Nikon SE and Zeiss SF 8x32 comparison. (2 Viewers)

[Scott98]

@albie...
Even better if it wasn't true. I might still get an MHG .
But a lot seems to be going on at Nikon currently. They discontinued all of the astro porros and they are building a new factory.

Phillippe - interesting, is this new Nikon factory in Japan?

 

[Binocollector]

Phillippe - interesting, is this new Nikon factory in Japan?

It's in Japan but from all I could find, it makes camera lenses. Not sure it also makes parts for binos.

 

[Binocollector]

And Sony already moved 80% of their camera production from China to Thailand because some Western countries no longer deliver chips to China. Would be all the more perplexing why Nikon should move more production to China when many companies are leaving China. Not because they're all so noble fighters for human rights but because of the difficulties due to Covid mainly.

 

[Paultricounty]

I am sorry but I don't believe any of this . It seems to me that most people if not all that answer the phones at Nikon , don't have a clue about any thing .
I will believe it when I see an MHG with made in China clearly marked on it . Until then I will believe that the MHG is made in Japan and the rest of the monarch line is made in China .
I must say that China is capable of making fine optics . I had a nice set of Televue Nagler eyepieces consisting of T6's,T5's and a T4 . The most expensive of them at the time were made in China , the 26mm T5 being one of them , the rest made in Japan. QC monitored by Televue .

You don’t have to be sorry, I didn’t believe it either. After a clime to higher up management had confirmed the change. After which I had called B & H and asked them, and they confirmed what Nikon was saying. I was going to visit them next week, but it’s no necessary because they’re out of stock on a few configurations and the ones they have may be from older stock still made in Japan.

I’d guess by the summer we’ll start seeing the MIC units in circulation. I’m not sure but I think this is the first for mid upper grade Binoculars being made in China, again not that I didn’t expect it. Imo soon we’ll start seeing clones under a different brand name for a few hundred dollars less, with the same exact quality as the Nikon.

For me it’s not necessarily about whether the quality won’t be as good, I think it will be. Although I’ve had experience with the Vixen forester MIC , and it certainly wasn’t as good as it’s former MIJ version. But certainly one look at a monarch 7 and we can see the quality. Some would say my reasons are political , I just think under the current environment not buying MIC is the right thing to do. 🙏

Paul

 

[tenex]

One seldom has any choice about buying MiC today, so why not enjoy this archaic luxury with binoculars.

 

[Paultricounty]

One seldom has any choice about buying MiC today, so why not enjoy this archaic luxury with binoculars.

Eric,
It’s easy to make choices, read labels and search for alternatives. I don’t buy any MIC luxury or hobby items, and I only buy China for absolute necessary household items if I can’t find anything else. I’ve been doing just fine for the last two years, and probably have cut out 60-70% of what I used to buy MIC. There are alternatives from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Italy and Mexico to name just a few.