Why was Nikon EDG pulled from western markets? (1 Viewer)

[Volvonium]

I recently purchased and am waiting on a second hand Nikon EDG 85-A after being very impressed with the Nikon FEP* line of eyepieces, which I had been adapting for astronomical use (FEP-20-60 aspheric zoom, FEP-25LER). I believe the eyepieces are analogs to the Nikon astronomically oriented NAV-SW, but with some additional configurations not found in the NAV-SW line. I noticed that there seems to be scarce information about the EDG field scopes and eyepieces, in spite of them being around for about 10 years. Can anyone shed light on this? I assume the retail price and its release date coinciding with a post recession economy had something to do with it, but I feel that there are other things in play, since the scope seems to be stricken from from the US website, but is still advertised in Japanese markets.

The EDG field scopes and eyepieces seem to be of very high quality; is Nikon trying to position the Monarch line as the new top of the line for US market?

 

[dries1]

Volvonium,

Here is an ad for the EDG scopes and eyepiece info, I think I also have another sheet somewhere, when I find it I will post it.

To your question, yes the Monarch line is now the go to line for scopes/Binoculars. The EDG line, scopes/binoculars was achieved in 2018 I believe.

Andy W.

 

[tenex]

Re: "analogs", I don't think these eyepieces are especially close relatives, as the focal lengths don't seem quite the same, and the FEPs have only ~64° AFOV compared to 72° for NAV-SW. But the NAVs aren't marketed in the US either, and may never have been. Neither are the E II binoculars. So there's a handful of very fine Nikon products that have their devotees but simply aren't sold here, and how Nikon decides that I can't guess.

As to the Monarch, despite its more modest price, the 82ED scope and its eyepieces appear to be excellent; see this recent thread. A comparison with your EDG would be very interesting.

 

[kabsetz]

I would guess that Nikon has simply sold so few of them on the western markets that it does not make much sense to keep offering them.
Yes, they are fine scopes, but the problem with them from the outset was that they were much heavier and bulkier than comparable offerings from other top makers, while not really offering any advantages in return. Their magnifications end at 60x, the zoom offers average FOV at best, and while opitcally fine, their image quality is no better than the top contenders offer.

When the EDG came out, I tested it thoroughly against my then-reference-scope, the Nikon ED 82 A, and concluded that except for better eye-relief and slightly wider FOV of the zoom ep, I preferred the ED 82 A in every way.

- Kimmo

 

[henry link]

I never developed much interest in the EDG scopes for the reasons Kimmo listed, and their plug-ugly design didn't help either. Another disappointment for optics geeks was the use of Schmidt-Pechan prisms instead of Porros in the straight versions and the abandonment of the oversized offset Schmidt prism in the angled versions.

The Monarch ED scopes have restored the superior prism designs used the original field scopes and added a very effective variable speed focuser. Based on testing 5 samples I've found that the optics of the new scopes are so good that they really can't be much improved upon by any spotting scope, no matter how expensive.

 

[Volvonium]

Thank you, I think analog was the wrong term to use, but perhaps a 'close relative.' Quite often, the listed FOV and focal lengths of an eyepiece doesn't always quite match the actual performance. I have yet to put the eyepieces on a bench with reference patterns, but that's something I'm planning on doing.

This positive discussion about the Monarch line naturally makes me curious about the Monarch's SEP* line of eyepieces. I really enjoy the Nikon EDG FEP* eyepieces I have when I've used them for astronomy and they present an excellent image (when not having to pass through a prism system); I have Leica Aspheric Zoom, Nikon and Pentax abbe ortho, and a few other well regarded top shelf eyepieces that I've compared the Nikon FEP to and the Nikon hold up very well in terms of presenting a very flat, sharp image, with very little aberration at the edge. Other field scope oriented eyepieces I've tried, such as the Pentax XF zoom and SMC 8-24mm, show a great deal of lateral color. Sharper than BHZ, but notably more aberrated at the edge.

I'm eager to try the EDG field scope since it was obtained at the price of the current Monarch. My astro equipment's performance- which I sometimes adopt for terrestrial- leaves it with very big shoes to fill in terms of presenting an image without false color, but from what I understand, the prism system and its critical collimation has the largest impact on the limits of optical train.

Yep..I think I'm an optics nut... my silly hunt for the true King of Zooms. At some point I'll try a Swaro and Kowa zoom.