Waterproof SE (1 Viewer)

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. All that Nikon would have to do to completely DOMINATE the birding binocular industry would be to engineer and market a waterproof version of the SE binoculars. Why are they holding back? There are certainly no technical hurdles that would be particularly difficult to solve - the SE's are almost waterproof already. Surely Nikon realizes that this is all they would need to do? Maybe I'm giving them too much credit... what do you all think?

Best wishes,
Bawko

 

[Leif]

Greetings!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. All that Nikon would have to do to completely DOMINATE the birding binocular industry would be to engineer and market a waterproof version of the SE binoculars. Why are they holding back? There are certainly no technical hurdles that would be particularly difficult to solve - the SE's are almost waterproof already. Surely Nikon realizes that this is all they would need to do? Maybe I'm giving them too much credit... what do you all think?

Best wishes,
Bawko

It might be that Nikon consider that the HG range are for people who require waterproofing, and the SE range are for people who want superb optics. Thus waterproofing the SE range would take sales from the HG range, and would also increase the cost. Part of the appeal of the SE might be the low cost compared with other instruments of similar optical quality.

As I understand it the main problem with sealing the SE is that the volume changes as focussing is achieved by moving the eyepieces along the optical axes. This is in contrast to most roof prism binoculars which have a small negative lens between the objective and the prisms and the focus is achieved by moving this lens along the optical axis.

I think a porro prism binocular could also achieve focus by moving one of the prisms in each optical assembly. (This is how the Leica Televid scopes focus.) This would allow the binocular to be sealed - as the volume would be constant - and hence it could also be nitrogen filled to prevent fogging. (Nitrogen filling seems to be one of the current trendy must haves.) Presumably the reason why AFAIK no binocular uses this mechanism is because it has some drawbacks. Maybe it is expensive to make, or increases weight and bulk to an unacceptable degree?

 

[Doug Greenberg]

For the reasons given by Leif, it's just not possible to make porro designs really "waterproof," so manufacturers don't really try. As it is, the SE's are reasonably resistant to water damage (I've used mine in the rain with no negative results), but the porro design just isn't compatible with the steps that are necessary to totally prevent water leakage, fogging, etc.

 

[maitreya]

For the reasons given by Leif, it's just not possible to make porro designs really "waterproof," so manufacturers don't really try. As it is, the SE's are reasonably resistant to water damage (I've used mine in the rain with no negative results), but the porro design just isn't compatible with the steps that are necessary to totally prevent water leakage, fogging, etc.

I believe that the Bausch and Lomb Elite 12x50 is a fully water proof nitrogen filled porro. The eyepieces do not move when focusing. I am not sure whether it has prisms that move or a negative lense focusing system.

 

[jebir]

For the reasons given by Leif, it's just not possible to make porro designs really "waterproof," so manufacturers don't really try. As it is, the SE's are reasonably resistant to water damage (I've used mine in the rain with no negative results), but the porro design just isn't compatible with the steps that are necessary to totally prevent water leakage, fogging, etc.

Anyone knows what the is difference in the designs is that makes it impossible to use the same type of eyepieces on porros as on roofs?

Jens.