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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steve C" data-source="post: 1387394" data-attributes="member: 56622">Well surprise, surprise.  I went home to check the mail and I had the binoculars.  The mailman closed the package between the screen door and front door and I about broke my neck when I tried tripping over the box.  I took about an hour and did a few quick comparisons.  I have both the ZEN 8x and 10x43 ED.  While the comparisons were quick ones I am fairly confident of what I am posting here.  If I reach the conclusion I was a bit hasty on anything, you will all be the first to know.I have said a lot of good things about the Promaster Infinity Elite ELX ED.  I stand by those statements after having the binocular for several months and having had the chance to compare it to a bunch of other binoculars, including the very top end brands.  I will also say that whatever I said about the Promaster appears to apply to the ZEN ED.  In short, if you have pre-ordered these and are waiting for them, I will be astounded if you are not pleased with them.Comments applicable to both 8x and 10x 43 ZEN ED:They both have the same focus rate that the Promaster does, 2 1/2 turns.  Both of these have zero focus tension issues.  If I could speed up the quickness of the rate, I would.  I really would prefer a somewhat less than 2 revolutions of the wheel, more like 1.5 turns or maybe a bit more.  But the effort required to run the wheel is just right.  Smooth, uniform force, no hard spots, or dragging, or any sort of mechanical interference did I find.  The wheel moves easily enough for my taste and is stiff enough to stay put unless the user chooses to move it.  Kevin is correct, there is more space between the barrels of the ZEN.  My micrometer says .75" in the ZEN and .70" in the ELX.  Physically, except for the armor difference, the two look like twins.  The diopter is a bit different on the ZEN.  This one has positive, audible and tactile stops.  The Promaster is without the stops.  The ZEN diopter setting snaps into focus "right now" for me, and at precisely the right position for me.  No wishing there was half stop notches.  I typically need about -1 diopter on most binoculars.  Both the ZEN and Promaster are just a tad bit on the minus side of zero for me.  It is stiff enough that when set, it very likely will not move.  I have yet had the need to adjust the diopter on the Promaster since I've had it, so I doubt if it will work loose unless the user is a compulsive focus fiddler.8x43 ZEN and Promaster ELX ED:The ability to resolve from a chart seems equal.  The ELX ED has the water and oil repellent coatings, the ZEN ED does not.  The ZEN is perhaps a bit brighter than the ELX ED.  However, the ELX ED has the appearance of having a reactive coating, in that it appears more color neutral in bright and somewhat yellow in dim light.  The ZEN ED is pretty color neutral throughout.  This can be seen using Henry Link's idea of a white paper like the photo he posted on his other threads.  I'll see if the apparent difference can be can't be photographed.The depth of focus is the same.  Focused at several miles distant, the close focus, not yet measured, is about 70 feet, I think, is the close focus distance for both.  Much of the focus wheel travel is coming in closer than this.  I can focus on my toes.The field of view is larger in the ZEN than the ELX.  I do not notice this in use, but it is easy enough to see if you look.  So fov advocates have an advantage with the ZEN.  The ZEN and ELX seem to me to be about equal in edge to edge sharpness.  I did not quite expect this.  The sweet spot is large in both.  Unless you are sensitive to edge distortions, you will not notice any.  The ZEN is clearly better (in whatever aspect you wish to name) than the Nikon Monarch 8x42.  And somewhat sharper and brighter than the 8x30 Yosemite.The 10x43 ZEN:This is looking to be the one that might interest me the most.  It is better optically than the Viper 10x42 I have.  It will read more detail from the resolution chart, it is brighter, sharper, and seems to have better color.  The differences are not great, but can be seen if the binoculars are side by side.  The larger fov of the ZEN is clearly apparent.  I need to get these two together for distant viewing.Comparison to top end glass.I have posted elsewhere of the comparisons I have of the Promaster and other top end glass from Leica, Steiner, Swarovski, and Zeiss.  It is right there optically with those.  The comparison here with the ZEN can only be indirect as I will not have the ZEN long enough to do the same comparisons, but I think it is no stretch to think the ZEN will compare as well as did the ELX.  I do not believe that these will pass the same intensive, objective tests with the same scores as the alpha glass.  That's perhaps a bit much to expect form silver coated prisms in a less expensive instrument. But they will be far closer than any other mid price glass can come.In short these binoculars are what I will call 99.33 binoculars.  That's 99% of the optics of the alpha at 33% of the price.  Durability, longevity, service and warranty issues with the Promaster/ZEN glass are yet to be demonstrated, but it is clear to me that you will not get better optics considering the price paid.  Calling these the poor man's alpha binocular seems no stretch.  More to come, pictures included (I had to charge the camera battery), as I look further.</blockquote>

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