Nikon SE's (1 Viewer)

[NDhunter]

I guess you have to use smilies when you're being sarcastic here.

I'm not sure I buy the whole difference in SE generations based on the suppositions of a few posters.

It's like the people who claim Old Spice was ruined after P&G's acquisition of the company. I can't tell any difference whatsoever and I suspect the differences, if any, in the SE generations are so miniscule as to be unobservable by mere mortals.

That said, I will likely never have a chance to look at the various generations sxs so I'll muddle along with my obviously inferior coatings on my 501 series. Ignorance is bliss and all...

You have several posts here, and your first one says you like the view you
have had with the 8x32 SE.

Now, I see a mostly argumentative tone, and just playing around. |=@|

What is it all about ?

Jerry

 

[CSG]

Dang, this is a touchy group! I LOVE my SE's. I think they're as good as any bin I've ever used (and have posted as much in the past).

I'd offered them for sale recently only because I wanted to get something else and felt guilty about spending the money. Fortunately, I got better and decided to keep the SE's and just add the Conquest HD's. Heck, I felt so good about it, I also picked up a pair of the Vanguard Endeavors to keep in my rig.

So let's not make too much of me trying to make a joke about the 501xxx series being useless compared to the most recent offerings. I should have thrown in a bunch of smilies so no one's sensibilities were offended. o:t::king:3:-O|||||;||:$|

 

[steve@37n84w]

The difference is more apparent (to me and others) when looking at birds or other colorful terrestrial objects in daylight.



Brock

Brock

Same here for me. First time I noticed the difference was when using both 8x SEs while watching birds at the feeder. To my eyes the later version was a little warmer in the red/orange spectrum when observing male cardinals and house finches.

Overall I prefer the later version's color balance which is identical to my EDG over the older version's very "neutral" palette which is (for me at least) similar to my FLs. Some viewers don't see any difference in the views and whether there is a difference or not there is no doubt that both versions are superb.

Steve

 

[NDhunter]

Dang, this is a touchy group! I LOVE my SE's. I think they're as good as any bin I've ever used (and have posted as much in the past).

I'd offered them for sale recently only because I wanted to get something else and felt guilty about spending the money. Fortunately, I got better and decided to keep the SE's and just add the Conquest HD's. Heck, I felt so good about it, I also picked up a pair of the Vanguard Endeavors to keep in my rig.

So let's not make too much of me trying to make a joke about the 501xxx series being useless compared to the most recent offerings. I should have thrown in a bunch of smilies so no one's sensibilities were offended. o:t::king:3:-O|||||;||:$|

No problems here, and I am happy to see you have kept the 8x32 SE.
They compete with the best offerings on the market today. They are
my reference standard, and also for others who are able to appreciate
this binocular.

As far as the smilies, don't overuse it, like some other posters here,
as it seems to a be girly thing.

Jerry

 

[brocknroller]

I think there is no need for further words about the optical quality

I really like this binocular, the handling, the ease of view (no black outs for me) and of course the image itself. So far i absolutely dont regret the decision.

Regarding the serial number. Someone here mentioned that maybe there are lots of SE bodys manufactured. It seems that the serial number is just a sticker and not engraved. Maybe there is a nice guy in a Nikon storehouse, sitting the whole day, reading newspaper or watching birds and every 4 weeks he is getting a call "put together a new SE man". After a heavy breath and rolling eyes he stands up, collecting all parts from the shelf, screwing, sticking and glueing everything together. After that he get his big roll of stickers and takes the next number, slaps it on the bino and went back to his chair - happy to have vacation the next 4 weeks B

Ahhh, i wish i had his job :-O

Germans are not working so hard as everyone thinks - psssssttt

Yeah, and they thought my serial number/year of manufacture theory was dubious. A stockpile of SE prism housings getting screwed on to newly manufactured EPs and objectives with updated coatings seems more far fetched.

As to the hard working Germans, they may work hard, but when I was in management at UPS, I was told that the German UPS workers couldn't keep pace with American UPS workers when it came to loading and unloading packages and with package care deliveries.

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[ceasar]

It's a depression in the bin and the serial number does look like a sticker...a nice one, but still a sticker.

It's a piece of plastic like material with the numbers printed on it fitted into a groove made for it in the left bottom of the bridge attached to the left prism housing.

On the left top side of the bridge there is a similar set up with a plastic strip fitted into a groove identifying the Binocular. On mine, which I am looking at now, it says in gold leaf letters: Nikon 10x42 6º. ..... It is very nice, but still a sticker, if you will.

You can dig them both out with a knife blade if you wish.

 

[ceasar]

Yeah, and they thought my serial number/year of manufacture theory was dubious. A stockpile of SE prism housings getting screwed on to newly manufactured EPs and objectives with updated coatings seems more far fetched.

As to the hard working Germans, they may work hard, but when I was in management at UPS, I was told that the German UPS workers couldn't keep pace with American UPS workers when it came to loading and unloading packages and with package care deliveries.

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Well.................

The next time you get to compare a 501xxx with a 551xxx examine the prism housings carefully and see if you can discern any differences between them. I would think it would be easier to see that than changes in their view.

But then, you may be right. Every time they have had to make a new batch of SEs they dust off the machinery and stamp new prism housings out and then they cut to fit and cover them with the same exterior faux leather material from some sheeting that has been in stock since 1995.

Then they put them together.

Bob

 

[BruceH]

Dang, this is a touchy group! I LOVE my SE's. ........

Nope, not the group, just various individuals on occasion. I found nothing argumentative about your SE posts. You made a statement about your SE coatings with a bit of a twist that not everyone understood. You followed up with a straight forward explanation of what you meant. There is nothing wrong or argumentative with that, this is a forum after all.

I find your posts well written, consistent with the topic under discussion, and informative. I appreciated your recent contributions on the SE eye cups and hope you keep posting.

 

[CSG]

I will until I'm off onto chess or cycling or sailing or astronomy forums or or...

But then I'll be back when I'm into birding again...

 

[Pileatus]

What's the latest SE myth count?

 

[ceasar]

What's the latest SE myth count?

Why are you asking that here?

Only Nikon knows. Call them. All we know is that Nikon still keeps offering them for sale.

 

[brocknroller]

It's a piece of plastic like material with the numbers printed on it fitted into a groove made for it in the left bottom of the bridge attached to the left prism housing.

On the left top side of the bridge there is a similar set up with a plastic strip fitted into a groove identifying the Binocular. On mine, which I am looking at now, it says in gold leaf letters: Nikon 10x42 6º. ..... It is very nice, but still a sticker, if you will.

You can dig them both out with a knife blade if you wish.

The new ones may have serial number stickers, but I had an older 12x50 SE that had been around the block about 8 times and most of the serial number was worn off, but you can still see some of the stenciled paint under the plastic cover. At some point, they must have switched to making serial # stickers, so they could stack all those prism housings in the warehouse.

Btw, Steve (mooreorless) had the same sample two owners later, one of whom was Prof. EDz. The SEs do get passed around a lot, but this was the first one I've seen where the serial number was nearly completely rubbed off. Despite the many users, the optics were superb.

Can't wait until I have enough pig's feet jars filled to buy a 351xxx 12x50 SE. Of course, by the time that happens, the 352 will be out!

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[ceasar]

Listen. I know the story behind that. You abused them by incorrectly positioning the binocular on Nikon's tripod adaptor which rubbed the SN out of the bridge where it was glued in.

Right Steve?

Meanwhile if you get a chance to compare a 550 with a 551 make sure the plastic inserts are the same size. If they are not it will be conclusive evidence that Nikon does make changes in the binocular.

 

[brocknroller]

Listen. I know the story behind that. You abused them by incorrectly positioning the binocular on Nikon's tripod adaptor which rubbed the SN out of the bridge where it was glued in.

Right Steve?

Meanwhile if you get a chance to compare a 550 with a 551 make sure the plastic inserts are the same size. If they are not it will be conclusive evidence that Nikon does make changes in the binocular.

That's likely true about the tripod adapter, the bin arrived with a stubby clamp type adapter, which I sold with the Nikon 40mm XL Zooms, whose smaller prism housings had enough clearance for it, but it wasn't me who "abused" the 12x50s, but rather one or more of the other 8 owners. I had an SE adapter, which I gave to Steve when he bought the 12x50s and he passed it along to owner #11.

I'm very happy with the 550 8x32 SE, so I doubt if I will be buying a 551 any time soon, I'd have to wait until Klipy or Jun Afable sells one "like new" at a discounted price on Amart.

As much as I liked the 12x50 SE for stargazing, I doubt if I'll be buying another since I found the FOV too restrictive for daytime use. I'd prefer the 5.7* FOV of the 12x50 SV EL, but @ $2,759, I'd have to fill the entire basement/garage with pig's feet jars full of quarters. Then I'd have no place to put the car this winter, but then again, who needs a car when you have a 12x50 SV EL since I can see for miles and miles, miles and miles and miles, oh yeah

What I can't figure out about the 12x50 SV EL is where they fit the gyro stabilization mechanism? :h?:

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[mooreorless]

I do still have a 12x. You could use it for a weapon swinging it.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=426358&d=1359816502