What do you think about the focus wheel and diopter on the EDG? (2 Viewers)

[The Kingfisher]

I have had my Nikon EDG 8x42 since 2013, I think..and like it very much. But two things I do not like and have had real issues with is the diopter and the focus wheel. Sometime the focus wheel is nice, but other times it is to light, to stiff or gritty. But the biggest problem is that it sometimes happen that the wheel have been moved upwards so the diopter is visable. If I do not detect this before I try to use the focus wheel it just spins. It does not happen very often, but now and then. What is also happen is that I have a creeping diopter..especially if I focusing when I am looking at a bird high up in a tree or in the sky. I have had my bino on service to correct this and it became better..but far from perfect. What do you think about the focus wheel and the diopter? Do you also have these issues?

I really like the optics of the Nikon EDG, but with those issues I decided to buy another pair of binoculars last year - the Kowa Genesis 8,5x44. It is not a perfect binocular either, but for me it is a very nice binocular too. Important to me is good sharpness (especially in the center), good contrast, neutral colors, low CA, that it feels nice in my hands, well build and that it has a nice focus wheel. Most of these features are better on the Kowa 8,5x44 than on most other binoculars I have owned and tried for longer periods (I have tried all the Alphas like Noctivid, Swaro NL and so on for extended periods. Zeiss have I just used briefly).

 

[Vespobuteo]

I have had my Nikon 8x42 since 2013, I think..and like it very much. But two things I do not like and have had real issues with is the diopter and the focus wheel. Sometime the focus wheel is nice, but other times it is to light, to stiff or gritty. But the biggest problem is that it sometimes happen that the wheel have been moved upwards so the diopter is visable. If I do not detect this before I try to use the focus wheel it just spins. It does not happen very often, but now and then. What is also happen is that I have a creeping diopter..especially if I focusing when I am looking at a bird high up in a tree or in the sky. I have had my bino on service to correct this and it became better..but far from perfect. What do you think about the focus wheel and the diopter? Do you also have these issues?

I really like the optics of the Nikon EDG, but with those issues I decided to buy another pair of binoculars last year - the Kowa Genesis 8,5x44. It is not a perfect binocular either, but for me it is a very nice binocular too. Important to me is good sharpness (especially in the center), good contrast, neutral colors, low CA, that it feels nice in my hands, well build and that it has a nice focus wheel. Most of these features are better on the Kowa 8,5x44 than on most other binoculars I have owned and tried for longer periods (I have tried all the Alphas like Noctivid, Swaro NL and so on for extended periods. Zeiss have I just used briefly).

Maybe this could help?

Nikon EDG I diopter drift solution

Hi all, this is my very first post in this forum. I am a binocular geek. Recently, I purchased a used EDG I (10x42) from eBay. The optics and everything are outstanding (in fact the best among all binos I have ever used including Swaro, Leica, Zeiss). However, as mentioned by others, it is...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Scott98]

I'm not sure where you are but I'd be thinking of sending them to Nikon to fix/upgrade the parts.

 

[brocknroller]

I have had my Nikon 8x42 since 2013, I think..and like it very much. But two things I do not like and have had real issues with is the diopter and the focus wheel. Sometime the focus wheel is nice, but other times it is to light, to stiff or gritty. But the biggest problem is that it sometimes happen that the wheel have been moved upwards so the diopter is visable. If I do not detect this before I try to use the focus wheel it just spins. It does not happen very often, but now and then. What is also happen is that I have a creeping diopter..especially if I focusing when I am looking at a bird high up in a tree or in the sky. I have had my bino on service to correct this and it became better..but far from perfect. What do you think about the focus wheel and the diopter? Do you also have these issues?

I really like the optics of the Nikon EDG, but with those issues I decided to buy another pair of binoculars last year - the Kowa Genesis 8,5x44. It is not a perfect binocular either, but for me it is a very nice binocular too. Important to me is good sharpness (especially in the center), good contrast, neutral colors, low CA, that it feels nice in my hands, well build and that it has a nice focus wheel. Most of these features are better on the Kowa 8,5x44 than on most other binoculars I have owned and tried for longer periods (I have tried all the Alphas like Noctivid, Swaro NL and so on for extended periods. Zeiss have I just used briefly).

KF,

Did you buy it new in 2013? The EDG II was already out by then. As Vespobuteo's link showed, the original EDG I had diopter drift problems. It also had problems with the focuser coming loose. I tried an EDG I, and the focuser kept coming off and when I pushed down on it to engage it, the diopter, which had no click stops, moved. The focuser and diopter design on the EDG I were defective.

I haven't heard a lot of problems about these issues with the EDG II, but there can be issues with an individual sample. My 8x42 EDG's focuser turned buttery smooth (best I've tried) and the diopter stayed put. The only issue I had was sometimes the focuser would pop off when I took the EDG out of the case, and I didn't realize it until I started to focus and the focus wheel spun. I learned to overcome that problem by taking the bin out of the case by grabbing just one barrel, so my hand didn't pull up on the focuser.

The 8x32 EDG II, which I've had about a month, has a smaller focuser, and I haven't had any problems with the focuser wheel popping off, but then again, I have it in an Eyeskye 50mm case, which is roomy for the 8x32 model.

If you have an 8x42 EDG I, and there are issues with the diopter and focuser, Nikon should replace it with the EDG II, if they have supplies. If not, they can get one from Nikon Japan.

If it's an EDG II, and you are the original owner, send it to Nikon for servicing.

Brock

 

[The Kingfisher]

KF,

Did you buy it new in 2013? The EDG II was already out by then. As Vespobuteo's link showed, the original EDG I had diopter drift problems. It also had problems with the focuser coming loose. I tried an EDG I, and the focuser kept coming off and when I pushed down on it to engage it, the diopter, which had no click stops, moved. The focuser and diopter design on the EDG I were defective.

I haven't heard a lot of problems about these issues with the EDG II, but there can always been issues with an individual sample. My 8x42 EDG's focuser turned buttery smooth (best I've tried) and the diopter stayed put. The only issue I had was sometimes the focuser would pop off when I took the EDG out of the case, and I didn't realize it until I started to focus and the focus wheel spun. I learned to overcome that problem by taking the bin out of the case by grabbing just one barrel, so my hand didn't pull up on the focuser.

The 8x32 EDG II, which I've had about a month, has a smaller focuser, and I haven't had any problems with the focuser wheel popping off, but then again, I have it in an Eyeskye 50mm case, which is roomy for the 8x32 model.

If you have an 8x42 EDG I, and there are issues with the diopter and focuser, Nikon should replace it with the EDG II, if they have supplies. If not, they can get one from Nikon Japan.

If it's an EDG II, and you are the original owner, send it to Nikon for servicing.

Brock

I have the EDG II. Just checked when I bought it..and it was earlier than I thought it was (October 2011). I bought it new. My sample has the serial number 3004XX.

 

[dries1]

KF,

Sorry about EDG focus wheel, I have the EDG in three formats and have owned other 8X42 EDG IIs along the line, I have never had problems with the focus wheel/diopter.

 

[brocknroller]

I have the EDG II. Just checked when I bought it..and it was earlier than I thought it was (October 2011). I bought it new. My sample has the serial number 3004XX.

Definitely send it in for repairs under the warranty. Please post here how it went. Thanks.

 

[The Kingfisher]

Definitely send it in for repairs under the warranty. Please post here how it went. Thanks.

Under the warranty? 🙂 The warranty is (if I remember correctly) only 10 years in Europe/Sweden. I bought my EDG for about 11,5 years ago.