brocknroller
porromaniac
Close my eyes with that tunnel vision
No disguise for that tunnel vision
Ooh, it still gets to me, but it's not new to me
My SE’s tunnel vision used to get the best of me
I’m no “Foreigner” to the issue of tunnel vision with the Nikon 8x32 SE. Even though it’s one of my favorite binoculars and my favorite porro, I keep selling it and buying it, which wasn’t hard or expensive while they were still being made. But now, they are harder to find and often more expensive to buy, plus now some have EPs (or objectives) with balsam separation (which is a whole ‘nuther story).
I sold the 8x32 SEs in part because I wanted upgraded coatings on the latest models, from 500xxx through 505xxx and then the last generation 550xxx with lead-free glass. Unlike the Teutonic manufacturers who blatantly advertise that their alpha’s lenses have the latest and greatest Übermensch coatings ® , Nikon upgrades its coatings without fanfare or proprietary names. You hear about it through the grapevine on BF, CN, or in reviews.
Even then, some users couldn’t tell the difference between the AR coatings of a 501 8x32 SE and 505 or swear there’s no difference, but to the discerning, experienced and obsessive eye, the difference is clear if subtle.
The MAIN reason I kept selling the 8x SE is that I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the eyecups. They didn’t bother me on the 10x42 or 12x50 SEs, which may seem odd given they have the same eyecups and even the same EPs. However, I used the 10x42s for distance observation such hawk watches and the 12x50s for stargazing, so the IPD remained the same at all times. It’s focusing close to watch songbirds where the problem lies with the 8x SE since I have to reduce the IPD to avoid overlapping cirlces, and the diameter of SE eyecups is nearly 42mm, and the eyecups are long to accommodate the 17.4 mm ER. All this rubbed me the wrong way, or I should say rubbed my high-bridged nose.
I’m not alone in having issues with the SE’s eyecups. The SE EP’s spherical aberration of the exit pupil has been a problem for many users and might have been the reason for the demise of the SE line. But the SE's optics are so superb that owners tried to find ways of avoiding image blackouts by tilting the eyecups against their brow or constructing eyecup modifications such as Tobias Mennle’s:
The E2’s eyecups are the same diameter as the SE’s, but they are shorter to accommodate the E2’s shorter 13.8 mm ER, and the E2 has a wider FOV, so I don’t have to dig my face/nose into the eyecups to see the full FOV.
After a week of rainy and/or cloudy days, it was finally sunny on Sunday (rainy again today), so I took the SE down to the park to watch the ducks and geese.
I was impressed as always with the SE’s sharpness, contrast and vivid colors, but at close range watching ducks and geese, I had to shrink the IPD to avoid overlapping circles and push in the eyecups into my nose, which was uncomfortable, so I put the SEs in my backpack and took out the 8x32 EDG, which provides more comfortable viewing at close range and where the 3-D effect isn’t important. Although I have to say that the 8x32 EDG’s perception of 3-D is quite good for a roof, noticeably better than the 8x42 model. The EDG's FOV is also a bit wider than the SE’s, and unlike the SE, I can see the full FOV with the EDG without digging the eyecups into my nose.
When I got back home, I took the 8 x SE out in the backyard to look at pigeons on top of the Match Factory’s brick chimney and circling turkey vultures above. I turned the eyecups upside down, which feels more comfortable on the nose, though the view is still somewhat tunnelesque, particularly for watching vultures, which swarm in groups of 30 or more, some far above and some close overhead. They swarm every day around 5 o’clock EST (they don’t “spring ahead”).
Seeing the swarm coming my way, I ran inside and took out my rarely used 100th Anniversary 8x30 E2. I could see layer upon layer of vultures riding the thermals. It was an amazing sight.
Then a light bulb went off above my head (I accidentally hit the porch light on the way out the backdoor). But it seemed to help since I had the idea of swapping the SE and E2 eyecups to find out if I could see the full FOV in the SE with the E2 eyecups.
To my great DELIGHT, I could see the entire FOV of the 8x SE right to the crisp field stop without nose discomfort, and to my great SURPRISE with no image blackouts! I could pan the binoculars and move my eyes around the FOV with no problems.
No longer does the 8x SE’s view look tunnelesque but OPEN. I’m sure I must have tried this swap before, since I owned SEs and E2s at the same time, but back then it didn’t work. I got image blackouts. I’m not sure why it works now. Perhaps because my eyes have changed from myopia to presbyopia. Whatever the reason, now swapping the SE and E2 eyecups works for me. Hallelujah!
It only took 20 years to figure out how to see the entire FOV with the 8x SE and not mash up my nose, but better late than never.
I realize this solution isn’t going to work for everyone, but perhaps it will for some, so I thought I’d pass it on.
Now I need to order a couple pairs of E2 eyecups from Nikon.
Photos: Close up, left eyecup is original SE, right one, E2. Wider shot is of the SE with the E2 eycups on, the SE eyecups are on their side below.
Brock
No disguise for that tunnel vision
Ooh, it still gets to me, but it's not new to me
My SE’s tunnel vision used to get the best of me
I’m no “Foreigner” to the issue of tunnel vision with the Nikon 8x32 SE. Even though it’s one of my favorite binoculars and my favorite porro, I keep selling it and buying it, which wasn’t hard or expensive while they were still being made. But now, they are harder to find and often more expensive to buy, plus now some have EPs (or objectives) with balsam separation (which is a whole ‘nuther story).
I sold the 8x32 SEs in part because I wanted upgraded coatings on the latest models, from 500xxx through 505xxx and then the last generation 550xxx with lead-free glass. Unlike the Teutonic manufacturers who blatantly advertise that their alpha’s lenses have the latest and greatest Übermensch coatings ® , Nikon upgrades its coatings without fanfare or proprietary names. You hear about it through the grapevine on BF, CN, or in reviews.
Even then, some users couldn’t tell the difference between the AR coatings of a 501 8x32 SE and 505 or swear there’s no difference, but to the discerning, experienced and obsessive eye, the difference is clear if subtle.
The MAIN reason I kept selling the 8x SE is that I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the eyecups. They didn’t bother me on the 10x42 or 12x50 SEs, which may seem odd given they have the same eyecups and even the same EPs. However, I used the 10x42s for distance observation such hawk watches and the 12x50s for stargazing, so the IPD remained the same at all times. It’s focusing close to watch songbirds where the problem lies with the 8x SE since I have to reduce the IPD to avoid overlapping cirlces, and the diameter of SE eyecups is nearly 42mm, and the eyecups are long to accommodate the 17.4 mm ER. All this rubbed me the wrong way, or I should say rubbed my high-bridged nose.
I’m not alone in having issues with the SE’s eyecups. The SE EP’s spherical aberration of the exit pupil has been a problem for many users and might have been the reason for the demise of the SE line. But the SE's optics are so superb that owners tried to find ways of avoiding image blackouts by tilting the eyecups against their brow or constructing eyecup modifications such as Tobias Mennle’s:
The E2’s eyecups are the same diameter as the SE’s, but they are shorter to accommodate the E2’s shorter 13.8 mm ER, and the E2 has a wider FOV, so I don’t have to dig my face/nose into the eyecups to see the full FOV.
After a week of rainy and/or cloudy days, it was finally sunny on Sunday (rainy again today), so I took the SE down to the park to watch the ducks and geese.
I was impressed as always with the SE’s sharpness, contrast and vivid colors, but at close range watching ducks and geese, I had to shrink the IPD to avoid overlapping circles and push in the eyecups into my nose, which was uncomfortable, so I put the SEs in my backpack and took out the 8x32 EDG, which provides more comfortable viewing at close range and where the 3-D effect isn’t important. Although I have to say that the 8x32 EDG’s perception of 3-D is quite good for a roof, noticeably better than the 8x42 model. The EDG's FOV is also a bit wider than the SE’s, and unlike the SE, I can see the full FOV with the EDG without digging the eyecups into my nose.
When I got back home, I took the 8 x SE out in the backyard to look at pigeons on top of the Match Factory’s brick chimney and circling turkey vultures above. I turned the eyecups upside down, which feels more comfortable on the nose, though the view is still somewhat tunnelesque, particularly for watching vultures, which swarm in groups of 30 or more, some far above and some close overhead. They swarm every day around 5 o’clock EST (they don’t “spring ahead”).
Seeing the swarm coming my way, I ran inside and took out my rarely used 100th Anniversary 8x30 E2. I could see layer upon layer of vultures riding the thermals. It was an amazing sight.
Then a light bulb went off above my head (I accidentally hit the porch light on the way out the backdoor). But it seemed to help since I had the idea of swapping the SE and E2 eyecups to find out if I could see the full FOV in the SE with the E2 eyecups.
To my great DELIGHT, I could see the entire FOV of the 8x SE right to the crisp field stop without nose discomfort, and to my great SURPRISE with no image blackouts! I could pan the binoculars and move my eyes around the FOV with no problems.
No longer does the 8x SE’s view look tunnelesque but OPEN. I’m sure I must have tried this swap before, since I owned SEs and E2s at the same time, but back then it didn’t work. I got image blackouts. I’m not sure why it works now. Perhaps because my eyes have changed from myopia to presbyopia. Whatever the reason, now swapping the SE and E2 eyecups works for me. Hallelujah!
It only took 20 years to figure out how to see the entire FOV with the 8x SE and not mash up my nose, but better late than never.
I realize this solution isn’t going to work for everyone, but perhaps it will for some, so I thought I’d pass it on.
Now I need to order a couple pairs of E2 eyecups from Nikon.
Photos: Close up, left eyecup is original SE, right one, E2. Wider shot is of the SE with the E2 eycups on, the SE eyecups are on their side below.
Brock
