Nikon EDG - a Simple Design? (1 Viewer)

[Tringa45]

I was at Photokina yesterday, where Nikon was one of the few remaining manufacturers exhibiting sports optics. They had a few examples of EDGs there, so it doesn't look as if they are to be discontinued soon and there was also a cutaway 8x42. All I could detect was an air-spaced doublet objective, a single focussing lens, a Schmidt-Pechan prism and four discreet elements in the eyepiece, no field-flattener. It's conceivable that the matt ground edges of the lenses were concealing a cemented doublet here or there, but I was struck by the relative simplicity of it all.

Nikon had two WXs there, a 10x50 for hand-holding and the 7x50 on a tripod!! Maybe the floor was unstable, but as I approached the tripod-mounted example it was oscillating with a substantial amplitude due to a very flimsy tripod adapter. I'm sure a simple platform adapter such as those from Leica, Swarovski or Berlebach would have been ten times better.

I couldn't see the field stop of the 10x50 with my glasses but with perhaps 80° of the available 90° AFOV, who cares? It was simply breathtaking and not even approached by anything else I have seen.

Nevertheless, I was rather impressed by the 8x30 and 10x30 Monarch HGs (the latter not a format I like). They had adequate eye relief, wide fields and good edge sharpness all in an amazingly compact and light package.

John

 

[henry link]

Hi John,

I think you're right about the cementings not showing well. Looking at the cutaway below I expect the thick objective element is a cemented doublet as well as the two thick lenses in the eyepiece.

The other eyepiece is from a cutaway of the original 8x42 HG (LX in the US) from the mid 1990s. The EDG and HG eyepieces look essentially identical to me. I assume the negative field singlet is the field flattener, pretty simple compared to the Swaro ELSV.

Henry

 

[ceasar]

I was at Photokina yesterday, where Nikon was one of the few remaining manufacturers exhibiting sports optics. They had a few examples of EDGs there, so it doesn't look as if they are to be discontinued soon and there was also a cutaway 8x42. All I could detect was an air-spaced doublet objective, a single focussing lens, a Schmidt-Pechan prism and four discreet elements in the eyepiece, no field-flattener. It's conceivable that the matt ground edges of the lenses were concealing a cemented doublet here or there, but I was struck by the relative simplicity of it all.

Nikon had two WXs there, a 10x50 for hand-holding and the 7x50 on a tripod!! Maybe the floor was unstable, but as I approached the tripod-mounted example it was oscillating with a substantial amplitude due to a very flimsy tripod adapter. I'm sure a simple platform adapter such as those from Leica, Swarovski or Berlebach would have been ten times better.

I couldn't see the field stop of the 10x50 with my glasses but with perhaps 80° of the available 90° AFOV, who cares? It was simply breathtaking and not even approached by anything else I have seen.

Nevertheless, i was rather impressed by the 8x30 and 10x30 Monarch HGs (the latter not a format I like). They had adequate eye relief, wide fields and goode edge sharpness all in an amazingly compact and light package.

John

The Nikon USA website has all the Nikon EDGs, including the early double hinged versions, listed in their Archived Binoculars. Specifications for them are also available. I did not see any cutaway versions of them.

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/nikon-products/binoculars/index.page?#c54-CID-1342536894925-tab-1

You have to go to the VIEW ALL BINOCULARS link and scroll down through them to access the archived binoculars.

Bob

PS: This includes the 3 HGL versions 8x32, 8x42 and 10x42 which were redesignated as "Premier."

 

[PeterPS]

It looks like Nikon has decided to actively market the EDG line of binoculars, after they have been archived---better later than never!

 

[ceasar]

Hi John,

I think you're right about the cementings not showing well. Looking at the cutaway below I expect the thick objective element is a cemented doublet as well as the two thick lenses in the eyepiece.

The other eyepiece is from a cutaway of the original 8x42 HG (LX in the US) from the mid 1990s. The EDG and HG eyepieces look essentially identical to me. I assume the negative field singlet is the field flattener, pretty simple compared to the Swaro ELSV.

Henry

Henry,

The exposed glass in the eyepieces of my 10x32 EDG is about 3mm wider than in my 10x32 LXL. The FOVs are the same in both binoculars but the ER is 1.3mm longer in the EDG.

Would tweaking the eyepiece that way cause the longer ER?

Bob

 

[ceasar]

It looks like Nikon has decided to actively market the EDG line of binoculars, after they have been archived---better later than never!

Hi Peter,

If you could find out where in North America they are being marketed it would be helpful.

I would like to buy a 7x42 EDG.:t:

Bob

 

[PeterPS]

Hi Bob,

Even Amazon has it (true, I haven't checked any other retailer....):

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-7565-7x42-Binocular-Black/dp/B004KVITQM

Peter

 

[henry link]

Henry,

The exposed glass in the eyepieces of my 10x32 EDG is about 3mm wider than in my 10x32 LXL. The FOVs are the same in both binoculars but the ER is 1.3mm longer in the EDG.

Would tweaking the eyepiece that way cause the longer ER?

Bob

Bob,

If I were a betting man I'd bet that the same basic eyepiece design was used in all models of both series, then just scaled or tweaked to meet the particular requirements of each model.

Henry

 

[ceasar]

Hi Bob,

Even Amazon has it (true, I haven't checked any other retailer....):

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-7565-7x42-Binocular-Black/dp/B004KVITQM

Peter

It looks like a Gray Market binocular. That is too much money for one of those. The Japanese dealer doesn't have have a very good rating either.

I wonder if Camera Land can get one here that can be registered with Nikon USA?

Bob

 

[NDhunter]

It looks like a Gray Market binocular. That is too much money for one of those. The Japanese dealer doesn't have have a very good rating either.

I wonder if Camera Land can get one here that can be registered with Nikon USA?

Bob

Bob:

I think that is a good idea. Doug at Camera land can contact Nikon and
may find one that is available. He would be a good person to check with.

Sometimes certain models can be transferred among retailers, especially
a slow mover like the 7x42.

Jerry

 

[ceasar]

Bob,

If I were a betting man I'd bet that the same basic eyepiece design was used in all models of both series, then just scaled or tweaked to meet the particular requirements of each model.

Henry

Henry,

That makes sense and gives credence to the title of this thread; "A simple design."

Nikon has a history of using interchangeable parts in different sizes of some of its popular binoculars like the SEs and E2s.

I never considered that this also could be done by modifying easily interchangeable parts like eye pieces in roof prism binoculars.

Also a close look at the body armor of the EDG IIs and the old HGL/Premier reveals them to be very similar.

No doubt it saves money too!:t:

Bob

 

[maico]

Here's a Swarovski EL (L) and Zeiss SF (R) for comparison

 

[maico]

Leica Noctivid and Nikon HG

 

[dries1]

Another item to realize is that I believe Nikon made their own glass, they did not shop for example schott glass and put them in their binoculars, I think this gave them flexibility. Now these days I am not so sure. The EDGs are to me a marvel, sure they are not as bright or provide a flat edge view as others, but to my eyes just sublime with great contrast and color rendition, no ghosting and glare under most viewing conditions. The eye relief is more than enough with one of the best eye-cup build and function, and the focus is smooth also. The only thing I think they could have done better is the armor, and used it from the original HG or SE. You cannot have it all, But otherwise a great archived glass.

Andy W.

 

[maico]

Another item to realize is that I believe Nikon made their own glass, they did not shop for example schott glass and put them in their binoculars, I think this gave them flexibility. Now these days I am not so sure. The EDGs are to me a marvel, sure they are not as bright or provide a flat edge view as others, but to my eyes just sublime with great contrast and color rendition, no ghosting and glare under most viewing conditions. The eye relief is more than enough with one of the best eye-cup build and function, and the focus is smooth also. The only thing I think they could have done better is the armor, and used it from the original HG or SE. You cannot have it all, But otherwise a great archived glass.

Andy W.

Nikon sell all sorts of specialist glass including fluorite crystal which they have used in specialist UV lenses and microscopes for decades. Before Canon in fact.
Fluorite glass from Hikari Glass Co. Ltd, who they own, is AFAIK not used in the EDG because it's introduction was just after the EDG range was launched.
Some current Nikon super telephoto lenses use it.

https://www.nikon.com/products/glass/downloads/index.htm

187 page Hikari catalogue pdf. Interestingly for each glass they show the similar type made by HOYA, CDGM, OHARA and SCHOTT

https://www.nikon.com/products/glass/assets/pdf/hikari-catalog.pdf

 

[james holdsworth]

It was my understanding that even the EDG was not a Nikon built / designed product, but from an OEM supplier like Kamakura?

 

[dries1]

Yes Maico, Nikon surely made some excellent glass.

Andy W.

 

[NDhunter]

It was my understanding that even the EDG was not a Nikon built / designed product, but from an OEM supplier like Kamakura?

James:

Where did you learn this news ? As it is new, I have not seen
anything like this, since the model was introduced.

Jerry

 

[[email protected]]

Hi Bob,

Even Amazon has it (true, I haven't checked any other retailer....):

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-7565-7x42-Binocular-Black/dp/B004KVITQM

Peter

I picked up a new pair of Nikon EDG 2 7x42's on Ebay for $900.00. I just threw a bid in and ended up getting them. They are from Japan but at that price I don't care. I was looking for either a Zeiss FL 7x42 or the Nikon's and I saw the Nikon's and bid on them.

 

[ceasar]

It was my understanding that even the EDG was not a Nikon built / designed product, but from an OEM supplier like Kamakura?

I doubt that very much.

The exterior body of my Nikon 10x32 LXL which I have had for many years is remarkably similar in material and construction to the exterior body of my Nikon 10x32 EDG II. (I note here that the double hinged 10x32 EDG I, which I owned and which Nikon replaced for me with the EDG II, was entirely different in material than the EDG II.)

The exterior body of my rumored Kamakura made Monarch 8x42 HG is much different in material and construction than the Nikon 10x32 EDG II and 10x32 LXL.

Bob