Nikon 10x35 E11 (1 Viewer)

[Scott98]

Brock, that's some interesting history, I didn't know it was going all the way back in 2001, that's good you guys didn't cancel that year. I've read about people spending a whole week, I guess they were spending the week before the event there.

Artificial light is bad on birds, many thousands, if not millions, are lost in the US every year just from flying into lit-up skyscrapers at night.

 

[brocknroller]

Brock, that's some interesting history, I didn't know it was going all the way back in 2001, that's good you guys didn't cancel that year. I've read about people spending a whole week, I guess they were spending the week before the event there.

Artificial light is bad on birds, many thousands, if not millions, are lost in the US every year just from flying into lit-up skyscrapers at night.

Some people do spend a week at Cherry Springs, they come before the event or stay after the star party, so they have a better chance of getting more clear nights, astrophotographers in particular, some of whom travel hundreds of miles to image under the Mag 7 skies.

BFSP was started in 1999 by Greg Granville, one of our founding members, who passed away last year. I learned almost everything I know about observing the night sky from him. Here's a link to his obit, which I wrote part of about our observing trips together (mine is the second section down and the photo is of me with Greg grinding a mirror).

In Memory – Central Pennsylvania Observers

Brock

 

[Scott98]

Brock - thanks for the history and info on Greg! A lot of people have enjoyed that event and will continue to do so in the future. I love the idea of amateur science, amateur astronomy. We live in an era of accreditation and indentured academic servitude (to become a pro scientist), those aren't necessary to enjoy science and be a scientist, that's what astronomy is all about. A lot of people, children especially, need someone to point that out for them and get them started.

 

[Dipperdapper]

It looks like I may be getting ready to order a new 10x35 E2. I discovered that the 80's E 35mm's are 2 ounces lighter than the 90's Criterion and E2's. Thinking I might as well upgrade my 10x35 E-C to the current model. I really like these, they are a candidate to replace my 10x42 EDG, just for the lighter weight on the neckstrap.

I'm always going to have a 10x50-something for astronomy, for birds I think I might prefer the smaller 10x35 to the EDG. I'm impressed by how comfortable they are with the 3.5mm exit pupil, I thought eye placement would be more difficult.

Hello Scott,

I have just recently acquired a new post-2017 EII 10x 35, serial# 020173. I did side by side testing of both the new E II and the older E Criterion 10x 35 yesterday evening for a couple of hours. The E II 10x 35 serves up an immediate and noticeable improvement over the older E model: improved contrast, colour rendering, improved glare suppression. Low light tests also show noticeably improved brightness too. Field of view: a gorgeous 122m@1000m; bigger than the Zeiss SF 10x 42(120m@1000m). Weighs just 612g - 12g less than the E model.
Both are great under the stars; smaller exit pupil darkens my twilit skies brilliantly. E II wins with that improved field, with stars remaining crisp nearly right to the edge.

Fascinating instrument!

For me, a wonderfully unique format and a powerful contender as a stand-alone binocular.

Full review coming soon!


Regards,

Neil.

 

[William Lewis]

Hello Scott,

I have just recently acquired a new post-2017 EII 10x 35, serial# 020173. I did side by side testing of both the new E II and the older E Criterion 10x 35 yesterday evening for a couple of hours. The E II 10x 35 serves up an immediate and noticeable improvement over the older E model: improved contrast, colour rendering, improved glare suppression. Low light tests also show noticeably improved brightness too. Field of view: a gorgeous 122m@1000m; bigger than the Zeiss SF 10x 42(120m@1000m). Weighs just 612g - 12g less than the E model.
Both are great under the stars; smaller exit pupil darkens my twilit skies brilliantly. E II wins with that improved field, with stars remaining crisp nearly right to the edge.

Fascinating instrument!

For me, a wonderfully unique format and a powerful contender as a stand-alone binocular.

Full review coming soon!


Regards,

Neil.
View attachment 1511767

Looking forward to it Niel. The field of view with those is nice and wide, I find it puzzling that the 8x e2 has almost as much fov as the nl but the 10x has a good few meters less.

Also you may want to try a decarem on your travels if you haven't already and like a wide field with your 10x mag- 128m in a 10x50!

Will

 

[Scott98]

I have just recently acquired a new post-2017 EII 10x 35, serial# 020173. I did side by side testing of both the new E II and the older E Criterion 10x 35

Neil - thanks for the update - looking forward to your review! I've got a 3-hour bird tour tomorrow at 7AM and you've got me thinking about taking these instead of one of my 42's. It's a 2 mile walk and I'm not looking forward to the weight of a 42mm on my neck. It's a mix of close-up woods and more open swamps and meadows.

Those look very new, looks like a good score if you found them on the used market

 

[Dipperdapper]

Hi Will & Scott,

Thanks for the heads up on the forthcoming review.

For my part, the attractiveness of this particular format is the lightweight chassis. I don't know if I'd enjoy lugging around a 1+ kilo 10x 50 all day just for a wider field. Having a 7 degree field at 10x is rather special though. The stereopsis is phenomenal in this baby! I've spent many hours enjoying the Nikon E 10x 35 with its 6.6 degree field so was well and truly ready to go the distance and get the latest in the same technological genre.

I bought the instrument new from UK stock. I got quotes from £750 to £800, but got a decent deal at £729. Having acquired the E model second-hand, then having to cough up an extra 20 per cent import duties from Japan followed by a professional restoration, I figured buying it new in the UK was probably the easiest route.

It's not cheap that's for sure, but since I'm passionate about these particular instruments and have no abiding interest in high-end roofs, I think it was still a good bargain.

A couple more pics for interest, including a family portrait

Enjoy your early morning birding vigil Scott!

Regards,
Neil.

 

[mwhogue]

I love both the 8x30 and 10x35 EII and was aware the prices have been gradually rising. BUT...

I got quotes from £750 to £800, but got a decent deal at £729.

!Que Horror! Glad I bought mine when I did.

Mike

 

[Dipperdapper]

Ach I know Mike........very late to the table......but better late than never.

Regards,

Neil.

 

[Scott98]

These aren't cheap for sure, but considering what you get, the value is excellent. Compare to the Leica 7x35 Retrovid for example. Even the mid-priced 30 and 32mm roofs are more expensive and smaller aperture than these.

I had great fun with them yesterday. Definitely appreciated the light weight and compact size vs. my SF 8x42's, I could wear these around my neck for 3 1/2 hours without any pain or stiffness. With the first bird I did notice the shaking factor of 10x vs. 8x, but you sort of mentally program yourself to focus on holding steady a little more and it didn't both me for the rest of the session. The sharpness and detail on birds is the reward. You can see the little lines on the breast of the warblers that helps identify them. You can pull in detail on the raptors flying high up in the sky.

The focus action is very smooth. The wheel is small but buttery smooth and easy with one finger. Another advantage over some of the expensive roofs and other porros. I think these are my first choice for long birding walks for anything but closed-in forest. I have settled on these and some older 7x35E's as my lightweight birding binoculars. For sessions where I don't wear them on a neckstrap for extended periods I'll take the 42mm roofs.

 

[Dipperdapper]

Hello Scott,

Glad to hear the 10x 35 did the job for you.

I spent a day of testing the E II 10x 35 on the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater lake in Great Britain and only half an hour's drive from my home. I enjoyed some amazing views of Swallows swooping down over the water picking off insects both on or just above the water. The Loch is surrounded by soaring hills. The 10x 35 proved to be an excellent glass for viewing the choppy waters and the amazing details coming through of the hills on the other side of the Loch. Like its smaller sibling, this is a wonderful glass for viewing wide-open landscapes. The shores are peppered by forest and I was able to enjoy beautiful stereoscopic images of the tree branches with their fresh young leaves dancing in the wind. The focus wheel is indeed buttery smooth- much easier to turn than my older Nikon E 10 x 35. To say I'm pleased with the instrument would be an understatement. It's definitely worth the money!

Like you, I love to use a few Porro models. I have three Nikons; the two E II models and a vintage but in tip-top condition Action Mark I 7x 35 I purchased on fleabay for just £85. Though the coatings are not nearly as advanced as the newer E IIs, it provides really sublime images with a exceptionally well corrected 9.3 degree field and weighs only 665g. 7x 35 is a very underestimated format; very stable viewing experiences with terrific field depth.

I'm a dyed in the wool Porro guy.

A few pics for interest:

The 7x, 8x and 10x Nikons:



A pic of LochLomond this afternoon:


A pic of a statue of Tom(Tam) Weir at Balmaha with his little 8 x 30 glass.

Tam(1914-2006) was a famous Scots rambler, climber, author, and presented a long-running TV series called Weir's Way, where he explored the Scottish landscape.
I miss him.

Best wishes,

Neil.

 

[dries1]

Thanks for the geographic info and the photos, nice to see where others are viewing. What happened to the 10X35 E.

 

[Dipperdapper]

Since the E II can do everything the E model can do and more besides, I've decided to leave it go to another home. It's up for sale.

 

[PatR]

After my disappointing experience with a pair of KOWA BD II 6.5X32's I decided to order a pair of Nikon E II 8x30's from Amazon. They turned up this afternoon in a brown unpadded envelope and on opening I was disappointed yet again with the condition of Amazon's so called "new" stock:




The box looks as if it has been kicked around. It is torn and worn at the opening and torn at each corner, the inside bag plastic bag and the plastic sheath for the strap were both open with sellotape seals cut, and finger prints and smears were everywhere over the bino's themselves.



Very suprised to see poorly applied grey glue or sealant inside both objective lenses.

Oh well back to the drawing board. Looks like a pair of Habicht 8x30's will be next.

 

[Paultricounty]

After my disappointing experience with a pair of KOWA BD II 6.5X32's I decided to order a pair of Nikon E II 8x30's from Amazon. They turned up this afternoon in a brown unpadded envelope and on opening I was disappointed yet again with the condition of Amazon's so called "new" stock:


View attachment 1512497

The box looks as if it has been kicked around. It is torn and worn at the opening and torn at each corner, the inside bag plastic bag and the plastic sheath for the strap were both open with sellotape seals cut, and finger prints and smears were everywhere over the bino's themselves.

View attachment 1512498

Very suprised to see poorly applied grey glue or sealant inside both objective lenses.

Oh well back to the drawing board. Looks like a pair of Habicht 8x30's will be next.

Yup, had a similar experience with E2’s from Amazon. I sent them back and bought from Japanese Bay sellers new in box with friendly return policy just in case. Bought three this way and all were late serial number with the latest coating, . Never had a problem with any of them.

 

[Paultricounty]

After my disappointing experience with a pair of KOWA BD II 6.5X32's I decided to order a pair of Nikon E II 8x30's from Amazon. They turned up this afternoon in a brown unpadded envelope and on opening I was disappointed yet again with the condition of Amazon's so called "new" stock:


View attachment 1512497

The box looks as if it has been kicked around. It is torn and worn at the opening and torn at each corner, the inside bag plastic bag and the plastic sheath for the strap were both open with sellotape seals cut, and finger prints and smears were everywhere over the bino's themselves.

View attachment 1512498

Very suprised to see poorly applied grey glue or sealant inside both objective lenses.

Oh well back to the drawing board. Looks like a pair of Habicht 8x30's will be next.

Habicht’s are a clear step up optically , at least in center image circle. Keep in mind it has a smaller FOV, less eye relief and very stiff focuser. But these are about the sharpest brightest 30/32 binoculars I’ve ever used.

Paul

 

[PatR]

Habicht’s are a clear step up optically , at least in center image circle. Keep in mind it has a smaller FOV, less eye relief and very stiff focuser. But these are about the sharpest brightest 30/32 binoculars I’ve ever used.

Paul

Indeed they are, I have the 7x42 Habichts and they are as sharp as my wifes's tongue when she spots a new delivery! I am very disappointed with Amazon, nearly £600's worth of binoculars packed in a standard brown envelope and the box and contents looking as if they were Warehouse returns. They 'kindly' offered a £30 discount which I declined, they are on their way back. Shame, the view from them was lovely.

 

[Scott98]

Why don't you try E2's from a better dealer? I don't like Amazon, it's like Walmart, I never buy anything there. There's also a pair on sale here in the classifieds. (unfortunately I now have to shop at Amazon to buy groceries since they assimilated the Whole Foods grocery chain here in the US)

Thanks for the report Neil, so Loch Lomond is even bigger than Loch Ness. Beautiful! The focus action on the older E's is stiff from the grease congealing. I had my E's serviced, and with modern grease they're just as buttery smooth as the E2's if not moreso. I had the 10x35 E2 out for a look at the Moon last night - very clean view of it. It's a difficult target for binoculars - one that shows the difference with the older E's, they have more ghosting and reflection trouble. My 12x40 E had the best detail on the Moon but lots of distracting ghosts compared to the E2.

Tam Weir reminds of a guy we have here in New England...Willem Lange. Very similar, he does a PBS show "Windows to the Wild" about the mountains & other outdoor areas of New England. I will have to check online for some Weir's Way shows.

A Yankee Notebook by Willem Lange

 

[PatR]

Why don't you try E2's from a better dealer? I don't like Amazon, it's like Walmart, I never buy anything there. There's also a pair on sale here in the classifieds. (unfortunately I now have to shop at Amazon to buy groceries since they assimilated the Whole Foods grocery chain here in the US)

I would if I could but they are a devil to find here in the UK hence the purchase from Amazon. Thankfully their returns system is excellent.

It is a shame as they are beautifully made (apart from that rather obvious grey glue, sealant or mastic in the objective lenses) and the view is lovely. The focus mechanism is buttery smooth and I find the ergonomics suprisingly good for such a stubby binocular.

I shall just bite the bullet, dig deeper into my wife's purse, and get some Habicht's.

 

[Paultricounty]

I would if I could but they are a devil to find here in the UK hence the purchase from Amazon. Thankfully their returns system is excellent.

It is a shame as they are beautifully made (apart from that rather obvious grey glue, sealant or mastic in the objective lenses) and the view is lovely. The focus mechanism is buttery smooth and I find the ergonomics suprisingly good for such a stubby binocular.

I shall just bite the bullet, dig deeper into my wife's purse, and get some Habicht's.

If you did wanted to try again for the E2, Ndhunter here on Birdforum is selling a new one for a great price. I’d buy from Jerry every day of the week.

Good luck.

Paul