would say.

 

[Dennis Mau]

Yes, I think the E's are the same way.

The situation for servicing binos in the US has changed in the last year. The two big places that do it have risen to $200-$300 for any servicing. It sounds like things are better in the UK with multiple good options.

Most of my comments on the E versus E2 are based on the 10x35's. Everything is better in the 10x35 E2, except one thing - more CA in the E2. Those E-C porros are some of the best ever made, certainly some of the best pre-2000 vintage. The build quality of the E2 is extra-special-nice though! It's surprising to see how nice they are - equal to the $2000-$3000 class in build quality I would say.

The build quality is one reason I like the E and the E2. You're correct, they are equal to $2000-$3000 alpha class roofs. The E2 is a little nicer than the E with it's chamfered edges, but the E is still quite good. The Es simplicity of function makes it a charming binocular to use. The coatings on both the E and E2 look exceptional. They are both a real bargain in binoculars. I think the E2s popularity has driven up its price. You could get an E2 a few years ago for $400.

 

[henry link]

Most of my comments on the E versus E2 are based on the 10x35's. Everything is better in the 10x35 E2, except one thing - more CA in the E2.

Hi Scott,

As you probably know most of these old Porro series were made by mixing and matching just a few different eyepieces and objective lenses. The 10x35 E2 is optically superior to the 10x35 E mainly because it was made up in a different way. The 10x35 E was made by using the fast f/3.6 35mm objective lens from the 7x35 E combined with the same eyepiece design that was used in the 8x30 E, but scaled down to a shorter focal length. The 10x35 E2 was made by combining exactly the same eyepiece used in the 8x30 E2 with a longer focal length objective lens with a focal ratio of about f/4. The result is that compared to the 10x35 E the 10x35 E2 has lower aberrations from the higher focal ratio objective lens and longer eye relief from the longer focal length eyepiece. The way it was done is just a better idea.

Henry

 

[Dennis Mau]

I compared my new Nikon 8x30 E2 with my Nikon 8x30 E for CA, and although they are both very good for CA control and as good as many of the best roof prism binoculars the Nikon 8x30 E was slightly better than the Nikon 8x30 E2. If what Scott98 says is true, that the Nikon 10x35 E has less CA than the Nikon 10x35 E2, I find it interesting that the E2 has a higher focal ratio objective lens but yet has more CA than the E. Usually higher focal ratios have less CA.

 

[henry link]

The type of CA that is affected by the focal ratio of the objective lenses is Longitudinal CA. The 8x30 E and E2 use exactly the same cemented doublet objective lens with a focal length of about 110mm, so they have identical amounts of Longitudinal CA. I've experimented with switching the objective lens/barrels between the E and E2. It changes nothing.

If there is a difference in Lateral CA between those two models it must come from differences in the eyepiece designs. Testing for that needs to be done carefully (tripod mounting, consistent lighting and a special CA target) as the lateral color is easily affected by tiny changes in the position of the eye's pupil and also by the exact distance of the CA target from the field center. Unfortunately my 8x30 E is still in storage.

 

[Scott98]

The 10x35 E2 definitely have a healthy amount of CA in the middle of the field as well as the edges, you can check out the allbinos review to get a relative comparison, they say it's less in the 8x30 E2. But I didn't see any CA in the middle of the 10x35 E.

 

[Dennis Mau]

The 10x35 E2 definitely have a healthy amount of CA in the middle of the field as well as the edges, you can check out the allbinos review to get a relative comparison, they say it's less in the 8x30 E2. But I didn't see any CA in the middle of the 10x35 E.

The 8x30 E C and 10x35 E C seem to have a little less Lateral CA than the 8x30 E2 and 10x35 E2. It would be interesting to figure out why. Henry thinks it is the difference in eyepiece design. Do you know what the difference is in the eyepiece design between the two that would cause Lateral CA? The Nikon 10x35 E2 does have quite a bit of CA according to Allbinos, and considerably more than the 8x30 E2. The Nikon 10x35 E2 never impressed me as much as the 8x30 E2.

Nikon 8x30E II - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.

www.allbinos.com

Nikon 10x35E II - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.

www.allbinos.com

 

[Scott98]

It's a shame because everything else about the 10x35 E2 is awesome, with no CA it would be the perfect binocular. The perfect non-waterproof binocular that is......Nikon certainly did a good job getting the CA out of the EDG series, not sure what happened w/ the E2's

 

[Dennis Mau]

It's a shame because everything else about the 10x35 E2 is awesome, with no CA it would be the perfect binocular. The perfect non-waterproof binocular that is......Nikon certainly did a good job getting the CA out of the EDG series, not sure what happened w/ the E2's

The Nikon 8x30 E2 is pretty good for CA control, but the 8x30 E C is even better. The 8x30 E C is right up there with the best binoculars I have compared for CA control. It has no CA in the middle and hardly any CA even on the edge.

 

[Joh Pintu]

Hello everyone. This Is my second post on BF. I own both Nikon 8x30E (C) and HG 8x42. On a sunny day I can see more white details at a distance with 8x30E than with HG. I wear glasses and due to the short eye relief of 8x30 I prefer Nikon HG, and yes, It Is more weight and larger size.

JP

 

[Dennis Mau]

Hello everyone. This Is my second post on BF. I own both Nikon 8x30E (C) and HG 8x42. On a sunny day I can see more white details at a distance with 8x30E than with HG. I wear glasses and due to the short eye relief of 8x30 I prefer Nikon HG, and yes, It Is more weight and larger size.

JP

I feel the same, except I don't wear glasses, so I don't have the eye relief issues you do. I feel the Nikon 8x30 E (C)is every bit as good as my Nikon HG 8x42 optically, except for low light performance due to the bigger EP of the HG versus the E. The E also has the advantage of better stereopsis than the HG which I enjoy. The E really weighs about 19.5 oz. and my HG weighs 24 oz. so the E is significantly lighter and more compact. The E is a very light binocular for a 8x30.