binoculars necessary?

[mytime53]

where can we find the ZEN ED2? We have a pair of Bushnell auto-focus that my wife got from her 20th service anniverary gift. I don't know how the auto focus works since it does not need battery. Every time we took it out and look through it, I always feel watching through a screen door. Just need a little bit to get to sharp focus. But there is no knob to turn.

 

I haven't tried a pair of these--although I'm sure they're good for some purposes, they wouldn't match mine (I want the ability for close focus). I found this review of them easily understood http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/self_focusing_binoculars.php

Have you done the individual focus? That might help with yours.

 

As for zen-rays, unless you live in the Portland area, you have to get them from their own website or e-bay (where most were asking more than the ZR website when I checked earlier this week)..

[FunwardBound]

I have been sold on the Eagle Optics brand's higher-end binoculars for years. They have been with me to Alaska, South Africa, Yellowstone, among others. They compete well with Zeiss, Leica, and Swarovski at a fraction of the price. More expensive by far than the ZenRay, but I can vouch for EO's durability over time. Another plus - they are lightweight! And edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent.

 

The pair I have are the Platinum Ranger 10x42's. They have been replaced by the Ranger SRT model, which I gave to my wife a couple years ago - I like hers even better! Here's a link: http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/eagle-optics/eagle-optics-ranger-srt-10x42-binocular

 

Somebody asked about binoc harnesses. They are nice on a hike or other occasion when you'll want the binocs at-hand for extended periods of time. Eagle Optics sells them, as do many other retailers.

 

Bottom line - don't go to Alaska without a good pair of binoculars! :)

[skierT]

I haven't tried a pair of these--although I'm sure they're good for some purposes, they wouldn't match mine (I want the ability for close focus). I found this review of them easily understood http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/self_focusing_binoculars.php

Have you done the individual focus? That might help with yours.

 

As for zen-rays, unless you live in the Portland area, you have to get them from their own website or e-bay (where most were asking more than the ZR website when I checked earlier this week)..

 

spending last night researching binoculars. Those ZEN ED2 look pretty impressive. They have 7x, 8x and 10x power. Which one should we get to take to Alaska? The price difference is not too much. Thanks.

[diverearl]

spending last night researching binoculars. Those ZEN ED2 look pretty impressive. They have 7x, 8x and 10x power. Which one should we get to take to Alaska? The price difference is not too much. Thanks.

 

I bought my first Zen Ray Summits ( 10X power ) after getting great reviews on CC. Since I have bought my wife the same Summits, 2 pair as gifts and helped 2 other people get them. When compared to Nikon Monarks ($450.00 +) the Summits almost always get the nod. This advice was some of the best I've recieved on CC over the years. Just my 2 cents.

[whale-watcher]

spending last night researching binoculars. Those ZEN ED2 look pretty impressive. They have 7x, 8x and 10x power. Which one should we get to take to Alaska? The price difference is not too much. Thanks.

10x can be harder to hold steady, especially in a moving boat. 7x are wonderfully bright and sharp but the magnification is a bit week. I personally prefer 8x as the best overall magnification.

 

If you have very steady hands and are not prone to migraines or muscle fatigue, you might consider the 10x, but for many users the extra magnification also increases motion, canceling out any increased resolution and causing some visual fatigue over time.

[knorrisb07]

I second what whale-watcher just said. If you don't use binoculars very often, an 8x power will have less vibration from handshaking. I got a pair of ZEN ED 8x43 last year. The wide FOV is what I went after. It's definitely sharper than the summit I have.

 

Do you recall how the edge-to-edge sharpness is? That is a high priority for me, as it makes to viewing experience so much more pleasant.

I can only speak for the 8x43 I have. It has a quite large sweet spot, close to 75-80% FOV. Then the resolution slowly goes down toward the very edge. It is still completely usable at the edge and not intrusive, just not as crisp as the very center. Considering its wide angle (420ft), I call it pretty decent. I also have a Bushnell Elite2 8x42 that only has 330 ft angle. The overall sweet spot is much bigger with the ZEN 8x43. I heard the new Swaroski binoculars is very good in this regard. But it costs $2400, which is way above what I can afford.

[Ron AKA]

Another thing to consider if you are going with 10X glass is the field of view. If you have a wide field of view, your eye can still follow objects even though you are not holding the glass so steady. The Bushnell Legend Porro 10x50 that I have gives 340' view at 1000 feet. Some 10X binoculars only give 270' or so, and it makes it harder to see if the glass is moving.

 

I see the Zen-Ray ZRS 10x42 gives 315'. That is quite high for an objective lens of 42mm on a 10X. They are really pushing the view for the size of glass. One check you may want to make is just holding the binoculars a foot or so away from yourself indoors and point them toward the sky outside (not into the sun). You should see a nice round exit pupil of light. If the manufacturer has pushed the limits too far, you can see flat spots, or darkening of the image at the edges. Also, one of the reasons the image may not be sharp from edge to edge.

[skierT]

Thanks a lot for the recommendation. Just ordered a pair of 8x43 ZEN ED2. I am sure it will be a big upgrade from my current pair.

 

http://www.zen-ray.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=248

 

The next thing will be getting a waterproof jacket. It seems to be a must for the trip.

[dhmom99]

Forgot-- I purchased the Zen ED2 10x43. I'm sure the Vista and Summit are probably great for the price range, but neither of us is willing to sacrifice the quality for a few hundred dollars when that item will (presumably) last the rest of our lives.

 

For those of you who have purchased really cheap binocs because "you'll never use them again", you're right--you won't--and a large part of that is because you spent so little that you are missing the joy of seeing things through good binoculars. I'm not saying you have to spend as much as I'm willing to, but do yourself a favor and go to a sporting goods store and try some good ones out. Two days ago we watched the wind ruffling the feathers of a heron. It was probably 20 feet away--without the binocs, it was "oh, there's a heron.". With the optics, it was "Wow! Look at those absolutely gorgeous feathers!"

if you spend any time outdoors and have any interest in nature, you deserve a good pair of binocs.

 

Is there major difference between 8x42 and 8x43? I got a pair of zen-ray VISTA 8x42 and love it.

[skierT]

We received the ZEN 8x43. After comparing with the bushnell auto focus that we had for several years, the Zen-Ray binoculars are better, way better. I don't know any technical terms. But it is just more comfortable with the ZR binoculars. I didn't get eye strain after a couple hours of using it over the weekend. My wife wear glasses and she used to complain that view got blocked sometimes when she put on her glasses. But there is no issue with the new zen-ray binoculars we just got.

 

One quick question, I saw there is a knob on the right side of the binoculars and a big knob in the center. Do I need to adjust both of them? So far, I just used the center knob and it worked fine. thanks.

[mytime53]

We received the ZEN 8x43. After comparing with the bushnell auto focus that we had for several years, the Zen-Ray binoculars are better, way better. I don't know any technical terms. But it is just more comfortable with the ZR binoculars. I didn't get eye strain after a couple hours of using it over the weekend. My wife wear glasses and she used to complain that view got blocked sometimes when she put on her glasses. But there is no issue with the new zen-ray binoculars we just got.

 

One quick question, I saw there is a knob on the right side of the binoculars and a big knob in the center. Do I need to adjust both of them? So far, I just used the center knob and it worked fine. thanks.

 

there should be directions in the box...if not, there are directions online. http://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/gear/2007/09/adjusting-binoculars. Just remember that, depending on your vision, adjusting them for one of you might make them not clear for the other person. Just one of the many reasons hubby and I each have our own excellent binos.

[mytime53]

Do you recall how the edge-to-edge sharpness is? That is a high priority for me, as it makes to viewing experience so much more pleasant.

 

sorry it took so long to get back to you...I wanted to use them a little more before answering. E to E seems to match (in regular use) our more expensive binos.

Last night I used them after dark (had to wait almost til midnight) and they matched the swarovskis.

The strap isn't quite as nice as on our others, and I'm not sure the lens covers will last as long. But I can buy a lot of lens covers for a fraction of the price difference.

[knorrisb07]

One quick question, I saw there is a knob on the right side of the binoculars and a big knob in the center. Do I need to adjust both of them? So far, I just used the center knob and it worked fine. thanks.

 

The small knob is diopter ring. I don't think you need to adjust it anymore once it is set.

 

here is another good instruction that is easy to follow.

 

Ken

[zelker]

Have been reading all your good comments about Zen-Ray binos but haven't seen any mention of warranty nor can I find any mention of it on their web site other than their 30 day money back guarantee. Is that all there is? My compact Minoltas came with a 25 yr warranty so just curious.

 

Also, does anyone know how long Zen-Ray has been in business?

 

Just general questions before I buy any.

 

Thanks!

[mytime53]

Have been reading all your good comments about Zen-Ray binos but haven't seen any mention of warranty nor can I find any mention of it on their web site other than their 30 day money back guarantee. Is that all there is? My compact Minoltas came with a 25 yr warranty so just curious.

 

Also, does anyone know how long Zen-Ray has been in business?

 

Just general questions before I buy any.

 

Thanks!

 

It's a lifetime transferable warranty. For the near future, I'm not worried about Charles (the guy we met in Oregon) standing behind that. I think if I returned them to him, he would send me a new pair. For the long term--I don't know how it will work. There's no contact info except him. What if he gets tired of not making much of a living off this (at the present time, he has no plans to change his business model, which gives very little incentive for anyone else to sell the products for him, thus a very slow rise in business)? What if someone larger buys him out? These are all questions we wished we'd hung around and talked to him about (including how long in business)...out of curiosity.

 

I just went to the website, and need to correct some info: the higher-end binoculars and spotting scopes are a lifetime warranty, the others are 5 years... http://www.zen-ray.com/warranty.shtml

[zelker]

Thanks for the link. Don't know why I couldn't find it. :o It looks like the newer models carry the lifetime warranty (2009 Model VISTA, MARINER, ZRS, and ZEN ED Binoculars) - would assume any 2010 models would be the same.

 

Did you get the impression that this is a one-man operation or does he actually have people working for him?

[mytime53]

Thanks for the link. Don't know why I couldn't find it. :o It looks like the newer models carry the lifetime warranty (2009 Model VISTA, MARINER, ZRS, and ZEN ED Binoculars) - would assume any 2010 models would be the same.

 

Did you get the impression that this is a one-man operation or does he actually have people working for him?

 

We definitely thought one-man operation, but then it wouldn't be the first time we made incorrect assumptions:D

[kGCAL]

the warranty card that comes with our binoculars says life time warranty.

[oceanfun77]

So I've been reading a lot of posts on the zen-rays. However, most posts are 2-3 years ago and since then, the price of their binoculars have gone up (these posts were saying a zen-ray summit could be had for $175 or so and vista under $100).

 

I was deciding on Nikon Monarch 8x42 ($235 amazon; free shipping) vs. Zen-Ray Summit 8x42 ($205 now!; not sure about free shipping), how do I justify just a $30 difference to purchase an unknown brand though? Is there some discount code I don't know about?

[mytime53]

I was deciding on Nikon Monarch 8x42 ($235 amazon; free shipping) vs. Zen-Ray Summit 8x42 ($205 now!; not sure about free shipping), how do I justify just a $30 difference to purchase an unknown brand though? Is there some discount code I don't know about?

 

I totally understand your feelings on this. I am thrilled with my Zen-Ray ED2s. But I never would have spent that money for an unknown brand if I couldn't have gone to their office with my own binoculars that cost twice as much in my hand. And then take both pairs outside and test them against each other. So, although I love my Zen-Rays, I would advise you to buy the Nikons (I assume you've gone to a store, held them, looked through them? If not, try to do so). I did hold the Summit in my hand and looked through it, but without having something in the same price range to compare it to at the time, I can't advise on it's optics. It did have a nice feel (important to one who uses binoculars a lot), and I actually considered buying a pair...in fact, that's what I went to purchase. Just couldn't resist the top-of-the-line, however.:D

[pspercy]

I recently bought Nikon 7238 Action-EX (waterproof) 8x40 from Amazon, just over $100.

They're made in China so Nikon has succumbed too :(

 

They have one of the brightest clearest/sharpest images I've seen, impressive. Includes lenscaps for the objectives as well as the usual cap for the eyepieces. Warranty also excellent.

[knorrisb07]

So I've been reading a lot of posts on the zen-rays. However, most posts are 2-3 years ago and since then, the price of their binoculars have gone up (these posts were saying a zen-ray summit could be had for $175 or so and vista under $100).

 

I was deciding on Nikon Monarch 8x42 ($235 amazon; free shipping) vs. Zen-Ray Summit 8x42 ($205 now!; not sure about free shipping), how do I justify just a $30 difference to purchase an unknown brand though? Is there some discount code I don't know about?

 

For Alaska, you need wide angle binoculars for marine life watch. Monarch's field of view is only 340ft for 8x. That's just too narrow for 8x. Many 10x binoculars these days have 340ft field of view. Nikon just upgraded Monarch's coating. The new one now has the same dielectric coating as summit. But the new monarch field of view didn't change at 340ft.

[tjroadster]

For Alaska, you need wide angle binoculars for marine life watch. Monarch's field of view is only 340ft for 8x. That's just too narrow for 8x. Many 10x binoculars these days have 340ft field of view. Nikon just upgraded Monarch's coating. The new one now has the same dielectric coating as summit. But the new monarch field of view didn't change at 340ft.

 

just order a pair of 8x42 ZRS. My old compact binoculars is retiring. :) I will see how the 8x42 compares to my 200mm telephoto lens.

 

http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/binoculars/zrshd/zrshd8x42.html

[oceanfun77]

For Alaska, you need wide angle binoculars for marine life watch. Monarch's field of view is only 340ft for 8x. That's just too narrow for 8x. Many 10x binoculars these days have 340ft field of view. Nikon just upgraded Monarch's coating. The new one now has the same dielectric coating as summit. But the new monarch field of view didn't change at 340ft.

 

Hmmm...do you think the Nikon Monarch 8x36 would be better with FOV of 367ft? It's also smaller and more compact.

[whale-watcher]

Hmmm...do you think the Nikon Monarch 8x36 would be better with FOV of 367ft? It's also smaller and more compact.

 

This option is a nice compromise between full size and compact. I use 8x32 (different brand) and like them a lot for most uses.

 

The nikon monarchs get good reviews on eagle optics:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/nikon/nikon-monarch-pc-8x36-atb-binocular?tab=customer_reviews#tabs