New binocular day! Nikon 7x42 EDG (1 Viewer)

[Scott98]

The DHL van means only good things - the order for my new binoculars placed Monday has arrived The chance to get another pair of my favorite binoculars for only $1200 was an offer I couldn't refuse.

The compact, perfectly balanced body. The plush, durable rubber coating. The best focuser in the business. State-of-the-art Japanese coatings and glass. Near perfect edge sharpness, 8 degree FOV, no blackouts or rolling ball whatsoever, the least CA of any binocular I've ever used. The most comfortable and tolerant eye placement all added up to another email to Kyoie Osaka.

Maybe the minty-fresh NEW binocular smell is the best part of it? I love the smell of Japanese rubber in the morning! So glad Nikon continues to make a fantastic 7x alpha binocular that I can order brand new for less than half the price of the other alphas.......

 

[Scott98]

a few more - my two favorite binoculars - The 8x42 SF at night for astronomy, the 7x42 EDG for birding during the day....of course the SF's need a few mods to be ready but it's good to go....

The big eyecups and eye lenses of the EDG, and the lack of globe effect OR edge breakdown make them feel like looking out a plate-glass window. So realistic and comfortable you barely realize you're using binoculars....

 

[jring]

Hi,

I too have had to muster all my strength to resist a few well priced EDG 7x42 pairs over the years...

<chanting the mantra: I have enough optics, I have enough optics and not enough time to use all of it>

Enjoy the view!

Joachim

 

[dries1]

666... hmm, look out for Damien. Where is the 8x42?

 

[tenex]

666... hmm

000666 is a surprisingly low serial number, even for a 7x that may have sat on a shelf for a while. How many EDGs were ever made? I'd like to see one sometime but never have. Enjoy yours!

 

[Paultricounty]

The DHL van means only good things - the order for my new binoculars placed Monday has arrived The chance to get another pair of my favorite binoculars for only $1200 was an offer I couldn't refuse.

The compact, perfectly balanced body. The plush, durable rubber coating. The best focuser in the business. State-of-the-art Japanese coatings and glass. Near perfect edge sharpness, 8 degree FOV, no blackouts or rolling ball whatsoever, the least CA of any binocular I've ever used. The most comfortable and tolerant eye placement all added up to another email to Kyoie Osaka.

Maybe the minty-fresh NEW binocular smell is the best part of it? I love the smell of Japanese rubber in the morning! So glad Nikon continues to make a fantastic 7x alpha binocular that I can order brand new for less than half the price of the other alphas.......

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The DHL van means only good things - the order for my new binoculars placed Monday has arrived The chance to get another pair of my favorite binoculars for only $1200 was an offer I couldn't refuse.

The compact, perfectly balanced body. The plush, durable rubber coating. The best focuser in the business. State-of-the-art Japanese coatings and glass. Near perfect edge sharpness, 8 degree FOV, no blackouts or rolling ball whatsoever, the least CA of any binocular I've ever used. The most comfortable and tolerant eye placement all added up to another email to Kyoie Osaka.

Maybe the minty-fresh NEW binocular smell is the best part of it? I love the smell of Japanese rubber in the morning! So glad Nikon continues to make a fantastic 7x alpha binocular that I can order brand new for less than half the price of the other alphas.......

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Wow, wow and wow, lucky you, the 7’s are so sweet, I’ve been very tempted and I have the UV’s. Nice couple too.

Paragraph two , ditto.

Paragraph three, it really is nice that Nikon still makes these fine binoculars, and shows the top dogs how to make an all around well balanced high end binocular. Also I think Dennis is going to want to have a sniff. 😉👍✌🏼

 

[dries1]

Dennis, how many turns have you had with the EDG - (I use mine often), by the way where is the 10X42 glass, I don't see any.

 

[Ruff-Leg]

New-old stock? I bought mine from NikonUSA in 2015, and they were serial 749. I don't reckon they have to be sequential, but these being 666 is puzzling. Still, doesn't take away from their excellence!

(OMG, I hope I'm not giving denco ammunition! )

 

[LOC04]

That looks very nice, Have fun!!!

 

[NDhunter]

Scott, what is the deal with the red rubber bands on the SF ? That looks terrible and reflects
poorly on either the binocular or something else. I would never present a photo of my SF that way.
It makes me cringe.
Enjoy the EDG, they are very good.
Jerry

 

[albie...]

Scott, what is the deal with the red rubber bands on the SF ? That looks terrible and reflects
poorly on either the binocular or something else. I would never present a photo of my SF that way.
It makes me cringe.
Enjoy the EDG, they are very good.
Jerry

Gives him the necessary eye relief ?

 

[Scott98]

Scott, what is the deal with the red rubber bands on the SF ? That looks terrible and reflects
poorly on either the binocular or something else. I would never present a photo of my SF that way.
It makes me cringe.
Enjoy the EDG, they are very good.
Jerry

I did have somewhat ill intent in posting that photo - satirical - when I turn the eyecups all the way out to the last clickstop, they're not out far enough, causing blackouts, so I unscrew the eyecups another 1 rotation or so. It's no problem, it takes 5 full spins to completely unscrew them. The rubber bands fix them in place and the blue tape lets me know what position the eyecups are in. It's set-and-forget after that, they work so much better this way, I just wish for longer eyecups, like they offer for some Conquests.

NOT psyched about the devil-binos...666....good thing I"m not superstitious....will just try not to think about it It makes you wonder - do other bino companies skip the number, like the 13th floor doesn't exist in most tall buildings? My other 7x42's are 700-something. One would assume about 700 have been made. No telling how old they really are, everything seems like they rolled off the production line last month but you never know. There was no dessicant in the box and no musty odors or anything with this pair.

I did a very long group birding tour this week, all with the 7x42's - even at the coast. For distant targets, I did feel like I wanted 8 or 10x at times. However, even in that setting 7x has things I like - watching flying birds like raptors is more enjoyable. Because of the depth of field, they stay in focus more of the time, it adds to the relaxing feel of using them. More like looking out a window, less like operating an optical instrument.

I think I prefer the 8x42 SF's overall to the 8x42 EDG - there's something about the 7x42 EDG that charms me - they just seem better. The balance feels better than the 8x and 10x EDG - back farther, similar to SF. And I just like 7x. Most of my binoculars are now 7x, I think it's just me, I favor lower power.

 

[quincy88]

Are these still being made? I was under the impression that Nikon had stopped. And the low serial number. I'm a little confused.

 

[Scott98]

Maybe looking at the photos of the NEW binoculars will help with your confusion? Just scroll back up and take a look? Let me know if I can be of more help.

 

[quincy88]

I was wondering aloud if these are new old stock or if they are new. I'm envious that you can simply reiterate your previous statement with capital letters and assume that the question is answered.

 

[mwhogue]

New-old stock? I bought mine from NikonUSA in 2015, and they were serial 749. I don't reckon they have to be sequential, but these being 666 is puzzling. Still, doesn't take away from their excellence!

(OMG, I hope I'm not giving denco ammunition! )

I bought my EDG II 7x42 used @ five or six years ago. Serial no. 000587. My take: Get 'em while they last.

Mike

 

[kestrel1]

My 7x42 is 000426, enjoy, welcome to the 7x42EDG club

 

[Scott98]

I was wondering aloud if these are new old stock or if they are new. I'm envious that you can simply reiterate your previous statement with capital letters and assume that the question is answered.

Sorry to be irritable - some people repetitively state that these have not been manufactured since 2013, which gets tedious. I've purchased four brand-new pairs of EDG in the last 18 months, all perfectly flawless, mechanically and optically.

They used to cost $2400 and now it's half that - the direct opposite of the "alpha binocular" cult from the "Big Three" which really gets under some peoples' skin I think. Instead of chasing wider field or adding gadgety "features" and charging $3000 they cut the price in half. Probably after the R&D and tooling costs were paid off. I never liked the inevitable distortion gymnastics and difficult eye placement of uber-wide field, these seem just right to me.

You can see where I purchased them....the 32mm EDG are no longer produced, but the three 42's are....they are not offered for sale by Nikon USA or Europe, you have to order them from Japan - same with the 8x30 and 10x35 E2 porros - so there will be no support from Nikon USA either:

ニコン EDG 7x42 【KYOEI特価】 ネイチャーショップKYOEI

ニコンの光学技術の粋を結集し、機能性と信頼性を徹底追求した最高級双眼鏡「EDG（エッジ）」シリーズ

www.kyoei-osaka.jp

I have an extra copy of the catalog and a big envelope - if anyone's interested, PM me and I'll mail you the catalog.

The highest serial numbers are in the 700's...one would assume that is the number they've made since what...2012? I'd guess it's probably 1/10nth of the number of 8x42 they sold, or less. I have become addicted to the 7x42 view over the last year. Will not be paying much more attention to serial numbers, now that I've got the Number of the Beast

 

[Patudo]

I'm not a great fan of the EDG series, though accept they are good - but there is a kind of joy in getting to know a new binocular, especially one that you take a liking to, that suits you. May they always give you the same pleasure as they do now.

I would never present a photo of my SF that way.

Thankfully some here are more concerned with setting their binoculars up properly than making them look good. Gonna have a hunt around for some red rubber bands now...

 

[dries1]

Sorry to be irritable - some people repetitively state that these have not been manufactured since 2013, which gets tedious. I've purchased four brand-new pairs of EDG in the last 18 months, all perfectly flawless, mechanically and optically.

They used to cost $2400 and now it's half that - the direct opposite of the "alpha binocular" cult from the "Big Three" which really gets under some peoples' skin I think. Instead of chasing wider field or adding gadgety "features" and charging $3000 they cut the price in half. Probably after the R&D and tooling costs were paid off. I never liked the inevitable distortion gymnastics and difficult eye placement of uber-wide field, these seem just right to me.

You can see where I purchased them....the 32mm EDG are no longer produced, but the three 42's are....they are not offered for sale by Nikon USA or Europe, you have to order them from Japan - same with the 8x30 and 10x35 E2 porros - so there will be no support from Nikon USA either:

ニコン EDG 7x42 【KYOEI特価】 ネイチャーショップKYOEI

ニコンの光学技術の粋を結集し、機能性と信頼性を徹底追求した最高級双眼鏡「EDG（エッジ）」シリーズ

www.kyoei-osaka.jp

I have an extra copy of the catalog and a big envelope - if anyone's interested, PM me and I'll mail you the catalog.

The highest serial numbers are in the 700's...one would assume that is the number they've made since what...2012? I'd guess it's probably 1/10nth of the number of 8x42 they sold, or less. I have become addicted to the 7x42 view over the last year. Will not be paying much more attention to serial numbers, now that I've got the Number of the Beast

The EDGs were last offered by Nikon USA in 2018, but some were available from vendors after that - clearing out surplus. I grabbed a 8/10X42 then, could not be more happy with them, along with the 8X32. They have proven to be constructed very well - no complaints here, and how about that intuitive focus.